Line #52 Main/SteppingStoneSword


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13	[[quoteright:260:[[ComicBook/GreenArrow https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ctnqcag_5.png]]]]
14	[[caption-width-right:260:[[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible Arrows count too]].]]
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16	As the name suggests, this is when a sword (or any weapon, improvised or not) is used as a stepping stone, ladder, or perch for a character. Whether it was thrown there (and [[TheBladeAlwaysLandsPointyEndIn naturally landed point first and penetrated]], [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks whether or not the weapon is made for throwing]]), shot there, or the character used it to [[BladeBrake slow his fall]], he can then [[BladeRun run]], jump, spin, or climb off it and get right back into the fight.
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18	This is actually TruthInTelevision, as this method was used by [[UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire Frederick Barbarossa]]'s soldiers to climb a crag during the siege of a bandit stronghold on the Adige in northern UsefulNotes/{{Italy}}, as recounted in Otto von Freising's ''Gesta Friderici''. (Spears were used in this case.)
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20	See also TheBladeAlwaysLandsPointyEndIn, BladeBrake, and BladeRun, which are commonly coupled with this trope. Related to ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks. When a sword is deliberately plunged into the ground, it's SwordPlant. When one steps on it in midair, it's ProjectilePlatforms.
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22	----
23	!!Examples
24
25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
28	* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': During the Eclipse, Guts uses his knife as a BladeBrake to stop his fall from the side of God Hand's living tower made from human faces, and then uses the knife to claw his way to the top by repeatedly stabbing the pillar and dragging himself upward. The fact that the faces bleed and wail every time he sticks his knife in makes it messy work.
29	* [[EmpathicWeapon Zangetsu]] in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' is shown standing on his sword once while in Ichigo's [[MentalWorld Inner World]].
30	* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' has vampire Nazis crossing a minefield by jumping on hilts of bayonets planted in the ground.
31	* Nazuna in ''Literature/LogHorizon'' creates defense barriers horizontally and uses them like tiny footholds, allowing her and others to travel through the air.
32	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
33	** Zabuza's entry scene has him throwing his {{BFS}} into a tree and then standing on it.
34	** Sasuke does this on a minefield, both to give him something to jump off of and to test his theory that [[ElementalRockPaperScissors the electrically charged blade would make the earth-based mines stop working]].
35	** In Shippuden, Hidan uses his scythe to break his fall and stay just out of reach of Shikamaru's shadow.
36	* Asuna does a BladeBrake in one issue of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' thanks to her SuperStrength and {{BFS}}. The sword is wide enough that she can stands with both feet on the blade without trouble.
37	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Asuka does this in her Evangelion, using her Progressive Knife and axe to climb to the top of the building that's sinking into the ground (which is actually an angel).
38	* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'':
39	** The protagonist does this to Sanosuke Sagara while fighting him and his BFS, all the while lecturing him on how the sword he uses is so big and heavy that it can only be swung down or sideways, making it very easy to predict.
40	** In the manga, one of Enishi's techniques involves sticking a sword upright in the ground, jumping off the hilt to achieve higher elevation, and hanging on to a tassel on the sword so he doesn't have to leave the sword behind.
41	* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Mifune sets up a FieldOfBlades and then runs across their hilts to attack Black Star. He sets a more traditional example in his battle against Sid, using his katanas to climb a cliff.
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Comic Books]]
45	* In ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}} in Switzerland'' Asterix completes a mountain-climb by sticking his sword into the mountain as a handhold when there's not enough proper climbing gear to go around.
46	* ComicBook/{{Robin\|1993}} and Characters/{{Nightwing\|DickGrayson}} climb the exterior of Francine Langstrom's last place of employment by stabbing batarangs in the walls when they break in to see if any of the serum to return Man-bats to humans is in her lab. They're probably not too worried about the damage since it's a Wayne Enterprises building and they're only breaking in because Dick thinks it's fun, although an exasperated Tim declares there was an easier way for them to get access to the lab.
