One-Handed Straight Sword are mostly ok, like almost all weapons they often have too much recovery at the end of combos, and often are missing Charged attacks.
Now I can easily check the stats on the site and you can check them too, just click on the name of the weapon.
This topic focuses on the Movesets rather than the damage but I think it is worth mentioning that Whetted Wedge, Scorched Broadblade and Governor’s Sword are slower and clunkier than the others but, despite this, they do not inflict more damage.
The problems are very specific, so let’s move on to the movesets:
: Perfect/Low margins of improvement (ways to improve the attack )
: Can be improved (there are clear ways to improve the attack)
: Should be improved
: Doesn’t work well/It’s terrible
: It could be problematic but I have to test more
Blood-Rusted Sword
This is the weapon that introduces you to the game, and it’s almost perfect, the only flaw of this weapon is that with the third and final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow.
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Basic Attack: Slash horizontally 2 times then a thrust. The third attack has an unnaturally slow recovery
Charged Basic Attack: Each attack has its own charged version, 10/10 Perfect. -
Running Attack: Slash horizontally 2 times then a thrust While Dashing forward before each attack. The third attack has an unnaturally slow recovery
Charged Running Attack: It’s obvious that the first attack of the running attack combo isn’t chargeable, but there’s no reason why subsequent attacks shouldn’t be, this is not necessarily a weapon flaw but having the option would be a bonus without any negative consequences. -
Roll Attack: Series of vertical attacks the third attack is a double attack. The third attack has an unnaturally slow recovery.
Charged Roll Attack: Each attack has its own charged version, 10/10 Perfect.
Azure Blade
Some charged attacks are missing with the third and final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow.
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Basic Attack: Vertical slash, Horizontal Slash, jump thrust the third attack has a slow windup and a slow recovery. In my opinion it would be better if the third attack was like the third attack of the Blood-Rusted Sword a thrust without jumping since if you want to make a bit of distance you just press the run button and the first attack of the run attack is a lunge.
Charged Basic Attack: Each attack has its own charged version, 10/10 Perfect. -
Running Attack: Similar to Blood-Rusted Sword but it’s the first attack to be a thrust, the third attack has an unnaturally slow recovery.
Charged Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword -
Roll Attack: Vertical slash, Horizontal Slash the second attack has a slow has a slow recovery.
Charged Roll Attack: None, a charged attack must be added.
Wooden Sword
In practice using this sword feels clunky the final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow.
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Basic Attack: 2 diagonal slash then a thrust. The third attack has an unnaturally slow recovery.
Charged Basic Attack: Each attack has its own charged version, 10/10 Perfect. -
Running Attack: Dash forward and stab, (This attack is shared between a lot of Weapons) there is a strange pause after the stab, the recovery animation is too long, if that pause was removed all the Weapons that use it would be more fun because the basic combo would start smoothly afre the Running Attack.
Charged Running Attack: None, It would be ok if after the attack the basic combo would start smoothly. -
Roll Attack: Same as basic attack
Charged Roll Attack: Same as basic attack
Cronus
The basic combo is very cool but in practice using this sword feels clunky, Charged attacks are missing with the third and final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow.
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Basic Attack: Thrust, Horizontal Slash, Diagonal slash then a double diagonal slash. The 4th attack has an notably slow Execution given that it is a double attack at the least it inflicts more damage but if it were to take less time even at the cost of doing a little less damage it would be much more satisfying, also as always there is a delay at the end of the attack which should be removed.
Charged Basic Attack: None, a charged attack must be added. -
Running Attack: Vertical slam, there is a strange pause after the slam, the recovery animation is too long.
Charged Running Attack: None, It would be ok if after the attack the basic combo would start smoothly. -
Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword Running Attack
Charged Roll Attack: None, a charged attack must be added.
Nith Blade
This weapon is gimmicky but it’s a little too clunky to be fun. With the final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow.
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Basic Attack: Slash horizontally then a thrust While Dashing forward before each attack. the second attack has an unnaturally slow recovery.
Charged Basic Attack: none, a charged attack must be added. -
Running Attack: 4 quick slashes, It is more like a rune rather than a basic attack. It has an unnatural pause at the end.
Charged Running Attack: none, a charged attack must be added. -
Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword Running Attack, but without the dash on the second and third attack. It has an unnatural pause at the end.
Charged Roll Attack: none, a charged attack must be added.
Governor’s Dagger
The main flaw of this weapon is that with the third and final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow (Same to Blood-Rusted Sword).
