Heavy weapon

File:Assassins-creed-II-meleeweapons-heavyweapons.png

Three heavy weapons.

Heavy Weapons were weapons used by Ezio, that relied more on sheer force to inflict bone-breaking damage.

Strength

When swung with sufficient strength, the weapons were able to smash through attempts to parry with smaller weapons. Opponents caught under the full weight of the blow mostly collapsed or could even drop their weapons. Heavy weapons could only be countered by Long or other Heavy weapons (with the Hidden Blade being an exception, as it can counter any weapon; though the timing involved makes the maneuver more difficult and thus risky).

Defense

Ezio could disarm his opponent with his fists. If he was equipped with the Hidden Gun or Poison Blade, Ezio would automatically counter with his Hidden Blade. Counters with these powerful weapons were always lethal to the target, but sometimes he would leave the weapon in the victim's body.

Smash Kill

Before the siege of Monteriggioni, Ezio acquired the Smash skill by Training, and he could use it whenever he had a Heavy weapon equipped. A smash took a long time to build up, during which he was vulnerable to interruption. But when a fully charged Smash connected, it broke through enemy defense to cause a large amount of damage and further effects. It was be unparryable, and the victim would get disarmed, or may have had a long weapon broken.

When in Rome, the Smash skill was no longer available, and had been replaced by the ability to throw heavy weapons at enemies. This could be done to perform instant kills on enemies up to around ten meters away. Note that one would have to pick up the heavy weapon after throwing it, and if the user picked up a different weapon, their weapon would change to that, and one would have to go to a blacksmith to re-equip the heavy weapon (at no cost). This skill did not need to be learned, unlike the Smash skill.

Heavy Sheath

Ezio could purchase a heavy sheath from a Tailor shop after he had travelled to Rome. This allowed him to equip two-handed weapons as his primary weapon, so that he had a choice of 6 more weapons. If Ezio had a two-handed weapon as his primary weapon, however, he could not carry another primary one-handed melee weapon (e.g Swords, Warhammers, etc.). If he dropped his heavy weapon, he could pick up a different one that he had not yet purchased and equip it, (you can re-equip one-handed weapons upon returning to the Tiber Island Hideout, as well as armor).

Heavy Weapon Attributes

Name	Damage	Speed	Deflect
Bastard Sword	3	4	3
Bearded Axe	2	3	4
Labrys (Bartolomeo's Axe)	3	3	5
Stocco	3	5	5
Spada Lunga	4	5	3
Spadone	5	4	4

Trivia

• Heavy Weapons can be re-obtained from bodies after they have been lodged in them through combat by simply picking up the body, which will cause the weapon to drop. This also happens when a long weapon has been lodged into bodies.
• The maximum amount of combo hits is 3.
• Players can disarm a weapon attack in the first attempt, whereas it can take several attempts to disarm Elite or Leader Guards who are considerably less powerful damage-wise, as opposed to Brutes.
• Heavy Weapons are the most common weapons used by the Mercenaries.
• In Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Ezio has the ability to throw heavy and long weapons at his enemies. Heavy weapons will get stuck in the target's head while the long weapons will impale the target.
• Taunting with the "Head" button will make it easier to disarm tougher guards such as Brutes or Papal Guards.
• In Assassin's Creed II, brutes can be disarmed easily, however, in Brotherhood the brutes are very difficult to disarm, making the heavy weapons harder to obtain.
• A heavy weapon cannot be used to knock a guard off his horse; a medium sword is needed for that. A heavy weapon can counter a guard on his horse and knock him off in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
• Assassin Apprentices below the rank of Assassino can wield axes.
• In Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, although Ezio can no longer perform the Smash skill, enemies still can, though not the disarm smash.
• Occasionally, when a heavy weapon is thrown at a guard that is in mid-air, it will stay in his head and he will stand still. The guard will appear dead and won't attack Ezio. When the player removes the heavy weapon from the body, however, the weapon will fall to the ground and can be retrieved as usual.

Gallery

• Mercenaries and Ezio using bearded axes.
  Mercenaries and Ezio using bearded axes.
• Ezio using a two-handed axe.
  Ezio using a two-handed axe.
• The Heavy Sheath as it appears in a shop.
  The Heavy Sheath as it appears in a shop.
• The Quest necessary to unlock one of the heavy weapons.
  The Quest necessary to unlock one of the heavy weapons.
• 
  Left to right: Labrys, Bearded Axe, Bastard Sword.