Sword Skills


 * This article is about the original and canon Sword Skills that are available in Sword Art Online and are later introduced to New ALfheim Online and Underworld. For a list of Original Sword Skills that are introduced in New ALO, see Original Sword Skills. For a list of Sword Skills in the non-canon game adaptations, Hollow Fragment and Lost Song, see Sword Skills (Hollow Fragment) and Sword Skills (Lost Song) respectively.



«Sword Skills» (剣技) are «Sword Art Online's» combat movements that are assisted by the system. Most Sword Skills are named in English, the only exception being Katana and certain Martial Arts category skills, which are named in Japanese, but written in the English alphabet.

Sword Skills were later introduced to «New ALfheim Online» with minor modifications. One of these changes was the addition of six elemental damage properties: Fire (火), Water (水), Earth (地), Wind (風), Darkness (闇), and Holy (聖), which supplement the usual physical damage. Another change allowed players to create their own skills. Additionally, it is rumored that about ten skills were removed during the adaptation; however, whether this is true or not has yet to be confirmed. Sword Skills are also present in Underworld.

Mechanics
Sword Skills are activated when a player performs the appropriate «Pre-Motion» (予備動作)  for a skill, such as raising a sword atop one's shoulder. As soon as the system recognises the motion, the player's weapon begins to glow in a colour specific to a Sword Skill. The player can then allow the system to take over and automatically complete the skill at a speed that is normally near impossible for a player to achieve and dealing much more damage than a regular sword swing.

After a skill is completed, the user is temporarily rendered rigid in a state called a «Post-Motion» (技後硬直), during which the user is made vulnerable to any counter-attacks. The higher the level of the Sword Skill used, the longer the «Post-Motion» period is.

After a Sword Skill has been used, the skill enters a «Cooling» (冷却) period, which is displayed as a cooling icon at the bottom of the player's view. Until this period ends, the same Sword Skill cannot be used, however, any other learned skills that are not in a cooling period can still be used.

The amount of available Sword Skills and their type depends on the Weapon Skills that the player has trained.

List of known Sword Skills in Underworld
Generally, all Sword Skills available in Underworld (called «Secret Art Finishing Moves» or just «secret moves» in this world) are exactly the same ones that existed in Sword Art Online, but the residents of Underworld have given each of them a new name. Although, unlike in SAO, the «Sword Skills» that can be used by a person are determined by the «Priority» class of the weapon used, the higher the Priority, the higher combo skills can be used. Currently, only up to 4-hit combo skills have been used. Also, when a Sword Skill encounters another Sword Skill in Underworld, the two skills will not reflect each other occasionally, due to user's will, unlike in the original system in SAO.

Additionally, several Sword schools have been created in Underworld, each focusing on specific Secret Arts to ensure that both swordsmen in battle would know what skills each of them could use to prevent accidentally dropping the «Life» of one's opponent.

Aincrad-style
A style "invented" by Kirito using his combat experience from SAO and consisting of multi-hit one-handed sword techniques. Despite having comparably less strength than two-handed sword techniques, the style compensates for this by using momentum to increase the force of one's strikes. When countering an opponent's sword, Aincrad-style users employ a multi-hit Skill or «Skill Connect» to block it and deliver a decisive blow on the last hit. The style also includes Martial Arts Skills using one's free hand.

Note: All moves of this class are named after the «Sword Skills» in SAO and all skills available in SAO are also part of this style.

Zakkarite-style

 * «Azure Wind Slash» (SAO «Slant»)

Serlut-style
A style created by the Serlut family after they were forbidden from inheriting the High level Norlangarth style. It primarily makes use of two-handed sword techniques, along with unorthodox weapons, like whips, to disrupt the opponent's stances.
 * «Whirling Current» (SAO two-handed spinning sword slash «Cyclone»)
 * «Still Water»
 * «Active Water»

Norlangarth-style (Norkia-style)
Like most Underworld sword styles, it focuses on the "beauty of a single strike" and seems to primarily make use of one-handed sword techniques to overpower one's opponent through brute force. The style also unconsciously makes use of incarnation, using the one's pride to boost the strength of their sword.
 * «Lightning Slash» (SAO «Vertical»)

High Norlangarth-style (High Norkia-style)
A style reserved for nobles. Like most Underworld sword styles, it focuses on the "beauty of a single strike," using two-handed sword techniques to overpower opponents through brute force. The style also unconsciously makes use of incarnation, using the one's pride as a noble to boost strength of their sword.
 * «Heavens and Mountains Break» (SAO «Avalanche»)

Balto-style

 * «Head Sea» (SAO «Back Rush»)

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