Skill Overview
The gladius is a type of sword that is used by the Iridinians. It is a short sword that was designed for thrusting, and has been the primary weapon of Iridinian soldiers for many centuries. Here's a general description of a gladius:
The gladius has a short, double-edged blade that is typically around two feet in length. The blade is typically narrow and pointed, with a slight taper that makes it ideal for thrusting. The blade is made of high-quality metal and is known for its strength and sharpness. The blade is about twenty-four to twenty-eight inches long, with two edges. Quillions, either straight or ornamentally curved, project where the handle meets the blade, giving about an inch on either side with which to block.
The handle of a gladius is about seven inches long, giving room for a single handed grip. The handle of the gladius is typically made of wood, bone, or ivory, and is designed to be gripped with one hand. Two-handed grips are possible, but do not greatly affect most maneuvers. The handle is often decorated with intricate designs and patterns, and may be inlaid with precious stones or metals. The handle is typically covered in leather or another type of grip material, to ensure that it doesn't slip out of the user's hand during combat. The pommel, which adds another inch to the length of the handle, is usually an oval and is carefully weighted to help maintain the balance of the weapon.
The overall design of the gladius is compact and efficient, making it a quick and deadly weapon in close combat. Whether wielded by a legionary on the battlefield, or by a gladiator in the arena, the gladius was an iconic weapon that inspired fear and respect in its enemies. Practically everyone has seen a gladius used, and knows that you hack at people with it. The man on the street, even if he's never held one, has heard a hundred songs and stories about famous duels, and knows that you're supposed to block and move around. Untrained people with gladii will therefore be slightly more dangerous than untrained people with almost any other kind of weapon.
Basic familiarity with the gladius includes the common strikes usable with any one-handed sword. For one to become truly proficient at the gladius, however, it is necessary to study in one of the advanced 'styles' of gladius-training. There are three such schools of training readily available in Iridine.
The first, Pardelian, is taught to soldiers. The other style, called Avros swording, is thought better for duels, and most patricians who learn the sword (all of them in other words) study it. A third, lesser style is called Nelsor, named after a man who was not a gladiator but trained many. Also known as Gladiator's Swording, it is flashier and more dramatic- and much less practical. Its maneuvers are meant to be more clearly visible at a distance- the people in the cheap seats can't see the skill involved in an Avros Hook, but a Kicking Leap Strike is pretty easy to spot.
Two custom moves, Retalq's Shadow Blade Thrust and Questrius' Toss and Crush, have emerged in the past few decades reportedly from the Monlon Volunteer Guard. Though Gilven refuses to teach these moves, they are known to most sword users.
For guidance on using the skill set, see the Swords Guide.
| Skill Info | Ranks Taught by Trainer | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skills/Actions | Difficulty | Hands | Range | Wound | Gilven | Cula | Majell | Varga | **Prestis |
| One-Handed Swords | Easy | - | - | - | 300 | 100 | 120 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Chop | Easy | Either | Short | Cut | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Jab | Easy | Either | Short | Pierce | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Slash | Easy | Either | Short | Cut | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Swat | Easy | Either | Short | Bruise | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Lunge | Average | Either | Long | Pierce | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Side Strike | Average | 2 | Short | Cut | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Stab | Average | Either | Short | Pierce | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Sap | Difficult | Either | Short | Bruise | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Simple Block | Easy | Either | Short | - | 300 | 90 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Cross Block | Average | Either | Short | - | 300 | 90 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Overhead Block | Average | Either | Short | - | 300 | 90 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Round Block | Average | Either | Short | - | 300 | 90 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Base Block | Difficult | Either | Short | - | 300 | 90 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Low Block | Difficult | Either | Short | - | 300 | 90 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Feint | Average | Either | Short | - | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Push Back | Average | Either | Short | - | 300 | 100 | 110 | 500 | 154 |
| Sword Accuracy | Difficult | - | - | - | 100 | 75 | - | 100 | 154 |
| Sword Grip | Impossible | - | - | - | 100 | 75 | - | 100 | 154 |
| Custom Skills (Not taught by NPC trainers) | |||||||||
| Retalq's Shadow Blade Thrust | Average | Either | Short | Pierce | - | - | - | - | - |
| Questrius' Toss and Crush | Easy | Either | Short | Bruise | - | - | - | - | - |
Directions to Gilven (Iridine): Walk to Bronze Lane, Ex2, NEx2, N, Ex5, Nx2, E
Directions to Cula (Blackvine): Walk to Blackvine, S, SE, Ex4, Sx4, Ex3, N
Directions to Majell (Town of Rock Valley): Walk to Hospice, wait for drover to appear, follow drover, Ex10, Nx2, Wx3, Nx9, Ex2, Nx2, E, Nx3
Directions to Varga (City of Monlon): Walk to Monlon Bank, Sx2, NE, Ex3, S, Ex3
Directions to Prestis (Colosseum): Walk to Colosseum, Nx2, Wx2, N.
Notes on Learning
- You can also use Skill Points (SP) from Avros, Nelsor and Pardelian to learn One-Handed Swords.
- **Prestis will only teach you once you have enough reputation.
Skill Details
#Sword Chop chop <target>
An easy attack always aimed high. Great for the beginner, but not so useful if you need to aim low to get past your opponent's defenses. Can be defended by overhead blocks and Swaying Dodge.
