Situational Sword: Difference between revisions

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A sword, or any other type of weapon, that unleashes some form of "hidden" (or not so hidden) power when certain conditions are met, such as the wielder nearing death, blood getting splashed on it, etc. This weapon tends to be most prominently used in a [[Desperation Attack]].

Situational Swords are similar in concept to the [[Empathic Weapon]], but generally tend to be non-Sentient. When [[Empathic Weapon]] is a Situational Sword, it is usually [[Loyal Phlebotinum]].

Situational Swords are similar in concept to the [[Empathic Weapon]], but generally tend to be non-Sentient. When [[Empathic Weapon]] is a '''Situational Sword''', it is usually [[Loyal Phlebotinum]].

== Anime ==

* One story of the ''[[Crying Freeman]]'' anime [[OVA~~|OVAs~~]] involved several parties falling under the curse of the Muramasa blades (explained below), which made the user go berserk until the sword left their grip.

* One story of the ''[[Crying Freeman]]'' anime [[OVA]]s involved several parties falling under the curse of the Muramasa blades (explained below), which made the user go berserk until the sword left their grip.

* The Medicine Seller's sword in ''[[Mononoke]]'' can only be drawn when he learns more about the titular monsters. But once he gets the Shape, Truth, and Reason, [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|asskicking]] [[BFS|ensues]].

* ''[[Rave Master]]'' uses the Ten Commandments sword, which has a total of 10 separate situational swords. However, Runesave is the one that stands out the most, simply because it only cuts things that couldn't be cut, like the wind or magic.

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== Gamebooks ==

* The [[Lone Wolf|Sommerswerd]]'s "supernatural powers increase the bearer's CS by 8 (prior to the application of weapon skill bonuses), and also increase the sensitivity of his Sixth Sense. It is [[For Massive Damage|doubly damaging]] to undead foes and [[Power Nullifier|absorbs hostile magic]]. Perhaps its greatest power is the ability to kill Darklords, and it's possible, as stated in ''The Curse of Naar'', that it might be able to kill [[Big Bad|Naar himself]]. Only members of the royal house of Sommerlund or a Kai Lord can wield it. If anyone else uses it in battle, it will slowly and irrevocably lose its powers." On the other hand, whip it out in the wrong spot, every Tom, Dick and Rubicante shows up to kick your ass.

** Fortunately, evil beings can't take advantage of this to depower the ~~sword -- if~~ you happen to be evil and try to hold the sword it will melt your fingers off.

** Fortunately, evil beings can't take advantage of this to depower the sword—if you happen to be evil and try to hold the sword it will melt your fingers off.

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* In [[James Swallow]]'s ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' ''[[Blood Angels|Deus Sanguinius]]'', Rafen learns that to wield the Spear of Telesto, he must {{spoiler|[[Forbidden Chekhov's Gun|let loose with the Red Thirst]]. Fortunately for him, the spear protects him from [[The Berserker|the Black Rage]], the insanity that ensues when the Red Thirst runs wild in a Blood Angel.}}

* Felix's sword in ''[[Gotrek and Felix]]'' is enchanted to kill dragons and will grant its wielder extra strength and other bonuses, but only when fighting a dragon (or to get him through a fight so he can go fight a dragon later).

* In P.C. Hodgell's ''[[Chronicles of the Kencyrath]]'' series, the hereditary sword of the house of Knorth, ''Kin-slayer'', can cut through opponents as if they were ~~butter -- but~~ only when wielded by someone wearing the Knorth signet ring on their finger. Furthermore, it cannot be sheathed until it has killed someone, and the energy of the sword numbs the hand of the bearer. Meanwhile, the ''Ivory Knife'', an ancient heirloom artifact reputed to come from the Kencyrs' God, kills from the merest scratch. It is called "the very tooth of Death."

* In P.C. Hodgell's ''[[Chronicles of the Kencyrath]]'' series, the hereditary sword of the house of Knorth, ''Kin-slayer'', can cut through opponents as if they were butter—but only when wielded by someone wearing the Knorth signet ring on their finger. Furthermore, it cannot be sheathed until it has killed someone, and the energy of the sword numbs the hand of the bearer. Meanwhile, the ''Ivory Knife'', an ancient heirloom artifact reputed to come from the Kencyrs' God, kills from the merest scratch. It is called "the very tooth of Death."

* The sword Sting from ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'' glows blue when orcs are near, and is an effective weapon against them. It's also effective against [[Giant Spider~~|Giant Spiders~~]] such as the infamous Shelob. In fact, Sting got its name after Bilbo used it to rescue his dwarf companions from a horde of lesser [[Giant Spider~~|Giant Spiders~~]]

* The sword Sting from ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'' glows blue when orcs are near, and is an effective weapon against them. It's also effective against [[Giant Spider]]s such as the infamous Shelob. In fact, Sting got its name after Bilbo used it to rescue his dwarf companions from a horde of lesser [[Giant Spider]]s

** The dagger Merry attacks the Witch-King with was also specifically made to fight beings of his nature, and so does crippling damage despite the Witch-King being a Ringwraith. In other situations, it's merely a decent hobbit-sized sword.

** Parodied in Terry Pratchett's ''[[Discworld/The Wee Free Men|The Wee Free Men]]'': the Nac mac Feegle have swords that glow blue in the presence of ''lawyers''.