Equal opposed attack and defence skills give a 65% base hit chance before accuracy, defensive and Combat Codex modifiers. This is not a universal final hit chance. Progress above 100 has reduced contribution in the player-combat calculations below.
Swordsmanship
Combat · Skill guide
Controls accuracy with swords and axes and their native and Codex weapon techniques.
MAX SKILL120with Power Scroll
SKILL GROUPCombat
PVPSee rules
PVMYes
TRAININGSee route
How do I train this skill?
Recommended activities for Swordsmanship at each skill range.
View the training tableHow It Works
Hit enemies with weapons that use Swordsmanship, including swords and many axes. It is an accuracy skill.
Skill summary, training and related paths
Power Scroll and cap information
Maximum skill: 120 with a matching Power Scroll. It starts with a 100 cap. Scrolls unlock 105, 110, 115 or 120; you still train the points and keep the same shared total of 720.
Understanding effective skill
Which value counts? These numbers use the effective skill: the value after applicable skill bonuses or penalties. This can differ from your trained base value. Bless changes your stats; it does not directly add trained skill points.
Warrior Codex effects require the appropriate role, book and skills. Berserker combines the melee weapon skill with Mysticism; Guardian combines Mysticism with Parrying and a shield. Their support templates and techniques differ.
Requirements
Use a matching weapon. An eligible Power Scroll raises the individual skill cap; all trained points still count toward 720.
How to use it, step by step
If a step says to use a skill, open your character window, choose Skills and use the button beside that skill. If it says to use a tool, double-click the tool in your backpack. Passive benefits work automatically.
- Equip a weapon whose listed skill is Swordsmanship.
- Attack an appropriate target normally.
- For Warrior PvM abilities, carry the Warrior Codex and develop Mysticism as well.
Attacking with a sword or axe
Equip a Swordsmanship weapon, enter War Mode and choose your enemy. Normal swings repeat automatically when the enemy is in range and the weapon is ready. You do not hold a button to charge the sword.
The wait between swings continues while you move away. If you return with a ready swing and the target is still valid, the next attack can happen immediately. Waiting longer stores only one ready attack, not several. Changing weapons restarts the appropriate delay.
Example: a standard Longsword, with no speed bonuses, swings every 3 seconds at current stamina 60, every 2.75 seconds at 90, and every 2.5 seconds at 120. Use the stamina you have left now, not your maximum. An axe or another sword can have a different speed; special techniques have their own rules.
What changes as your skill rises
Read the conditions above each table. A percentage may describe a chance, a damage component or a multiplier: those are different things. The other values stay fixed unless the table says otherwise.
What the skill affects: These numbers use the effective skill: the value after applicable skill bonuses or penalties. This can differ from your trained base value. Bless changes your stats; it does not directly add trained skill points.
Detailed formulas and comparison tables
Swordsmanship: hitting an opponent with defence skill 100
The opponent keeps defence skill 100. Neither side has hit-chance equipment, a Codex accuracy modifier or another accuracy effect. These examples use Ironveil’s ordinary opposed-hit calculation.
| Your effective skill | Chance to hit |
|---|---|
| 80 | 54.17% |
| 90 | 59.58% |
| 100 | 65% |
Accuracy is opposed: if the opponent also raises their defence skill, the result changes. Equal attack and defence values give 65% before other modifiers. A successful hit still has separate damage and defence calculations.
100–120 scaling: what you gain
100–120 scaling: what you gain
Only the skill in the first column changes unless the table says otherwise. Each extra trained point still uses one point from your shared total of 720.
In the combat calculations described here, progress above 100 counts at half strength against another player: 110 contributes as 105, and 120 as 110. Your trained skill stays unchanged. The same rule covers these calculations when fighting another player’s pet or helping a participant in player combat.
Swordsmanship: accuracy and defence
Only your weapon skill changes. Opponent attack and defence stay at 100; no equipment accuracy or Codex modifiers. Defence means an incoming hit chance, so a lower number protects you better.
| Your skill | Hit a monster | Hit a player | Player hits you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| 110 | 70.42% | 67.71% | 62.4% |
| 120 | 75.83% | 70.42% | 60% |
The skill improves accuracy and ordinary weapon defence. It adds no separate flat damage bonus. If the opponent also invests in defence, your chance changes.
Examples in play
Easy examples
Changing weapons
You have trained Swordsmanship and equip a sword. That skill helps its hit chance. Switching to a mace uses Mace Fighting instead, so your sword training does not automatically give the mace the same accuracy.
Skills that work with it
Advanced notes
Things to remember
- Read the weapon’s skill: appearance alone is not enough to identify its combat category.
- High Swordsmanship does not automatically unlock every Codex rank or remove weapon requirements.
Training and Skill Progression
TRAINING / SKILL PROGRESSION
One recommended activity for each skill range, with a short note on what you need.
Before you start: set Swordsmanship to Up and leave room under the shared 720-point total. Set an unwanted skill to Down if the total is full.
NPC training: when the trainer listed for this skill offers a lesson, the fixed price is 300 gold and the lesson can reach 50.0 if both the individual and total caps have room.
Training area: supported Academy actions receive 5× normal gain through 80.0. An action still needs to run a real skill check; the Academy bonus cannot make an automatic or blocked action train.
Beyond 100: consume the matching 105, 110, 115 or 120 Power Scroll first. A scroll raises only the individual cap; it grants no trained points and does not increase the shared 720-point total.
Recommended training
Repeat the single activity listed for your level. These are practical training choices; the ranges are recommendations, not new unlock requirements.
| Your skill | What to repeat | Quick note |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0–50.0 | Combat trainer lesson | Optional NPC lesson; 300 gold when offered and room under your caps. |
| 50.0–80.0 | Fight with a Swordsmanship weapon in the Academy | Use the matching weapon, or fight unarmed for Wrestling, against an eligible opponent. |
| 80.0–100.0 | Fight with a Swordsmanship weapon | Use the matching weapon, or fight unarmed for Wrestling, against an eligible opponent. |
| 100.0–120.0 | Fight with a Swordsmanship weapon | Use the matching weapon, or fight unarmed for Wrestling, against an eligible opponent. |
Rules and numbers
A Warrior Codex uses Mysticism as its PvM role skill while Swordsmanship remains the accuracy and weapon-style skill.
Listed amounts describe the stated conditions. Equipment, target rules, damage, healing limits and other effects can change the final result. An example of a chance is never a promise of the same outcome on every attempt.