List of magical weapons
Encyclopedia
This is a list of magical weapons from fiction and folklore. A magical weapon is one that is directly described as such in the work; or one that has obvious fantastic or supernatural qualities.
is a fantasy role-playing game with many unique magical weapons.
video games.
In folklore
- Sword KladenetsSword KladenetsKladenets is a fabulous magic sword in some Old Russian fairy tales. In the "Tale about the City of Babylon" the sword is called "Asp The Serpent" . In the "Tale about bogatyr Yeruslan Lazarevich" it is mentioned among the fire shield and fire spear...
– a fabulous magic sword in some Old Russian fairy tales. - Dyrnwyn – Sword of Rhydderch HaelRiderch I of Alt ClutRiderch I , commonly known as Riderch or Rhydderch Hael , was a ruler of Alt Clut and the greater region later known as Strathclyde, a Brittonic kingdom that existed on the valley of the River Clyde in Scotland during the British Sub-Roman period...
in Welsh legend; When drawn, it blazed with fire; if drawn by a worthy man, the fire would help him in his cause, but its fire would burn the man who drew it for an unworthy purpose. - HruntingHruntingHrunting was a sword given to Beowulf by Unferth in the ancient Old English epic poem Beowulf. Beowulf used it in battle against Grendel's Mother.Beowulf is described receiving the sword in lines 1455-1458:-Hrunting's failure:...
and Nægling – BeowulfBeowulfBeowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
's magical swords. - Shamshir-e ZomorrodnegarShamshir-e ZomorrodnegarShamshir-e Zomorrodnegar is a sword in the Persian legend Amir Arsalan. The witch mother of a hideous horned demon called Fulad-zereh used a charm to make his body invulnerable to all weapons except this specific sword.Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar originally belonged to King Solomon, and was carefully...
– Legendary Persian sword. - SkofnungSkofnungSkofnung was the sword of legendary Danish king Hrólf Kraki. "The best of all swords that have been carried in northern lands", it was renowned for supernatural sharpness and hardness, as well as for being imbued with the spirits of the king's 12 faithful berserker bodyguards.It appears in saga...
– sword of legendary Danish king Hrólf KrakiHrólf KrakiHrólfr Kraki, Hroðulf, Rolfo, Roluo, Rolf Krage was a legendary Danish king who appears in both Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian tradition. His name would in his own language have been *Hrōþiwulfaz .Both traditions describe him as a Danish Scylding, the nephew of Hroðgar and the grandson of Healfdene...
. - ThunderboltThunderboltA thunderbolt is a discharge of lightning accompanied by a loud thunderclap or its symbolic representation. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, or, as Plato suggested in Timaeus, of the consequences of a close approach between two planetary cosmic bodies,...
– as wielded by various mythological deities such as ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
. - VajraVajraVajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
– A composite weapon made from the bones of a willing sage used by IndraIndra' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
. - Taming SariTaming SariThe Keris Taming Sari is a very famous kris in Malay culture. It is the Malay equivalent of King Arthur's "Excalibur" and was supposedly owned by the legendary Malay warrior Hang Tuah who served Sultan Mahmud Shah. It is said to possess magical powers...
- a krisKrisThe kris or keris is an asymmetrical dagger or sword nowadays most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia, but also indigenous to Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei. It is known as kalis in the southern Philippines. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade , but many have...
owned by mythical Malay warrior Hang TuahHang TuahHang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
. It possesses supernatural powers, bestowing invincibility to its wielder. According to one story, Hang Tuah fought the Majapahit warrior who owned the keris to a standstill, unable to defeat him. Later, after using trickery to switch weapons, Hang Tuah won easily. - Gan Jiang and Mo Ye - Legendary Chinese twin swords named after their creators.
- Axe of Hereward the WakeHereward the WakeHereward the Wake , known in his own times as Hereward the Outlaw or Hereward the Exile, was an 11th-century leader of local resistance to the Norman conquest of England....
