Line #20 Main/BladeSpam


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6	[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_chariot_6.png]]]]
7	[[caption-width-right:350:A > A > A > A. Nothing beats a combo this good.]]
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12	->''"'Repeatedly strike within a single breath?' That is not what that was; they were at exactly the same time. In that instant, three swords existed."''
13	-->-- '''Saber''', ''Anime/FateStayNightUnlimitedBladeWorks''
14
15	A character attacks with a rapid series of slashes or stabs, either with a bladed weapon or with [[WolverineClaws natural claws]]. Taking the speed part into outright SuperSpeed territory results in the following two [[Administrivia/InternalSubtrope subtypes]]:
16	* '''Split-Second Blade Spam''': Where the attacks are pseudo-simultaneous--the observer cannot tell that there are multiple slashes being executed.
17	* '''Simultaneous Blade Spam''': Superficially the same as Split-Second Blade Spam from the observer's perspective, but explicitly being '''truly simultaneous'''.
18
19	Blade Spam is oftentimes the mark of MasterSwordsman-type characters (or the equivalent for other kinds of weapon-users) in many works, and usually take the form of striking a given target from several different angles/directions--typically the eight cardinal and ordinal ones--[[SuperSpeed within the span of a second]].
20
21	SubTrope of SpamAttack. MoreDakka is the JustForFun/GunCounterpart, while BeamSpam is the laser/magic counterpart, although there may be overlap if combined with a SwordBeam. Compare StormOfBlades, for when ''several'' blades are rapidly ''thrown'' at the target. If someone does this unarmed, that's RapidFireFisticuffs.
22
23	----
24	!Examples:
25
26	!!Standard Blade Spam
27	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Viral's Enki-series Gunmen have swords as their primary armament. Invokes this trope with two blades, then [[MultiArmedAndDangerous four]], and then [[spoiler:Viral's Tengen Toppa in ''Lagann-hen'' is armed with thirteen swords (and a kanabo) simultaneously.]] Bonus points for having split-second {{Blade Lock}}s between spams.
28	* ''VideoGame/ConquerorsBlade'' has a variation for each of its spear hero classes: the Heaven's Fury move on Spear and the final step of Water Dragon on Pike both have you stabbing the enemy numerous times in quick succession.
29	* Often featured in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series as the main sword wielding character's most powerful LimitBreak, examples include:
30	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Cloud Strife's Omnislash. Zack Fair from ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'' has Octaslash, which was apparently a technique originated by Sepiroth.
31	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'': Squall Leonhart's Renzokuken and the fourth FinishingMove, Lionheart. Kiros from the flashbacks has Blood Pain.
32	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'': Zidane's Grand Lethal is a BeamSpam in the original game, but it turns into a melee version in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''.
33	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': Tidus' Slice & Dice and the much stronger Blitz Ace.
34	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'': Lightning's Army of One and its upgrade [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2 Legion of One]].
35	** [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV The Samurai's]] Doom of the Living, complete with a SwordBeam as the finishing blow. Other classes have less flashy attacks that involve striking the target multiple times in quick succession.
36	* A common SpecialAttack[=/=]DesperationAttack among sword/claw-wielding FightingGame characters.
37	* This is a staple in [=RPGs=], usually part of DualWielding and dubbed "Flurry". Examples to be found in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''Franchise/DragonAge''.
38	* This is the ''default'' mode of attack for high-level [[MasterSwordsman Weapon Masters]] (a warrior PrestigeClass kit) in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Able to fight equally well with both hands and using the attack/round tables of a BareFistedMonk, a level 16 Weapons Master gets 6 strikes per round (about 6 seconds) with a single weapon, 12 when DualWielding, and you do ''not'' want to [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill get in her way when she's buffed with Haste]].
39	** The 4th edition mid-level ranger exploit "Blade Cascade" originally allowed a properly {{dual wielding}} ranger to once per day simply keep attacking a target until it dropped or they missed (whichever happened first), ''all as one action''. It was later errataed to allow a maximum of five such attacks, period.
40	** In 5th edition, a max-level Fighter can use their Action Surge feature to make 8 attacks in a single turn. If they’re hasted and dual wielding, they can make up to 10 attacks when they do this.
41	* The Akisazame (Tiger Teeth/Sword Rain) sword technique in the ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'', which makes the user stab at the enemy repeatedly, then finish with a final strike that varies from user to user.
