Martial arts is not just about hand chops and flying kicks, there's also the armaments. 9Dragons, the first authentic martial arts MMO, will showcase the weapons that reflect the period of the Ming Dynasty. Developers of the game have gone through laborious research to get as much authenticity as possible.

9Dragons has seven categories of weapons: Gloves and claws, staffs and staves, polearms, swords, sabres, axes, and spears, and daggers and wheels. Popular shurikens and nunchuks have Japanese origins, hence they have not found their way in China. But that doesn't mean they won't make an appearance in the game. Players who travel far and wide might just get lucky.

In the game, each clan uses the very same weapons that their historical counterparts used. 9Dragons is designed to reward you for thinking about your style of fighting before you decide to join a clan. The basis of the Chinese martial arts is unarmed combat (think Kung Fu). It's for this reason that all the clans have to use gloves in basic training. They're for protection and have very little additional attacking power. Staffs and staves, on the other hand, are used for fast variations and continuous attacks.

Polearms are used by Shaolin monks and are considered "the father of all weapons" because they are easier to handle for a beginner. They give a tactical advantage because they can be used further away from the arms. Of course, there's the familiar sword. Those obsessed with swordplay. like the Tai Chi initiates of Wu-Tang Clan, would agree that they're the most difficult weapons to master. Heroes of the Wu-Tang clan are considered great swordsmen. Giving swords a competition are the sabres. While a sword has two sharp edges, a saber only has one. Using it may give you less attack variations, but since it's heavier, it generates a more powerful attack

For more aggressive style of fighting, axes and spears come to play. Spears are used for longer range fighting. When used by capable hands, they can dazzle anyone.

The lesser known weapons of the period are the daggers and flying wheels, but in the hands of an assassin, they are among the deadliest. They're ideal for women because they are small and lightweight. They're the weapon of choice by the Sacred Flower. The best use for a dagger is when you throw it an opponent from a distance.

Now that you're armed with the knowledge, use it to choose your clan wisely.