Norse mythology
- DáinsleifDáinsleifDáinsleif is king Högni's sword, according to Snorri Sturluson's account of the battle known as the Hjaðningavíg.When Heðinn offers him compensation for the abduction of his daughter, Högni replies:...
- King Högni's sword - GramGram (mythology)In Norse mythology, Gram is the name of the sword that Sigurd used to kill the dragon Fafnir.It was forged by Wayland the Smith and originally belonged to his father, Sigmund, who received it in the hall of the Volsung after pulling it out of the tree Barnstokk into which Odin had stuck...
– Sword of the hero SigurdSigurdSigurd is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. The earliest extant representations for his legend come in pictorial form from seven runestones in Sweden and most notably the Ramsund carving Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of...
from Norse mythology, also known as Nothung in the Ring cycle - GungnirGungnirIn Norse mythology, Gungnir is the spear of the god Odin.-Poetic Edda:In the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, the Æsir-Vanir War is described as officially starting when Odin throws a spear over the heads of an assembly of Vanir gods. Whether or not this was specifically Gungnir is, however, unstated...
– OdinOdinOdin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
's spear. - HrottiHrottiHrotti is a sword in the Völsung cycle . It was a part of Fáfnir's treasure, which Sigurðr took after he slew the dragon.-References:...
– Part of the treasure of the dragon FafnirFafnirIn Norse mythology, Fáfnir or Frænir was a son of the dwarf king Hreidmar and brother of Regin and Ótr. In the Volsunga saga, Fáfnir was a dwarf gifted with a powerful arm and fearless soul. He guarded his father's house of glittering gold and flashing gems...
. - Lævateinn – A weapon mentioned in FjölsvinnsmálFjölsvinnsmálFjölsvinnsmál or The Sayings of Fjölsvinnr is the second of two Old Norse poems commonly published under the title Svipdagsmál "The Lay of Svipdagr". These poems are found together in several 17th century paper manuscripts with Fjölsvinnsmál...
. Wielded by the monster, Surt. - Mjolnir – The hammer of ThorThorIn Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
. - TyrfingTyrfingTyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword in Norse mythology, which figures in a poem from the Poetic Edda called Hervararkviða, and in Hervarar saga...
– A sword made by dwarves in the Elder Edda.
Irish mythology
- FragarachFragarachIn Irish mythology, Fragarach, known as 'The Answerer' or 'The Retaliator', was the sword of Manannan mac Lir and later, Lugh Lamfada.Forged by the gods, Manannan wielded it as his weapon before passing it on to Lugh...
– Sword of the god of the seas Manannan mac LirManannán mac LirManannán mac Lir is a sea deity in Irish mythology. He is the son of the obscure Lir . He is often seen as a psychopomp, and has strong affiliations with the Otherworld, the weather and the mists between the worlds...
and later LughLughLug or Lugh is an Irish deity represented in mythological texts as a hero and High King of the distant past. He is known by the epithets Lámhfhada , for his skill with a spear or sling, Ildánach , Samhildánach , Lonnbeimnech and Macnia , and by the...
in Irish legend; it was said to be a weapon that no armour could stop. - CaladbolgCaladbolgCaladbolg , sometimes written Caladcholg , is the sword of Fergus mac Róich from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
– Two-handed sword of Fergus mac RóichFergus mac RóichFergus mac Róich is a character of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
in Irish legend; said to make a circle like an arc of rainbow when swung, and to have the power to cleave the tops from the hills. - Claíomh Solais – Sword of NuadaNuadaIn Irish mythology, Nuada or Nuadu , known by the epithet Airgetlám , was the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is cognate with the Gaulish and British god Nodens...
the king of the gods in Irish mythology; In legend, the sword glowed with the light of the sun and was irresistible in battle, having the power to cut his enemies in half. - Gáe BulgGáe BulgThe Gáe Bulg , meaning "spear of mortal pain/death spear", "gapped/notched spear", or "belly spear", was the name of the spear of Cúchulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
– Spear of CúchulainnCúchulainnCú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
; made from the bones of a sea monster. - Spear of LughSpear of LughIn the Ulster Cycle of early Irish literature, the Lúin of Celtchar is the name of a long, fiery lance or spear belonging to Celtchar mac Uthechar and wielded by other heroes, such as Dubthach, Mac Cécht and Fedlimid....
