One-handed weapons are the balanced choice — light enough to keep a shield in the off-hand, so you can defend and bash while you fight. Dual-wielding is not possible in Gloria Victis; the free hand is for a shield, not a second weapon. Every one-hander is viable — pick the head to match the target.
The figures below are for crafted weapons. Looted or non-crafted weapons may carry slightly different modifiers.
Directional damage
Each attack direction carries its own damage type and a modifier on the weapon's base damage. Overhead and stab are where the weapons differ most — read across for the multiplier and the type each swing actually deals.
| Weapon | Overhead | Left | Right | Stab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | ×1.2 Slashing | ×1.0 Slashing | ×1.0 Slashing | ×0.8 Bludgeoning |
| Dagger | ×1.0 Piercing | ×0.8 Slashing | ×0.8 Slashing | ×1.0 Piercing |
| Mace / Pick | ×1.1 Bludgeoning | ×1.0 Bludgeoning | ×1.0 Bludgeoning | ×0.7 Bludgeoning |
| Spear | ×0.5 Piercing | ×0.5 Piercing | ×0.5 Piercing | ×1.0 Piercing |
| Sword | ×1.0 Slashing | ×1.0 Slashing | ×1.0 Slashing | ×0.8 Piercing |
Role & characteristics
| Weapon | Reach (units) | Best against | Armour penetration | Notable traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | 4.2 – 4.6 | Shields, doors & light armour | 5% on overhead | Highest overhead modifier of the one-handers — the wall-breaker. |
| Dagger | 2.9 | Light & medium armour | — | Shortest weapon in the game, but the fastest attack speed; bleeds on full-power attacks with the *Marksman* ability. |
| Mace / Pick | 4.2 | Heavy armour | — | Pure bludgeoning on every swing — the answer to a plated knight. |
| Spear | 9.5 | Medium armour | 10% on stab | Longest reach of any one-hander; built around its piercing stab. |
| Sword | 5.3 – 6.4 | Light & medium armour | — | All-round cuts; the stab causes a bleed. |
Match the weapon to the armour you face: cuts for the unarmoured, thrusts and blunt for the armoured — see Damage Types & Armour. Reach above is in in-game units; the full reach list sets these against the two-handers. Then weigh every trade-off live in the Build Maker.