When you see this in use you see:
Cula brings down his gladius in a chopping motion aimed at a thug, but misses.
#Sword Jab jab <target>
An easy move, you jab at the opponent with the pointy end of the gladius. It is a simple attack. While easier to block than some other easy sword techniques, such as swat, chop, or slash, it should not be neglected by a serious swordsman.
When you see this in use you see:
Gilven jabs at a thug with the point of his tin gladius, but misses.
#Sword Slash slash <target>
An easy slashing attack. Fairly weak, but it is harder to block than Jab. One must never forget the value of an easy attack.
When you see this in use you see:
Majell slashes horizontally at a thug with the tip of his gladius, but misses.
#Sword Swat swat <target>
The only easy bruising attack for swords, you hit the opponent with the flat side of the blade. It's blocked by most cross blocks and, unlike slash, can be dodged easily.
When you see this in use you see:
Using the flat of a tin gladius's blade, Cula swats at a thug, but misses.
#Sword Lunge lunge <target>
An attack and approach combination in which the wielder attempts to move in close to his opponent while at the same time lunging forward with the point of the gladius. It is defended by simple blocks.
When you see this in use you see:
Majell lunges forward, but his stab with the gladius misses a thug.
#Sword Side Strike sidestrike <target>
A powerful sidestrike using both hands. It is defended by most cross blocks and is fairly easy to dodge when aimed at the midsection.
When you see this in use you see:
Using both arms, a man in a hooded cloak brings his gladius around towards a thug in a powerful side strike that catches only air.
#Sword Stab stab <target>
A decently strong gladius move, comparable in strength to sidestrike, but only requiring one hand. This move is the main hard hitter a shield-wielding swordsman has, without the knowledge of advanced styles such as Nelsor.
When you see this in use you see:
Cula makes a quick stabbing motion at a thug with his gladius, but misses.
#Sword Sap sap <target>
This attack is fairly weak, but as you slam the pommel of the gladius at the opponent's head, the force of the attack is capable of stunning them momentarily. For swordsmen who like to fight alone, this really isn't necessary, but if you fight in groups (especially with sweepers), it is very nice to have. Sadly, a helmet really puts a damper on its ability to stun the opponent.
When you see this in use you see:
Cula raises the pommel of his gladius, aiming at a thug's head, but misses.
#Sword Simple Block
Blocks simple attacks aimed at the midsection.
When you see this in use you see:
Holding the blade of a tin gladius in front of him, Cula blocks a thug's tin dagger!
#Sword Cross Block
Blocks slashing attacks aimed high and at the midsection.
When you see this in use you see:
With a sideways crossing motion, Gilven blocks a thug's tin dagger with his gladius!
#Sword Overhead Block
Sword Overhead Block defends against attacks aimed high, with the exception of a few such as Spears Overhead Thrust.
When you see this in use you see:
Knees slightly bent, Majell blocks upward against a thug's tin dagger with his gladius!
#Sword Round Block
Round Block defends slashes and jabs aimed high, though it is not cumulative with cross block against slashs. This is the only Sword Block that defends against Knives Underhand Stab.
When you see this in use you see:
With a smooth twist of the hand, Majell catches the blade of a thug's tin dagger on the blade of his bronze gladius.
#Sword Base Block
This block protects from catching moves like hook, or entangles, and pushback.
When you see this in use you see:
Gilven catches a thug's tin gladius on the base of his gladius and pushes it away!
#Sword Low Block
Sword Low Block defends against simple attacks aimed low.
When you see this in use you see:
With a quick snap of the wrist, Gilven brings the tip of his gladius downward, in an inside out motion, and blocks a thug's dagger!
#Sword Feint feint <target>
Feint throws off the opponent's defense, allowing them to be hit more easily. The difficulty for a feint to be used is dependant on the opponents overall fighting ability, a less skilled opponent will fall for a feint easier then a more skilled warrior.
When you see this in use you see:
Majell leans forward, feigning a strike at a thug with his tin gladius.
#Sword Push Back pushback <target>
Using the gladius, you push against the opponents weapon, sometimes causing them to unwield. When successful, they are forced to retreat, and if you get a high enough roll over your success (50 over) they also unwield their weapon.
When you see this in use you see:
Majell throws his weight towards a thug, pushing him back a few feet with his gladius.
#Sword Accuracy
With enough training in Accuracy, you are able to raise your perception in combat situations. A grandmaster in this skill will be equivalent to low-end great perception.
When you see this in use you see:
(This is a passive skill that improves your perception, making it easier to hit targets.)
#Sword Grip
With enough training in Grip, you are able to raise your dexterity in combat situations. A grandmaster in this skill will be equivalent to low-end great dexterity.
When you see this in use you see:
(This is a passive skill that improves your dexterity, making it significantly easier to hit targets.)
#Retalq's Shadow Blade Thrust sthrust <target>
Similar to the one-handed sword stab, this move uses a distraction to cause more damage than the regular stab. This custom move was created by the swordsman Retalq Blade.
When you see this in use you see:
Retalq makes a wide, false slash at a thug with his gladius, then quickly step in with his back turned towards it and drive his gladius in with a vicious thrust! The distraction fails and the stab misses.
#Questrius' Toss and Crush crush <target>
Similar to the existing one-handed sword swat. This custom move was created by the swordsman Questrius.
When you see this in use you see:
Questrius tosses his gladius into the air and catches it before swatting at a thug, but misses.