42	** There's also Savage Wolf Fury, the [[LimitBreak Mystic Arte]] of ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' protagonist Yuri Lowell.
43	* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'': Extra Action charm + [[{{BFS}} daiklave]] = lots of pain for ''someone''.
44	* [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link]] can use the stabbing version throughout the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, and gains the slashing version in the form of his Triforce Slash in ''Brawl''.
45	* Dante in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' has Million Stab (for [[{{BFS}} Rebellion]]) and Million Slash (for [[DualWielding Agni & Rudra]]) combos.
46	* ''VideoGame/DynaGear'' allows you to spam a flurry of sword-stabs forward at enemies after collecting enough sword power-ups. It's short in range but gets the job done.
47	* The ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' move Fury Swipes is a claw-based variant of this.
48	* Ars Arcanum and its variants in the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' series tend to be of this nature.
49	** Sora's [[TheCorruption Heartless Form]] from [=KH2=] and Riku's [[DarkIsNotEvil Darkest Fears]] link from DDD both grant them claws and faster movement. Both of these forms replace the normal keyblade melee combos with close-range bare-handed BladeSpam.
50	* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'' has the Crissaegrim sword, which unleashes a flurry of around five strikes every time you swing it. It's not Split-Second as individual slashes are clearly animated and visible, and it's not fast enough to quite be Simultaneous. It is however fast enough to be the most damaging weapon in the game despite having nowhere near the highest attack power. It's so renowned that Alucard carries it along into his role as an Assist Trophy in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.
51	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqDT7lAocAc With a level high enough]], Alucard can use this weapon to defeat Shaft AND Dracula in '''ONE''' minute... combined.
52	* ''VideoGame/DynastyWars'' allows players to hold and unleash their spears and swords into a ChargedAttack that deals massive damage to enemies, and holding it long enough the attack then manifests as a dozen slashes coming out all at once.
53	* Mitsuru's strong attack in ''VideoGame/Persona3'' has her deliver a slash, and then a rapid series of stabs from her one-handed sword. When she gets a critical hit, she does the same, except with a even ''longer'' rush of stabs that finishes with a [[GroinAttack kick to the nads]] that knocks the foe over. Noticeably contrasts with the main character's critical hit animation with the same weapon type - he only delivers [[UnskilledButStrong three separate, powerful blows]].
54	* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', [[VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight Marth]] attacks with a rapid series of rather painful-looking stabs.
55	* ''VideoGame/HiddenDragonLegend'' allows you to spam a flurry of slashes and stabs with your ''jian'' when upgraded completely. But one of the bosses, the Second Brother, have this ability too - and his blade spam can cover ''half'' the screen.
56	* ''VideoGame/MegaManZero3'' has the 1000 Slash [[PowerCopying EX Skill]]; while stationary, Zero stabs the opponent repeatedly with the Recoil Rod. After-images of each stab appear to add to the hit count, as a way to stand up to its name. Deathtanz Mantisk, the Boss from whom Zero learned it from, executes it with his scythes to break a boulder into pieces.
57	* ''VideoGame/{{Musya}}'' grants you a power upgrade more than halfway into the game, where a charm placed on your trusty spear turns it into a magnificent golden weapon which can spam powerful jabs at everything in your way.
58	* In ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'', this is how the titular character's [[HellishHorse Demonic Unicorn]] [[SummonBiggerFish Summon]], Diomedes, finished off its enemies, by using the absolutely massive {{BFG}} it has as its horn to slice and dice them as part of a [[ActionCommands Quick Time Event]].
59	* Teo the feline swordsman from ''VideoGame/BoundByBlades'' can unleash a flurry of blade-thrushes as a special move.
60	* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls1'', the strong attack combo on Ricard's Rapier is a flurry of weak stabs. For this reason it is favoured among players who [[SpellBlade buff their weapon with magic or elemental damage]], since these buffs work by adding a flat amount of damage per hit rather than simply buffing the weapon's stats.
61	* In ''Manga/{{Gamaran}}'', most of the strongest fighters can perform this feat with their swords, striking two to up to six times with incredible speed, with no superpower behind this other than hard training. A true specialist is Divine Spear Banri Omiya, whose tube-spear Kuyo allows him to pull back the shaft for another attack with such a speed he can chain together several attacks in a row before his opponent can even react. The secret technique of his school, Hassei Kaigan (Awakening of the Eight Stars) downright steps into the Simultaneous, with the enemy being hit apparently eight times simultaneously by the twirling weapon.
