nb>Admin: Create Fencing skill guide

2026-10-27T20:00:00Z

Create Fencing skill guide

← Older revision	Revision as of 20:00, 27 October 2026
(No difference)

Admin: 1 revision imported

2026-10-27T16:05:53Z

1 revision imported

New page

<div class="creature-backlink">[[Skills|« Back to Skills]]</div>

'''Fencing''' is the skill of fighting with piercing weapons: daggers, the kryss, spears and forks. Fencing weapons are some of the fastest in the game, and they're the ones that carry poison best. Two-handed spears can also pin a target in place for a moment with a well-aimed thrust.

This page explains how fencing works, which weapons use the skill, their special moves, and how to train to Grandmaster.

__TOC__

== At a glance ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Skill category
| Combat
|-
! Weapons
| Daggers, the kryss, spears and forks (see [[#Weapons|Weapons]])
|-
! Works with
| [[Skills/Tactics|Tactics]] and [[Skills/Anatomy|Anatomy]] for damage, [[Skills/Poisoning|Poisoning]] for poisoned weapons, [[Skills/Parrying|Parrying]] for defense, [[Skills/Healing|Healing]] to stay alive
|-
! Special moves
| Two per weapon, at 70 and 90 skill
|-
! Skill cap
| 100 (Grandmaster), raised up to 120 with Fencing power scrolls
|-
! Stats it can raise
| Dexterity and Strength
|-
! Starting gear
| Choosing Fencing as a starting skill gives you a kryss.
|}

== How to fight ==
# '''Equip a fencing weapon''' from the table below. You need enough Strength to wield it. The spear, short spear and pitchfork take both hands.
# '''Switch to war mode''' (Tab by default, or the war/peace button on your paperdoll).
# '''Double-click your target''' to attack. You'll keep swinging automatically as long as you stay next to them.

=== Hitting ===
Every swing rolls to hit. Your chance depends on '''your skill with the weapon you're holding''' against '''the defender's skill with the weapon they're holding''' (Wrestling if they're unarmed):

<div style="text-align:center">'''Hit chance = (your skill + 50) ÷ ((their skill + 50) × 2)'''</div>

So two fighters with equal skill hit each other '''50%''' of the time. Here's how it works out:

{| class="wikitable"
! Your weapon skill !! Defender's skill 0 !! 50 !! 80 !! 100 !! 120
|-
! 50
| 100% || 50% || 38% || 33% || 29%
|-
! 80
| 100% || 65% || 50% || 43% || 38%
|-
! 100
| 100% || 75% || 58% || 50% || 44%
|-
! 120
| 100% || 85% || 65% || 57% || 50%
|}

Magic weapons with an ''accuracy'' bonus add to your skill while you hold them: '''+5''' (accurate), '''+10''' (surpassingly), '''+15''' (eminently), '''+20''' (exceedingly) or '''+25''' (supremely). That bonus counts toward both hitting and the 70/90 needed for special moves.

=== Damage ===
When you hit, the game rolls the weapon's damage range and then adjusts it:
* '''[[Skills/Tactics|Tactics]]''' is the big one: '''−50%''' at 0 Tactics, no change at 50, '''+50%''' at 100.
* '''Strength''' adds '''+1% for every 5 points'''.
* '''[[Skills/Anatomy|Anatomy]]''' adds '''+1% for every 5 points''', plus an extra '''+10%''' at 100.
* '''Exceptional''' weapons deal '''+20%''' and '''low quality''' ones '''−20%'''.
* '''Magic weapons''' add flat damage before all of that: ''ruin'' +1, ''might'' +3, ''force'' +5, ''power'' +7, ''vanquishing'' +9.
* '''Slayer''' weapons deal '''double damage''' to the creatures they slay.
* A '''worn-out weapon''' hits softer. Damage scales down as the weapon's durability drops, to half at its last point.
* Damage against '''players''' (and damage dealt by creatures) is '''halved'''.
* The target's '''armor''' then absorbs part of the hit, depending on where it lands (body 35%, legs 22%, head 15%, arms 14%, hands 7%, neck 7%). Every hit deals at least 1 damage.

=== Swing speed ===
Each weapon has a '''speed''' rating. The higher it is, the faster you swing. Your '''current stamina''' matters too: more stamina means faster swings, and a winded fighter slows down. The tables below show seconds per swing with 100 stamina.

