Longsword vs Rapier - Which is the Better Sword?

If you're reading because you‘re wondering whether a longsword or rapier would win in a fight, I'll tell you right up front that rapiers were fashion swords, and were designed mostly for non-lethal dueling among the nobility. Longswords were proper weapons of war, intended to kill and maim. I think that information hints at the outcome of a fight between two swordsmen equipped with each blade.

But just so it’s definitely clear: a longsword thrashes a rapier completely, in a real battle scenario. Absolutely destroys it.

But could a rapier win over a longsword anyway? Potentially? Somehow?

Perhaps! If the fencer is familiar enough with the advantages and disadvantages of their weapon compared to a longsword, and has a bit of luck, they can win.

But if you find yourself in this situation (and we all have, right?), you should hope you’re the one with the longsword, and I’ll explain why.

First though, just so everyone is on the same page, quick descriptions of the rapier and the longsword:

What’s a Rapier?

The rapier originated in Renaissance Spain and gained widespread popularity throughout Western Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. It has a long, straight and slender two-edged blade, designed for one-handed use. Rapiers were often adorned with complex, intricate hilts that provided protection to the hand, and also looked pretty dandy, which the nobles were fond of.

In a duel, having the longest blade was useful, and the rapier does a fine job with a length of sixty inches or longer. A long blade means you can keep the other fellow as far away from you as possible, whilst letting you reach in to deliver attacks from long range.

Having said that, many Renaissance fencing masters disagreed with longer being better. There were many that recommended the length of the blade to be roughly the same as the height of the user's belly button off the floor, so about 30 to 40 inches for most of us.

A rapier is a one-handed sword with a very sharp point suited to thrusting, which means the wielder can use a sideways stance; this not only creates a smaller target profile for their opponent (harder to hit), it also means the wielder can suddenly sidestep and thrust their blade out a very long distance. The rapier is so light that this thrust can happen very quickly, and in fact all attacks and movements with a rapier will be much faster and more agile than a longsword.

But being so light has its disadvantages, as you can’t put the same amount of power into your strokes. Movements like parrying and slicing are much weaker as a result, and being a one-handed blade it’s also harder to maintain control of the blade during strikes, where a longsword can be two-handed so it’s much easier to compensate for impacts etc. 

And what’s a Longsword?

To clear things up, the historical longsword is a two-handed sword. If you were expecting a one-handed sword, you are probably thinking of the arming sword, which modern tabletop and videogames have taken to calling the longsword. Incorrectly.

The longsword was created during the late medieval period to be a versatile and efficient weapon.

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It features a cruciform hilt (shaped like a cross) of around 6 to 12 inches, a grip made for two hands, a straight double-edged blade of somewhere between 31 to 43 in, and weight of 1 to 1.5 kg.

It is superior in delivering impactful blows, especially to vulnerable areas like the collar. The Longsword will provide more control and can deliver more damage in one hit. It has a greater leverage, and it is more effective at close distance. However, a longsword stance will present a larger target for its opponent, and its weight will make its wielder slower and less accurate than the one with rapier. Long Point stance reduces longsword maneuverability and make it more vulnerable to quick stabs.

Combat:

If you are the one with the rapier, you should wear down your opponent with calculated pokes and avoid trying to deliver (and receive!) heavy strikes. Skill levels play a crucial role, but the rapier's lightness, speed, and refined fighting style may give a slight edge. You also can use a second weapon in your offhand to achieve equal conditions with a longsword (If using two weapons is not off the table). One more thing that you can do, is to attack your opponent hands, as their stance will give you good opportunity for that.

However, if you are the one with longsword you have fewer things to be worried about. The wounds' a rapier can make are not going to be lethal, so be brave and handle it. You need to wait for your opponent to lunge, then counter and try to bind the rapierist's blade during their committed attack.

Conclusion:

Like any fight, the outcome of a real duel between these two blades really depends on the fight dynamics, proper use of timing and distance, and of course in an actual fight situation, proper use of additional weapons and equipment like daggers, armor, etc.

However, in a deathmatch scenario between two combatants with otherwise equal skill and equipment, the longsword wins over the rapier due to better reach, its larger weight providing the ability to smash through guards, and its capability of severing body parts. It's an outcome pretty much carved in stone, and the fencer would have to drastically outperform the longsword wielder to have a chance at beating them.