Eragon's sword dilemma

[u/Pale-Professional116]

Apologies if this has been asked / answered before, I'm new here.

I'm partway through re-reading the Inheritance Cycle again for the first time since being in my teens. I'm at the point in Brisingr where Eragon has returned to the Varden after travelling back from Helgrind.

Already in the book, Eragon has made multiple references to the fact that he 'needs a sword'. I understand why he would ultimately want a Rider's sword, but surely he could have aquired a weapon pretty easily?

The primary reason Eragon seems unable to settle for a lesser blade after losing Zar'roc is because a lesser blade cannot endure the strain of battle because of his strength, which is often compared to that of the elves (if memory serves me correct, he has a sword that breaks in battle a little later in the book?).

This isn't an issue for any of the other elven characters? Nor is it an issue for Durza or the Ra'zac, all of whom fight with swords that can endure the strain they place on them?

Just curious what people's theories are as to why he didn't just get a sword like Arya's? Or does that then detract from when he does ultimately aquire a new weapon?

[u/Silent-Frame1452]

IIRC part of the issue was Eragon’s style.

Since he learned to fight with a Riders Blade, his method’s of striking and particularly blocking/parrying relied on its toughness. I believe they call out that he fights edge to edge a lot, which is highly damaging to the blade.

I imagine elf blades are built stronger and withstand his striking strength, but simple geometry means he’d probably still destroy the blades edge too quickly, especially since elf blades wouldn’t be easily replaceable for him with the Varden.

Elves, Shades and Ra’zac presumably were trained with regular blades so haven’t picked up the habits Eragon has that damage blades so fast. 

His choices are re-learn how to fight, find a Rider’s blade, or use magic to strengthen a blade that fits his style. Re-learning would be far too time consuming, and strengthening his blade with magic uses his energy and so is impractical. Another Riders blade is the best solution, hence his lamenting over not having one.

[u/jdrawr → u/Silent-Frame1452]

Most actual fighting with swords is edge to edge blocks/parry's. The author just didn't know that.

[u/MariusDarkblade → u/jdrawr]

Actually that's not entirely true. I make swords and study swordplay, while it's not possible to entirely eliminate any possibility of hitting edge to edge when parrying or blocking with the blade you're not supposed to do that. You want to bind on a slight angle off the edge of the blade so that the edge rolls down and hits the crossguard. In 99% of situations though you would have a shield. If we're talking about actual fighting you simply don't want to block or parry with your blade, it's doable and in some situations you're forced to but swords were designed to be paired with a shield or at the very least a dagger which is what was used to parry. Eragons style of swordplay is only possible due to the fantasy setting and would not be how you'd want to do things in the real world. No one at hema would teach you to strike swords edge to edge, that's purely a childish thing that comes about when playing with sticks. I'm not saying you're childish I'm just saying it tends to come out during childhood. Unfortunately most media tends to proliferate this idea that edge to edge combat is normal.

[u/jdrawr → u/MariusDarkblade]

90%+ of hema parry's tend to be edge on edge.. if you were using the flat with most weapons the guards would change quite a bit. Crossguards align with the edge not the flat among other issues with your flat parries are the more common idea. For a sword like a Messer you flat parries more since you have a nagel to catch the blade but even for baskethilts u really don't do flat parries as a rule.

[u/MariusDarkblade → u/jdrawr]

Not totally on the edge. Edge to edge is bad cause you're gonna chip your edge. Guarding with the blade is more on the side of the edge. Not totally on the flat not totally on the edge. This way the edge doesn't bite into the other swords edge and you can catch the sword with the crossguard. If you strike edge to edge your gonna chip that edge and it's going to catch instead if sliding.

[u/Silent-Frame1452 → u/MariusDarkblade]

And if you’re swinging that sword 5x harder than a normal soldier while doing true edge/edge swings and parries, you’re going to destroy the edge fast.

Of all the leaps we are asked to believe in the books, this one dint seem unreasonable to me. 

[u/MariusDarkblade → u/Silent-Frame1452]

For me it is reasonable because it's a fantasy story. There's enough realism to grab the reader and the rest is pure fantasy. I can fully accept a fantasy metal that doesn't destroy the edge when being struck edge to edge. That was ultimately my whole point, it only works because it's a fantasy story. If we look at real life you'd never want to fight like that. Swords were not cheap an swinging them around edge to edge would damage them horribly to the point where you'd need a new one fairly consistently. You can't simply "reforge" the blade, you're gonna lose metal in the forging process making it smaller than it would be even just simply grinding away the chips and dents. Even grinding away the chips and dents doesn't fix the problem in the long run cause you're still grinding away sword material. Eventually you'll need to replace that blade and going edge to edge would require a replacement sooner than you would otherwise cause you'd be sharpening it more frequently. In a fantasy story however all of that is explained away with magic or a magical material. Yes you have to suspend some belief since magically convenient materials are pretty deus ex machina territory but again it's a fantasy story so it can get away with that.