Main Gauche

“If given the opportunity, learn to use a main gauche. It takes some getting used to, but it will make you a much better fencer.”
— Fencing master Metelessa Galora, to her students, 1037 FB

The main gauche, or left-hand dagger, is the classic parrying choice of Horasian and Almadan dandies, fencers, and wandering swords. Its broad cross-guard can stop attacks with a successful Crossblock maneuver, and the blade easily slips past a distracted opponent’s defenses, though it can be less useful against plate armor.

“It may surprise you to learn that my life has been saved more often by my left-hand dagger than by my rapier. I think people sometimes forget that it has a blade. Also, compared to a buckler, it is easier to hide.”

— Carolan Calavanti, Vinsaltan vagabond

“Do they make a right-hand dagger for left-handed people?”

— Brother Hilbert of Auen, Blessed One of Peraine

“Yes, though they still call it a left-hand dagger.”

— Carolan Calavanti, Vinsaltan vagabond

Technique	Damage	P+T	AT/PA	Reach	Weight	Length	Cost	Complexity
Daggers	d6+1	AGI 14	0/0	short	0.75 stn 1.5 lbs	30 hf/cm 12 inches	90 S	simple

Note: Parrying Weapon (+ 1 bonus to primary weapon’s PA)

Weapon Advantage: Ignore the normal -2 penalty for the maneuver Deadly Thrust.

Weapon Disadvantage: Subtract 1 from the DP roll for attacks against armor of at least PRO 6.