The gauntlet's been thrown, choose your weapon!

[Taco of flames]

I choose the mystical staff of the great monkey king!! Son Wukong.
Or Son goku.Which ever...

I don't even know you, but I now love you for that.

OT: A titanium spork. Yes, I do refuse to take this seriously. And I have seen those things in action. This one girl I know threw it at another guy and hit him square in the face, after which he started bleeding. It was quite amusingly epic.

Actually OT, for realz this time: I would go with... Chuck Norris (don't hurt me) A restraining order. (Oh snap, what now?)

 

[Supreme Unleaded]

Personaly i'd probably take the U.S. M1917 "Knuckle Duster" Trench Knife. Why?, because I know karate, and it specialises in unarmed combat, but if i had to put a weapon into the mix i'd want a close quarters weapon, and also its got the equivalent of brass knuckles on it.

But the way i'd hold it is in my right hand with the blade going opasite the thumb (pretty much the blade would be leaveing my hand on the left side (if palm was facing down)). That would allow me to do my karate mostly unaltered, except when i go for i driving knife, well im acuall driving a knife into you.

 

[Sonicron]

Well, out of the melee weapons I actually know how to use I'd have to go with twin nunchaku. Fighting is fun (imo)... often painful, yes, but still fun, because it is so very liberating; for me nunchaku are the most fun to use and have been ever since I managed to use them without accidentally knocking myself over the melon. ^^

 

[Instant K4rma]

Frostmourne. Army of the dead at my side!

 

[quantum mechanic]

If it were an option, I would sneak attack with a ballista.

Since it is not, I would probably go with a tanto and katana.

 

[Vrex360]

The Energy Sword, seriously it's such an obvious choice.

 

[Raticate5]

Spikes on my shoes. Because I play football (American Soccer).

 

[sgtjawa]

One-on-one fight? Well then.

CHAINSAW

I know there was recently a thread about if a chainsaw would make a good weapon. And that the general consensus is that it wouldn't. But I found that most of the people posting there assumed that you'd be fighting a group of people with only a chainsaw. However, against a single opponent, you could easily break through their defenses with a single good swing or thrust.

 

[ultrachicken]

How about a shield with SPIKES??
Or better yet, two shields with spikes.
I'm a defensive kind of guy.

 

[Normalgamer]

A very sharp Foil, I knew those fencing lessons would pay off one day~

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

A sword, for reasons that my already be obvious. All the rest of the items rely on accessories to shore up their glaring weaknesses. Plus, as a fencer, the only people on the planet with a significant chance of killing me in a sword duel happen to be other fencers, and since there aren't a lot of us, at least in the areas of the world I happen to occupy at any given moment, I'd clearly have the advantage.

To those that have suggested a dual wielding approach to swordplay, I would point out that the purpose of the second weapon has never been to shore up the offense but make up for design shortcomings when it comes to a defense. A Rapier required a second implement to provide defense because the transition from attack to defense with the weapon was far too slow to be useful (i.e. if you missed chances were quite good you'd be dead before you could mount a defense of your own). As the classic mantra goes - a blade's work is best done alone.

 

[CloggedDonkey]

I'll just use a bayonet from a Mosin negant

Spoiler

and yes, I just mean the bayonet.

and if not that, then some hidden blades like Ezio has in assassin's creed 2.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

One-on-one fight? Well then.

CHAINSAW

I know there was recently a thread about if a chainsaw would make a good weapon. And that the general consensus is that it wouldn't. But I found that most of the people posting there assumed that you'd be fighting a group of people with only a chainsaw. However, against a single opponent, you could easily break through their defenses with a single good swing or thrust.

While the weapon would be difficult to deflect because of it's weight, once launched in a particular arc or line that same momentum that is hard for me to stop is downright impossible for you to stop. Thus a simple displacement (that is, a dodge in the purest sense - in fencing it can be as simple as a shift of the foot but in this case a more elaborate motion is likely required). Really, the weapon has two damning traits, the first is a short range and awkward design, which means anyone with a proper blade has the advantage of distance. On top of that you pile on the mass of the weapon and you'd find it nearly impossible to mount the defense required to cover that range gap safely.

 

[Adanos]

I would take this

 

[Burst6]

I would carry a scimitar. It's quick and clean. It would let me dodge easily and i could probably use it well in both hands. Plus it looks awesome.

Spoiler: picture

Or maybe this cool looking thing.

Spoiler: another picture

and i would be in

Spoiler: this situation

 

[The Heik]

You are challenged to a one-on-one, freeform duel! Weapon choice has been limited to melee arms, but you can pick any type:blade, blunt, polearm or flailing; what would be the weapon of your choice and why?

For those that wish to look into them a bit more, here are lists of types of swords, daggers, polearms and staves, axes, clubs and flailing weapons.

My choice would go to the old European arming sword.
It's double straight edge, crossguard and manageable size make it a versatile weapon.
It may not be as light or sharp as a katana, but the cutting edge won't chip as easily under improper use and maintaining and repairing the sword is a lot easier.
Also, it's designed as a one-handed sword.
Pro: I'll have a hand free to grapple/hinder my opponent or carry a buckler/parrying dagger.
Con: making a two-handed swing or parry will be incredibly awkward.

EDIT corrected terminology.

Heavy Gauntlets.

metal on all sides of my forearms, meaning i can grab and block any weapon, and a punch that rival's a hammer-strike.

 

[vasudean]

I'll choose a Bo Staff due to it's ability to simultaneously attack and defend against both single and multiple enemies.

 

[LordWalter]

You are challenged to a one-on-one, freeform duel! Weapon choice has been limited to melee arms, but you can pick any type:blade, blunt, polearm or flailing; what would be the weapon of your choice and why?

For those that wish to look into them a bit more, here are lists of types of swords, daggers, polearms and staves, axes, clubs and flailing weapons.

My choice would go to the old European arming sword.
It's double straight edge, crossguard and manageable size make it a versatile weapon.
It may not be as light or sharp as a katana, but the cutting edge won't chip as easily under improper use and maintaining and repairing the sword is a lot easier.
Also, it's designed as a one-handed sword.
Pro: I'll have a hand free to grapple/hinder my opponent or carry a buckler/parrying dagger.
Con: making a two-handed swing or parry will be incredibly awkward.

EDIT corrected terminology.

I choose a gauntlet.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

I would carry a scimitar. It's quick and clean. It would let me dodge easily and i could probably use it well in both hands. Plus it looks awesome.

First, I must say that the final picture made me spray water across my screen when I decided to laugh and breathe all while trying to swallow.

Second, since I'm going to assume neither opponent is armored, why not simply use a sabre? It is, after all, the final incarnation of the sabre that discarded unnecessary mass when armor became uncommon and a better designed knuckle guard. It's quicker on the attack and defense and if there is no armor in play it still has sufficient energy to deliver a lethal cut and sever limbs.

 

[Death on Trapezoids]

El Fisto!!!! BA-ZAP BABY, YEAH!
or jack (the ripper)
or a super sledge
the death claw gauntlet...
The chinese dude's electrified sword
steel knuckles
OH OH OH I know! The man opener! (a special auto ax)
I enjoy fallout 3 so much, I even have the tunnel snakes tee-shirt:
http://sharkrobot.com/t-shirts/tunnel-snakes-rule
last fictional weapon would be general skorge's quadruple chainsaw staff.
Or, I don't know, a lightsaber, then I would win for sure. No counters for that, are there?
Coming back to the point, a roman gladius and small arm shield would do good
or a claymore and shield, just becuase I heard it from Yahtzee