== Weapons ==
All of these use Fencing. Click a column heading to sort.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! class="unsortable" | !! Weapon !! Type !! Hands !! Strength needed !! Damage !! Speed !! Seconds per swing* !! Primary move (70) !! Secondary move (90) !! Weight !! Weaponsmith price
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Smith_Dagger.png|link=|Dagger]]
| '''Dagger''' || Knife || One || data-sort-value="1" | 1 || data-sort-value="9.0" | 3–15 || 55 || data-sort-value="1.36" | 1.36 || Infectious Strike || Shadow Strike || data-sort-value="1.0" | 1 stones || data-sort-value="21" | about 21 gold
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Smith_Kryss.png|link=|Kryss]]
| '''Kryss''' || Blade || One || data-sort-value="10" | 10 || data-sort-value="15.5" | 3–28 || 53 || data-sort-value="1.42" | 1.42 || Armor Ignore || Infectious Strike || data-sort-value="2.0" | 2 stones || data-sort-value="32" | about 32 gold
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Smith_ShortSpear.png|link=|Short spear]]
| '''Short spear''' || Spear or fork || Two || data-sort-value="15" | 15 || data-sort-value="18.0" | 4–32 || 50 || data-sort-value="1.50" | 1.50 || Shadow Strike || Mortal Strike || data-sort-value="4.0" | 4 stones || data-sort-value="23" | about 23 gold
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Smith_Spear.png|link=|Spear]]
| '''Spear''' || Spear or fork || Two || data-sort-value="30" | 30 || data-sort-value="19.0" | 2–36 || 46 || data-sort-value="1.63" | 1.63 || Armor Ignore || Paralyzing Blow || data-sort-value="7.0" | 7 stones || data-sort-value="31" | about 31 gold
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Smith_WarFork.png|link=|War fork]]
| '''War fork''' || Spear or fork || One || data-sort-value="35" | 35 || data-sort-value="18.0" | 4–32 || 45 || data-sort-value="1.67" | 1.67 || Bleed Attack || Disarm || data-sort-value="9.0" | 9 stones || data-sort-value="32" | about 32 gold
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Weapon_Pitchfork.png|link=|Pitchfork]]
| '''Pitchfork''' || Spear or fork || Two || data-sort-value="15" | 15 || data-sort-value="10.0" | 4–16 || 45 || data-sort-value="1.67" | 1.67 || Bleed Attack || Dismount || data-sort-value="11.0" | 11 stones || data-sort-value="19" | about 19 gold
|}
<small>* Seconds per swing with 100 stamina. The formula is 15000 ÷ ((stamina + 100) × speed), so a tired fighter swings more slowly.</small>

== Special moves ==
Every weapon knows two '''special moves''': a '''primary''' move you can use from '''70''' skill in that weapon's fighting skill, and a '''secondary''' move from '''90'''. To use one:
# Open your '''combat book''' (the ''Open › Combat Book'' macro), or set up the ''Primary Ability'' and ''Secondary Ability'' macros. You can drag the move icons out of the book onto your screen.
# Click the move to ready it. It stays ready until your next hit lands.
# When that hit lands, the move goes off and its '''mana''' is used up. If you miss, the move stays ready and no mana is spent.