– Spear of LughLughLug or Lugh is an Irish deity represented in mythological texts as a hero and High King of the distant past. He is known by the epithets Lámhfhada , for his skill with a spear or sling, Ildánach , Samhildánach , Lonnbeimnech and Macnia , and by the...
, the champion of the gods in Irish Mythology. - Gáe Buide and Gáe Derg - Spears of Diarmuid Ua DuibhneDiarmuid Ua DuibhneDiarmuid Ua Duibhne or Diarmid O'Dyna is a son of Donn and a warrior of the Fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He is most famous as the lover of Gráinne, the intended wife of Fianna leader Fionn mac Cumhaill in The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne...
, given to him by AengusAengusIn Irish mythology, Óengus , Áengus , or Aengus or Aonghus , is a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and probably a god of love, youth and poetic inspiration...
, which could inflict wounds that none can recover from.
Arthurian legend
- ExcaliburExcaliburExcalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
– King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's magical warsword. - ClarentClarentKing Arthur's sword of peace, used mainly in knighting or coronation ceremonies rather than battles. It appears in the Alliterative Morte Arthure, where it is stolen by Mordred and used to deliver a fatal blow to Arthur. It was the sword pulled from the stone, whereas Excalibur was granted to...
– King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's sword of peace. Also sometimes known as the sword Mordred stole and later used to kill King Arthur. Sometimes called the Coward's Blade. - CarnwennanCarnwennanCarnwennan, or Carnwenhau , was the dagger of King Arthur in the Welsh Arthurian legends. It is sometimes attributed with the magical power to shroud its user in shadow....
- King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's dagger, sometimes described to shroud the user in shadow. - Rhongomiant - King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's Spear
The Song of Roland
- AlmaceAlmaceIn the legendary Song of Roland, Almace, Almice or Almacia is the sword of Turpin, Archbishop of Reims, one of the last three Franks to die at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, along with Roland and Gualter de Hum....
– The sword of Archbishop Turpin. - DurendalDurendalDurendal or Durandal is the sword of Charlemagne's paladin Roland in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France....
– Indestructible sword of RolandRolandRoland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
. - HauteclereHauteclereHauteclere is the sword of Olivier, a character in the French epic "The Song of Roland". It is described as being of burnished steel, with a crystal embedded in a golden hilt....
– The sword of Oliver. - JoyeuseJoyeuseJoyeuse , was the name of Charlemagne's personal sword. The name translates as "joyful".-Joyeuse in legend:Some legends claim that it was forged to contain the Lance of Longinus within its pommel; others state it was smithed from the same materials as Roland's Durendal and Ogier's Curtana.The 11th...
– CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
's personal sword.
Japanese folklore
- Ame-no-nuboko – Japanese halberd which formed the first island.
- KusanagiKusanagiis a legendary Japanese sword and one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called but its name was later changed to the more popular Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi .-Legends:...
– Legendary Japanese sword. - TonbogiriTonbogiriThe is one of three legendary Japanese spears created by the famed swordsmith Masazane Fujiwara, said to be wielded by the daimyō Honda Tadakatsu. The spear derives its name from the myth that a dragonfly landed on its blade and was instantly cut in two...
– one of three legendary spears created by the famed swordsmith Masazane.
Spanish folklore
- TizonaTizonaTizona is the name of the sword carried by El Cid which was used to fight the Moors in Spain according to the Cantar de mio CidThe name Tizón translates to burning stick, firebrand....
