Stock Weapon Names

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

In fiction, and Role-Playing Games particular, it's important to have different names for items to tell them apart. When it comes to weapons, this is often done with a mix of real world terms for different weapons (like rapiers and Magnum revolvers) and Stock Weapon Names (like Excalibur).

This is often done when the weapon is unique, to show it's not just something you can get from a shop. The name chosen is often from real world legends, but can be gotten elsewhere.

Such weapons are likely to have special powers over and above those of regular weapons.

This doesn't count if the wielder of the original weapon is using it. That's just being true to those stories. The hammer of Thor won't count unless it's someone other than Thor. Also, being named after a recent manufacturer doesn't necessarily count, since they aren't likely to have legends about them as famous weaponsmiths of old do.

A Sub-Trope of Named Weapons. Often overlaps with Public Domain Artifacts.

Compare I Call It Vera.

Examples of Stock Weapon Names include:

General

  • Often a weapon is simply named after some famous deed it had been used for in the past, such as "Goblincleaver," "Headcrusher," "Dragonsmiter," etc.
  • Another common one, similar to the above, is to add "-bane" (literally, "death of") onto the name of whatever it's famous for killing (Kingsbane, Dragonsbane, Fluffysbane, etc.).

Swords

  • Excalibur
  • Clarent, the Sword in the Stone
    • Castlevania Aria Of Sorrow incorrectly called it Excalibur, but it was in a stone (a joke weapon, since you swung it like a club. Still quite lethal, and makes the final boss a joke.)
  • Widowmaker
    • Also a stock name for something really dangerous, such as a race track or ski slope. Usually used in a humorous context in this case.
  • Masamune (after the famous Japanese swordsmith).
  • Muramasa (after another famous Japanese swordsmith).
  • Murasame, a katana from the Japanese novel Nansō Satomi Hakkenden.
  • Kusanagi (Long story short, it's basically the Japanese equivalent of Excalibur). Some stories, like Usagi Yojimbo, translate the name as "Grasscutter."
    • May also be referred to by its original name, Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi ("Sword of the gathering clouds of Heaven"), or Murakumo (sometimes translated as "Heaven's Cloud", like in Final Fantasy Tactics) for short.
  • Ultima Weapon is a common name among the Final Fantasy games, and also appears in Kingdom Hearts. This is one of the few examples here that is not in the public domain, but still counts since it's used in several different continuities.
  • "Ragnarok" is quite common as well, named after Ragnarok, the Twilight of the Gods in Norse mythology. It's in most cases a sword, but sometimes it shows up as an axe as well.
  • Roland's sword was named Durendal. It once belonged to Hector of Troy. Right before Roland died, he threw it into a "river of poison" to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Interestingly, this has often resulted in it being a Dark Holy Sword in games.
  • Hauteclere, which was by right a sword belonging to Roland's best friend, Oliver. Features in numerous games, such as the Fire Emblem series, where it is mistakenly portrayed as an axe.
  • Dyrnwym belonged to Rhydderch Hael, one of the Three Generous Men of Britain mentioned in the Welsh Triads.
  • Tyrfing, a cursed sword in the Elder Eddas
  • Caladbolg belonged to Fergus mac Raich (Irish legend)
  • Green Dragon Crescent Blade, in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, belonged to Guan Yu. The original Green Dragon Crescent Blade was a guan dao, a gigantic Blade on a Stick designed to cut down horse-mounted cavalry.
  • Gram - aka Balmung, aka Nothung. Sword of the hero Siegfried. Killed the dragon Fafnir.
  • Laevateinn/Laevatein/Lävateinn//Levatine/Levantine/Lavatein, the Flaming Sword used by Surt at Ragnarok in Norse Mythology. As it's also known as the "Staff of Destruction", it could be used as a name for staves as well.
  • Another one from Final Fantasy: Sasuke. Named after a famous legendary ninja. No, not that one.
  • Claiomh Solais, Literally translated as 'The Sword of Light', which was the sword of a leader of the legendary Tuatha Dé Danann. The blade makes appearances in such games as Castlevania and Disgaea, though in the latter it is mistakenly portrayed as an axe.
  • Damascene swords, or other weapons which feature the prefix 'Damascus'. Often featured in games due to the almost legendary quality of weapons forged with Damascene forging techniques.
  • (The) Vorpal Sword, from Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky'. The prefix 'Vorpal' is also often used in conjunction with other weapons, usually standing for death.
    • Nethack has it as a weapon with a chance of instantly decapitating an enemy
    • In Kingdom of Loathing, it's obtained in the Nethack homage area, has an increased Critical Hit chance, and comes complete with "Snickersnack" sound effects.
    • Pit Fiends in Heroes of Might and Magic V have an ability "Vorpal Sword" that makes their attacks kill an extra unit in the stack, regardless of its health.
  • The "Ice Brand" (or "Frost Brand") and "Firebrand" swords.
    • Nethack has both of them as unique swords.
    • The Firebrand is Jovian's sword in Exit Fate.
  • Aversion: A Laser Blade will never be called a lightsaber. Except in some Squaresoft games. And Disgaea. And Phantasy Star. And Brave Soul.
  • Seizon, Kaori's legendary wooden sword whittled by Miyamoto Musashi in The Impossible Man.
  • Green Destiny, from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
  • "Lightbringer".
  • "Save The Queen", another Final Fantasy weapon. Usually associated with defensive powers, paladins and loyalty.

