Arab swordsmiths, especially those of Damascus and Toledo, in Iberia, are renowned for their skill and the quality of their blades. This is due both to the higher quality of steel which they use as well as a process of watering the blades which strengthens them and leaves a distinctive pattern in the metal. These weapons, like all those made by Arab artisans, are highly artistic, often being decorated with valuable metals and gems. For these reasons, swords of Arab manufacture are highly prized in both the Islamic and Christian lands.
Damasked blades add an additional +1 to the damage bonus. Because of their high quality, they are also easier to enchant, having only 4 base points (as opposed to 5 for normal metals) for determining the number of raw vis points necessary to prepare them for enchantment.