Short sword

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Version 0.30: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.
Name Short sword
Skill Short Blades
Damage 5
Accuracy +4
Base delay (%) 10 (100%)
Min delay 5 at skill 12
Hands 1H
Size Small
Ranged? No
A small, double-edged blade with a short grip.

"Who was the first that forged the deadly blade?
Of rugged steel his savage soul was made"

-Albius Tibullus, _Elegies_ I, xi. ca. 25 B.C.

trans. James Grainger, 1822.

This weapon falls into the 'Short Blades' category. It is a one handed weapon.

The short sword is a weapon in the Short Blades category. Many backgrounds have a short sword as a choice of weapon, and early monsters (such as kobolds, goblins and orcs) often wield them.

Strategy

As a starting weapon, a short sword is weaker than a falchion or mace in "raw" combat, but is better at stabbing.

At 0 skill, a short sword is better than nothing. It's also better than a dagger (if you aren't stabbing things) or club of the same brand. So if you started without a weapon, you might as well pick one of these up. Whips and spears are, in turn, better than the short sword.

Image
Mundane Short sword1.png
Magical Short sword2.png
Artifact Short sword3.png

History

  • Prior to 0.30, short swords had a base delay of 11 (1.1).
  • Prior to 0.29, short swords had 6 base damage, and scaled with strength rather than dexterity.
Weapons
Axes BattleaxeBroad axeExecutioner's axeHand axeWar axe
Maces & Flails ClubDemon whipDire flailEveningstarFlailGiant clubGiant spiked clubGreat maceMace (Hammer) • MorningstarSacred scourgeWhip
Long Blades Demon bladeDouble swordEudemon bladeFalchionGreat swordLong swordScimitarTriple sword
Polearms BardicheDemon tridentGlaiveHalberd (Scythe) • SpearTridentTrishula
Ranged Weapons ArbalestHand cannonLongbowOrcbowShortbowSlingTriple crossbow
Short Blades DaggerQuick bladeRapierShort sword
Staves LajatangMagical staffQuarterstaff
Throwing BoomerangDartJavelinLarge rockStoneThrowing net