Sword

This article is about the type of weapon. For the specific weapon item sold by NPC weaponsmiths, see Sword (item).

Sword

Type

One-handed weapon

Used by

Willbender
Revenant
Warrior
Mesmer
Necromancer

Main-hand only:

Guardian
Holosmith
Ranger
Thief
Weaver

Crafted by

Weaponsmith

Gallery
Sword concept art.

The sword is a type of one-handed weapon that may be wielded in the main hand and off-hand. Swords balance positioning and avoiding attacks with inflicting damage, making them versatile for any profession to use.

Skills by profession

#	Skill			Description
Guardian
1	Sword of Wrath			Chain. Slash your foe once.
1	Sword Arc	0.5½		Chain. Slash your foe again.
1	Sword Wave	0.5½		Send out waves of attacks that strike multiple targets.
2	Symbol of Blades		8	Symbol. Teleport to your target, and blind nearby foes. Create a symbol at your feet that damages nearby enemies and benefits allies.
3	Zealot's Defense	0.5½	12	Block ranged attacks while casting magical projectiles.
Willbender
4	Executioner's Calling	0.75¾	12	Strike your foe with rending force. Follow up this attack with a dual strike that deals increased damage against foes you struck with the first.
5	Advancing Strike	0.5½	20	Quickly dash toward your foe and then shadowstep to deliver a debilitating attack that first slows and then immobilizes your enemies.
Revenant
1	Preparation Thrust	0.5½		Stab your foe with your sword, inflicting vulnerability.
1	Brutal Blade	0.75¾		Slice foes, damaging them and inflicting vulnerability.
1	Rift Slash	0.5½		Slash foes, creating a rift on them that explodes for additional damage after a short delay.
2	Chilling Isolation	0.5½	5	Strike all nearby foes, then release a burst of mist energy that deals a second strike. The second strike deals bonus damage if it hits only one enemy.
3	Unrelenting Assault	0.75¾	12	Shadowstep and unleash fierce attacks on nearby foes. Gain might each time you damage a foe.
4	Shackling Wave	1	15	Slice through the air, sending a wave of energy from the Mists toward your foe and dealing rapid strikes. Immobilize duration is increased per target you strike.
5	Deathstrike	0.5½	15	Shadowstep to your foe and deliver a quick attack, then deliver a second devastating blow if it hits.
5	Deathstrike			Deliver a second devastating blow.
Warrior
1	Sever Artery	0.5½		Chain. Bleed your foe with a slash.
1	Gash	0.5½		Chain. Bleed your foe with a gash.
1	Hamstring	0.25¼		Cripple your foe with a precise slash.
2	Savage Leap	0.75¾	8	Lunge at your foe and strike them with your sword.
3	Final Thrust	0.5½	12	Strike your foe with a final powerful thrust that does extra damage and inflicts bleeding against foes below the health threshold.
4	Impale	0.5½	15	Throw your sword at your foe to impale them.
4	Rip	0.75¾	1	Rip your sword from your foe for extra damage.
5	Riposte	20.25¼	15	Block the next attack. Riposte and bleed your foe if you block a melee attack. Gain adrenaline if you are not attacked.
5	Adrenaline Rush			Stop blocking and gain adrenaline.
F1	Flurry	0.5½	8	Burst. Immobilize your foes with a flurry of bleeding strikes. Effect increases with adrenaline level.
Berserker
F1	Flaming Flurry	2	5	Primal Burst. Lash out with a flurry of strikes that block missiles and shoot fireballs at foes in front of you.
Engineer
1	Sun Edge	0.5½		Strike your foe and inflict vulnerability.
1	Sun Ripper	0.5½		Strike your foe again and inflict vulnerability.
1	Gleam Saber	0.75¾		Unleash a burst of stored energy with your sword and recharge your other sword skills.
2	Refraction Cutter	0.5½	6	Strike at foes in front of you and launch two blades of light at your target. Each blade inflicts conditions.
3	Radiant Arc	0.75¾	14	Leap to your target and create an arc of light that strikes nearby foes. Gain quickness.
Holosmith
	Refraction Cutter Blade			Launch a blade of light that bleeds your target.
1	Sun Edge	0.5½		Strike your foe and inflict vulnerability. This attack deals more damage based on your heat level.
1	Sun Ripper	0.5½		Strike your foe again and inflict vulnerability. This attack deals more damage based on your heat level.
