Swordmaster Guide
From SpiralKnights
== WORK IN PROGRESS
I'M USING GUNSLINGER GUIDE AS A BASE TO KEEP CONSTANT STYLE AMONG GUIDES, NOT AS PLAGIARISM
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Introduction
Swords are the bread-and-butter of SK, but to utilize their full effectiveness, one must become a Swordmaster. Specializing as a Swordmaster is fun, and very useful. In most fights, using Swords is the fastest way of getting rid of single enemies or small groups. Using swords the right way will allow you to face nearly any danger in SK.
The Basics
Swords have superior damage, but using them puts you in range of melee enemies. This means, that while fighting recklessly, your HP bars will deplete fast. The first thing you need to learn as a Swordmaster is correct use of shielding.
Shields have two main uses:
- Blocking: This is the basic way of using your shield, just activate it before enemy lands a hit or projectile strikes you
- Shield Bumping: You will notice that activating shield while you're close to an enemy will push them back, the more the closer you are. Chaotic shield bumping will disrupt your team, and may even put them in danger. This should only be used in three cases.
1. When it will allow you to avoid an attack (eg. bumping a charging Mecha Knight that would otherwise heahevily damage your shield).
2. To clear you path when surrounded. This is a bit harder, but will allow you to escape really dire situations (eg. being surrounded by 4-5 T3
Gremlins in the corner of a danger room). The key is to click the shield button quickly several times, holding it only to block most damaging
attacks and concentrating on escaping.
3. Simply to move enemies without damaging them, when you want to delay spawn of a next wave of enemies
The second most important thing for a Sword master are the attack patterns. You need to memorise attack rhythm and timing of both your swords and enemies. This will enable you to land as many hits as possible and shield before enemy retaliates or, when timed correctly, cancel their attacks using knockback and never stop attacking. Sword patterns will be covered later in this article, but enemy attacks are covered in specific enemy articles and should be learned in-game anyway.
Next concept to get familiar with is damage types. There are three types, just visit damage. Having three swords with damage corresponding to monsters is a great advantage for a Swordmaster. While good 'ol Calibur and it's older brothers are good enough to handle almost every monster in clockworks, non-normal swords are better against specific threats.
Controls
Controls are important for every Swordsman. Having a quick access to Weapon change and Shield is important. Here is an example of button layout fo a Swordmaster:
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Techniques
A good Swordmaster should put avoiding damage as his top priority - you can always land another hit later or let your friends finish a monster, but getting hit means you don't have health for when it's necessary. Dealing damage more important than defending only in few situations and the main is killing enemy healers. In most cases, Gremlin menders should be your MOST important target, as they can heal faster than you deal damage, and resurrect others in T3. In case you face two of them, killing them as fast as possible is vital.
When facing crowds of enemies, your attack pattern should be: wait for enemy to come in range -> attack once -> shield and retreat -> repeat
You can avoid having to attack before charging your weapon by using this pattern: shield->hold attack key->release shield
Slow 2 hit swords have wide swing arc, so before attacking try to position and angle yourself to hit as many enemies as possible.
Cutters, Spurs, Flourishes and Thorn Blades make you move a lot while attacking which can be both a blessing or a curse. This allows you to dodge hits WHILE attacking, but in some cases can put you in danger or make you run into spikes. Autotargeting is quite useful while using them (especially for Flourishes), as it makes it easier to follow enemies with consecutive attacks.
Weaponry
Generally the swords have either Normal or split normal and other damage. This prevents swordsmen to take as much advantage of damage types as gunners, but the bonuses are still quite significant. The only exception are the Flourishes and Thorn Blades which deal pure Piercing damage which allows them to greatly outdamage other swords while fighting enemies vulnerable to Piercing.
Still, it is a good idea to carry three swords with different damage types and alternate for different enemies.
Slow Swords
Slow Swords are ones that have 2 hit combos :Divine Avenger, Gran Faust and Khorovod. These swords have wide attacks with long range and good knockback, but they are really slow without any UV's. Their second hit leaves the user vulnerable to fast attacks, because he can't shield for a while afterwards.
Divine Avenger
Probably the most popular and impressive endgame sword, DA is a split Normal/Elemental Sword. It's charge is very useful for a Swordsman because it gives them a powerful ranged attack, great for crowds of enemies or distant Gun Puppies, but the swing itself deals even more damage (nearly doubled 2nd hit damage).
Be Aware
- Is able to hit otherwise unaccessible enemies by charge attacks
Gran Faust
Gran Faust is a shadow version of Divine Avenger. It is currently the only weapon capable of dealing the most powerful status effect with it's second strike or charge - Curse. It's charge makes it a double-edged sword because it gives you a ~1/3 chance of cursing yourself for 40 seconds.
Be Aware
- Can Curse both opponents an you(with charge)
Khorovod
Khorovod line currently ends with 4*, but it's damage matches 5* swords. It's charge attack is an overhead swing that may stun hit enemies (it used to erupt rocks from the ground, but they were recently removed). It is not recommended to take this sword until the rocks come back or it get's a 5* version.
Be Aware
- No longer erupts 3 rocks while charging.
Average speed Swords
They follow 3-hit combo pattern, with third hit usually knocking enemies over and/or interrupting attacks.
