The Ultimate One-Handed Sword!

[Seeking Solace]

Disclaimer: I'm going to provide my personal reasoning as to why I firmly believe that this is the best one-handed sword in the game. It's not 100% objective, so you might disagree with me and that's okay. If you do though, please provide your argument.

https://imgur.com/a/LqiZtoF

For refrence, the Thamaskene Steel Spatha vs my custom sword (Zulasjad):
Weight: 1.5 || 1.1
Swing Speed: 88 || 100
Swing Damage: 75 || 83
Length: 110 || 92
Handling: 89 || 99
Bonus vs Shields: No || Yes

A sword should not be used on horseback because glaives are a much better alternative in terms of range and damage. There's no competition here. On the other hand, one-handed swords reign supreme in on-foot combat because of their convenient swing speed, handling, being not too long for congested sieges or too short that you need to hit point blank, and being able to equip shields for protection against projectiles or multiple attacks from different directions.

This sword offers all that and more. It uses the "Highland Decorated Blade" because it has the highest swing damage factor there is. It also provides a bonus against shields! Poor axes no longer have a single advantage.

The other parts are picked and weighed down such that it can get the highest swing speed and handling that is achievable with that blade, which is also weighed down. I spent 2 hours going through all the parts checking for the absolute fastest components. (An exception: there's a grip component that can provide +1 extra swing speed but reduces damage by 3 and reach by 6. Made no sense to use that.)

You can get much higher stats with the "Legendary Smith" perk, of course. My smithing skill isn't high enough yet to showcase the maximum possible stats, sadly. The stats in the screenshots are the "base" stats of the weapon. There was zero bias regarding the appearance of the components used. The weapon somehow ended up looking great, not clownish thankfully.

Tell me what you think. :)

[Dingleberry Dan]

looks like excalibur.

[The Big Brzezinski]

I'd probably prefer a short sword or similar sidearm for sieges and bandit caves, or a long saber for big battles where I need a shield on horseback.

Still, a better side sword is always a good thing. I can imagine it in many loadouts as versatile secondary weapon. I'd certainly feel secure wearing it around town.

[Pistachio]

Seems a bit too short to use from horseback, but with bonus against shields, that looks like a really good infantry sword.

[Seeking Solace]

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

I'd probably prefer a short sword or similar sidearm for sieges and bandit caves, or a long saber for big battles where I need a shield on horseback.

If you use another blade to get an even shorter sword, you would significantly lose on damage (20-30 less damage) and the bonus against shields.

I've created a shortsword with 106 swing speed I think and it was totally not worth it. The faster swing is hardly noticeable, and instead of killing stuff in 1-2 hits you now need 2-4 hits. Breaking shields will take forever too.

Originally posted by Pistachio:

Seems a bit too short to use from horseback, but with bonus against shields, that looks like a really good infantry sword.

Yeah, it's not designed to be used on horseback at all. The most optimized one-handed cavalry sword I crafted had the following stats:

Weight: 1.3
Length: 125
Swing Speed: 82
Swing Damage: 100
Handling: 84
Bonus against shields: yes

But then I never used it. Because why would I use that instead of using a glaive that has almost double the reach and damage? Crafted glaives one-hit everything regardless of how heavily armored the target is. Using swords on horseback makes no sense to me.

[The Big Brzezinski]

Originally posted by -Solace-:

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

I'd probably prefer a short sword or similar sidearm for sieges and bandit caves, or a long saber for big battles where I need a shield on horseback.

If you use another blade to get an even shorter sword, you would significantly lose on damage (20-30 less damage) and the bonus against shields.

I've created a shortsword with 106 swing speed I think and it was totally not worth it. The faster swing is hardly noticeable, and instead of killing stuff in 1-2 hits you now need 2-4 hits. Breaking shields will take forever too.

Originally posted by Pistachio:

Seems a bit too short to use from horseback, but with bonus against shields, that looks like a really good infantry sword.

Yeah, it's not designed to be used on horseback at all. The most optimized one-handed cavalry sword I crafted had the following stats:

Weight: 1.3
Length: 125
Swing Speed: 82
Swing Damage: 100
Handling: 84
Bonus against shields: yes

But then I never used it. Because why would I use that instead of using a glaive that has almost double the reach and damage? Crafted glaives one-hit everything regardless of how heavily armored the target is. Using swords on horseback makes no sense to me.

Well I'd use a lance against a shield wall, not a sword. Sword cavalry is better off hacking into soft targets, like archers and the backs of infantry formations. Get in, cut 'em up, and get out to break up their formation. Did it all the time in Total War games.

At the end of the day, it's a really good generalist sword.

[Seeking Solace]

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

Snip

You would use a lance... On foot? This sword is an infantry sword, as I keep saying.

Also, for horseback weaponry:
Glaives >>> Lances. Both one-hit kills everything, except the glaives do it faster.
Glaives >>> Swords. Both swing, except the glaives swing from a further and safer distance and one-hit kills everything while a one-handed sword is short and needs at least 2 swings to kill heavier armored targets.

[The Big Brzezinski]

I'm rarely on foot on a battlefield. Usually I'm doing the RTS thing if I'm in command, or leading horse archers as a captain. If I'm marching in a pitched battle, something has gone very wrong.

Glaives are great at what they do, cheesy even. But, in a melee, I'd rather have a saber so I can block with a shield. Against an aware target, I'd rather have a lance I can couch to avoid being parried. Lances are also better at thrusting, so they're easier to use in a cavalry formation. I love swinging a glaive around on horseback smashing heads like so many mailboxes as much as the next guy. It's just not something I get to do as often as I like.

I do like glaives (and two hand weapons in general) in sieges. In the melee crush a short/stabby weapon is better, but once you can maneuver around and get some room, it's a time to get chopping. The available armor isn't protective enough to go full polearm and bow, but you can pack a glaive in next to your javelins just fine.

[Chaotic Entropy]

Originally posted by Veilan Xenos:

looks like excalibur.

Did some watery tart throw it at you though?

[Seeking Solace]

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

But, in a melee, I'd rather have a saber so I can block with a shield.

Hence the creation of this sword. This sword is an infantry sword. You aren't supposed to fight on foot on normal fights. This is for siege battles and bandit raids.

Glaives are too long to be used effectively in siege battles. Also, this sword is fast enough to land two swings (possibly killing 2 enemies) where a glaive would land one, all while equipping a shield and being effective against breaking shields itself. There's literally no point in using a glaive in a siege battle regardless of the situation.

Using a two-handed sword WOULD be the highest DPS of all in siege battles, but it is more risky than a one-handed sword since you have no shield.

Back on topic, this is the ultimate one-handed sword. It has the highest stats that are achievable and needed for a siege battle. Changing the blade to make it shorter would make it deal almost half the damage and lose its shield bonus for an insignificant amount of extra swing speed and handling. Making it longer by increasing its size will lower its swing speed and handling for extra length, which is largely an unneeded stat, and a slight damage boost.