1	Gleam Saber	0.75¾		Unleash a burst of stored energy with your sword and recharge your other sword skills. This attack deals more damage based on your heat level.
2	Refraction Cutter	0.5½	6	Strike at foes in front of you and launch a blade of light at your target. Launch extra blades based on your heat level. Each blade inflicts conditions.
3	Radiant Arc	0.75¾	12	Leap to your target and create an arc of light that strikes nearby foes. Gain quickness based on your heat level.
Ranger
1	Slash	0.5½		Chain. Slash your foe.
1	Crippling Thrust	0.25¼		Chain. Stab your foe, crippling them for a short time.
1	Precision Swipe	0.75¾		Deliver a blow to your foe. Your pet gains might for each foe struck.
2	Pounce	0.75¾	6	Deliver a leaping strike that deals more damage to disabled, defiant, or movement-impaired foes. Gain vigor if an enemy is struck.
3	Serpent's Strike	0.75¾	8	Leap to your target and cripple them. If your target is disabled, defiant, or movement impaired, immobilize them instead.
Untamed
1	Deft Strike	0.75¾		Unleashed Ambush. Leap forward and strike the ground, creating a spore under each enemy struck.
Thief
1	Slice			Chain. Slice your foe.
1	Slash	0.5½		Chain. Slash your foe again.
1	Crippling Strike	0.5½		Cripple your foe with a final strike.
1	Tactical Strike		1	Stealth Attack. Daze your foe by bashing them with your sword hilt. Daze them for a longer duration if you attack from behind or they are defiant. Applies vulnerability.
2	Infiltrator's Strike			Shadowstep to a foe and strike them. Use Shadow Return[sic] to shadowstep back and cure one condition.
2	Infiltrator's Return	0.25¼		Return to your original location. Cure one condition.
3	Stab (without offhand)	0.5½		Stab your foe.
3	Flanking Strike (with offhand Dagger)	0.5½		Dual Wield. Evade and stab your foe.
3	Larcenous Strike (with offhand Dagger)	0.5½		Dual Wield. Stab your foe and steal boons from them. Deals increased damage if it hits a foe with no boons.
3	Pistol Whip (with offhand Pistol)	0.75¾		Dual Wield. Pistol-whip your foe, stunning them, then slash repeatedly with your sword.
Deadeye
1	Malicious Tactical Strike		1	Stealth Attack. Daze your foe by bashing them with your sword hilt. Daze them for a longer duration if you attack from behind or they are defiant. Applies vulnerability. Consumes all malice when striking your mark to restore endurance based on the malice used.
Weaver
Fire Attunement
1	Fire Strike	0.5½		Build elemental flames into your sword and strike your enemies.
1	Fire Swipe	0.5½		Heat your sword a second time and strike your enemies for increased damage.
1	Searing Slash	0.75¾		Heat your sword a final time and use the full power of your flames to sear enemies and ignite them.
2	Flame Uprising	0.75¾	8	Jump forward and deliver a fiery blast to the area.
3	Cauterizing Strike	0.75¾	15	Stab your foe with full force, dealing bonus damage against burning enemies.
Water Attunement
1	Seiche	0.5½		Imbue your blade with water, healing yourself for each target you strike.
1	Clapotis	0.5½		Deliver a second strike that heals yourself for each target it hits.
1	Breaking Wave	0.75¾		Strike your enemies and unleash a wave that heals allies.
2	Riptide	1	12	Use the element of water to propel yourself backward and regenerate, leaving a healing area at your location.
3	Aqua Siphon	0.75¾	15	Strike an enemy and draw water from them, causing them to deliver a healing burst to your allies.
Air Attunement
1	Charged Strike	0.5½		Strike your foe with shocking force.
1	Polaric Slash	0.5½		Deliver a second strike, gaining swiftness.
1	Call Lightning	0.75¾		Deliver the final attack, calling lightning strikes onto enemies.
2	Polaric Leap	0.5½	15	Shadowstep to your target and deliver a dazing strike. Gain superspeed if you interrupt an enemy.
3	Quantum Strike	0.75¾	16	Strike your foe, charging them with static and causing lightning to strike repeatedly for a short period of time.
Earth Attunement
1	Crystal Slash	0.5½		Strike your opponent with your serrated blade.
