Lockdown Striker + Swording Guide

Flourishes are the single most common Lockdown sword. They're a swordsman's best friend.

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Fast
-Charge Attack: Mediocre
-Damage: Piercing
-Status (Combo): No
-Status (Charge): No

Flourishes are fast weapons, and can be used to their fullest degree with very high end ASI. With extreme ASI, they are capable of easily canceling the attacks of opponents. While the full combo and the charge attack should be used with discretion, the first attack is a quick, long-ranged attack that can be used 3 times in quick succession via shield canceling with the striker boost. Flourishes are excellent for taking out unsuspecting or inexperienced foes by coming from the bottom of the map, where you have the camera-angle advantage. After making contact once, the basic Flourish attack pattern can be accomplished by circling the enemy and hitting them from different angles, minimizing the chance of being hit yourself. You can easily defeat players in this fashion with little damage done to you, especially with high-end ASI.

Pros
Fast
Can cancel attacks with ASI
Not a boss reward
Cons
Poor charge attack
Many people have Pierce defense
Less-than-exceptional without ASI

Alternate Version: Barbarous Thorn Blade

The BTB is the same as the Flourish except for having a Snarbolax theme and having a significantly better charge attack.

Pros
Fast
Can cancel attacks with ASI
Decent charge attack
Cons
Boss reward
Many people have Pierce defense
Less-than-exceptional without ASI

This cursed 2-hitter is slower than you think. Yea. That speed bar lied to you.

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Slow
-Charge Attack: Awful (Warning: Self-Troll Alert!)
-Damage: Shadow
-Status (Combo): Curse
-Status (Charge): Curse (Self-Curse)

The Gran Faust is carried by every other knight. Why is that? It comes with many benefits and weaknesses. While the charge attack is in the toilet unless you want to Curse yourself for all eternity (40 seconds). It makes up for this irritating weakness with outstanding damage rates, and the amazing capability to inflict Curse with the basic combo (occasionally). Its also incredible with ASI and Damage Increase buffs combined, creating a sword that can rapidly kill people in as few as 1 or 2 hits. It is a fairly poor defensive weapon unless you're well-acquainted with it, otherwise, it should be left for offensive purposes, using the camera angle to your advantage. Is combo is similar to the Flourish's first hit in that it has a wide and long range, making it a viable option for recon-hunting. It can also quickly break guardian shields.

Pros
Heavy Damage
Curse status (hilarious)
Good Range
Anti-Guardian Shield
Cons
Horrible charge attack
Boss Reward
Disturbingly slow without ASI


I'm not as slow as a Triglav!

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Slow
-Charge Attack: Good
-Damage: Elemental
-Status (Combo): No
-Status (Charge): No

Besides looking more like something from some holy place versus a Shadow Layer, the Divine Avenger is much the same as a GF, save a few vital differences. For one, it is elemental, as well as it has not status. The upside, however, is that it has a respectable charge attack than can make quick work of the opponent (or you). It trades the debatably better Shadow damage for Elemental, and looses its Curse capabilities, but in turn you receive a usable charge attack that'll make you proud.

Pros
Heavy Damage
Good charge attack
Good Range
Anti-Guardian Shield
Cons
No status
Boss Reward
Disturbingly slow without ASI

Possibly some of the most (in)famous swords (guns and bombs) out there swinging (shooting). Ahem.

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Med
-Charge Attack: Excellent
-Damage: Elemental
-Status (Combo): No
-Status (Charge): Freeze/Shock/Fire

Brandishes are basically a sword that shoots bombs. What happened there? Blame OOO for that. Brandishes go well with ASI and CTR buffs as the combo is great for killing (spamming) at people. The charge is exceptionally good too. Mix it with CTR and you'll be the newest mass-murderer (spammer). The only main drawbacks are that some people can become immune or almost immune to your statuses with certain gear, and the combo's range isn't as large as Flourishes or GFs.
They're good for bombers running around somehow not blowing themselves up.

Pros
Not a boss reward
Good combo
Good charge
Cons
Statuses can be easily avoided with gear
CTR or ASI are recommended for good dmg output
Shorter range than most mainstream weapons

Alternate Version: Acheron

The Acheron is basically a Brandish stripped of its status, colored purple with crayons and then thrown in a swarm seed. It trades off statuses for pure Shadow damage, which can be very handy as there are less shadow resistant people than there are elemental resistant ones.

While not the most common, this pointy little thing is practically a shield.

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Very Fast
-Charge Attack: Average
-Damage: Normal
-Status (Combo): Poison
-Status (Charge): Poison

The whole cutter family is known for one thing. Being fast. Being that fast cancels attacks, so your little low-damage sword can be a trusty shield. However, using it wrong can easily combo-spam you into someone's longer-ranged weapon or a bomb/floor trap. Use this as a backup, not your main weapon. And the charge attack is very long and leaves you very vulnerable, so use with discretion.

Pros
Not a boss reward
Attack Cancel
ASI not really needed
Poison status
Cons
Statuses can be easily avoided with gear
Mediocre charge attack
Leaves you vulnerable
Low damage

I troll everyone. Including my dimwitted master.

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Med
-Charge Attack: Good (Warning: Self-Troll Alert!)
-Damage: Elemental
-Status (Combo): Fire
-Status (Charge): Fire (Self-Fire)

Definitely not the most common Lockdown weapon, the FoV is more of a troll to yourself than to others. It can easily inflict fire on your foes, but its user too. It is more commonly used as a joke than a actual mainstream Lockdown weapon. However, if you have lots of money for high-end fire UVed Vog, it is a viable option.

Pros
Fire Status
Obtained at 5* (No crafting)
Cons
Statuses can be easily avoided with gear
Self-Fire
ASI recommended
Boss Reward

This is a popular gun similar to a RPG.

Vital Statistics:
-Speed: Med
-Charge Attack: Poor
-Damage: Elemental
-Status (Combo): Shock
-Status (Charge): Shock

The Polaris is famous as the most common Lockdown gun out there. Its essentially bomb-shooting nightmare for unsuspecting or inexperienced players. It is also handy with its Shock status, which is famous for getting you killed, even if you have high health. Its main drawbacks are that its pellets move very slow and it can make things hard to see. It can also get you a pretty bad name in the Lockdown community.

Pros
Shock Status
Splash damage
Knockback
Cons
Statuses can be easily avoided with gear
Slow pellets
Boss Reward
Poor charge attack

You wear me and your originality rating hits rock bottom.

Vital Statistics:
Refers to the full set
-Defense: Normal/Piercing
-Status Defense: Freeze
-Other Effects: Sword Damage Very High