Why are all the sword hilts so huge?

[Blimm.5028]

I keep looking for swords I might want to use, but even on the more realistic designs the hilts are easily double the size they would be on a real sword, making them look like toys.

 

Exceptions are Bonneti's rapier and ironically the toy sword.

[DeanBB.4268]

Us commanders got big hands. Uh, except for the asura commanders, they gots little hands.

[Alimar.8760]

One of my favorites is Infinite Light, albeit is a bit expensive.

[Blimm.5028]

> @"Alimar.8760" said:

> One of my favorites is Infinite Light, albeit is a bit expensive.

 

Ah yeah, that's one of the better cases. Way out of my poor PvP player budget though.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

At a guess... Hand sizes vary depending on how the player scales the character. The bigger the character, the bigger the hands -- which is to maintain proportions. Making the handles large may also facilitate their use across all races, due to possible differences between hand size and body size. Asura and Charr hands are larger in proportion to their bodies than humans, Norn and Sylvari.

 

That said, weapons tend to be bigger in relation to bodies than they might be anywhere but in Anime.

 

A side effect of handle size is that characters tend to grip some weapons "wrong." Balance points on swords, for instance, tend to be closer to the guard, so a character gripping a sword closer to the pommel would, irl, find using the weapon awkward.

[Ojyh.9842]

lol

You're complaining about the hilts of the swords while most weapon designs make absolutely no sense, and there are basically no combat animation that look realistic in this game. I mean, you're right but there are so many things about the weapons that are worse than that !

[Opopanax.1803]

Agree with OP

[Blimm.5028]

> @"IndigoSundown.5419" said:

> At a guess... Hand sizes vary depending on how the player scales the character. The bigger the character, the bigger the hands -- which is to maintain proportions. Making the handles large may also facilitate their use across all races, due to possible differences between hand size and body size. Asura and Charr hands are larger in proportion to their bodies than humans, Norn and Sylvari.

>

> That said, weapons tend to be bigger in relation to bodies than they might be anywhere but in Anime.

>

> A side effect of handle size is that characters tend to grip some weapons "wrong." Balance points on swords, for instance, tend to be closer to the guard, so a character gripping a sword closer to the pommel would, irl, find using the weapon awkward.

 

Weapons scale with the model though. Look at a norn and an asura holding the same weapon, or even a large and a small member of the same race. It's frustrating mostly because it's one of those things you can fail to see initially, but once I'm aware it just pops out so hard it isn't even funny.

> @"Ojyh.9842" said:

> lol

> You're complaining about the hilts of the swords while most weapon designs make absolutely no sense, and there are basically no combat animation that look realistic in this game. I mean, you're right but there are so many things about the weapons that are worse than that !

 

Yeah, I'm aware, but huge blades and hammers that nobody could ever lift kind of do make things seem awesome to many people. Personally I'm more for the at least semi realistic approach, but at least I can understand that position.

 

Those hilts just make things look hilarious, and they are that way even with most weapon designs that seem as if they were intended to approach realism. Look at the standard steel sword for instance, or the daggers.

[Zaklex.6308]

> @"Blimm.5028" said:

> I keep looking for swords I might want to use, but even on the more realistic designs the hilts are easily double the size they would be on a real sword, making them look like toys.

>

> Exceptions are Bonneti's rapier and ironically the toy sword.

 

If you look closely at the hilt, does it have details on it? If it does that answers your question...it's by design so that the artists can actually design artistic looking hilts with details...i.e. hilt to small you won't see the details.

[Blimm.5028]

> @"Zaklex.6308" said:

> > @"Blimm.5028" said:

> > I keep looking for swords I might want to use, but even on the more realistic designs the hilts are easily double the size they would be on a real sword, making them look like toys.

> >

> > Exceptions are Bonneti's rapier and ironically the toy sword.

>

> If you look closely at the hilt, does it have details on it? If it does that answers your question...it's by design so that the artists can actually design artistic looking hilts with details...i.e. hilt to small you won't see the details.

 

Most of them actually don't have details on the hilt. They have pommels and guards, but those would work just as well on a shorter hilt.