62	* It may be the lower end of blade spam, but in ''Literature/GrentsFall'', [[spoiler:the Bladecleaver]] managed to do this with a BFS.
63	* ''VideoGame/PirateHunter'' have your character dishing out lightning-fast slashes with your scabbard by tapping the sword button multiple times, slicing enemy pirates to ribbons with ease.
64	* [[Characters/MarvelComicsLogan Wolverine]]'s Berserker Barrage and Berserker Barrage X in ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperheroes'' (and [[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom others]]).
65	* ''VideoGame/AstalonTearsOfTheEarth'': Arias the fighter's attack begins to verge into this as you upgrade his attack speed.
66	* "Literature/TheShadowOfTheVulture": When Red Sonya is first seen fighting with her saber in close combat, the narration informs us that "[h]er strokes followed each other too quickly for the eye to follow; her blade was a blur of white fire".
67	* In ''VideoGame/PrincessConnectReDive'', Rei's [[LimitBreak union burst]], Hurricane Slash, is basically a rapid series of slashes on her target.
68
69	!!Split-Second Blade Spam
70	* ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' has two techniques that are this, [[IaijutsuPractitioner Windcutter]] and the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Quicksword]]. When used properly, the Quicksword technique is so fast that its creator (Ilena) can block attacks "undetected"; that is, her arm moves at such a speed that it looks like any attack against her is hitting some kind of invisible barrier rather than her sword, which is being [[IaijutsuPractitioner drawn, used, and sheathed]] so quickly that no motion is seen.
71	* Ginkaku Uneri from ''Literature/{{Katanagatari}}'' is an IaijutsuPractitioner who can use his sword, Zantou Namakura, to strike five times a second.
72	* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', [[CatGirl Taokaka]] can do this with her claws.
73	* Hiei's CurbStompBattle with Seiryuu in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho''. He cut Seiryuu in 16 places so quickly that Kuwabara couldn't see it at all, Kurama saw it as a single attack, and even Yusuke only saw eight slashes.
74	* [[NinjaMaid Sakuya Izayoi]] from ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' is capable of Split Second Blade Spam, as shown in her ''Wound Sign "Inscribe Red Soul"'' and ''Scarred Soul "Soul Sculpture"'' spellcards.
75	* Fate of the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise is capable of doing this with her SuperSpeed and LaserBlade. When she does it, the viewers will only see the aftermath of her slashes after she dashes past the target. Specific instances include her SpeedBlitz against [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Numbers]] {{Cyborg}} [[EmotionlessGirl Sette]] that left Sette's {{Battle Boomerang}}s in pieces, and her first attack on [[HeroKiller Huckebein's]] Deville that left him littered with slash wounds.
76	* The Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu secret move Kuzu-Ryuusen([[YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord "Nine-headed Dragon"]]) from ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'', utilizing ''Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu'''s signature [[SuperSpeed God-Speed]] to launch 8 slashes and one stab with such speed that the strikes appear to be simultaneous.
77	* Goemon from ''Characters/LupinIII'' does this all the damn time. If we're lucky, we get to see three or four slashes, but usually there's a dozen made from just drawing and sheathing his sword. The man knows how to make use of his AbsurdlySharpBlade.
78	* From ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' we have [[spoiler: Gin's bankai: It's a sword that can extend from wakizashi-sized to an ''8-mile sword'' with near hypersonic speed. Even one of his techniques is to extend and contract it in a stabbing fashion like a machine gun.]]
79	* IaijutsuPractitioner Asbel from ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'' does this for his Level 3 Mystic Arte/Blast Caliber. He first beats down the opponent before dashing forward and drawing his sword leading to multiple hits.
80	* Misa's Tsurugi technique from ''VideoGame/MitsurugiKamuiHikae'' has her performing a series of powerful, lightning-fast katana slashes.
81	* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', Raiden can do this thanks to Blade Mode. This is best shown in the cutscene before the first level, where he makes what looks like a single slash, only for the targeted object to fall apart into multiple pieces.
82	* The [[Literature/RevengeOfTheSith novelization]] of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' describes the lightsaber duel between Mace Windu and Palpatine as a blur of darkness in which Windu's blade appeared to be in seven places at once. His fighting style, Vaapad, is an ordinarily DangerousForbiddenTechnique that he designed to accomplish this. This one's actually justified, since both are powerful Force users who can use SuperSpeed while fighting. The same book also has General Grievous, whose electronic reflexes let him swing a lightsaber faster than the eye can see. When he battles Obi-Wan on Utapau and brings out all four lightsabers, he’s described as making twelve-to-eighteen attacks per ''second''--not that this helps him against Obi-Wan’s [[StoneWall impregnable defense]].