47	* In ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]] #14 Diana breaks off the tips of some spears and climbs up a tower to rescue the princess trapped inside by wedging them into the space between the stones on her way up.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
51	* ''WesternAnimation/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves'' has Aladdin falling down a cliff and [[BladeBrake using his dagger to slow down]]. The guy who threw him down then uses his WolverineClaws to slow his fall down so that the fight can continue. [[spoiler:Al wins by using his dagger, which is still in the cliff, as support while he kicks the other guy into the ocean]].
52	* One of the AdorableEvilMinions in ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe1'' uses a ''plunger'' during the credits to try to reach the screen across a chasm. Another minion jumps nearby, causing the plunger (and the minion on it) to fall.
53	* Happens constantly in ''Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren'', the best example being during Cloud's fight with Sephiroth. After being thrown off a building, Cloud uses his Fusion Sword as a BladeBrake, before standing on it, [[BifurcatedWeapon splitting it in two]], then doing a back flip while retrieving both swords in order to [[AbsurdlySharpBlade cut apart the huge chunks of concrete]] raining down on him from above.
54	* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1'': Tai Lung is [[TheAlcatraz imprisoned]] on a pillar at the base of a cylindrical cavern, isolated from all doors and elevators, only accessible by a drawbridge. When he unlocks his restraints, the guards try shooting him with ''really'' big crossbow bolts, but he dodges them all, picks up the bolts, and kicks them into the cavern walls, creating a series of springboards to reach the elevator and upper walkways.
55	* Stefano the sea lion pulls this off in the climax of ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar3EuropesMostWanted'' using Vitaly's knives.
56	* ''Anime/PrincessMononoke'': San begins climbing the wall of Iron Town by planting a spear in it.
57	* ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood1973'' has a moment where Robin Hood, escaping from some guards, is barely clinging onto a protruding block on a wall. The guards hurl spears at him and miss, one embedding itself next to Robin Hood, who then using it to hoist himself up and climb to the top.
58	* Flynn uses crossbow bolts to scale Rapunzel's tower in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''.
59	[[/folder]]
60
61	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
62	* François de Capestang (Creator/JeanMarais) climbs a castle's tower all with daggers to free the woman he loves in ''Film/LeCapitan''.
63	* [[Creator/DevonAoki Kasumi]] in ''Film/DOADeadOrAlive'' throws a katana to stick in a wall, runs on the backs of her clansmen, then jump to the sword, and uses it as a springboard to jump over the high walls of the palace.
64	* ''Film/DuelToTheDeath'' uses this trope in a humorously illogical way during the final duel: each combatant jumps high up into the air, then puts his sword beneath his feet and pushes off in midair to DoubleJump.
65	* Giselle throws a sword into the side of a building for Robert to use this way in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}''.
66	* In ''Film/KillBill'', the Bride pierces a wooden beam with a samurai sword in order to climb the balustrade during her fight with the Crazy 88s.
67	* ''Film/LadderOfSwords'': ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin; the main character (a down-on-his-luck circus performer on the run from the law) climbs a ladder made of swords both metaphorically and physically. He uses it as one of his acts and shows his skill off to his love interest.
68	* A sword is at one point used to anchor a rope for people to cross thin ice ''Film/{{Ladyhawke}}''.
69	* In ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' Morpheus uses a sword stuck in the side of a truck as a perch. Balancing on the sword handle and the side of ''another'' truck, he grabs the Keymaker off Trinity's bike, throws him up onto the top of the first truck, then jumps up after him. And [[GlassesPull whips off]] his CoolShades.
70	* In ''Film/MysteryMen'', Blue Raja can [[ForkFencing throw]] ''[[ForkFencing forks]]''... but not very well, until [[TookALevelInBadass special training by the Sphinx]] allows him to throw them effectively enough [[ChekhovsSkill for Mr. Furious to climb on them.]]
71	* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', Captain Jack Sparrow teeters on a thrown sword to avoid being hanged.
72	* Destan uses crossbow bolts to scale the city walls in the film version of ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime''.
