One-handed sword

Bannerlord v1.4.8 · checked 2026-11-11 · updated 2026-11-12

This guide answers two questions for the one-handed sword: which piece moves which stat, and what the best design is for each goal when the highest piece tier you can use is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. The formulas were read out of the game's own code: they were recovered from v1.4.6 and compared method by method against v1.4.8, where none of the compared methods changed (some could only be compared by their headers; Value and price has the details). Rows labelled "NavalDLC" give the best result with NavalDLC active, which adds pieces and changes which pieces each weapon type can use; they are listed only where they beat the base game. Six of them use only base-game pieces: NavalDLC lets the one-handed sword use sickle_handle_1, a handle it redefines. How smithing works in general is in the Crafting guide; slots, usages and an example recipe are in Weapon templates.

Usages and damage

The one-handed sword has one usage, held in one hand, and four slots: blade, guard, handle and pommel. It has both a swing and a thrust.

Blades: 130 in the base game, 148 with NavalDLC.
Swing damage factor: 1.5 to 5.2, depending on the blade.
Thrust damage factor: 0.8 to 4.3, depending on the blade.
Swing drag: 1.17 per unit of reach, the low drag of a one-handed grip.
Damage type: cut, pierce or blunt, set by the blade.

Which piece drives which stat

Blade: sets both damage factors and the damage type, adds length, and counts most for difficulty.
Guard and handle: add weight and length. Weight far from your hand makes the sword harder to turn than weight near it.
Pommel: adds weight but no length. The game counts it as if it sat past the blade tip when it works out how hard the sword is to turn, so a heavy pommel costs handling and swing speed far beyond its weight.
Weight overall: swing and thrust strength grow with the weight, so a heavier sword usually hits harder. It also swings and thrusts slower, and strength grows with the square of the speed.
Length overall: more length adds swing drag and turning weight, so a longer sword swings slower.

Smithing calculator

Every piece at scale 100. Pick a piece for each slot.

Loading pieces…

How far each goal goes

Best result with tier-1 pieces, then with tier-5 pieces:

Swing damage: 68, up to 106 (111 with NavalDLC).
Thrust damage: 47, and it stays there up to tier 3; 55 at tier 5 (67 with NavalDLC).
Swing speed: 115 at every tier (119 with NavalDLC from tier 2).
Thrust speed: 100 at every tier (102 with NavalDLC from tier 2).
Handling: 113 at every tier (115 with NavalDLC from tier 2).
Length: 114, up to 131 (134 with NavalDLC).
Weight (lightest): 0.66 kg at every tier (0.54 with NavalDLC from tier 2).
Value: 1,072, up to 90,332 (94,162 with NavalDLC).

Best recipes by highest piece tier

Each row is the best design when no piece above that tier is allowed. A NavalDLC row is only listed where the result with NavalDLC active beats the base game.