- the sword of El CidEl CidRodrigo Díaz de Vivar , known as El Cid Campeador , was a Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat...
, it frightens unworthy opponents, as shown in the heroic poem Cantar de Mio CidCantar de Mio CidEl Cantar de Myo Çid , also known in English as The Lay of the Cid and The Poem of the Cid is the oldest preserved Spanish epic poem...
. - ColadaColadaColada is one of the two best-known swords, along with Tizona, of El Cid Campeador. Won in combat from the Count of Barcelona, the sword was presented to his sons in law. According to the heroic verses of the Cantar de mio Cid, after his sons-in-law beat his daughters and then abandoned them on...
- the other sword of El CidEl CidRodrigo Díaz de Vivar , known as El Cid Campeador , was a Castilian nobleman, military leader, and diplomat...
, as Tizona its power depends on the warrior that wields it. - The lance of OlyndicusOlyndicusOlyndicus , also known as Olonicus was a celtiberian war chief who led a rebellion against Rome, fighting against the praetor Lucius Canuleyus and his troops, in the province of Hispania Ulterior...
, the celtiberiansCeltiberiansThe Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC. The group used the Celtic Celtiberian language.Archaeologically, the Celtiberians participated in the Hallstatt culture in what is now north-central Spain...
' war chief who fought against RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. According to FlorusFlorusFlorus, Roman historian, lived in the time of Trajan and Hadrian.He compiled, chiefly from Livy, a brief sketch of the history of Rome from the foundation of the city to the closing of the temple of Janus by Augustus . The work, which is called Epitome de T...
, he wielded a silver lance that was sent to him by the gods from the sky.
In novels
- Callandor – The sword that is not a sword, a powerful sa'angreal in Robert Jordan's Wheel of TimeWheel of timeThe Wheel of time or wheel of history is a concept found in several religious traditions and philosophies, notably religions of Indian origin such as Hinduism and Buddhism, which regard time as cyclical and consisting of repeating ages...
series. - Charon's Claw – Powerful sword from the Forgotten RealmsForgotten RealmsThe Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
series. - The Darksword – Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Darksword trilogy.
- Grayswandir – The magic sword wielded by Corwin in The Chronicles of AmberThe Chronicles of AmberThe Chronicles of Amber is group of novels that comprise a fantasy series written by Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works....
by Roger ZelaznyRoger ZelaznyRoger Joseph Zelazny was an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for his The Chronicles of Amber series...
. Sister blade of Werewindle. - Nehima – LiraelLiraelLirael is a fantasy novel by Garth Nix, first published in 2001. Named for its central female character, Lirael is the second in his Old Kingdom trilogy, preceded by Sabriel and continued in Abhorsen.-Plot introduction:The book is split into three parts, the first of which is set 14 years after...
and AbhorsenAbhorsenAbhorsen is a fantasy novel by Australian writer Garth Nix, first published in 2003. It is the final novel in his Abhorsen trilogy and his third book in the currently five book long planned Old Kingdom series .Abhorsen features Lirael, who is the recently revealed Abhorsen-in-Waiting; Prince...
by Garth Nix. - Ruyi Jingu Bang – A magical staff wielded by Sun WukongSun WukongSun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
in Journey to the WestJourney to the WestJourney to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
. - Sword of Gryffindor – In the Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series, a that was previously owned by Godric Gryffindor. Has the power to reveal itself to any worthy Gryffindor student in a time of need. In the novels, reveals itself to Harry and Neville Longbottom. - Sword of Martin – Weapon from the RedwallRedwallRedwall, by Brian Jacques, is a series of fantasy novels. It is the title of the first book of the series, published in 1986, the name of the Abbey featured in the book, and the name of an animated TV series based on three of the novels , which first aired in 1999...
series of novels by Brian JacquesBrian JacquesJames Brian Jacques was an English author best known for his Redwall series of novels and Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series. He also completed two collections of short stories entitled The Ribbajack & Other Curious Yarns and Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales.-Biography:Brian Jacques was born...