73	* ''Film/TheRescue1971'' has the hero, Ho-wu, escaping a Mongolian fortress while carrying the unconscious heroine Shih-En using arrows and spears embedded in walls to hop over the walls.
74	* Einar (Creator/KirkDouglas) does it with axes in ''Film/TheVikings''.
75	* Happens in ''Film/TheWarriorsWay''. The Colonel thrusts at Lynne; missing her and getting his sabre stuck in the wall. Lynne uses his sabre as a step to retrieve her own sword, which is stuck higher up in the wall.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Literature]]
79	* ''Literature/AscendanceOfABookworm'': Cornelius is seen climbing a relatively small tree by planting a knife in the trunk and using it as a stepping stone alongside boosting his jump with enhancement magic.
80	* In ''Cue For Treason,'' Peter Brownrigg uses half a dozen daggers to climb the side of an Elizabethan wooden house, to enter it surreptitiously from the river side.
81	* A sword is used to cross a canyon in ''Literature/LancelotTheKnightOfTheCart'' (circa 1170).
82	* In ''Literature/TheLongShips'', Toke uses spears to climb the palisade of an enemy stronghold.
83	* A particularly nasty variant is used in Creator/AnthonyHorowitz's ''Literature/ThePowerOfFive'' series: as part of a test to find out whether the protagonist is TheChosenOne, he has to climb a ladder of swords... ''blade up''. Apparently the last guy to attempt it only got to three swords, but it's OK, they managed to save some of his fingers.
84	* Teppic in ''Literature/{{Pyramids}}'' mentions that using knives for this tends to be impractical. You have to find a place ''just'' tight enough for the knife to get properly stuck, and you usually end up losing knives when you do it. [[ChekhovsSkill Of course]], he has to do it at the end of the book in order to [[spoiler:[[ItMakesSenseInContext assassinate a pyramid]]]].
85	* In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', Shardblades are sometimes used in this way. Since they cut through any nonliving matter [[Webcomic/SchlockMercenary like a chainsaw through butter]] and are totally unbreakable, they are considerably more useful for this than a regular sword.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
89	* Done for laughs in an episode of ''Series/TheBennyHillShow''... with toilet plungers.
90	* Inverted on one of the ''Series/{{CSI}}'' programs, in which the victim turned out to have been kicked to death by someone who'd been wearing tree-climbing spurs strapped to both ankles.
91	* ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'': Hercules is helped scaling a fort by arrows launched into its side.
92	* Done in an episode of ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess''. Xena is scaling the wall of an enemy stronghold and, when it looks like she is about to fall short, her allies fire arrows into the wall that she uses as rungs to scale the last few feet.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
96	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
97	** The supplement ''The Complete Thief's Handbook'' has "climbing daggers" that can be stuck into walls to make it easier for the thief to climb them.
98	** In 4e, rangers can get the power ''Archer's Stairway'' to shoot arrows at a wall and make it easier to climb.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Theater]]
102	* In Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's ''Ka'', there's a scene in which arrows embedded in a wall [[spoiler:(actually props pushed out from the back of it)]] are used to climb it.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Video Games]]
106	* ''VideoGame/BiomechanicalToy'', in which your character is a LivingToy action figure battling hostile enemy toys, can use darts as stepping platforms to get to higher areas.
107	* In ''VideoGame/BraveFencerMusashi'', climbing with swords is the ability granted by the first piece of Legendary Armor.
108	* In ''VideoGame/{{Broforce}}'', the [[Franchise/{{Predator}} Brodator's]] default attack is chucking his spears at enemies. If those spears hit any walls or terrain, it will get stuck there and can be used as a platform. Considering that the environment runs on EverythingBreaks, and some levels can become [[UnintentionallyUnwinnable very difficult to defeat or outright impassable]] if too much of your surroundings have been destroyed, occasionally this becomes a very useful feature.
109	* There was a TeamworkPuzzleGame called ''Bubba 'n' Stix'' whose gameplay frequently involved this trope. Stix is, as the name suggests, a wooden stick, who can be used both as a weapon and as this trope.