Spears

  • Longinus, after the Roman centurion who supposedly stabbed Jesus to make sure he was dead. Thus, his weapon slew a god.
    • In Evangelion they came along with The White Moon(containing Adam) and The Black Moon (containing Lilith). The spears can pierce through AT Fields and one of them was used to revert Adam to his embryonic state.
    • Some video games translate it as Ronginus, even in the English versions.
  • Gungnir, Odin's weapon.
    • In the Touhou series, Remilia Scarlet has a spellcard attack called "Spear the Gungnir".
  • Gae Bolg, the spear of Cu Chulainn.
    • This is occasionally translated as Gay Borg when used in Japanese games, such as Fire Emblem 4.
  • Ron, wielded by King Arthur.
  • The Dragonlance, usually a Shout-Out to the book series.

Hammers

  • Mjöllnir, Thor's Hammer. Pronounced "M-yol-neer", for reference.
  • Although it's usually spelled Mjöllnir, the original name was actually Mjølner.
    • Final Fantasy I makes this the White Mage's best weapon (save for Masamune)
    • Several video games use this as a lightning-element weapon, since Thor is the god of thunder.
    • It exists as an item in Defense of the Ancients.
    • Marie Mjollnir of Soul Eater is a lightning-related Hammer. Confirmed in the anime, heavily suggested in the manga what with her lightening abilities and nickname of the 'Smashing Weapon' alongside her surname.
      • Recently it's been revealed in the manga that's she's an electric tonfa, not a hammer.
    • It's also a lightning-elemental spell in Breath of Fire III and IV.
  • Played with: it's common for siege weapons to be named Grond the Hammer, after the gigantic battering ram used to break down the gates of Gondor in Return of the King. Interestingly, Grond is itself an in-universe example, having been named after the weapon of Morgoth, Sauron's defeated master. But, since this is only told in the rather dense Silmarillion, the use of the name for actual hammers is rare.
    • In Warlords Battlecry III, the titan (a unique powerful unit) of the Dark Dwarves is a giant mithril golem named Grond.
  • "Titan", "Behemoth" and similar names are often used for ludicrously large hammers and axes.

Shields

  • Aegis, the shield of Zeus made out of enchanted goatskin and passed down to his daughter Athena.
    • In Final Fantasy VI, an Aegis Shield is capable of randomly nullifying any magical ailment, up to and including gravity and instant death. In Final Fantasy Tactics, the Aegis Shield provides a 50% chance to evade any magical attack.
    • In Persona 3 the character Aigis (based on the original phoneme in the English version, outright named Aegis in Japanese) is a battle robot whose primary purpose is to defend humans from Shadows. Her Ultimate Persona is Athena, who wields a massive shield.
    • In Oblivion, as the magical shield that can be bought from Stonewall Shields in the Imperial City.
    • Real Life: The US Navy's anti-missile system.
    • A special mention for Sora no Otoshimono, since there are two, distinct Aegis shield systems: Ikaros' Aegis (defends from all sides, but is a fair bit weaker) and Astraea's Aegis-L (only defends the front, but is stronger compared to its counterpart).
  • King Arthur also had a shield named Pridwen, with the likeness of the Virgin Mary, to think perpetually of her.

Scythes

  • "Reaper", "Slayer", "Scavenger", "Harvester" and similarly Grim Reaper-evoking names are common, corresponding with the Sinister Scythe trope.
    • Derek's scythe in Exit Fate is named "Scavenger", and Hawk's is named "Harvester", though the latter is... a farmer.

Bows

Throwing Weapons

  • "Rising Sun" has been popularized by the Final Fantasy series, and usually appears as the ultimate throwing weapon of a character. The type varies - in various works, it appeared as a shuriken, chakram, boomerang, knife, or occasionally a knuckle.

Guns

  • Any pair of Guns Akimbo will be given a cute name after some sort of existing "and" phrase, such as Ebony & Ivory.
  • Peacemaker
    • Widowmaker and Equaliser would also apply, as they were also nicknames for the Colt Single Action Army.
    • Parodied in Discworld; a small siege weapon is named "Piecemaker."
  • Magnum often appears as well to indicate some extra oomph in the weapon; the Real Life usage usually refers to extra-powerful ammunition of a particular shape. It is named after a type of wine bottle because of it's resemblance to the the shape.
  • BFG appears in FPS games sometimes.
  • Grasscutter, Lawnmower or related can occasionally be given to machine guns.
  • In science fiction settings, "blaster" and "disruptor" are common. Not for a particular weapon, but for energy weapons in general. As is "laser X": X being, in order from smallest to largest, pistol, rifle or carbine, cannon.
    • As are Greek letters, most commonly Alpha and Omega, as prefixes.
  • "Fomalhaut", named after a star, is common in Final Fantasy games.

Accessories

  • 108 beads, gems, birthstones, any part of a monster.
  1. ↑ The fanfic's author is named Durandall
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