. Forged from a fallen star by a badger lord. It appears to be unbreakable. - The Sword of ShannaraThe Sword of ShannaraThe Sword of Shannara is a 1977 epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. The first book of the Original Shannara Trilogy, it was followed by The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and historical adventure fiction, Brooks began writing...
– The sword enchanted by the druids to reveal truth in Terry BrooksTerry BrooksTerence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
novels. - The Sword of TruthThe Sword of TruthThe Sword of Truth is a series of thirteen epic fantasy novels written by Terry Goodkind. The books follow the protagonists Richard Cypher, Kahlan Amnell and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander on their quest to defeat oppressors who seek to control the world and those who wish to unleash evil upon the world of...
– The sword wielded by the Seeker of Truth in the Terry GoodkindTerry GoodkindTerry Goodkind is an American writer and author of the epic fantasy The Sword of Truth series as well as the contemporary suspense novel The Law of Nines, which has ties to his fantasy series, and The Omen Machine, which is a direct sequel thereof. Before his success as an author Goodkind worked...
novels. - Terminus EstTerminus EstTerminus Est is a sword in the science fiction series The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. It is wielded by Severian, a torturer and the narrator of the series.-Terminus Est and Severian:...
– Mercurial Greatsword of Severian the Torturer in The Book of the New SunThe Book of the New SunThe Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a disgraced journeyman torturer who rises to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world...
. - Werewindle – The magic sword wielded by Brand in The Chronicles of AmberThe Chronicles of AmberThe Chronicles of Amber is group of novels that comprise a fantasy series written by Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works....
by Roger ZelaznyRoger ZelaznyRoger Joseph Zelazny was an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for his The Chronicles of Amber series...
. Sister blade of Grayswandir.
The works of J. R. R. Tolkien
- AnglachelAnglachelAnglachel is a fictional weapon from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. According to The Silmarillion, it was one of two swords forged by Eöl the Dark Elf out of a black iron meteorite. The sword was carried by Túrin, who had it reforged as Gurthang...
– One of the two swords forged by EölEölEöl, called the Dark Elf, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as an Elf of Beleriand and is a character existing in some form from the earliest to the latest writings....
the Dark ElfMoriquendiIn the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Moriquendi is a Quenya word meaning "Dark-folk", but often translated "Elves of Darkness" or "Dark-elves"...
out of a black iron meteorite. It is said to be able to cleave any iron from within the earth. Anglachel appears to be a sentient sword that speaks on occasion and has some will of its own. - Glamdring, Orcrist and Sting – High-Elven swords; glow with a blue or white flame when Orcs are near.
- Morgul-blade – Magical poisoned dagger wielded by NazgûlNazgûlThe Nazgûl are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium...
. - Caudimordax – This sword cannot be sheathed when a dragon comes within five miles of its bearer's presence.
- Andúril/NarsilNarsilNarsil is a fictional sword featured in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. It is introduced in The Lord of the Rings as having once belonged to King Elendil of the Dúnedain...
– The sword of Elendil used to cut the One Ring from Sauron (Narsil) reforged several ages later by Elrond (Andúril); the reforging of the shards was foretold as a sign of the coming of the true King of Gondor. - Aiglos – The spear with which the Elven king Gil-galad went to war.
The works of Michael Moorcock
- Mournblade – An enchanted blade from Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
's Elric stories, twin to Stormbringer. - Kanajana - The sword of ErekoseErekosëMany of Michael Moorcock's heroes are aspects of one all-encompassing hero, the Eternal Champion. Erekosë is the title character, so to speak, as the fantasy novel The Eternal Champion and its sequels feature him. He is a unique aspect of the Champion, in that he can remember all of his previous...
. - The Runestaff - A magical staff in Moorcock's Dorian Hawkmoon novels which preserves the Cosmic Balance.
- StormbringerStormbringerStormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. Created by the forces of Chaos, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade...
- One of the two vampiric black runeswords inherited by the Melnibonean kings. Wielded by Elric of MelniboneElric of MelnibonéElric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of sword and sorcery stories centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
. - The Sword of the DawnThe Sword Of The DawnThe Sword of the Dawn is a novel by British author Michael Moorcock, and was first published in 1968.The novel is the third in Moorcock's four book The History of the Runestaff series, and the narrative follows on immediately from the preceding novel The Mad God's Amulet...
- A magical blade in Moorcock's Dorian Hawkmoon novels.
In comics and graphic novels
- Ebony BladeEbony BladeThe Ebony Blade is a fictional enchanted sword in the Marvel Comics universe. Though many have used the sword, it is most readily identified with the Black Knight.-History:...
– Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media... - Soulsword – Marvel Comics
- Kevin MatchstickMage (comics)Mage is an American superhero comic book written and illustrated by Matt Wagner. Three volumes, each of 15 issues are planned; , two have been published.-Publication history:...
's magical baseball bat, Excalibur - ComicoComicóComicó is a village and municipality in Río Negro Province in Argentina....
/Image ComicsImage ComicsImage Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
is a fantasy role-playing game with many unique magical weapons.
- Axe of the Dwarvish LordsAxe of the Dwarvish LordsIn the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Axe of the Dwarvish Lords refers to both a powerful magic item and to an adventure module focusing on the item....
(GreyhawkGreyhawkGreyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
campaign settingCampaign settingA campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
) - Hammer of Kharas (Dragonlance campaign setting)
- Mace of CuthbertMace of CuthbertThe Mace of Cuthbert is a powerful artifact of the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(Greyhawk campaign setting) - Spear of Vix
- Sword of KasSword of KasIn the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Sword of Kas was the mighty blade used by Kas the Bloody-Handed, the dreaded lieutenant of Vecna. It was by this blade, some say, that Vecna lost his Hand and Eye.- Publication history :The Sword of Kas...
(Greyhawk campaign setting) - various vorpal weapons
- various adamantAdamantAdamant and similar words are used to refer to any especially hard substance, whether composed of diamond, some other gemstone, or some type of metal. Both adamant and diamond derive from the Greek word αδαμας , meaning "untameable"...
(or similarly termed) weapons - various mithrilMithrilMithril is a fictional metal, originally used in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. It is described as silvery and stronger than steel but much lighter in weight. The malleability, lack of tarnishing and use of the metal in jewellery suggest some similarity to the non-fictional metal...
weapons.
In video and computer games
Magic weapons are a staple of fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
video games.
- Dagger of Time – Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimePrince of Persia: The Sands of TimePrince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a third-person action-adventure computer and video game published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 21, 2003 and is a reboot of the landmark video game series Prince of Persia, created by Jordan Mechner in 1989.The Sands of Time, developed internally at...
- Master Sword – Legend of Zelda series
- Soul Reaver – Legacy of KainLegacy of KainLegacy of Kain is a series of action-adventure video games developed initially by Silicon Knights in association with Crystal Dynamics. After a legal battle, Crystal Dynamics continued the series without Silicon Knights and Eidos Interactive became the publisher...
series - Soul CaliburSoul Caliburis a 3D, weapons-based fighting game developed by Project Soul and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soul series, preceeded by Soul Edge. It was released in arcades in 1998, and it ran on the Namco System 12 hardware. In 1999 it was ported to the Dreamcast with improved graphics and...
and Soul EdgeSoul Edgeis a 3D arcade fighting game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco. It is the first installment in the Soul series of fighting games...
- SoulSoul (series)The is a weapon-based historical fantasy fighting game series by Namco Bandai Games. The series revolves around a sword that, after years of bloodshed and hatred, gained a soul of its own, the Soul Edge, and the sword forged to counter it, Soul Calibur. The series is special in that each character...
series - Keyblade - Kingdom Hearts series
- Crystalis – CrystalisCrystalisCrystalis, known in Japan as , is an action RPG/action-adventure video game produced by SNK for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released on April 13, 1990 in Japan and later that July in the United States. Though Crystalis never became a runaway hit, it is now considered a cult classic...
