The gauntlet's been thrown, choose your weapon!

[Private Custard]

(I'd go for a trident, but I have no idea how to maximise its efficiency!)

Well... AFAIK, the trident is a pretty striaghtforward weapon, like a spear. You have to have a pretty strong thrust, and you have a clear advantage of lenght. That's why it's so good to use with a net, because you ensnare your opponent and then you impale his ass from a distace. Unlike the sword where you have to be somewhat closer for a finishing move.

It's the deft movements of the trident that confuse me, such as using the barbs on the ends of the spikes to hold he opponents sword and quickly twist it out of his grip.

I'd use the net as a temporary attention grabber before I thrust with sword. The trident just seems a bit ungainly. If you thrust wrong once, the opponent wins. Not as forgiving as a sword!

 

[Fingolfin High-King of the Noldor]

I would want Gimli's battleaxe. I could rape some shit with that. Or a simple polearm because in a one on one fight there isn't much better.

 

[snow]

Twin daggers for me thank you!

I've always used my nimble capabilities and quick reaction time for a lot of things, so I've always figured those would be my weapons of choice. Perhaps with a set of armored gauntlets would be perfect to help deflect attacks. Though I'm aware that a direct hit could probably prove the gauntlets useless, I feel this would be perfect for my style..

[small] I've felt this way a long time before assassins creed 1 and 2 ever came out. Not that it matters. [/small]

 

[D0WNT0WN]

Halberd.

Used by the Swiss. (You dont mess with the Swiss)

And maybe a dagger if things get close.

 

[RagnorakTres]

Hmm..a careful choice.

I'm torn between a two-handed scimitar and a set of the daisho. The former is well balanced and heavy, carrying the versatility of a sword and the cutting weight of an axe. The latter is generally held to be exceptionally sharp and, with proper training, can be used both independently or as a set (dual-wield).

Given the myths about dual-wielding, I'd probably stick with the scimitar.

You do know that all weapons properly made are extremely sharp right? The term "exceptionally" does not apply. All weapons today are practically made out of the same materials and you cant exactly make one version of a steel sharp thing sharper than another version of a steel sharp thing.

Today, yeah. The reputation of the daisho's extreme sharpness originates from the poor quality of the steel Japanese swordsmiths were forced to use. To counteract this, they folded the blade many, many times, resulting in several cutting edges. Thus, the katana and wakizashi, properly cared for, would hold their respective edges much longer than a comparable European sword.

I'm not one to say "OMG it's from Japan, it's instantly better than everything else," but the katana really was one of the superior swords of the ancient era, along with the falchion, gladius and scimitar.

Guy with a polearm still rapes 'em all from a distance, though.

And yes, actually, you can make one sharp steel thing sharper than another sharp steel thing. It's called monomolecular sharpening and it's nowhere near perfected yet, but there have been accidental successes here and there.

 

[TheLazyKnight]

mace in one hand, targe in the other.

 

[Stabby McRunfast]

Well seeing as I am Stabby McRunfast I will go with the obvious choice of a hand held blade. I prefer double edged knives with atleast a length of 9 inches. They also have to be relatively strong and have a full tang.

 

[jamesworkshop]

Quick fact to all katana-fans (I myself like the katana, though it's not my weapon of choice):
If your opponent has chain-mail, you're gonna ruin your sword before you can cut through it. Check out "The Deadliest Warrior", the Samurai vs. Viking episode where they tested it. Didn't even scratch the chain-mail.

Hardly surprising you don't cut through metal anyway and chainmail is designed to ruin the edge of blades besides the Katana was really for killing unarmoured peasents half the time the samurai would have used a bow or spear in that situation.

Since the OP didn't specify armour we must assume armour will not be worn in which case the Katana is basically the only choice in terms of swords.

Personally the Schiavona

Is my prefered sword in a duel

 

[goldlock02]

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

 

[pope 1337]

i choose drunk public transit because its funny

 

[maninahat]

Either a piece of pipe, or a pair of hooded Katara:

Spoiler: katar

.

 

[pendragonown]

Trench knife in one hand, glaive in the other.

 

[Ungenericteen]

dual knuckle duster knives(combat knives with brass knuckels at the handle)

 

[SturmDolch]

Used by the Swiss. (You dont mess with the Swiss)

You got that right.

I'd use a katana, though. Or a rapier. They're both so stylish! Although I'd suck with them, so... A chainsaw attached to a giant stick.

Or that jackhammer from From Dusk Till Dawn. Yeah...

 

[Ironic]

Spoiler

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 have martial arts training, but no significant weapons training, and from what my martial arts teachers and police statistics seem to show, those untrained in weapons tend to kill themselves before their enemy :/

So probably those Cesti that a guy said about, and some light, strategically placed metal armour moulded to my body shape at certain points, i.e. Shins, forearms, back and chest. Only enough to deflect though, I need to be light.

Maybe a small knife if im desperate

 

[Deus Encarmine]

It's the deft movements of the trident that confuse me, such as using the barbs on the ends of the spikes to hold he opponents sword and quickly twist it out of his grip.

I'd use the net as a temporary attention grabber before I thrust with sword. The trident just seems a bit ungainly. If you thrust wrong once, the opponent wins. Not as forgiving as a sword!

Well... true, one wrong move with the trindent and you are dead meat, but on the other hand, try doing some research on the Retiarii or Retiarius, it was a gladiator type who used the net and trident (although I suspect you already know that one, or you wouldn't have mentioned the exact same weapons he used, but you did not mention the dagger wich he also used), and try to see some techniuqes. The sword is also a very nice choice, but it depends; how long the sword and how heavy it is.

Also, I almost forgot, here I see that everyone is been going on about the katana and it's awesomness, and I know that the following link might provoke some ire amongst the people who fetishize the katana, but the man speaks the truth.

I also watched some of his other videos, and I can say that he makes a pretty good point.

 

[Poofs]

Bow, Naginata, and Kasuri-Gama

i can kill anyone before they get within strike range!