Stiletto

The stiletto is one of the seventeen sword types available to players in the game. It is produced at iron mongers. On subscription oceans, the stiletto may only be used by subscribers.

The stiletto is considered to be a very effective sword for its low cost by some players.

The stiletto's main strength is the ability to leave a jumble of all four colors in the center two columns. However, the stiletto's drop pattern is monochromatic on either edge of the board&mdash;making it easy for human opponents to clear out an edge with a single breaker. The only way the stiletto can place a second color into column 1 or 6 is via a horizontal strike. The stiletto fares far better in multiplayer brawls when it is paired with a sword that doesn't need horizontal strikes to introduce new colors into columns 1 and 6.

The stiletto does have an advantage with horizontal strikes--every horizontal strike will have a top row of only one color, creating a shield. This shield can cover other blocks and make breaking blocks below it difficult until the shield is broken. Horizontal attacks that are three colors tall also have a jumble of all four colors on the bottom row, making them even more potent. These horizontal strikes are especially devastating to those attempting to create combos as not only are smaller chains connecting jewels and breakers removed, the shields further slow down the creation of combos and instakills. As a consequence, the stiletto makes an excellent defensive sword though it's vertical offensive strikes are relatively weak in comparison to other swords.

Recipe

 * Enamel: 1 unit
 * Enamel: 1 unit
 * Iron: 1 unit
 * Serandite: 1 unit
 * 15 hours of basic labor
 * 10 hours of skilled labor