Weaponry in the World of Avatar

A wide range of weapons are found in the World of Avatar, varying in quality, size, and usage among the four nations. Metal is the principal material used in the construction of most weapons.

Prior to the foundation of the United Republic of Nations, the Fire Nation was the most technologically advanced when it came to manufacturing weapons. This was due to their initiation of and dominant role in the Hundred Year War. The Earth Kingdom is the second most proficient due to the necessity of defending itself against the industrially superior Fire Nation, especially after the crumbling of the Southern Water Tribe. Both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes are capable of crafting their own weapons, which are often made of sharpened metal or animal parts such as skins and teeth.

The invention of metalbending had a significant impact on weaponry usage and manufacturing. Since metalbenders could simply deform or otherwise defeat weapons from earlier time periods, people had to utilize other forms of fighting that did not involve metal-based weapons. The metalbenders' advantage against older types of weapons was annulled with the creation of a new range of unbendable, electrical ones.

Air Nomads



 * Air Nomad glider - Due to their peaceful nature, the Air Nomads did not have any items used specifically as weapons; however, their gliders could be used to amplify airbending. Aang has used his staff for airbending, waterbending, and earthbending in battle.
 * Wind sword - While wearing a suit of armor, Aang mentioned that it was possible for him to make a wind sword; all he needed was a sword handle, and he could airbend a blade.

Armor

 * Wolf armor - Protective battle gear including a wolf-like helmet.
 * Greaves and bracers - Lower leg and lower arm protection (respectively), colored grey and decorated with a small white circle. They were apparently separate from a full "suit" of wolf armor, as Katara was seen wearing them during the invasion on the Day of Black Sun, but not the wolf helmet sported by the male warriors of her tribe.

Distance weapons

 * Boomerang - A small, L-shaped weapon made of metal. It is a thrown projectile that travels in a curved path and returns to its point of origin when thrown correctly. It is the most important and treasured weapon among Sokka's weapons, as he considers it to be an essential part of his identity.
 * Flower throwing stars - Used by Misu during her time in Forgetful Valley. By freezing the water inside living flowers, she was able to make the blossoms rigid and sharp-edged, and propelled them using waterbending. They were rather fragile, however, as Sokka was able to shatter them with his club.

Melee weapons

 * Axe - An average-sized axe with a blue-and-white blade and a medium-length white handle.
 * Battle club - A weapon used in the Southern Water Tribe. The base is carved from a polar bear femur and has a design in blue paint on each side of the blade. There is a heavy ball on the end and a notch for hooking opponent's weapons. A leather strap is attached for a more secure grip. This was another weapon used by Sokka. The club is a blunt instrument which Sokka used to strike people or animals. Sokka obtained this weapon while in the Southern Water Tribe. Using his club, Sokka defended his village during a Fire Nation raid. The Rough Rhinos found this club when they went through the belongings that Team Avatar had left behind after being attacked. Sokka managed to retrieve it, as he used it several times later. Sokka eventually lost it again to the sandbenders, after they stole Appa and all the baggage that had been in his saddle. His bone club served as a replacement.




 * Jaw blade - Primarily a hunting tool, made by sharpening the jawbone and teeth of a large arctic wolf. One side is rigid and is used as a saw, while the other is a blade side that is used for hunting and scraping skins clean. Sokka uses this to shave the sides and back of his head. While Sokka was assisting Jet, it was shown to be able to amplify vibrations in the environment, allowing him to accurately detect intruders. The handle is wrapped in leather for a more secure grip. It is normally carried in a small pouch.
 * Machete - A long, cleaver-like cutting weapon. Sokka used this to clear away vines while in the Foggy Swamp.
 * Spear - A weapon used in the Southern and Northern Water Tribe by warriors in battle and for hunting animals for food. The handle is made of wood and the spearhead of bone.
 * Whale's tooth scimitar - A weapon made from the tooth of a whale dolphin, used by tribesmen.

Other

 * Tangle mine - Weapons made with a bamboo frame and covered with dried animal skin filled with skunk fish and seaweed. These mines float in the water and detonate upon contact with another object. They were invented by Hakoda, who called the weapon the "Stink 'n Sink".
 * Water skin - While not technically a "weapon", waterbenders often carry skins or other containers of water (which can vary in size) while traveling, in case they find themselves in a place with limited options for waterbending (such as the desert).

Armor

 * Chain mail armor - Conceived by Sokka and crafted by the students of the Beifong Metalbending Academy, this armor is made of up of small, interconnected metal plates. Flexible enough to wear underneath clothing, it can also protect the wearer against chi blocking.
 * Conical military hat - A round, conical hat used by the military and the Dai Li. It can easily deflect or protect the user from firebending blasts.
 * Common military armor - A beige and green colored armor consisting of bracers, body armor, shin guards and a green colored belt-hung ge xie (protective clothing).
 * Shield - A protective device, meant to intercept attacks.
 * Collapsable wrist-shield - Utilized by the Kyoshi Warriors.

