Broadsword

The term Broadsword is used to describe three different types of swords found in the Castlevania series. These are:
* A throwing sword found in Vampire Killer similar to a throwing Dagger in other games. This is called the Sword of Brave in the Japan.
* A one-handed Katzbalger that Alucard uses favored by mercenaries. It is a short arming sword notable for its sturdy build and distinctive guard. It was called a Broadsword in the North American version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, but a Katzbalger in the Japanese versions of these games and in both versions of Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls.
* A wide-bladed two-handed sword in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, which is called a Broadsword in both the North American versions and the Japanese versions. It is swung overhead like other two handed sword in Aria of Sorrow, but only uses a single hand in Curse of Darkness despite being described as a two handed sword with great power in each swing.
==Game specific information==
===Vampire Killer===
The Broadsword in this game acts as a replacement for the whip as the primary weapon, rather than as a sub-weapon. It does not consume any Hearts and two daggers can be on the screen at a time. It is otherwise similar to the Dagger from the original Castlevania. It is equipped until a player dies or until it is replaced with another primary weapon (such as a Fighting Chain, a Battle Axe or a Battle Star).
===Castlevania: Symphony of the Night===
Though the Broadsword is slightly stronger than the Falchion, it is possible to obtain one considerably earlier in the game if you're lucky or know where to look. It can be dropped by the challenging Spectral Sword in the Royal Chapel. If you manage to get one from it, you will be able to pass up on many of the other weaker swords may encounter later on (Scimitar, Cutlass, Saber, and Falchion). Once you obtain the Leap Stone from the Castle Keep, you will have another chance to try to get one. You could get lucky and take it from the tougher Spectral Sword found in Olrox's Quarters. It would be easier though to break a wall in the lower right portion of the room the Spectral Sword is in and get one automatically, along with several other goodies. This sword can later be replaced with a Bekatowa once you have the Form of Bat and fly to the previously unreachable ledge above the Skull Lords in the Clock Tower.
===Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow===
The Broadsword is the first sword you will likely encounter that you can swing over your head. You could buy it from Hammer for $1,400 once you find him and make it to his shop. However, that would be a waste of money since you can find it for free right after you first meet him by using the Malphas soul you just acquired to double jump off of a box in the Study. It is interesting to note that in both Symphony of the Night and Aria of Sorrow, the Broadsword is the first new sword you can reach after you acquire the Double Jump ability. In addition to being able to hit enemies above you, you will now be able to break blocks in the ceiling without using a bullet soul, which makes exploring ceiling areas much easier and increases the chances of "accidentally" breaking ceiling blocks. For $1,900, you could get a Scimitar as an strength upgrade. Considerably later on in the game, you could get luck and replace it with a valuable Onikiri, which is otherwise identical to the Scimitar.
===Castlevania: Curse of Darkness===
The Broadsword is the next logical evolution of the Short Sword. To create one, just add a Jet Black once you have one (probably from a Lizardman in the Baljhet Mountains).
The Broadsword has a better reach than the Short Sword, has all of its moves, and can extend its combo with a new swing and finishing move. Although it is described as a two-handed weapon, Hector is strong enough to use it with one hand (and does). If you do another normal attack following a thrusting attack (the fourth attack in the combo), Hector will do a short hop and swing the sword from his left shoulder across to behind his right shoulder. If you perform a finishing move instead following the thrusting portion of the combo, he will spin somewhat sideways and forward in the air while the sword follows a circular cutting path covering his left side.
You can upgrade the sword further to a Schiavona once you have an Indigo Steel. The earliest you would be able to do this would be for a Wolf Skeleton to drop one in the Mortvia Aqueduct. Evolving it will add some strength (and make it skinnier with a basket hilt), but shorten the blade slightly and will not add any new moves. The Broadsword is also one of the many blades required to make the legendary Laser Blade.
To create a Broadsword from scratch, you will need the following materials:
*2 Bronzes
*1 Jet Black
It's selling price of $150 is identical to the combined worth of its component materials.
In one of Hector's portraits, he can be seen holding a Broadsword.
===Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin===
In trailers for Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Charlotte can be seen attacking with a spellbook from which a Broadsword comes out.
==Item Data==
==Gallery==
===Animations===
SOTN Broadsword.gif|Broadsword (Katzbalger) from Symphony of the Night.
AoS Broadsword.gif|Broadsword from Aria of Sorrow.
==Trivia==
*The term Broadsword is used to refer to different types of swords, across many cultures and time periods.
**During the 17th through 19th centuries, the term referred to contemporary Europe an straight double-edged basket-hilted swords, like the Italian schiavona and the Scots claymore. Surviving examples of such swords are around 105 cm long (90 cm of which is blade) with a base blade width of 3.5 cm and a mass of about one kilogram.
**Later in this period, the term was applied to any broad-bladed military sword, including the sabre and the backsword, as opposed to the comparatively slimmer-bladed rapier, smallsword and épée; in the late 19th century, museum curators began to use the term retrospectively to refer to the medieval arming sword, which remains the popular usage today.
*The Chinese Dao is sometimes translated as broadsword.
*A Katzbalger is a short Renaissance arming sword, notable for its sturdy build and a distinctive s-shaped or figure-8 shaped guard. Measuring 70–80 cm long and weighing 0.8-1.5 kg, it was the signature blade of the Landsknecht. 
*The katzbalger is a side-arm, often used by pikemen, archers, and crossbowmen as a last resort if the enemy were to draw too close for bows or pikes to be effective.
==External links==
*YouTube - Video showing obtaining and using the Broadsword in Symphony of the Night.
Category:European Weapons
Category:Swords
Category:Slash Damage
Category:Aria of Sorrow Items
Category:Curse of Darkness Items
Category:The Dracula X Chronicles Items
Category:Grimoire of Souls Items
Category:Harmony of Despair Items
Category:Symphony of the Night Items