Some things to know:
* '''Mana cost drops with experience.''' Each move has a base cost, but if your Swordsmanship, Mace Fighting, Fencing, Archery, Parrying, Lumberjacking, Stealth and Poisoning add up to '''200 or more''', every move costs 5 less mana; at '''300 or more''' it costs 10 less.
* '''Don't chain them too fast.''' Using another special move within '''3 seconds''' of your last one costs '''double mana'''.
* If you don't have the skill: ''"You need 70 weapon skill to perform that attack"'' (or 90). If you're short on mana: ''"You need 30 mana to perform that attack"''.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! class="unsortable" | !! Move !! Base mana !! What it does !! Weapons
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_ArmorIgnore.png|link=|Armor Ignore]]
| '''Armor Ignore''' || data-sort-value="30" | 30 || A precise strike for 90% of normal damage. Armor still absorbs part of the blow as usual. || Primary: Kryss, Spear
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_BleedAttack.png|link=|Bleed Attack]]
| '''Bleed Attack''' || data-sort-value="30" | 30 || The target bleeds for 10 seconds, taking damage every 2 seconds: 15 to 30 in total against players, 30 to 60 against creatures. A bandage stops the bleeding. Some creatures, and anyone in lich or wraith form, can't bleed. || Primary: War fork, Pitchfork
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_Disarm.png|link=|Disarm]]
| '''Disarm''' || data-sort-value="20" | 20 || Knocks the target's weapon into their backpack, and they can't re-equip a weapon for 5 seconds. || Secondary: War fork
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_Dismount.png|link=|Dismount]]
| '''Dismount''' || data-sort-value="20" | 20 || Knocks a mounted target off their mount, and they can't remount for 10 seconds. If you're on foot they also take 15 to 25 damage. You must be on foot to use it, and you can't mount up yourself for 10 seconds afterwards. || Secondary: Pitchfork
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_InfectiousStrike.png|link=|Infectious Strike]]
| '''Infectious Strike''' || data-sort-value="15" | 15 || Uses one dose of the poison on your weapon to poison the target. Your Poisoning skill decides how strong a poison you can deliver and gives a chance to raise it by one level. || Primary: Dagger<br>Secondary: Kryss
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_MortalStrike.png|link=|Mortal Strike]]
| '''Mortal Strike''' || data-sort-value="30" | 30 || Mortally wounds the target: they can't be healed by bandages, healing spells or heal potions for 6 seconds (players) or 12 seconds (creatures). || Secondary: Short spear
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_ParalyzingBlow.png|link=|Paralyzing Blow]]
| '''Paralyzing Blow''' || data-sort-value="30" | 30 || Freezes the target in place for 3 seconds (players) or 6 seconds (creatures). They can't be paralyzed this way again for 8 seconds after it wears off. || Secondary: Spear
|-
| class="nb-art-cell" | [[File:NB_Move_ShadowStrike.png|link=|Shadow Strike]]
| '''Shadow Strike''' || data-sort-value="20" | 20 || Deals 125% damage and you instantly hide. Needs 80 Stealth. || Primary: Short spear<br>Secondary: Dagger
|}

== Spear thrusts ==
The '''two-handed spears''' (spear, short spear and pitchfork) can land a '''paralyzing thrust''' on their own, with no mana and no readying:
* Each hit has an '''[[Skills/Anatomy|Anatomy]] ÷ 4''' percent chance (25% at 100 Anatomy). There's no minimum Anatomy.
* The target is '''frozen in place for 2 seconds''': ''"You have been hit by a paralyzing blow!"''

== Poisoned weapons ==
Every fencing weapon can carry poison applied with the [[Skills/Poisoning|Poisoning]] skill. While the weapon has poison charges, '''every hit uses up one charge''' and has a '''50% chance''' to poison the target. A poisoned weapon is also what you need for the Infectious Strike move (see [[#Special moves|Special moves]] for which weapons know it).

== Training Fencing ==
* '''Every swing''' can raise Fencing, '''whether it hits or misses'''. The game checks for a gain each time you swing at something.
* '''Below 10.0''' you gain on every attempt, sometimes several tenths at once. Above that, each attempt has a chance to gain 0.1.
* The '''harder the attempt''' is for your skill level, the better your chance to gain. Your chance also drops as you get closer to your Fencing cap and to your total skill cap of '''700'''.
* If you've set Fencing to go down (the arrow in your skills list), gains elsewhere can lower it to make room under your total cap. Lock skills you want to keep.
* Reaching 100.0 adds Fencing to the '''Skills Mastered''' count on your achievements.
* Fighting also trains [[Skills/Tactics|Tactics]] and [[Skills/Anatomy|Anatomy]] on every hit, so they climb alongside Fencing.
* '''Pick opponents that are a fair match.''' The less certain your hit, the better your chance to gain. If you're guaranteed to hit (your skill + 50 is at least double the defender's skill + 50, such as 50 skill against a defender with none), that swing teaches you nothing.
* Thief guildmasters, warrior guildmasters, blacksmiths and iron workers will train you for gold: up to a third of their own skill, at most '''42.0''', for '''1 gold per 0.1''' points. Ask them (or use their context menu) to train the skill, then drop the gold on them.

'''Stats:''' each successful use has about a 1% chance to raise Strength and about a 2% chance to raise Dexterity by 1 point. Each stat can rise at most once every 10 minutes, and only if it's set to rise.

