In-Game Text
"Fencing (Right honorable) in this new fangled age, is like our fashions, every day a change, resembling the chameleon, who alters himself into all colors save white."
– George Silver, Paradoxes of Defence
Not all minds are noble that wield the noblest of weapons, and not only to noble designs do such weapons lend their employ. Fencing allows you to wield Swords and Rapiers.
Swords
With the Skill Fencing learned and a Sword Equipped in your right hand, a pilgrim can use either of the combat moves  Thrust or  Parry as well as the combat stance  En Garde!.
Thrust is a Piercing Attack which does highest damage of all attacks. However, as Thrust has a somewhat long animation it may be best to stun the victim first before combo-ing into a Thrust.
Parry is a combat move which will block an incoming attack from the direction you are facing if used just as the attack lands. To use Parry, you must have the combat stance En Garde! active. A successful Parry will stun the opponent, an unsuccessful Parry will stun you. Currently, En Garde!'s only function is to to allow you to Parry. This, coupled with the fact that it is mutually exclusive with  Run means that you sacrifice a lot of combat maneuverability to use it. Using Thrust consumes Yellow Bile.
Thrust's damage is based on your Artifact Bonus, the purity of your Sword, and your current Yellow Bile. By selecting a  Whetstone from your inventory and right-clicking it onto a Sword and selecting "Sharpen" you can transfer the Purity of the Whetstone to the Sword, permanently increasing its damage. This will consume the Whetstone. Purity increases the amount of damage done by the Polearm by up to 10% for 100% Purity. Artifacts which increase Piercing Defense or Common Combat Defense will reduce the damage you take from a Thrust. Artifacts which increase Piercing Power or Common Combat Power increase the amount of damage Thrust does.
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