An important part of any fantasy is the need to slay dragons. The dragon is the ultimate predator in myth and legend, a monster that can truly test the mettle of a hero. Its claws can tear even the toughest armor to metallic ribbons, the fangs can tear limb and head from the body with ease, and its leathery wings not only propel it skyward but give it a certain resemblance to demons; it’s truly a force to be reckon with, and no small number of would-be heroes have met their final fate in the fires produced by the beast. You must be able to find the right blade to slay the beast, and that involves some interesting decisions being made.

Fundamentally, dealing with the dragon's scale is the biggest obstacle to killing it. If you cannot get through the scales then you cannot kill the dragon. A good dragon-slaying sword should therefore be long, tapered, and plenty tough.

This makes the Viking Norse Warriors Spatha Arming Battle Sword a great choice; with over 27" of stell blade ending in a severe taper, this blade should be able to go through just about any scaled hide and at five pounds with perfect balance is a great multi-purpose sword.

Some warriors like something with a little more heft. The BraveheartWilliam Wallace Scottish Claymore Sword fits that style easily. Although it comes unsharpened, if it were sharpened, it’d make an ideal stabbing weapon. Made in the classic claymore style, this makes it an awesome sword for those with the strength to wield it; it can slice and dice with the best of them while allowing a would-be slayer to carry a shield in the other hand; a tight hold combined with a high guard stance should maximize defense and attack, enabling the warrior to dispatch most beasts with ease.

A katana needs to be debated. The folded construction of most katana leaves the blade brittle, but the War Horse Katana by Dragon King should be looked at anyway. Capable of dealing with light and medium targets, a dragon may be out of its class, but the katana should be able to deal some serious damage to the lizard, enabling a fast enough warrior to cut the dragon to ribbons before it can mount a good defense.

Obviously there are other blades that could work. However, a hero needs to decide which blade fits their style the best, as a blade that’s not quite a match for its hero can cause his doom and thus decorate the dragon's pile of treasure forever after the fiery death of the hero. This makes the sword not just a mere stylistic accouterment-type, but the ultimate expression of the hero's skill and therefore a lot of thought must be put into the blade of the hero. Thus, the sword becomes a way to determine the soul of the hero, as their way of thinking is expressed in it.