How did you choose your protagonist's sword?

[therosesword]

absolutely love it, for sure.

[jcmraz]

Utility. The kukri can be used as a weapon, machete or small hatchet. For the purposes of Runners it seemed like a good choice. I'm not sure if I'll keep that sa their weapon of choice. But it was for Chapter 0

[arxianfall]

I have tall girl.

• Girl still girl an can't compete with man of equal skill because of biological differences.

• Girl has to adapt with what she has.

• Girl can't slash or big strength but girl tall and nimble. Girl has reach.

• Girl choose estoc.

[therosesword]

My main aim was fun and visual appeal rather than accuracy, because like... if somebody can seriously be content with magic that makes your hair turn blue and cut things with your aura or throw cars, but they draw the line at swords that aren't perfectly accurate... they have weirdly patchy suspension of disbelief. I have some training in iaido myself, and I know the rudiments of fencing, but I wouldn't call myself an expert.

So true! and so fun. You go with what the story demands. Some fantasy has that edge of reality so you go for that, or you go for the ridiculous for the humor. And, vice versa.

I always say I have enough training to get myself killed in the first two seconds of a real match hahahahaha.

Urien even wears his on his back which... well, any person who knows about swords knows that you can't really sheathe a sword on your back like that... (sorry, Geralt) but the thing is it looks cool, and Urien is all about looking cool.

I know.... I had a back harness (cheapy thing) just to work into my choreography and I even have Bright Morn have his sword on his back at one point, but it's because he has a broken arm and can't carry it. but... re: my harness, I was reduced to giggles and guffaws after the first pull out. I stood there and said... what the f*** now. Now what do I do with this sucker. hahahahahahahahah

[therosesword]

Is that what Fatty uses in Lost Tomb 2... (I just checked out a photo and it sure looks like it.) Nice piece.

[jcmraz]

I haven't seen it so I couldn't say lol

[therosesword]

And naturally I can't find a still shot of it. Gee, guess I'll have to watch it again...

[therosesword]

I had learned that about swords in Japan a while back and was on another fantasy group and someone mentioned she was going to give her character (in Japan) a katana and I told her she might want to look it up but I believed they were illegal, etc.

She got royally PO'd at me and got totally abusive about me flaunting "superior pseudo knowledge" (it's called google research accidently found) and was really condescending and I'm like... dude, back off, we're supposed to be helpful here. I didn't respond and she went her merry way and after months of working on a story posted it in the group and got shot down by admin pointing out that.... swords + Japan = illegal.

I mean, really... a five second google search...

I need to learn my lesson about not helping people sometimes, LOL.

But I love the wakizashi... wasn't familiar with that, will have to do some research, that's a real sweetie. Thanks for the info!

[Crippling_Anxiety]

My protagonist is half demon and half angel (we haven't gotten to how he uses his weapons in combat or anything like that yet but it's coming soon so I guess a small spoiler is ok lol) and he can switch between demon "form" and angel "form" or use both together. Switching "forms" doesn't change his appearance directly (except his eye color, nail length, or using both angel and demon form at once, etc) The "forms" basically let him access the powers of the angel or the demon or both at once. But in the different "forms" he gets a different weapon that he can either flow magical energy into to make it more powerful, make different attacks (like special attacks in smash bros basically). He can use the magical energy without the weapons though but with the weapons is way more powerful. In angel form he has a whole bunch of kunai that he can control with his magical energy and in demon form he duel wields katanas (I know the katana is used so much) His demon sword is made out of a metal forged straight from hell which makes it easier to flow demonic energy through the sword and it won't melt when in contact with his hell flames. The demonic metal also harms angels in a way that they cannot heal themselves from instantly. The Kunai are forged from a basic metal but while it was being forged it was constantly enhanced with angelic energy. Once again it makes it easier to flow angelic energy through and it harms demons in a way where they can't instantly heal. Sorry for all the word vomit lol I am a little bit of a nerd when it comes to these things... even though I did pick basic weapons.