1	Crystalline Strike	0.5½		Attack enemies with a second vicious attack.
1	Crystalline Sunder	0.75¾		Unleash a final crushing blow.
2	Earthen Vortex	0.75¾	10	Burrow into the ground, then erupt with earth-shattering force.
3	Rust Frenzy	0.5½	15	Strike your enemies with deadly force.
Fire + Water Attunement
3	Twin Strike	0.75¾	10	Dual Attack. Quickly strike enemies in front of you with the extreme nature of fire and water.
Fire + Air Attunement
3	Pyro Vortex	0.5½	12	Dual Attack. Strike enemies in an arc in front of you, creating burning vortexes on enemies you hit.
Fire + Earth Attunement
3	Lava Skin	0.25¼	18	Dual Attack. Cover yourself in an increasing barrier while dealing damage to nearby enemies.
Air + Water Attunement
3	Shearing Edge	0.5½	12	Dual Attack. Form a frozen blade and spin it toward your enemies.
Water + Earth Attunement
3	Natural Frenzy	0.5½	10	Dual Attack. Unleash a volley of ice and earth at your enemies.
Air + Earth Attunement
3	Gale Strike	0.75¾	20	Dual Attack. Strike your enemies, lifting them and creating cyclones at their locations.
Mesmer
1	Mind Slash			Chain. Slash your foe to make them vulnerable.
1	Mind Gash	0.5½		Chain. Gash your foe to make them vulnerable.
1	Mind Spike	0.5½		Stab your foe and rip a boon off of them. Does additional damage when the target has no boons.
2	Blurred Frenzy	1	10	Strike your foe with a flurry of strikes, distorting the space around you, making you evade attacks.
3	Illusionary Leap	0.5½	12	Clone. Summon an illusion that leaps at your target, crippling them. After the initial leap, the clone will execute the Mind Slash sword chain.
3	Swap			Swap places with your clone. Immobilize nearby foes.
4	Illusionary Riposte	20.25¼	12	Clone. Block your foe and create an illusion when attacked.
4	Counter Blade	0.75¾		Shoot out a bolt that dazes foes in a line.
5	Phantasmal Swordsman	1	15	Phantasm. Perform a sword strike and create an illusion that attacks your foe. If the sword strike hits, you gain might.
Mirage
1	Mirage Thrust	0.75¾	1	Ambush. Lunge at your foe and strike them with your sword, briefly dazing them. Leave behind a clone at your original location.
Virtuoso
3	Blade Leap	0.75¾	12	Leap to your target and stock a blade if you hit. Can be recast to return to your starting point.
3	Returning Edge			Shadowstep back to your previous location, crippling foes as you retreat.
Necromancer
1	Enervation Blade			Chain. Fire a wide piercing projectile from your blade. Heal if a target is struck. Healing is reduced for each target beyond the first.
1	Enervation Echo	0.5½		Chain. Fire another wide piercing projectile from your blade.
1	Deathly Enervation	0.75¾		Fire an even wider piercing projectile that inflicts chill.
2	Ravenous Wave	0.25¼	6	Send a wave of necrotic energy cascading toward your target. Gain life force if you hit an enemy. Reactivate this skill to inflict additional damage on all targets hit by the wave.
2	Satiate	0.5½		Sacrifice health to inflict additional damage on all targets hit by the wave, dealing additional damage to targets below the health threshold.
3	Path of Gluttony	0.75¾	10	Dash forward, releasing dark energy on nearby targets. Damage enemies hit and heal per target hit with reduced healing beyond the first. This skill can be reactivated to dash again.
3	Gorge	0.75¾		Sacrifice health to dash again. Corrupt boons on enemies struck.
4	Hungering Maelstrom	1	16	Create a dark maelstrom that deals damage, inflicts vulnerability, and steals health. Reactivate this skill to inflict additional damage and conditions on all targets hit by the maelstrom.
4	Gormandize	0.5½		Sacrifice health to inflict additional damage and conditions on all targets hit by the maelstrom.
5	Devouring Visage	0.75¾	20	Fire an orb of death magic that explodes on impact, inflicting fear on enemies. Gain life force for each target struck. Reactivate this skill to drain the strength of all enemies struck by the explosion.
5	Consume	0.5½		Sacrifice health to drain the strength of your enemies, inflicting weakness while granting might to yourself for each target affected.