=== Suggested path ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Fencing !! Where to train
|-
| 0 to 25 || Practice on a '''training dummy'''. Double-click it with your weapon in hand. Carpenters can build them. It stops teaching you at 25.0.
|-
| 25 to 50 || Weak creatures that hit back softly: [[Bestiary/Giant Rat|Giant Rat]], [[Bestiary/Mongbat|Mongbat]], [[Bestiary/Skeleton|Skeleton]], [[Bestiary/Zombie|Zombie]], [[Bestiary/Headless One|Headless One]], [[Bestiary/Ratman|Ratman]].
|-
| 50 to 70 || Tougher camps: [[Bestiary/Orc|Orc]], [[Bestiary/Lizardman|Lizardman]], [[Bestiary/Gargoyle|Gargoyle]], [[Bestiary/Ettin|Ettin]].
|-
| 70 to 90 || Bigger targets with lots of health: [[Bestiary/Troll|Troll]], [[Bestiary/Ogre|Ogre]], [[Bestiary/Earth Elemental|Earth Elemental]]. Your primary move opens up at 70.
|-
| 90 to 100 || Strong creatures you can still win against, such as [[Bestiary/Ogre Lord|Ogre Lord]], [[Bestiary/Lich|Lich]], [[Bestiary/Wyvern|Wyvern]]. Your secondary move opens up at 90.
|}

=== Power scrolls ===
[[File:NB_PowerScroll.png|right|link=|Power scroll]]
Fencing tops out at '''100.0''' unless you use a '''Fencing power scroll'''. There are three kinds: ''exalted'' (110), ''mythical'' (115) and ''legendary'' (120). Double-click one to raise your Fencing cap to that number: ''"You feel a surge of magic as the scroll enhances your Fencing!"''

* Fencing power scrolls come from '''champion bosses''': [[Bestiary/Barracoon|Barracoon]], [[Bestiary/Lord Oaks|Lord Oaks]], [[Bestiary/Mephitis|Mephitis]], [[Bestiary/Neira|Neira]], [[Bestiary/Rikktor|Rikktor]], [[Bestiary/Semidar|Semidar]] and [[Bestiary/Silvani|Silvani]]. Each champion boss leaves '''6 power scrolls''' in random fighting, magic, bard and animal skills, handed out among the players who helped kill it. Each scroll is a 110 (60%), 115 (35%) or 120 (5%).
* A scroll only works if it's higher than your current cap. Otherwise: ''"Your Fencing is too high for this power scroll."''
* Champion power scrolls are '''cursed''': they always drop when you die, even from a blessed container. Use them or bank them quickly.
* Raising the cap doesn't raise your skill. You still have to train the extra points.

== Messages you'll see ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! What it means
|-
| ''You need 70 weapon skill to perform that attack'' || You don't have enough skill for that special move yet (70 for primary, 90 for secondary).
|-
| ''You need 30 mana to perform that attack'' || Not enough mana for the move you readied.
|-
| ''You deliver a paralyzing blow!'' || Your spear thrust (or Paralyzing Blow move) froze the target.
|-
| ''The attack has temporarily paralyzed you!'' || Someone used the Paralyzing Blow move on you.
|-
| ''You have been hit by a paralyzing blow!'' || A spear thrust froze you for 2 seconds.
|-
| ''Your weapon must have a dose of poison to perform an infectious strike!'' || Poison your weapon first.
|-
| ''Your skill in this weapon cannot improve any further by simply practicing with a dummy.'' || You've reached 25.0. Time to fight real opponents.
|-
| ''You feel a surge of magic as the scroll enhances your ~skill~!'' || A power scroll raised your skill cap.
|}

== Tips ==
* '''Speed wins.''' The dagger and kryss swing very quickly, which means more chances for poison, special moves and gains.
* '''Spears for power.''' The spear has the biggest damage range of the fencing weapons and can freeze a target, but it takes both hands.
* '''Tactics is not optional.''' At 0 Tactics you deal half damage. Train it alongside Fencing.
* '''Pair it with Poisoning.''' A fencer with Poisoning can keep a target poisoned for most of a fight.
* '''Carry bandages.''' [[Skills/Healing|Healing]] is the classic partner for any warrior.

[[Category:Skills]]

Skills/Fencing - Revision history

nb>Admin: Create Fencing skill guide

Admin: 1 revision imported