. The titular sword is formed from four elemental blades. - Frostmourne and Ashbringer are runeswords of Warcraft III and World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
. - Blades of Chaos - God of WarGod of War (series)God of War is a series of action-adventure video games based on Greek mythology.The main trilogy—God of War I, II, & III—in the series were developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division , with Ready at Dawn Studios developing the PSP and Javaground the mobile phone installment...
. These broad-bladed swords are seared into the flesh of the protagonist, Kratos, with a pair of chains wrapped his arms. This allows him to perform whip-like maneuvers.
- Magdaer - Guild Wars PropheciesGuild Wars PropheciesGuild Wars: Prophecies , officially known as simply Guild Wars, is the first campaign of the Guild Wars series of Action RPGs, developed by the Seattle-based ArenaNet game developer studio, a subsidiary of South Korean game publisher NCsoft...
. The sword of King Adelbern which he used to trigger the Foefire. - Sohothin - Guild Wars PropheciesGuild Wars PropheciesGuild Wars: Prophecies , officially known as simply Guild Wars, is the first campaign of the Guild Wars series of Action RPGs, developed by the Seattle-based ArenaNet game developer studio, a subsidiary of South Korean game publisher NCsoft...
. The sister sword of Magdaer, wielded by Prince Rurik, son of Adelbern. - Sol blade - Golden Sun (series)Golden Sun (series)is a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and produced by Nintendo. Golden Sun follows the story of a group of magically-attuned "adepts" who are charged with preventing the potentially destructive power of alchemy from being released as it was in the...
The Sol Blade is a Long Sword-class Artifact weapon found in Golden Sun: The Lost AgeGolden Sun: The Lost Ageis the second installment of a series of role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. The game was released in April 2003 for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, being a sequel to the Game Boy Advance Golden Sun...
and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. It is the "ultimate weapon" of each game it appears in. - Akujiki - ShinobiShinobi (2002 video game)Shinobi is a 3D action-adventure video game developed by Overworks and published by Sega as part of the Shinobi series. It was released for the PlayStation 2 console on November 10, 2002 in North America; December 5 in Japan; and May 15, 2003 in Europe. The game stars the ninja Hotsuma, who wields...
. A cursed sword wielded by protagonist Hotsuma that drains the soul of the wielder unless it is covered in the fresh blood of its victims.
In cartoons
- Sword of Omens - ThunderCatsThunderCatsThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
. Wielded by the hero Lion-o, the magical Eye of Thundera is embedded in its hilt.
Magical weapons by type
- Magic gunMagic gunMagic guns, also called spellguns or casters , are an element of science fantasy that combines firearms and magic to create a weapon with properties of both...
- Magic swordMagic swordThe term magic sword refers to any kind of mythological or fictional sword imbued with magical power to increase its strength or grant it other supernatural qualities. The archetype originated in myth and legend, and occurs regularly in fantasy fiction....
- Flaming sword
Other legendary weapons
Some weapons in fiction do not, strictly speaking, have magical properties, but are forged with materials or methods that are unique in the context of the story.- Green Destiny – Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a 2000 wuxia film. An American-Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production, the film was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of ethnic Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen...
a powerful jianJianThe jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...
. - ChrysaorChrysaor (sword)In Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene Chrysaor was the golden sword of Sir Artegal, the Knight of Justice. The sword was given to him by Astræa, who had been holding it since the days when Zeus used it to battle the Titans. Because it was "Tempred [sic] with Adamant", it could cleave through...
– Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene - Green Dragon Crescent Blade – Exceptionally heavy guandao wielded by Guan YuGuan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
in the Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
; forged with the blood of a green dragon.