110	* Occurs in ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' when [[spoiler: the killer in Chapter 2, Peko the [[MasterSwordsman Ultimate Swordswoman]], used her bamboo sword as a stepstool to reach a high up window after tying it to its carrying case for retrieval in order to avoid leaving evidence behind]]. The tactic's alleged use by ninjas in ancient Japan is noted by the characters as well.
111	* In ''VideoGame/DarkwingDuckCapcom'', DW can shoot arrows from his gas gun to use as platforms along walls. This carried over to ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'' via its Super Arrow (it used the same game engine).
112	* In ''VideoGame/{{Depict1}}'', [[spoiler:this is the ''real'' purpose of the spikes that your VoiceWithAnInternetConnection claims will [[SpikesOfDoom kill you if you touch them]]. Throw them at the wall, then jump up onto them]]!
113	* In the late-game cutscenes of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', Dante repeatedly uses his Rebellion sword [[BladeBrake as an anchor to keep himself from falling]] while fighting the giant Savior above the city, but prior to those, he used his sword as a platform to stand on while taunting Sanctus.
114	* Possible in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' thanks to a [[GoodBadBugs bug]] that makes paintbrushes stay in midair when dropped. Entire staircases can be built with paintbrushes.
115	* In ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' the Harpoon Gun's harpoons can be stood on if lodged in a wall, allowing one to make an impromptu foothold, as seen here [[https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/comments/m40m3s/why_am_i_just_finding_out_the_harpoon_gun_is_also/]]
116	* Tidus of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' plunges his sword into the ground and uses it as a springboard during his Blitz Ace Overdrive.
117	* In the opening cutscene of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'', Lightning has her gunblade knocked out of her hands and impaled in a floating rock. Light proceeds to leap after it and swing from it onto another floating rock to confront her enemy Caius.
118	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' lets Noctis warp to his weapons after throwing them; many battlefields have point-warp destinations (which instantly fill his MP and boost his HP recovery) high up on the sides of narrow structures or tall buildings, leaving Noct hanging from his broadsword until you act. If you then perform a warp-strike from an elevated position, the damage multiplier is a bit higher than if you hit them from the same distance horizontally. For a proper "stepping stone" effect, you can point-warp between multiple destinations to put a lot of distance between you and your enemy; in particular, the courtyard in Insomnia (which hosts the last boss of the Platinum Demo [[spoiler:and the penultimate boss of the full game in the initial release]]) has enough warp points to ''scale the Citadel''.
119	* Kratos climbs walls many times using his swords in the ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series.
120	* In ''VideoGame/LaraCroftAndTheGuardianOfLight'', Totec's spears (gifted to Lara in single-player) can be embedded in walls to the tune of three at a time; Lara's lithe build lets her balance on them in this state, but Totec will shatter them under his weight if he tries the same. Since weapons can only be fired level to the character, many puzzles involving scaling heights require figuring out where you can throw spears from to make paths that go upwards.
121	* Spears are used in ''VideoGame/LEGOIndianaJones'' as ladder rungs to reach higher and farther areas.
122	* ''VideoGame/MegaMan1'' and ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'' have the Magnet Beam and the Super Arrow, respectively. The Magnet Beam shoots a beam that stays suspended in mid-air, creating a platform for you, and the Super Arrow shoots an arrow that sticks into a wall to create a place to step.
123	* The fight against Pete in ''VideoGame/MickeyMania'' involves jumping on his thrown sword to reach a lever.
124	* Duster from ''VideoGame/Mother3'' uses [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Wall Staples]] to create ladders on walls, and to pin enemies down in battle.
125	* ''VideoGame/{{Oniken}}'': Used by Zaku to climb Grimm's mech in Stage 4's post-level cutscene.
126	* Throwing spears in the video game ''VideoGame/PrehistorikMan''.
127	* In one level of ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', the player has to swing on swords attached to a spinning wheel in order to advance. This is made harder by the fact that the swords are only thrown by enemies. The player has to dodge in order to get the swords to land properly.
128	* WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck in ''VideoGame/{{Quackshot}}'' uses a plunger gun to scale walls quickly.
