Shortsword

The shortsword is the main melee weapon (sidearm) of the player character in The Dark Mod. A shorter version of a one-handed, straight-bladed, double-edged arming sword, the shortsword is used by some professional thieves as backup if they have no other chance but to defend themselves in close quarters, when archery is unavailable or no longer useful at too short a distance.

Tactics and strategies

The sword can be used for parrying, blocking (defensive moves), cutting/slashing and thrusting (attack moves).

It is less useful against guards in full plate. Players are advised to find openings in armour and aim for the more exposed and vulnerable parts of guards' bodies. Damage dealt to soft tissues, particularly in the head and upper torso area, can be deadly.

Besides human adversaries, it can be used against certain undead monsters, but it is generally less effective, and in some cases, virtually ineffective against these creatures.

Please bear in mind, the shortsword is intended as a self-defence sidearm, not as an offensive weapon. You can fight with it fairly effectivelly, but you're a lone thief whose specialty is stealth, not a muscular warrior cutting through adversaries with ease.

Players can practice swordfighting skills at the Melee training area of the Training Mission.

Stealth considerations

For stealthy melee knockouts in the game, please see the blackjack article.

If you knockout guards and other NPCs, hide their bodies, but forget to hide their fallen weapons (swords, etc.), any guard NPC passing by might notice the lone weapon lying on the ground, and become suspicious. If you're hiding knocked out bodies of guards and other characters, don't forget to hide their fallen weapons along with them, to avoid giving yourself away.

In-game description

Shortsword: Small enough to conceal, but large enough to provide a decent defence when things go wrong.