Weapons

All characters in the game, including the Protagonist (except on apprentice difficulty, where the longsword is chosen by default), have access to the same set of 3 weapons: the Rapier, Longsword and Cutlass. Each has their own speed when it comes to attacking or defending, and therefor their own strategy.

Rapier
The fastest attacking weapon in the game, it can be used to end battles quickly, often outspeeding your opponent, especially with the right Special Items. It's also the slowest to defend, meaning that as the player gets older, or when facing difficult opponents on higher difficulties, it can be very difficult to avoid being hit while using it.

Longsword
Acting as the middleman between the Rapier and Cutlass, the Longsword is neither particularly fast to attack with or to defend with. It can be useful in a wide variety of situations, allowing for faster defense than with the Rapier without becoming as slow to attack as with the Cutlass. It's recommended for wars of attrition in dueling, or for difficult battles where quick defense is necessary while still being able to consistently get attacks in.

Cutlass
The fastest defending weapon in the game, it can be used to almost guarantee defending against enemy attacks. Although extremely slow to attack with, even with a young character and good Special Items, it can prove almost necessary on high difficulties strong enemies with Rapiers, such as Marquis Montalban, especially at his hideout.