Simply Swords Wiki
Many Minecraft adventurers, eager to enhance their combat experience, might overlook a crucial first step when integrating the Simply Swords mod: ensuring a harmonious setup with complementary modifications. This oversight can lead to a less-than-optimal experience, missing out on the full depth and fluidity that this exceptional mod brings to your blocky battlegrounds.
![]()
The “Simply Swords” mod for Minecraft stands as a monumental upgrade to the game’s default combat system. Moving far beyond the basic sword-and-shield dynamic, it introduces a vast arsenal of new melee and some ranged weapons, imbues them with unique mechanics, and offers powerful artifact-tier items alongside deep customization options. It transforms every encounter into a more tactical and engaging affair, providing players with an unparalleled variety of tools to dispatch foes and conquer the Overworld, Nether, and End.
The Heart of Combat: Diverse Weaponry
At its core, Simply Swords enriches your combat options with an impressive array of new weapon types, each designed with distinct attack patterns, speeds, and tactical applications. Forget merely swinging a Diamond Sword; now you can master:
- Longswords: Balanced for reach and power.
- Twinblades: Fast, dual-wielding potential for rapid strikes.
- Rapiers: Quick, precise thrusts, often good for critical hits.
- Katanas: Agile and swift, embodying precision.
- Sais: Defensive and quick, ideal for parrying.
- Spears: Long-range melee, keeping enemies at bay.
- Glaives: Sweeping attacks with good area coverage.
- Warglaives: Powerful, often dual-wielded, for aggressive combat.
- Cutlasses: Quick, single-handed weapons, often with a flair.
- Claymores: Heavy, slow, but devastatingly powerful two-handed swords.
- Greathammers: Crushing blows, excellent for staggering or area damage.
- Greataxes: Similar to greathammers but often with a wider cleave.
- Chakrams: Ranged throwing weapons that can return.
- Scythes: Wide, sweeping attacks, potentially good for crowd control.
- Halberds: Versatile polearms, combining reach with powerful strikes.
These weapons are not just reskins; they fundamentally alter your approach to combat, encouraging players to experiment and find the perfect weapon for their playstyle and situation.
Beyond the Blade: Runic and Unique Armaments
Simply Swords introduces two advanced tiers of weaponry that push the boundaries of Minecraft combat:
- Runic Weapons: These are enhanced versions of standard weapons that possess assigned Runic Powers. These powers are randomly generated upon creation but offer the exciting possibility of being rerolled, allowing players to fine-tune their weapons for specific combat roles or personal preferences. Crafting a Runic Weapon involves combining a Netherite Weapon, a Diamond, and a Runic Tablet at a Smithing Table. The rerolling process is identical, simply requiring another Runic Tablet.
- Unique Weapons: These are the true treasures of the mod. Uncraftable and exceedingly rare, Unique Weapons are found as valuable loot in generated structures, dungeons, or as special drops from formidable foes like the Wither (5% chance) and the Ender Dragon (50% chance). Each Unique Weapon boasts a distinct appearance, rich lore, and one or more special effects. These effects can activate on hit or on right-click, manifesting as potent debuffs for enemies, beneficial buffs for the player, or entirely unique combat maneuvers. A fascinating aspect is that some Unique Weapons possess the ability to evolve through various stages, growing in power and utility as you progress.
Empowering Your Arsenal: Gems and Socketing
Customization reaches new heights with the gem system. To begin, you’ll need an Empowered Remnant, which is obtained by smelting a Unique Weapon. These remnants are the key ingredient for crafting two types of powerful gems:
- Rune-Fused Gems: A more accessible option for the mid-game, crafted with Crying Obsidian, an Empowered Remnant, and a Runic Tablet.
- Nether-Fused Gems: The more expensive but significantly more powerful option, requiring a Netherite Ingot, an Empowered Remnant, and a Runic Tablet.
Once crafted, these gems can be applied to Unique Weapons by simply dragging them onto the weapon in your inventory. Each Unique Weapon can only accommodate one gem per available socket, and the abilities granted by a gem are random. If you’re not satisfied with the random ability, you can reroll it by crafting and applying a new gem of the same type.