Related traits

Proficiencies

• Sword Proficiency (Willbender) — You can wield swords in your off-hand.
• Sword Proficiency (Holosmith) — You can wield swords in your main hand.
• Sword Proficiency (Weaver) — You can wield swords in your main hand.

Enhancements

• Right-Hand Strength (Radiance) — Your precision is increased. Gain increased power while wielding a one-handed weapon in your main hand.
• Blademaster (Arms) — Gain expertise. Gain condition damage while wielding a sword. Sword skills gain reduced recharge.
• Dual Wielding (Arms) — Attack speed is increased when wielding a main-hand weapon in your offhand.
• Farsighted (Marksmanship) — Ranger weapon skills deal increased strike damage. Damage is further increased for foes above the range threshold.
• Quick Draw (Skirmishing) — When swapping weapons, the next ranger weapon skill you use will recharge faster.
• Swindler's Equilibrium (Acrobatics) — Gain power and additional power when while wielding a sword or underwater spear. Successfully evading an attack while wielding a sword or underwater spear recharges Steal.
• Assassin's Reward (Acrobatics) — Heal yourself whenever you use a skill that uses initiative. Heal yourself for each point of initiative spent.
• Pyromancer's Training (Fire) — Your fire-weapon skills gain reduced recharge. Deal increased strike damage to burning foes.
• Aeromancer's Training (Air) — Gain ferocity, and gain additional ferocity while attuned to air. Air weapon skills get a reduced recharge time.
• Geomancer's Training (Earth) — Strike damage from nearby foes is reduced. Earth weapon skills gain reduced recharge.
• Aquamancer's Training (Water) — Increase healing to other allies. Water-weapon skills gain reduced recharge.
• Master's Fortitude (Weaver) — Gain increased vitality when wielding a sword. Gain bonus vitality based on a portion of your power and condition damage.
• Fencer's Finesse (Dueling) — Gain a stacking ferocity effect when you or one of your illusions strikes with a one-handed sword or an underwater spear. Reduces recharge on sword and underwater spear skills.