83	* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has Jean Pierre Polnareff's [[FightingSpirit Stand]] Silver Chariot which gain massive speed after shedding it's bulky armor. It moves so fast that it seems there are several one when it's really moving faster than anything else. Too bad he only remembers to do this when he's mind controlled.
84	* In ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'', Zero's Youdontotsu technique can be altered to Renyoudan when wielding the D Glaive, which he then performs a series of 6 quick spear thrusts.
85	* ''Literature/NjalsSaga'': Among the many exceptional martial abilities of Gunnar Hámundarson is that "he could deal blows so swiftly that three swords seemed to flash through the air at the same time."
86	* ''VideoGame/EldenRing'': OptionalBoss Malenia's Waterfowl Dance technique, infamous as ThatOneBoss's ThatOneAttack, has her perform a sequence of four separate lighting-fast flurries of slashes, each one creating an InstantDeathRadius that will almost certainly kill the player if caught in it. The fourth flurry is so fast Malenia doesn't even visibly move her sword; it's like her third flurry repeats itself a second after she finishes swinging. Killing her nets you the sword for your own use, which lets you perform the same move - the windup and animation are both dangerously long, but the heavy stagger and heavier damage make it a superb 'delete this enemy now' button against any target that it's mechanically possible to stunlock (including dangerous medium-large foes like Omens and Lordsworn Knights).
87	* ''VideoGame/EasternExorcist'' has rapid forward blade-thrushes as a recurring attack, used by the player characters and a few bosses who use swords. One of the villains, Zheng, is in fact shown in a cutscene showing off his skills by spamming a flurry of blades into a boulder and turning it to pebbles.
88	* Kenshin and Mitsunari from ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'', being {{Iaijutsu Practitioner}}s, can both pull off this move as one of their specials. Mitsunari's is so fast it even keeps cutting after he's re-sheathed his sword.
89
90	!!Simultaneous Blade Spam
91	* Two examples from the ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' franchise:
92	** '''Tsubame Gaeshi''', signature technique of the 5th Grail War's Assassin Sasaki Kojiro; three slashes whose combined angles of attack explicitly block off any attempt at evasion. And Assassin gained it because he so relentlessly persevered in his countless attempts to devise a technique to kill a swallow while in flight, that '''reality basically gave in''' and granted him partial access to the "Second Magic", which is described as "[[AnotherDimension multi-dimension refraction phenomenon]]".
93	*** Later Fate material introduced the Sakura Saber (a GenderFlip of [[UsefulNotes/TheShinsengumi Souji Okita]]), whose own signature move is the very similar yet fundamentally different '''Mumyou Sandanzuki'''; where both techniques are simultaneous triple attacks, Assassin's is a triple slash meant to be unavoidable, while Okita's is a triple thrust meant to be unblockable. Apparently, twisting the fabric of reality with a sword is just a thing japanese swordsmen can do in this setting.
94	*** In ''VideoGame/FateSamuraiRemnant'', [[spoiler:Miyamoto Iori]] is revealed to have learned his own version of Tsubame Gaeshi [[spoiler:from being taught by Kojiro himself]]. It's technically shorter ranged than Kojiro's since [[spoiler:Iori]] uses the shorter-bladed katana to Kojiro's frankly massive nodachi, but in return [[spoiler:Iori combines it with his DualWielding to launch ''six'' simultaneous slashes, and it proves devastating enough that it defeats [[DimensionalTraveler Miyamoto Musashi]], who had triumphed against Kojiro's version in ''Fate Grand Order''.]]
95	** '''Nine Lives''' (Japanese gloss: "Shooting Hundred Heads"), a Noble Phantasm of the 5th Grail War's Berserker (a.k.a. Herakles); the actual NP itself, derived from Herakles' feat of defeating the many-headed, nigh-immortal Hydra with his bow and arrows. [[spoiler: It was never used by Berserker himself, but when Shirou in the Heaven's Feel route used Projection to adapt the NP for his own use, the resulting "Nine Lives Blade Works" was composed of eight simultaneous slashes from different directions in one instant, followed by a stab to the center, all done with SuperSpeed. And each strike was considered a lethal A-ranked blow to Black Berserker.]]