Artillery and explosives

 * Blasting jelly - An explosive, volatile weapon used for demolition.
 * Ice torpedo - These are warheads full of blasting jelly with a lit fuse inside, invented by the mechanist to be used against the Fire Nation. Waterbenders are able to propel them because of the surrounding ice.
 * Net launcher - A gun-like contraption used by the bison rustlers to capture baby sky bison, and later to trap Tenzin's students when they attempted to free the young animals.
 * Peanut sauce bombs - Explosive weapons invented by the mechanist that have yet to be perfected.
 * Smoke pellets - A combustive weapon. Exploding on impact, they create large smokescreens to confuse and distract enemies or victims, providing the opportunity to either attack or escape.

Distance weapons

 * Bow - A weapon that uses tension to propel arrows. It is used by Longshot.
 * Crossbow - A weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles. It is used by the pirates.
 * Surface-to-air rocks - A large earth sphere. These projectiles are the primary weapons of the Royal Earthbender Guards.

Melee weapons

 * Butterfly sword - This is a short dao, or single-edged blade, also known as Wu Dip Dao or Hu Die Dao. The top of the hilt is turned up so that the fighter can flip the sword around their thumb.




 * Dual broadswords - It is a category of single-edge swords primarily used for slashing and chopping (sabers), often called a broadsword.
 * Hook swords - Three weapons in one: a long pole with a hook at the end, a curved blade above the fist, and a spearhead beneath the handle. An experienced user can hook the ends together to double the reach of the weapons. Hook swords were Jet's primary weapon.
 * Kama - Traditional farming implements similar to a sickle used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon.
 * Katana - A type of Japanese sword. It is a curved, slender, single-edged blade, with a circular guard (although it is shown with a rectangular guard during the Kyoshi Warriors' fight with Azula, much like a ninjatō's square guard and straight blade), and a long grip to accommodate two hands. It is used by the Kyoshi Warriors and is one of the most effective means of cutting through organic material.
 * Kukri - A curved Nepalese knife used as both a tool and a weapon. Smellerbee is the only one known to wield this weapon.
 * Lochaber axe - A weapon consisting of a pole with an axehead mounted at its end. The axe itself is similar to tools used with crops, such as the scythe, which is designed for reaping. The point on the back of the blade is styled after the hook found on the original Scottish Lochaber Axes, in which the hook can be used for catching, hooking, and dragging clothing, skin, or weapons, not unlike the hook sword.
 * Naginata - A pole weapon consisting of a wooden shaft with a curved blade on the end. It has a thick, slightly curved katana-like blade connected to a long wooden pole.
 * Ninjato - A Japanese sword. It has a square grip, and a straight blade, with a small edge on its tip. The bartender of the cantina in the Misty Palms Oasis used dual ninjatos to cut fruit and ice in order to make drinks for any who stopped by.
 * Nunchaku - A weapon that consists of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope. They take some skill to use, since the inexperienced often wind up hitting themselves with it.
 * Pearl-handled dagger - Taken by Iroh from a defeated general in the Siege of Ba Sing Se and passed on to Zuko. It has an inscription on one side saying "Made in Earth Kingdom." The inscription on the other side reads "Never give up without a fight."
 * Polearm - A large two-handed edged weapon, usually in the form of a long metal or wood pole slightly taller than a person, with an axe-like head. It has a scythe-like blade attached to a long wooden pole.
 * Pu Dao - A type of Chinese anti-cavalry pole weapon. It consists of a broad curved blade mounted atop a long wooden pole.
 * Qian kun ri yue dao - A non-paired variety of the hook sword used by the pirates. The blade ends are semicircular; one resembles the sun while the other resembles the moon.
 * Shanzi - Collapsible iron fans that can be used for both defense and offense. They are the primary weapons of the Kyoshi Warriors and usually carried as a pair, one wielded in each hand.




 * Twin war hammer - Similar to a sledgehammer in construction and appearance, it is used to augment the potency of earthbending attacks. A rogue Earth Kingdom soldier, Gow, used this weapon to great effect in combination with his earthbending.
 * Wooden club - A weapon made of wood used by Pipsqueak. It is simple yet effective when used by someone of great strength.

Others

 * Large earth coins - These people-sized round coins are used as weapons primarily by earthbending soldiers, but some civilian earthbenders have also used these coins in combat.
 * Metal plates - Skilled metalbenders are able to use small metal plates stored in a backpack or armband as ammunition. These plates can be used either to bind the limbs of enemies, blind them by covering their eyes, or sharpened into an edge for delivering fatal blows. Kuvira incorporated these plates into the uniform of the metalbending soldiers of her army.
 * Meteor hammer - A weapon that consists of two weights connected by a rope or chain. Due to its flexible construction, the meteor hammer could be easily concealed as a defensive or surprise weapon.
 * Rock gloves - These gloves are the favored weapons of the Dai Li. Agents wear the rock gloves on their hands and can use them in battle by earthbending.

Armor

 * Military armor - Red and black armor accompanied by helmets, varying according to the wearer's status or bending ability. It may include a protective skull-shaped mask for benders.