[ar-ninetysix]

Damn, this meme fits that situation perfectly lmao

You made an assumption and a suggestion, she decided to stay ignorant, you got kicked out, she wrote her story anyways, and got shot down for the same thing she refused to look up. Literally all of that could've been avoided on her end

[therosesword]

In angel form he has a whole bunch of kunai that he can control with his magical energy and in demon form he duel wields katanas (I know the katana is used so much) His demon sword is made out of a metal forged straight from hell which makes it easier to flow demonic energy through the sword and it won't melt when in contact with his hell flames.

The thing, at least for me, when choosing a sword is what works for the character, the story and your own esthetic. It sounds to me like you put a lot of thought into what kind of sword for the demon side and this is what satisfied you in multiple ways and ultimately felt the most comfortable in the character's eyes. So, yeah, the katana is used a lot but... it isn't just a "well this is cool" type thing let's use it. When that happens it's usually pretty obvious (although I think more obvious to people who are sword nerds like my buddies on zoom.) And sometimes it's used because people aren't aware of the variety of really fabulous swords around the world.

So in this case, just a thought on my part, don't think about if it's used a tiny bit or a lot, it is what was perfect in yours and your character's case.

[Crippling_Anxiety]

Yeah I did scrap a lot of ideas for his weapons and I do base a lot of my weapons off what I see in books but I try to add a lot of different things that aren't used as often design wise or "power wise" and just other smaller details.

[therosesword]

No kidding, and i didn't even say it was concrete, I just said she "might" want to look it up, just in case. I mean, I don't remember when I'd read that, things could have changed. Ah well, it made me into a kind of rabid "look it up" type person, I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

[Iridium]

My comic revels on Middle Eastern (especially Persian) aesthetics, so my blades of choice for my characters will come from there. My protagonist, Nadhine, uses a pair of Kurdish daggers, because she fights in a rogue-like manner, skulking, stalking and going for fast, refined blows.

As for myself, I would definitely go for a Scimitar; I love the curvy blade and the engraved pommels. It is a sword that is both useful and beautiful, I believe. =D

[ryoko]

Tarow currently wields the "god-slayer", a Xiphos style sword, which is a lighter, leaf-shaped double edged sword. She's a mercenary by trade and needed a blade that could be used to make quick slashes or thrusts that allowed her to first attack, then get out of range and attack again to finish the job if required. It made more sense for her to be able to wield a one-handed sword so she could also supplement in other weapons like a dagger or simply throw in a punch with her other hand.

[therosesword]

ohhhhh, I was going to ask if anyone was using a Scimitar! They are gorgeous.

[DasIstWunderblyat]

He doesn't have one (dagger team). I think that one would be easier to handle for an untrained person, even better when poisoned.

One character has sword based on a plain old basic longsword sword (only heavily decorated to show edginess). Reason being longsword is versatile for human and monster combat alike, and he is an European. That is an enchanted sword and he actually can manipulate the shape and the length.

[therosesword]

One character has sword based on a plain old basic longsword sword (only heavily decorated to show edginess).

the thing about a "plain old basic longsword" is... tried and true, true and solid. It's kind of like watching everyone at a family dinner trying to outdo each other with super fancy desserts and in walks Gram with the brownies and cookies she's made for y'all since you were babies and all of a sudden fancy desserts are meh next to the love and memories baked into those cookies.

Tried and true always wins.

[cyborgmermaid]

Okay so after a trip to the MET and spending half the day in the Arms and Armor room I chose their swords based on heritage/personality and fighting styles.

Alexei's is a hybrid Viking broadsword and a German longsword. The bladed weapons in my novel work on magic and the colors reflect the user's soul color. Alexei's blade is black but if someone else picked up the hilt and activates it, it would change to that person's color.

Ellery's is based on a Spanish rapier. The blade is actually a unicorn's horn with great significance to her and well, I can't reveal too much about it ^^

[therosesword]

Oh I love it. It reminds me of Stormbringer. I've not seen anyone else do a black sword (yeah, sure, as if I'm aware of every single sword being written about, I wish but... I doubt anyone is)

Stormbringer