96	*** In the later video games ''VideoGame/FateUnlimitedCodes'' and ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', Heracles is capable of using Nine Lives; however, due to being summoned under the Berserker class and thus losing his motor skills, he can only use it as a Split-Second Blade Spam (compressing a hundred slashes into the span of a few seconds) instead of its true usage above.
97	* In more recent iterations of ''The Compilation of VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' as well as ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' and ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'', Sephiroth seems to be able to strike his opponent several times with only a few tactically-placed slashes of his Masamune. In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', he possesses a move called Flash, where he dashes past Sora; if you don't [[PressXToNotDie use the Reaction Command to block it]], Sora eats about 7-9 slashes. In ''Dissidia'', his slashes inflict upwards of four blows at a time (his Octoslash, in particular, hits eight times in spite of Sephy only swinging five times).
98	* The Toujin (Battle Blade) attack in ''Manga/{{Yaiba}}'' can do this, but with ethereal blades which distract the opponent.
99	* The "Multi Strike" spell in ''VideoGame/FableI'' lets a single strike connect up to five times at once, multiplying the effect of any other buffs the Hero has.
100	* [[MasterSwordsman Mareisei]] from ''Manga/HoshinEngi'' wields a paope sword called Seiunken (Azure Cloud Sword), whose power revolves around this: whenever he swings the sword or even thrust it, the blade simultaneously cuts/strikes at the opponents as if the sword itself branched into multiple blades, which allows him to pretty much bypass any defense [[spoiler:except DualWielding]] and inflict truly gruesome wounds, as when he [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence drills out the flesh in Kou Tenka's elbows and knees to the point that his bones are left exposed.]]
101	* In ''Fanfic/IncarnationOfLegends'', Bell's unique congenital magic, Dragon Fang, causes a second phantom sword to mirror his sword swing like the closing of a dragon's jaws, essentially attacking from two directions at once.
102	* [[spoiler:Jagganoth's]] signature move from ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'', "Blood-Sated Sword Soul". [[InstantDeathRadius It strikes an area]] with 80,000 sword blows at the same time, filling every space within with Sword and creating a SwordBeam from every blow that strikes outward into space. It is an AlwaysAccurateAttack because it is impossible to ''not'' be in a space containing Sword. Coupled with [[spoiler:Jagganoth's]] insane strength and reach, [[WorldWreckingWave the move can scour the side of a planet free of life]].
103	* ''Literature/TheScar'': Uther Doul's Possible Sword uses probability magic to turn every swing he makes with it into every possible swing he could've made with it, simultaneously. People he hits with it are therefore hit with dozens of swords at once, and tend to look as if they've been flayed. The fact that it manifests ''possible'' sword strokes means that Uther has trained to be just ''okay'' at swordfighting: good enough that none of its potential trajectories are ones that injure himself, but not too good, or the number of trajectories his sword can take are reduced.
104
105	!!Mixed
106	* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Mifune can do this with his "infinite sword style" moves. Not only can he trap his opponent by pinning them down with some of his many swords but he can make each sword strike multiple times by making them vibrate.
107	* Erza from ''Manga/FairyTail'' can do this with her exquip primarily with her heaven wheel armor.
108	* In ''Manga/NuraRiseOfTheYokaiClan'' there is bad guy Kidomaru, who trained his [[MasterSwordsman swordsmanship]] to produce techniques that got faster and faster until the number of strikes became impossible to block or evade (the fastest technique was aptly named 'Void' for being able to reduce its victims to nothing). It was stopped thanks to Kurotabo's ability to produce the instant variant of this trope, using the [[HyperspaceArsenal infinite weapons inside of his robes]] as a wall to parry and catch Kidomaru's own two blades.
109	* ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'' has [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Korikakumon]], whose Avalanche Axes attack deals out many consecutive slashes, but the hits all connect at once.
110	* The [[FightingSpirit Stand]] Silver Chariot in Part 3 of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' is extremely quick and can spear coins ''[[ImplausibleFencingPowers and flames]]'' on its sword with a single strike and is more than capable to do a standard spam attack. But when Polnareff, its user, [[ShedArmorGainSpeed sheds its armor Silver Chariot gains a massive boost in speed]] at the cost of being much more vulnerable. But the boost is so fast that it makes it seem that there are several stands at once and its extreme precision lets it carve markings into his opponent's face without killing him.

Context Main / BladeSpam