Sword Art Online


 * This article is about the VRMMORPG. You may be looking for the series.

Sword Art Online (ソードアート・オンライン) is the first ever VRMMORPG produced by Argus for the Nerve Gear, with Kayaba Akihiko as the development director. The game takes place on a hundred-floor floating castle called Aincrad. It officially started server service on 1 PM of November 11, 2022 and obtained infamy when the creator succeeded in trapping 10000 people in the game, and making it so that death in-game would mean actual death for the player. A total of 6,147 people were successfully logged out on 2:55 PM (Aincrad Standard Time) of November 7, 2024 after «the Black Swordsman» defeated the final boss Heathcliff on the seventy fifth floor. SAO serves as the main setting for volumes 1, 2 and 8 of the Sword Art Online series.

System
The game operates similar to most MMORPGs with a level system and eventual skill mastery with some limits placed on it. The entire game is monitored and maintained by a system called « Cardinal» which self corrects any problems.

There is no «Magic» in SAO except for the different colored crystals that bring instant effects, instead players can fight using their «Sword Skills ». Execution of Swords Skills are assisted by the system, and it can fall into any of the four properties: Thrust, Slash, Pierce and Blunt. Learning hand-to-hand combat requires the additional « Extra Skill »« Martial Arts ».

Known Sword Skills

 * Fell Crescent
 * Horizontal Square
 * Reaver
 * Uppercut
 * Linear
 * Avalanche
 * Vertical Square
 * Star Splash
 * Meteor Break
 * Starburst Stream
 * Double Circular
 * Vorpal Strike
 * Embracer
 * Rage Spike
 * The Eclipse
 * Rapid Bite
 * Fad Edge
 * Sharp Nail
 * Armor Pierce
 * Slant
 * Horizontal
 * Vertical

Known Extra Skills

 * Martial Arts
 * Meditation
 * Katana

Unique Skill
according to Heathcliff there are 10 Unique Skills in total
 * Holy Sword
 * Dual Blades

Other Combat-related Skills

 * Scan for Enemy Skill
 * Search
 * Hiding
 * Weapon Guard
 * Knife-Throwing
 * Battle Healing
 * Trace

Various skills unrelated to combat can also be learned including smithery, leather working and sewing, and everyday skills such as fishing, cooking and playing music.