One-handed sword usage

Goal	Highest piece tier	Pieces from	Blade	Guard	Handle	Pommel	Stat
Swing damage	1	Base game	khuzait_noble_blade_4	battania_guard_7	sturgian_grip_33	aserai_pommel_4	68
Swing damage	2	Base game	aserai_blade_19	aserai_guard_4	aserai_grip_23	aserai_pommel_4	71
Swing damage	2	NavalDLC	aserai_blade_19	aserai_guard_1	sickle_handle_1	aserai_pommel_4	75
Swing damage	3	Base game	cleaver_blade_4	cleaver_guard_1	battania_grip_7	aserai_pommel_9	87
Swing damage	4	Base game	cleaver_blade_3	aserai_guard_9	aserai_grip_24	aserai_pommel_2	96
Swing damage	5	Base game	battania_noble_blade_1	aserai_guard_2	battania_grip_8	battania_pommel_5	106
Swing damage	5	NavalDLC	nord_sword_blade_11	aserai_guard_2	cleaver_grip_9	battania_pommel_5	111
Thrust damage	1	Base game	battania_blade_2	battania_guard_7	sturgian_grip_34	aserai_pommel_4	47
Thrust damage	2	Base game	battania_blade_2	battania_guard_7	sturgian_grip_34	aserai_pommel_4	47
Thrust damage	3	Base game	battania_blade_2	battania_guard_7	sturgian_grip_34	aserai_pommel_4	47
Thrust damage	4	Base game	battania_blade_3_fine_steel	battania_guard_6	cleaver_grip_9	aserai_pommel_4	55
Thrust damage	5	Base game	battania_blade_3_fine_steel	battania_guard_6	cleaver_grip_9	aserai_pommel_4	55
Thrust damage	5	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_1 (craftability unconfirmed)	battania_guard_6	sturgian_grip_34	vlandian_pommel_8	67
Swing speed	1	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_2	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Swing speed	2	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_2	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Swing speed	2	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_2	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	119
Swing speed	3	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_2	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Swing speed	3	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_2	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	119
Swing speed	4	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_2	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Swing speed	4	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_2	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	119
Swing speed	5	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_2	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Swing speed	5	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_2	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	119
Thrust speed	1	Base game	aserai_blade_18	battania_guard_8	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	100
Thrust speed	2	Base game	aserai_blade_18	battania_guard_8	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	100
Thrust speed	2	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	102
Thrust speed	3	Base game	aserai_blade_18	battania_guard_8	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	100
Thrust speed	3	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	102
Thrust speed	4	Base game	aserai_blade_18	battania_guard_8	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	100
Thrust speed	4	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	102
Thrust speed	5	Base game	aserai_blade_18	battania_guard_8	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	100
Thrust speed	5	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	102
Handling	1	Base game	battania_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	113
Handling	2	Base game	battania_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	113
Handling	2	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Handling	3	Base game	battania_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	113
Handling	3	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Handling	4	Base game	battania_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	113
Handling	4	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Handling	5	Base game	battania_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	sickle_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	113
Handling	5	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	khuzait_guard_6	nord_sword_grip_09	sturgian_pommel_7	115
Length	1	Base game	empire_noble_blade_2	aserai_guard_1	sturgian_grip_32	aserai_pommel_2	114
Length	2	Base game	aserai_blade_4	aserai_guard_1	sturgian_grip_30	aserai_pommel_1	124
Length	2	NavalDLC	aserai_blade_4	aserai_guard_1	sickle_handle_1	aserai_pommel_1	126
Length	3	Base game	aserai_blade_2	aserai_guard_1	sturgian_grip_30	aserai_pommel_1	126
Length	3	NavalDLC	aserai_blade_2	aserai_guard_1	sickle_handle_1	aserai_pommel_1	128
Length	4	Base game	aserai_blade_5	aserai_guard_1	sturgian_grip_30	aserai_noble_pommel_1	129
Length	4	NavalDLC	aserai_blade_5	aserai_guard_1	sickle_handle_1	aserai_noble_pommel_1	131
Length	5	Base game	aserai_blade_5	battania_guard_1	khuzait_grip_16	aserai_noble_pommel_1	131
Length	5	NavalDLC	aserai_blade_5	battania_guard_1	sickle_handle_1	aserai_noble_pommel_1	134
Weight (lightest)	1	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.66
Weight (lightest)	2	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.66
Weight (lightest)	2	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.54
Weight (lightest)	3	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.66
Weight (lightest)	3	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.54
Weight (lightest)	4	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.66
Weight (lightest)	4	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.54
Weight (lightest)	5	Base game	aserai_blade_18	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.66
Weight (lightest)	5	NavalDLC	coh_sword_blade_2	cleaver_guard_1	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	0.54
Value	1	Base game	khuzait_noble_blade_4	khuzait_guard_6	wood_grip_1	sturgian_pommel_7	1,072
Value	2	Base game	aserai_blade_19	aserai_guard_4	cleaver_grip_10	aserai_pommel_4	3,800
Value	2	NavalDLC	aserai_blade_19	empire_guard_3	sickle_handle_1	aserai_pommel_4	4,508
Value	3	Base game	aserai_blade_21	sturgian_guard_9	vlandian_grip_18	khuzait_pommel_4	6,193
Value	4	Base game	aserai_blade_26	empire_guard_4	aserai_grip_3	empire_noble_pommel_2	14,194
Value	4	NavalDLC	nord_sword_blade_08	sturgian_guard_12	aserai_grip_22	empire_noble_pommel_2	14,265
Value	5	Base game	battania_noble_blade_1	battania_guard_1	aserai_grip_8	empire_noble_pommel_1	90,332
Value	5	NavalDLC	nord_sword_blade_11	aserai_noble_guard_3	aserai_noble_grip_1	empire_noble_pommel_1	94,162

All pieces at scale 100. Weight in kg.

Line charts of the best one-handed sword result for each goal by highest piece tier, 1 to 5, every piece at scale 100, base game values in order. Swing damage 68, 71, 87, 96, 106 (NavalDLC better: tier 2 75, tier 5 111); Thrust damage 47, 47, 47, 55, 55 (NavalDLC better: tier 5 67); Swing speed 115 at every tier (NavalDLC better: 119 from tier 2); Thrust speed 100 at every tier (NavalDLC better: 102 from tier 2); Handling 113 at every tier (NavalDLC better: 115 from tier 2); Length 114, 124, 126, 129, 131 (NavalDLC better: tier 2 126, tier 3 128, tier 4 131, tier 5 134); Weight (lightest) 0.66 kg at every tier (NavalDLC better: 0.54 from tier 2); Value 1,072, 3,800, 6,193, 14,194, 90,332 (NavalDLC better: tier 2 4,508, tier 4 14,265, tier 5 94,162).

Every recipe here has every piece at scale 100, its default size. Scaling changes a piece's weight and length; see Scaling a piece in the crafting guide. What the solver research found about scale is in Getting the best weapon from your pieces.

Worked example. Your best pieces are tier 3 and you want the hardest swing. The table gives blade cleaver_blade_4, guard cleaver_guard_1, handle battania_grip_7 and pommel aserai_pommel_9, for swing damage 87. With tier-4 pieces the best is 96 with cleaver_blade_3, and with tier-5 pieces 106 with battania_noble_blade_1.

Practical tips

Swing damage grows with every tier. It climbs from 68 to 106, so new high-tier blades pay off most for swing damage.
Thrust damage needs tier 4. Below that, the best thrust stays at 47 with battania_blade_2.
Speed and handling do not need high tiers. The fastest and best-handling base-game designs are already there with tier-1 pieces, and all of them use sturgian_pommel_7.
NavalDLC helps most on speed, handling and weight. From tier 2 its recipes for those goals, all built on coh_sword_blade_2, beat the base game.
Some NavalDLC rows use only base-game pieces. The tier-2 NavalDLC swing damage of 75 comes from aserai_blade_19, aserai_guard_1, sickle_handle_1 and aserai_pommel_4. With NavalDLC active the one-handed sword can use sickle_handle_1, a handle NavalDLC redefines; the best NavalDLC length rows use it too.
The best NavalDLC thrust is unconfirmed. The 67-damage recipe uses coh_sword_blade_1, and whether that blade can be crafted is an open question.
Value jumps at tier 5. The best value goes from 14,194 at tier 4 to 90,332 at tier 5.