Calibur
Caliburs are the best sword for beginner knights - they deal normal damage and have the same attack pattern that Proto Sword does. Normal damage makes them equally good versus all ememies. Their charge attack is useful against most enemies, especially for Gun Puppies.
Be Aware
- Charge attack will strike static enemies three times
- Charge attack has huge knockback and may throw enemies at your allies
Brandish
Brandishes have split normal and elemental or shadow damage, making them a perfect alternative for Sealed Swords. They posess explosive charge attacks, and elemental versions are able to deal Strong status aliments with them.
Be Aware
- Can supercharge Quicksilvers
- Can ignite Oilers
- Can refreeze Ice Cubes
Fast Swords
Fast swords have various patterns, but the common feature is their exceptional speed
Cutter
This sword is second (after Calibur) most popular beginner sword. It has low damage, but hits very, very fast, and it's 4* and 5* versions are capable of poisoning enemies which increases damage they recieve. It is a very good sword for T1 and T2, but in T3 it's overly aggressive playing style is too dangerous. It is not recommended to take the Wild hunting Blade upgrade because Poison is far more useful.
Be Aware
- Can make you walk into Floor hazards.
- Dangerous to use in endgame
Flourish
Shadowtech Alchemers deal shadow damage, and have no status effect. They deal damage comparable to the Prismatech Alchemers.
Piercing Damage Handguns
Piercing damage is good against devilites and beasts. Slimes and constructs are strong against piercing.
Blitz Needle
The Blitz Needle is one of two five star versions of the Autogun. Blitz Needle shoots in rapid bursts, and can fire two bursts before reloading. The bursts are a tight random spread of 6 fast piercing bullets. The charge attack fires 15 shots in a sweeping pattern and is followed by a reload animation.
Be Aware
- You cannot move or turn while firing this gun.
Callahan
The Magnus line shoots very fast bullets that have a chance to cause stun. It can interrupt attacks, and sometimes knock back enemies. However, the shooting animation leaves you standing still for a fraction of a second. At the five star level there are two guns that come from the Magnus line. One is Callahan, which deals piercing damage and has a chance to stun. Its charge attack launches the user backwards and is followed by a reload animation.
Be Aware
- You cannot move while firing this gun.
Normal Damage Handguns
These weapons are less popular for dedicated gunslingers, but work well as a fourth weapon for gunslingers or as a sidearm for swordsmen or bombers.
Iron Slug
Iron Slug has a two shot clip and requires you to stand still a moment to shoot. It has some splash damage when bullets impact an enemy or reach maximum range. Its charge attack launches the user back, and may stun the user as well as the enemy. This gun is also from the Magnus line.
Be Aware
- You cannot move while firing this gun.
- Charge attack may stun you.
Neutralizer
Neutralizer fires bullets with a clip size of 3. Its charge attack fires a bullet that 'sticks' to and orbits an enemy, which can be detonated by its normal attack, causing a sizeable explosion for each orbiting charge.
Be Aware
- This gun fires very slow bullets.
Supernova
Supernova has a three shot clip. It fires bullets that expand and deal significant AoE damage to all nearby monsters, as well as knocking them away from the center of the explosion.
Be Aware
- This gun fires slow bullets.
Valiance
Valiance shoots up to fast bullets in the form of small, bright blue energy orbs. The charge attack releases a very large orb of energy that can hit multiple enemies. It has a clip size of five.
Volcanic Pepperbox
The Volcanic Pepperbox operates like the Blitz Needle, but its attacks deal normal damage and have a chance of inflicting fire. Its charge attack will draw an enemy in towards the source so that more damage can be dealt to the targeted enemies. Although it can works quite well with gunslinger, the Volcanic Pepperbox works better with a Gunner-Bomber setup.
Be Aware
- Can ignite Oilers.
- You cannot move or turn while firing this gun.
Split Damage Handguns
These guns are much less popular for dedicated gunslingers, as split damage will always deal less damage to a target than a specialized weapon. For this reason, when carrying 2-4 guns, you are almost always better off with a specialized handgun.
Argent Peacemaker
This gun shoots fast bullets that deal piercing/elemental damage, and has a clip size of six (6).
Be Aware
Sentenza
This gun shoots fast bullets that deal piercing/shadow damage, and has a clip size of six (6).
Be Aware
Armor
Gunslinger
Gunslinger protects against normal and piercing damage. It has a low handgun attack speed bonus.
Sunset
Sunset protects against normal and piercing damage, and offers a low handgun attack speed bonus.
Deadshot
Deadshot protects against normal and shadow damage. Each piece offers a medium damage vs undead bonus as well as a maximum resistance to curse.
Justifier
Justifier protects against normal damage and piercing. It has a medium handgun attack speed bonus.
Nameless
Nameless protects against normal damage and elemental. It has a medium handgun attack speed bonus.
Shadowsun
Shadowsun protects against normal and piercing damage. It has a low handgun damage bonus, but maximum weaknesses to both curse and poison.
Special Stats
Handgun Attack Speed
Handgun attack speed increases the speed you can get shots off. It does not affect the speed at which you reload your weapons.
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| Starting Out | New Player Briefing | User interface | Useful Links |
 Bombing Guide |  Gunslinger Guide |  Swordmaster Guide
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 Shieldbearer Guide
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 Hybrid Guide
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