The Cornerstone: Runic Tablets and Enhanced Combat
Central to many of Simply Swords’ advanced mechanics are Runic Tablets. These uncraftable items are found exclusively in chests within various structures and are indispensable for several critical functions:
- Creating Runic Weapons.
- Rerolling Runic Powers on existing Runic Weapons.
- Crafting both Rune-Fused and Nether-Fused Gems.
- Repairing most Unique Weapons, making them vital for maintaining your prized artifacts.
Beyond individual weapons, the mod significantly enhances the overall combat experience by integrating seamlessly with the “Better Combat” mod. This synergy unlocks a plethora of combat enhancements, including fencing-style actions, taunts, and feints. Weapons gain distinct animations and range mechanics, making each swing feel more impactful and strategic. Players can enter a special combat stance by holding a designated key, executing a powerful strike upon its release, adding another layer of tactical depth to engagements.
Forging Your Path: Crafting and Customization
Embarking on your Simply Swords journey involves a clear progression:
- Crafting Standard Weapons: The various new weapon types are crafted using familiar vanilla materials (Iron, Gold, Diamond, Netherite) on a Crafting Table. Recipes typically involve rearranging these materials in new shapes, akin to traditional Minecraft crafting.
- Creating Runic Weapons: As mentioned, this involves a Netherite Weapon, a Diamond, and a Runic Tablet at a Smithing Table, yielding a weapon with a random Runic Power. Rerolling is done by repeating the process with another Runic Tablet.
- Crafting and Applying Gems: The process starts with smelting a Unique Weapon for an Empowered Remnant. Then, craft your desired gem type (Rune-Fused or Nether-Fused) and drag it onto a Unique Weapon to apply its random ability.
- Finding Unique Weapons: Your quest for these powerful artifacts will take you to chests in dungeons, bastions, and other generated structures. Don’t forget the Wither and Ender Dragon, who offer a challenging but rewarding path to acquisition.
- Repairing Unique Weapons: Most Unique Weapons rely on Runic Tablets for repairs, highlighting the importance of stockpiling these rare items.
Strategic Insights for the Modern Warrior
To truly master Simply Swords, consider these expert tips:
- Install Complementary Mods: For the intended, fluid experience, install “Better Combat.” This unlocks full animations, stances, and a more dynamic feel. Additionally, “Roughly Enough Items” (REI) or “Just Enough Items” (JEI) are invaluable for easy access to all crafting recipes and item information.
- Use the Runic Grimoire: This in-game guide book is your best friend. Craftable by the player (requires the Patchouli mod), it provides detailed information on weapon abilities, mechanics, and lore, especially useful when internet access isn’t available.
- Inspect Weapon Tooltips: Always hold the ‘Alt’ key while hovering over a weapon in your inventory. This reveals crucial additional information, such as the number of sockets a Unique Weapon possesses, which is vital for planning your gem applications.
Navigating the Battlefield: Common Challenges and Solutions
While Simply Swords offers immense enjoyment, players might encounter a few common issues:
- Unique Weapon Over-Spawning: Occasionally, Unique Weapons might generate too frequently in structures or villages. This is usually a configurable setting within the mod, allowing you to adjust spawn rates to your preference.
- Special Effects Not Working: Conflicts with other mods, such as “Spell Engine,” can sometimes prevent Unique Weapon right-click abilities from functioning. Often, this can be resolved by adjusting configuration files or specifically blacklisting Simply Swords weapons in the conflicting mod’s settings.
- Unique Weapons Not Smelting: If a Unique Weapon won’t smelt into an Empowered Remnant, check its durability. Unique weapons generally need to be at full durability for the smelting recipe to work correctly.
- Compatibility Issues: Like many complex mods, Simply Swords can have compatibility quirks. For instance, Unique Weapons might be inaccessible from certain storage systems (e.g., Create’s). Always check mod compatibility guides or forums if you encounter unexpected behavior.
- FPS Drops: Dual-wielding certain “Simply Swords” weapons can, in some cases, lead to noticeable drops in frames per second. If you experience this, try experimenting with different weapon combinations or reducing other resource-intensive settings.
By understanding these mechanics, preparing with complementary mods, and knowing how to troubleshoot common issues, you’ll be well-equipped to dive into the enriched combat experience that Simply Swords offers. Prepare to forge your legend, one perfectly crafted or uniquely discovered weapon at a time!