Artillery and explosives

 * Ballista - A large crossbow-like crew-served weapon that launches heavy spear-like bolts, harpoons or explosive shells.
 * Cannon - A primitive firebending-powered cannon used to launch bombs has been shown mounted on Fire Nation airships.
 * Catapult - Any of a number of non-handheld crew-served mechanical devices used to throw heavy projectiles a great distance without the aid of explosives. Multiple trebuchet-style catapults can be found on each Fire Navy ship, especially those that guard the nation's borders. These ornate catapults have a large dragon head statue at the top of each arm.
 * Trebuchet - Artillery used to hurl projectiles (most commonly rocks, often flaming) great distances.

Distance weapons

 * Bow - A weapon that uses tension generated by a string and wooden or laminate staff to propel arrows, used by the Yuyan Archers and also used with flaming arrows by Vachir.
 * Chain - A weapon made of a heavy object attached to a chain with a handle, used by Ogodei. It can be used to damage buildings or tie up enemies.




 * Stiletto - Small arrow-like darts used by Mai. They are thrown much in the same way as throwing stars and can restrain an enemy by pinning their clothes to a surface behind or below them.
 * Throwing knives - Mai's preferred weapons. She carried a variety of these blades to be used for different types of attacks.

Melee weapons

 * Dadao - Large, single-edged broadswords used by some Fire Nation soldiers.
 * Dual broadswords - A category of single-edged swords primarily used for slashing and chopping (sabers), Zuko frequently wielded this weapon during his travels.
 * Fire Nation sword - The standard long-bladed sword used by Fire Nation soldiers.




 * Guan Dao - The Kwan/Guan Dao is a type of Chinese pole weapon. It is large and heavy and used by Kahchi of the Rough Rhinos.
 * Hammer - A medium-sized sledgehammer that can be used as a tool or a weapon. The hammer can also be connected to an iron chain, making it a powerful medium-distance weapon.
 * Jian sword - A type of straight sword wielded by Piandao and Sokka. In the hands of a master it can be far more versatile and dangerous than it appears. It is usually made of high-quality steel, but Sokka's sword was forged from a meteorite. This unique sword can cut over a foot of solid metal or rock.
 * Jii - A halberd-spear with a crescent moon-shaped blade on one or both sides. It is useful against both ground infantry and cavalry.
 * Kanabo - A long club weapon. Large and heavy, they have either metal studs or spikes running in vertical rows along the length of the weapon and have enough power to easily smash bones, even if the target uses a shield.
 * Nunchaku - Two short lengths of wood connected by a chain, ued as a flexible striking weapon.
 * Poison knife - A dagger with a compartment for poison in its handle. Jet "discovered" this on an elderly Fire Nation citizen to incriminate him.
 * Pu Dao - An anti-cavalry halberd. Its first known use in combat was during the battle for Yu Dao in 101 AG by the reformed Fire Nation Army.
 * San gu cha - A trident-shaped dagger.
 * Spear - Mainly used by nonbender troops. The handle is made of wood. Other types of spears have a red tuft near the base of the spearhead, both to distract opponents and to prevent blood from running down the shaft.

United Republic of Nations

 * Biplane - Method of transportation and warfare developed by Hiroshi Sato for the Equalists' attack on Republic City. Their great maneuverability makes them highly capable of dropping bombs and torpedoes on enemy targets.
 * Bolas - Weighted lengths of cord thrown by the Equalists to entangle and bring down their foes.
 * Bombs - An explosive dropped by Equalist biplanes. Bombs are capable of causing massive amounts of damage.
 * Earth disks - Smaller versions of large earth coins, employed by pro-bending players as well as earthbending soldiers in the United Forces.




 * Electrified glove - A portable weapon that releases a powerful electrical shock capable of rendering a victim unconscious.
 * Electrified kali sticks - Metal prods used to stun and immobilize opponents upon contact. These are the signature weapons of the Lieutenant, and are powered by a generator strapped to the back of the user.
 * Electrified prod - An electroshock weapon used by the Lieutenant that is disguised as a spider rat extermination device.
 * Electrified ropes - Ropes wrapped around small disks that deliver a powerful electric shock to victims, used by the Equalists.
 * Firebending cannon - Found on United Forces battleships, these cannons are used to concentrate a firebender's attack into a long-range blast capable of destroying enemy targets.
 * Mecha tank - Built by Hiroshi Sato for the Equalists, mecha tanks are large, mechanized suits that Equalists use to defeat their opponents in battle.
 * Metal cables - Used by the Metalbending Police Force, these cables, which are stored in wire spools on the back of the police uniform, are used to subdue criminals, as well as to zip across the city.
 * Naval mine - Employed by the Equalists to destroy enemy watercraft, they detonate when they come into contact with another object.




 * Riot shield - Defensive tool used by metalbending police officers.
 * Smoke grenade - Canisters that release a thick smoke to block an opponents' vision.
 * Torpedo - Dropped by Equalist biplanes into the water, torpedoes will travel straight until they come in contact with another object and detonate upon impact.
 * Truncheon - Used by nonbending members of the Metalbending Police Force.

Trivia

 * Many weapons—particularly those of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation—are either inspired by or are real-life East Asian weapons.
 * "Wind sword" is also the name of a weapon in Nintendo's Fire Emblem series and Berserk series.