Weapon strength

See also: Weapon strength

Sword weapon strength by level and rarity
Level	Basic		Fine		Masterwork		Rare		Exotic		Ascended
	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max	Min	Max
Level 1	-	-	139	153	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 4	117	129	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 5	-	-	148	163	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 6	-	-	150	166	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 7	-	-	154	170	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 8	125	138	158	174	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 9	-	-	162	179	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 10	131	145	165	183	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 11	-	-	169	187	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 12	138	152	173	191	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 13	-	-	177	195	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 14	-	-	181	200	196	216	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 15	147	162	184	204	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 16	150	166	188	208	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 17	-	-	193	213	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 18	-	-	197	218	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 19	-	-	202	223	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 20	164	181	206	228	224	248	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 21	-	-	211	233	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 22	-	-	216	238	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 23	-	-	220	243	239	264	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 24	179	198	225	248	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 25	183	202	229	253	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 26	-	-	234	258	255	282	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 27	-	-	240	265	261	289	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 28	195	215	246	272	268	296	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 29	-	-	252	279	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 30	205	226	258	285	281	310	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 31	-	-	264	292			-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 32	215	237	270	299	294	324	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 33	-	-	276	305	300	332	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 34	-	-	282	312	307	339	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 35	230	254	189	319	313	346	339	375	-	-	-	-
Level 36	235	259	295	326	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 37	-	-	301	333	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 38	-	-	308	341	335	370	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 39	-	-	315	348	342	378	370	409	-	-	-	-
Level 40	256	283	322	356	349	386	378	417	-	-	-	-
Level 41	-	-	329	363	357	394	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 42	-	-	336	371	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 43	-	-	342	378	371	410	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 44	278	308	349	386	378	418	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 45	284	314	356	394	386	426	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 46	-	-	363	401	395	436	427	472	-	-	-	-
Level 47	-	-	371	410	-	-	437	482	-	-	-	-
Level 48	302	334	380	420	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 49	-	-	388	429	-	-			-	-	-	-
Level 50	315	349	-	-	430	475	465	514	-	-	-	-
Level 51	-	-	405	447	439	485	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 52	329	364	413	457	448	495	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 53	-	-	422	466	457	505	493	545	-	-	-	-
Level 54	-	-	430	475	-	-	502	555	-	-	-	-
Level 55	349	386	438	484	-	-	513	567	-	-	-	-
Level 56	356	394	447	494	484	535	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 57	-	-	456	504	494	546	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 58	-	-	465	514	504	557	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 59	-	-	474	524	513	567	-	-	-	-	-	-
Level 60	385	426	483	534	-	-	564	623	-	-	-	-
Level 61	-	-	492	544	533	589	574	635	-	-	-	-
Level 62	-	-	501	554	542	599	584	646	661	730	-	-
Level 63	-	-	510	564	552	610	-	-	672	743	-	-
Level 64	415	458	520	574	562	621	-	-	685	758	-	-
Level 65	422	467	-	-	571	631	617	682	699	772	-	-
Level 66	-	-	538	594	583	644	-	-	712	787	-	-
Level 67	-	-	548	606	-	-	641	708	-	-	-	-
Level 68	446	493	559	618	605	669	653	722	-	-	-	-
Level 69	-	-	570	630	617	681	665	735	-	-	-	-
Level 70	463	512	580	641	628	694	677	748	765	846	-	-
Level 71	-	-	591	653	639	706	689	761	779	860	-	-
Level 72	480	531	602	665	651	719	701	774	792	875	-	-
Level 73	-	-	612	677	662	731	-	-	805	890	-	-
Level 74	-	-	623	688	673	744	725	801	819	906	-	-
Level 75	506	559	634	700	684	756	738	815	834	921	-	-
Level 76	515	569	644	712	697	770	750	829	848	937	-	-
Level 77	-	-	656	725	709	783	763	843	-	-	-	-
Level 78	-	-	667	737	721	797	776	858	876	969	-	-
Level 79	-	-	678	750	-	-	789	872	891	984	-	-
Level 80	551	609	690	762	745	823	802	886	905	1,000	950	1,050

Related achievements

• Weapon Master: Sword Master — Deliver 5,000 killing blows with a sword. (11)
• Horn of Maguuma: Artisan of Arms: Necromancer's Sword — Defeat enemies with a sword as a necromancer. (11)

See also

The Guild Wars Wiki has an article on Sword.

• Gallery of swords
• Weaponsmith - the profession that crafts Swords

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Weapons

One-handed

Axe • Dagger • Mace • Pistol • Sword

Main-hand only

Scepter

Off-hand only

Focus • Shield • Torch • Warhorn

Two-handed

Greatsword • Hammer • Longbow • Rifle • Short bow • Staff

Amphibious

Spear

Aquatic only

Harpoon gun • Trident

Other

Bundles