[Khisanth.2948]

All things considered blunt blades are probably a bigger problem than oversized hilts

[GrubySzymek.1362]

Big hilts is one thing. Badly located grip points is another.

[Blimm.5028]

> @"Khisanth.2948" said:

> All things considered blunt blades are probably a bigger problem than oversized hilts

 

Maybe. On the other hand, a blunt blade still bruises. I'd pick a blunt sword over one that isn't balanced properly and limits my movement any day.

[Khisanth.2948]

There are also a bunch of other skins besides the ones you mentioned. Aureate Rinblade, Cavalier Sword, Honor of Humanity and some others.

[Blimm.5028]

> @"Khisanth.2948" said:

> There are also a bunch of other skins besides the ones you mentioned. Aureate Rinblade, Cavalier Sword, Honor of Humanity and some others.

 

Aureate rinblade? That thing has space for three hands on it's hilt, and it's too short to be a bastard sword. Cavalier seems legit, thanks for pointing that one out!

[Khisanth.2948]

Rinblade is actually longer than Cavalier Sword. Honor of Humanity/Firebringer is shorter but that is a gladius so it doesn't seem too surprising.

 

By far the tightest fit would have to be the Inquest Mark II sword. Although that one might be too short. Wouldn't be surprised if it clips into the hand on some characters.

[Plautze.6290]

Actual medieval longswords were created to maintain the possibility to wield them two-handed, thus the long hilt. A shorter hilt, like on a gladius, would be quite hard to grab two-handed. So it seems longswords were taken as sword weapon model prototype =)

 

Another solution to your problem might be Exemplar's Edge or Vengeance?

[Blimm.5028]

> @"Plautze.6290" said:

 

> Another solution to your problem might be Exemplar's Edge or Vengeance?

 

Vengeance has this weird decor between hilt and guard, but it's worth looking at.

Exemplar's Edge is actually really nice.

 

I find it really amusing how picky I end up being about this specific issue. I can't remember ever being this annoyed by such a minor detail.

[Plautze.6290]

What slightly irks me about Exemplar's Edge is that the blade looks somehow fractured. As I intend to lunge that part into my enemies, I'm not really drawing assurance from that look. But nevermind, in general the whole Shining Blade set looks nice imho, except the Shining Blade itself, but that's just my personal taste (I'm not into that aura shiny x-mas tree hype). A big pro for the Shining Blade set is the moderate cost for the first two steps.

 

> @"Blimm.5028" said:

> I find it really amusing how picky I end up being about this specific issue. I can't remember ever being this annoyed by such a minor detail.

 

I know your feeling... been trying to find a suitable Greatsword for my Warrior forever. Hopefully, the Gen 2 GS legy looks decent.

[Offair.2563]

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadow_Sword_Skin

 

One of my favourite sword skin. Unless you mean greatsword.

[Opopanax.1803]

Most of the daggers are the perfect size for swords, but the animations are wrong.

[Blimm.5028]

> @"Offair.2563" said:

> https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shadow_Sword_Skin

>

> One of my favourite sword skin. Unless you mean greatsword.

 

Nono, definitely 1h sword. For great swords I can rationalize long handles as providing additional leverage.

 

> @"Opopanax.1803" said:

> Most of the daggers are the perfect size for swords, but the animations are wrong.

 

Many daggers would be the right size for short swords.... IF they weren't half over sized hilt, half blade :^)

 

 

[Biff.5312]

A greater variety of skins for all weapons is desirable. I think the current trend is to make them bigger and flashier with each set released, but maybe there will be some more sober designs in future. A skin set based on moderation might be cool.

[Ardid.7203]

Q: Why all the swords have hilts so huge?

A: They are all bastards!

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

All weapons in the game are foci for magical energies. Even mostly physical classes have magic in their weapon attacks. Accordingly, the weapons needn't look like their RPG-trope namesakes. It's fine to ask ANet for smaller hilts or larger pommels or whatever you like. However, there's no point in justifying it in terrestrial physics: none of our weapon skills would work on Earth, not even a little.