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Basic Attack: Vertical slash, Thrust, Forward Spin slam. Third and final attack of has a recovery animation that is too slow.
Charged Basic Attack: First Basic is chargeable, but the others aren’t, but there’s no reason why subsequent attacks shouldn’t be chargeable, having the option would be a bonus without any negative consequences. -
Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Charged Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword -
Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Charged Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Governor’s Sword
This sword Basic Attack combo is just slower then the Blood-Rusted Sword and Governor’s Dagger, but it does not deal more damage as it should.
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Basic Attack: Vertical slam, Vertical slash, Horizontal Slash. The 3rd attack has a recovery animation that is Very Very slow.
Charged Basic Attack: The Last Basic are chargeable, but the others aren’t, but there’s no reason why other attacks shouldn’t be chargeable, having the option would be a bonus without any negative consequences. -
Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Charged Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword -
Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Charged Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Scorched Broadblade
The second attack of the combo and the roll attack of this weapon are terrible the final attack of each combo has a recovery animation that is too slow.
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Basic Attack: Horizontal Slash, high Windup Horizontal Slash, diagonal Slash, Thrust. The second attack of the combo is terrible it has too high Windup, the 4th attack has a recovery animation that is too slow.
Charged Basic Attack: The First Basic and the last Basic are chargeable, but the others aren’t, but there’s no reason why other attacks shouldn’t be chargeable, having the option would be a bonus without any negative consequences. -
Running Attack: Same to Wooden Sword (and many other weapons)
Charged Running Attack: Same to Wooden Sword (and many other weapons) -
Roll Attack: Vertical slam, there is a strange pause after the slam, the recovery animation is way too long!
Charged Roll Attack: a charged attack must be added.
Whetted Wedge
The third attack has I-frames! which seems cool but it’s actually impossible to use them since if you stop for taking the timing then the combo resets and you start over from the first attack. The damage from this weapon attacks almost seems to be chosen at random.
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Basic Attack: Thrust, Forward Spin slam, Spin + Thrust. Every attack makes you move forward a lot even if it doesn’t seem like it, the attacks become slower and slower if the second and third attacks had the same duration as the first this weapon would be much more intuitive,
Charged Basic Attack: First & Second Basic are chargeable, but the others aren’t, but there’s no reason why subsequent attacks shouldn’t be chargeable, having the option would be a bonus without any negative consequences. -
Running Attack: The first attack is slightly different compared to the Basic Attack even if it is difficult to notice, and it comes out further and faster and deals more damage, the second attack is identical but deals less damage w
Charged Running Attack: even though the second attack is identical it can’t be Charged. Second and third attacks should be chargeable. -
Roll Attack: Same as Running. But now the second attack deals More damage ???WTF???
Charged Roll Attack: even though the second attack is identical it can’t be Charged. All attacks should be chargeable.
Spirit Edge
This weapon is the Same as Governor’s Dagger but deals ice damage.
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Basic Attack: Same as Governor’s Dagger
Charged Basic Attack: Same as Governor’s Dagger -
Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Charged Running Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword -
Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
Charged Roll Attack: Same to Blood-Rusted Sword
In Conclusion
One-Handed Straight Sword have mostly common problems that affect many weapons in the game, we need: the reduction of recovery animation at the end of combos, the speeding up of some attacks, and the rebalancing of damage based on the actual animation of the attacks.
In my opinion if there wasn’t this recovery animations the weapons would be even more fluid and nice to use, the addition of these recovery frames was done to give the weapon a clear 1-2-3– rhythm, for me it’s not important from a gameplay point of view as it reduces the fluidity of the moveset and instead makes it a little clunky (it’s not much given that the time isn’t very long but in my opinion it’s not worth it).
If the 1-2-3– rhythm it’s so important it can be done by putting a cooldown only on attacks at the end of the third attack, so the character can still move using a dodge rune etc. but the rhythm of the weapon is preserved.
If the last attacks needs to be slower, at least it should deal more damage and stagger more (like Cronus). Otherwise, it feels like you’re being punished for finishing the attack combo (which is the opposite of what should happen, finishing the combo is something that should reward the player since he managed to find a window to do 3 attacks in a row without being interrupted).
Here, it’s clear that the ideas are there, but it’s the attention to detail that’s lacking, 161 weapons It doesn’t seem like much, but if each weapon has a different moveset, Elden Ring has about 40 movesets, but they are all complete and well-crafted down to the smallest details, but even they are sometimes not fun.