A spear is considered the best weapon for melee combat. Spearmen often used swords as a backup.

Swordplay is famous due to its complexity, and the fact its considered an art and presentation.

at least for moderately trained people and below.

Elliemaymilk

Nah he is a Combat Formation and Talisman user. Basically uses special focuses that are unaligned to an attribute and places very special runes on them to align them to his cultivation technique. These focuses are arragned in particular ways while activating certain elements (he is a 5 element+ Creation and Destruction cultivation technique) then connects the focuses with line using his bruch to make formations while fighting
He also uses talismans

    UnjustlyUnderpaid
    Yeah you ahould read it. He fights wth formations and Talismans (really gets detailed past book 2 though).
    The way they work though is really cool.
    One of the most creative ways of fighting I have seen because the way formations are actually made in combat is amazing.

      Swords a popular so people generally tend to be more familiar with swords. They seem to be easy to wield or easy to describe wielding since it's a concept that is easy to understand. However, different swords have different uses and different techniques and those are very rarely mentioned. Some smash, some slash while others impale. Some have protrusions that can catch the opponents weapon or even limbs while others can easily maneuver around shields. Also, urumis exist and they're technically swords. Generic swords are overused but there are so many different types out there and they're so prevalent in almost any culture. It's just one of those things that need to be researched. Have so much information and history behind them to not include them without good reason would break the immersion.

      Anyway, there isnt one way of the sword but multiple. Some for combat while others for show.

      In case you ever need ideas for unique weapons, do what I do-

      Go to this website, and pick a weapon from their huge list. Try to find something you haven't heard of or seen used very much.

      https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons

      Once that's done, if you want to make it magical and have unique abilities, just use the magic weapon creation chart from the same website.

      https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons

      No one needs to know that you're using game templates to write your fantasy world, but trust me when I say using things like this is a massive boon for developing unique content quickly.

      MarcheHare

      Ikr, their treasure spirit's face would be horrified.
      I actually have a trolly idea now. So this noble Primordial Spirit Sword with a dignified appearance (in weapon and spirit form) is melted down into a meter-long ruler and the spirit form is altered as a result.
      His new appearance, a 50-yr old looking teacher! Like one of those male teachers who looks like a pervert/child molester.
      OMFG imagine how funny that would be hahaha

        I going for needles that use massage 💆🏾‍♂️ & can use healer or kill ppl like movie:Kiss of the dragon

        2 months later

        TigerBlooImmortal
        So, I got immensely excited since this is a post about weapons and I recently did some research about them and is excited to discuss about it.
        Swords. Why are they so common? So well described and used in novels.
        The reason is their diverse nature. With a sword, u can make ur character follow any role he\she wants. A dark character, give a dark sword, a good character, give a sword of justice or light. It is all too common.
        Moreover, Swords aren't all that easy to learn and master and there is a fair bit of training reqd to master it. Weapons like axes and maces are more common and easy to use.
        The reason why Swords are difficult to master is because one needs to master to counter the weight of the blade while striking and simply slashing doesnt do any damage.
        Axes and maces r more liberal in such cases as their weights r predefined. They are always at the tip of the weapon and not at the hilt or centre. This makes the weapon easier to use and also 'barbaric'.
        Spears, on the otherhand is lies somewhere between a sword and all other weapons. But they are definitely not easily to master. Yes, easier than swords but not easier than axes or maces. U still need to think about how to poke before using it.
        everyone cab poke, true, but to poke at the criticals, using thr weight to do max damnge, requires practice. But they are far more common and eaier, so Yea, they are good alternatives.
        Hammers on the other hand is completely for different purpose. They were developed in the medieval ages in Europe to combat the exclusive full plate knight armor. They ate for impact damage and are intended to kill people inside their own armors.
        There's more but let's keep it short.

        Use in cultivation novels.
        I would personally recommend using a sword rather than any other weapon because
        1. They are diverse.
        2. Can u guarantee hat u know everything about the weapon u give to ur mc? Welp! I'm not, so better not use it in a cultivation novek where one must master the mysteries if a wepaon. That's a minimum, frnd.
        3. Have u fixed the character of ur mc? If he's going to be a strong character, give him a hammer. If he's a crafty, dark character give him a knife, dagger, scythe or something unconventional. If ur mc's from a tribe or village, without complete knowledge of weapon, give him a axe or mace. And if he's from the army, give him a spear. Perfect isn't it? For pure cultivation knowledge, u should really go for some old weapons like brush, whip, fists n swords would do good. Otherwise, u can use any that goes up.
        4. Don't make a mess. Eg, use a hammer and then make slashing sounds. Thats insane. Make it go boom or bam!!

        Lastly, I would agree that swords are overly used. True, but that's only becos 90% have no idea what a weapon is or what it does. So, to not make a mess of their novels, they go with the mass. Not their fault, weapons are more than just killing machines.
        As for the person who mentioned use of greatsword in Battle Through Heaven, have u ever seen the manhua depiction of a greatsword. That's blasphemy.
        That's no greatsword, I tell u. That's a fucking door.
        Please, guys, not living swords is good. But maiking a door out of a greatsword is no way.
        And for that person who mentioned about Japanese katana. Sorry to inform u but in japan, there is no other weapon other katana
        Everything follows the katana design, just a little bit different on the sword:hilt ratio. Chck it out, I'm not lying. Eg, naginata. Its a different form of katana with a huge hilt part. Large enough to make it a pole weapon.
        In japan, other than yumi and naginata, I havent seen much weapon variation.
        Things like throwing stars were used but not as main weapon.

        If anyone has contradictory ideas, do pm me.
        For more info, visit YouTube content creators like skallagrim, Megatron, etc.
        TigerBlooImmortal

              WorstNameEver
              Nice 👍. I support it if u are going for a single-man army type mc. Can sweep the battlefield with that sort of weapon.
              Btw, can I ask where u got that img from?
              Cos that's Orthos Prime from Warframe. I'm a huge fan of that game, so u know. R u too??

                  JunkieOverThe_Moon
                  thats cool. In my series, I have 5 planned books and each fights differently due to the nature of their power and the benefits such power gives them.

                  Book 1: MC will use a Staff, but he can make weapons out of Qi. However, the way the staff was made allows it to channel qi incredibly well; the main character uses this property to use his qi weapon creation skills to make the staff turn into a different polearm depending on the situation.
                  This works because his physical capabilities are balanced and his Qi-attributes are incredibly versatile.
                  For example; the enemy has heavy armour, he makes a hammerhead on his staff and that makes it a hammer.
                  Enemy's defence is weak against incredibly focused attacks; the mc will make his staff a spear. Stuff like that.

                  Book 2: MC isn't human, so he will use his natural beastly weapons like claws. So he is a melee fighter of a unarmed combat fashion.

                  Book 3: MC uses a bow because he is naturally fast and his powers are some of the best mobility and escape types given that he uses Space and Time.

                  Book 4: Main character uses a sword and is a reincarnation (9 lives so plenty of time to master the sword).

                  Book 5: MC is the Dual weilding single handed hammers that merge into a two handed warhammer.

                  JunkieOverThe_Moon I used to be, but stopped playing due to time contraints rip.

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