One-Handed Sword

The one-handed sword is one of the six weapon types in Echoes of Aincrad. It trades peak damage and peak reach for an even rhythm of light and heavy attacks, which makes it the most approachable weapon for new players. Like all one-handed weapons, it can be paired with a shield.

Role

The one-handed sword is positioned as the default weapon for a balanced build. Its animations are fast enough to respond to most enemy openings and slow enough to keep stamina costs manageable.

Starter Variant

Pre-order buyers receive a Proto-Elucidator one-handed sword as part of the Proto-Elucidator Series pack, inspired by the prototype of Kirito's signature weapon.

Place Among The Weapon Types

The one-handed sword is one of six confirmed weapon types available in Echoes of Aincrad. It sits alongside the rapier, the dagger, the mace, the greatsword, and the battleaxe. Within that lineup it is the most approachable option and the one most new players are expected to start with, so it also acts as the reference point for how the other weapon categories diverge in range, speed, and damage profile.

Loadout And Shield Pairing

Because the one-handed sword leaves the off-hand free, a one-handed sword build can pair directly with a shield. The wider loadout for this setup is the weapon in the main hand, the shield in the off-hand, and three armor pieces for head, body, and legs, giving a one-handed build a defensive ceiling that the two-handed categories cannot match. Dropping the shield in favor of a second tool is not required, but keeping it is what makes the one-handed sword feel like the safe, balanced option.

Partner show: Iori

Partner Iori uses a one-handed sword, and her show gameplay is the best public example so far of how the weapon category moves in combat. Watching her animations gives a reliable read on the light and heavy attack rhythm, the timing windows for interrupting enemy swings, and how the category chains into sword skills before a follow-up.

Sword Skill Roster And Equip Layout

Each weapon type has roughly ten sword skills in its learnable set, and the one-handed sword follows the standard three-slot equip layout that every weapon shares. Two equipped skills are visible on the HUD at any time and fire on the primary input. A third skill sits behind the action-shift button: holding the modifier swaps the HUD over to show that third skill alongside the current partner's Support and Combination Skills, which are described in more depth on the Special Skills page.

Weapon Proficiency

Attacking with a one-handed sword raises the proficiency value attached to this weapon type. Weapon proficiency returns from past series entries in some form and continues to reward players who stay loyal to a single category rather than rotating too quickly. It has not been confirmed whether clearing a proficiency threshold is the specific gate that unlocks the full ten-skill roster for the one-handed sword, so the exact unlock path should be treated as still pending further detail.

Drops And Stat Rolls

Every individual one-handed sword is a drop with randomized stat rolls rather than a fixed hand-crafted reward, and rare one-handed swords exist that carry their own randomized aspects on top of the base frame. Two drops of the same one-handed sword can end up with meaningfully different attack values and secondary stats, so building around this weapon category usually involves farming until the right stat layout appears.

EX Mod Slots And Signature Mods

Every weapon in the game has four EX Mod Slots, and a one-handed sword is no exception. These slots hold traits that further enhance the weapon, and some confirmed one-handed sword family entries ship with a signature built-in mod that is already part of the weapon before any customisation. A documented example is the Mithril Blade, which applies freeze stacks on hit and cuts sword-skill cooldowns while the wielder is near frozen enemies. Choosing which mods to slot alongside a signature effect is where most of the weapon-level build planning happens.

Upgrading At The Blacksmith

Rather than scrapping unwanted one-handed swords, the preferred path is to bring them back to the blacksmith and feed them into a one-handed sword you actually want to keep. Upgrading a one-handed sword in this way also consumes Tempered Steel, the core smithy material, and preserves the slot layout of the chosen base weapon. Full details on this loop live on the Smithy and Gear Enhancement page.

Stat Scaling And Respec

One-handed sword attack values often key to Dexterity, which is also the primary scaling stat for sword-skill damage generally, so a Dexterity-heavy growth plan fits naturally on this weapon category. A player who later decides to pivot away from the one-handed sword is not locked in: stat respecs are available at a Col cost at the relevant service point, and rebuilding around a different weapon type can be done without rerolling a character.

Supporting Systems

The one-handed sword interacts with several adjacent systems. Its light and heavy swings pull from stamina, sword skills pull from a separate SP pool, and every trade of blows feeds back into the wider combat system. Treating the weapon as a hub that touches armor, shield, skills, and stats rather than as a standalone choice is the best way to plan a one-handed sword build.

Summary Of Key Points