129	* When facing Robotnik in the [[UnderwaterRuins Aquatic Ruin Zone]] of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'', he is too high for Sonic to reach directly. Sonic has to jump on the arrows fired by Robotnik, who does so by using a giant hammer attached to his vehicle to hit a totem pole that shoots the arrows at one of four heights, to get the second jump necessary to get high enough.
130	* In ''VideoGame/Spyro2RiptosRage'', the Icebuilders use their spears to help Spyro progress through Crystal Glacier.
131	* Sephiroth in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' can use his foward aerial attack to stab his Masamune into the side of a wall to stop his fall or to climb up it. This can only be done up to three times before he has to land on solid ground, however.
132	* One of the three uses for ninjato swords in ''VideoGame/{{Tenchu}}: Shadow Assassins'' (along with [[ShootOutTheLock breaking locks]] and last-resort defense) is jamming them into certain walls to help scale them.
133	* ''VideoGame/VolgarrTheViking'' allows you to throw your spear into some walls to use as a temporary platform.
134	* This is required in ''VideoGame/WarioLand'' to get to a secret exit that leads to Sherbet Land.
135	* ''VideoGame/{{Worms}}'' lets you do this with arrows.
136	%%* As does ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}} 2'' -- and of course, it's almost always necessary to beat the level.
137	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': While not present in the final game, this was a planned feature at some point in development, with Link being able to stab his sword into cliff faces in order to create a perch where he could rest and regain [[SprintMeter stamina]] during long climbs.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Webcomics]]
141	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': While fighting [[spoiler:Vampire Durkon]], Roy Greenhilt borrows the High Priestess of Odin's spear. He misses his foe when throwing it, but it stays stuck in the wall and Roy then uses it as perch to reach the upper walkway of the temple.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Web Original]]
145	* Rachel uses her hammer as a standing stone on a wall while waiting for the fight to reach her in ''WebAnimation/DeadFantasy.''
146	* Creator/MontyOum liked this trope. The Meta uses his (bladed) gun as a climbing tool (after performing a BladeBrake maneuver with it) during the penultimate Oum-animated fight sequence in ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue: Revelation''. Note that this maneuver normally requires two such sharp objects...
147	[[/folder]]
148
149	[[folder:Western Animation]]
150	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "The Eyes", Finn's sword gets stuck in the wall. Jake uses it as a springboard to jump off and attack the Ice King.
151	* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'':
152	** Happens a few times with Ulrich's katanas; sometimes for himself, sometimes for other characters.
153	** Everyone also seems to use William's {{BFS}} as a platform whenever he gets it stuck in a wall.
154	* ''WesternAnimation/TheDayMyButtWentPsycho'': In "Basic In Stink", Zack fires a series of plungers on to the Butt-squatch before running up them to kick the Butt-squatch in the face.
155	* In the title sequence for Creator/HannaBarbera's ''WesternAnimation/LippyTheLionAndHardyHarHar'', Lippy, holding Hardy by the [[RingAroundTheCollar collar]], scales a tree up a ladder of spears that have been thrown at the pair by angry natives. Unfortunately, the last of them is being held by a giant gorilla.
156	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "Simpsons Bible Stories", Bart (as David) uses a pair of corn on the cob holder's from Goliath's (Nelson) giant cob to climb up the side of a castle, by stabbing them into the wall and pulling himself up.
157	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'': In "Target: April O'Neil", April uses throwing knives as steps to reach the fire escape of a building during her chasing.
158	* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'', Evangeline uses a [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Shushu]]-possessed {{BFS}} this way while [[RoofHopping jumping across rooftops]]. The TalkingWeapon sure isn't happy about it, and makes it known.
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Real Life]]
162	* Supposedly a valid tactic in ancient Japan, but considering [[{{Ninja}} the source]], it's probably hearsay.
163	* A possible variant, Stepping-Stone Rifle, was used in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, when the Axis mountain divisions would string their rifles into rope ladders.
164	[[/folder]]

Context Main / SteppingStoneSword