One of the many commendations you can complete during The Quest for Guybrush Tall Tale is the ‘Trial of the Sword’ commendation. You can start working on the commendation as soon as you clear the fog during this Tall Tale.
If you need help completing the rest of The Quest for Guybrush Tall Tale, check out our entire walkthrough here.
If you are just looking to complete ‘Trial of the Sword’, your first step is to complete a circus performance!
Trial of the Sword Commendation
To complete the Trial of the Sword commendation, you must defeat Ribbsy with the Sword Master. However, before you can do that, you’ll first need to complete a circus performance, pay for Insult Sword Fighting training, and learn every Insult and Retrot.
Complete a circus performance
You must speak with the Fettucini Brothers at the Circus to complete a circus performance. Go to the Circus and head inside the tent. Talk with the brothers, pick up and equip the Circus Costume, and complete the routine.
After you complete the circus performance, the Fettucini Brothers will give you 404 Pieces o’ Eight. You can then use these Pieces o’ Eight to pay Captain Smirk for Insult Sword Fighting training.
Insult Sword Fighting Training
To receive Insult Sword Fighting training, you must speak with Captain Smirk. Captain Smirk is in his house just South of Stan’s Previously Owned Vessels.
Knock on the door, speak with Captain Smirk, and present him with your Mighty Pirate Sword. You must have the sword equipped and drawn when you show it to him.
After you present the sword, Captain Smirk will invite you inside, where you can pay him for training.
Captain Smirk will teach you all about Insult Sword Fighting. During the training, you will learn that every Insult has a corresponding Retort. You must use the correct retort when insulted to win the exchange.
Captain Smirk will also teach you two Insults and two Retorts during the training. With two Insults and Retorts under your belt, you will already have 4/20 Insults and Retorts learned.
To learn the remaining Insults and Retorts, you must duel pirates around Mêlée Island. Captain Smirk will give you a map where you can find fights. He has marked the fight locations with red cutlasses on the map.
Insult Sword Fighting
As you fight pirates around Mêlée Island, expect to lose two fights followed by winning one. You will keep losing two and winning one until you learn every Insult and Retort.
It’s not important whether you win or lose the fight. What is essential is that no matter what, you will be learning new Insults and Retorts during each one.
To speed up learning all the Insults and Retorts, ensure you use Insults you have yet to use when you can. When you select one, you’ll notice a yellow dot next to the Insults and Retorts in the dialogue options.
However, just because you use a new Insult doesn’t mean you will automatically learn the corresponding Retort. The pirate you use the Insult on could respond with the wrong Retort. You might need to use the Insult a few times before learning its Retort, so you’ll want to keep track of which Insults you have learned a Retort for.
If you are diligent about using new Insults and Retorts when possible, you will only have to fight eight pirates. No matter how long it takes you, keep fighting until you learn every Insult and Retort.
Once you learn all ten pairs of Insults and Retorts, Murray will tell you where you can find the Sword Master.
Insult and Retorts
Below is a list of every Insult and its Retort:
| Insult | Retort |
|---|---|
| My deeds are spoken of worldwide! | Well, everyone loves a good joke. |
| My swordplay will amaze you! | Yeah - I'm amazed you've lasted this long. |
| Your not fit to lick my boots! | I'll be scraping you off mine shortly. |
| I've met pigs that are scarier than you! | Glad to hear you stay in touch with your parents. |
| No one has faced me and lived! | With breath that bad, I'm not surprised. |
| I'm here to take your life! | It's about time you got one. |
| I'll wipe the floor with you! | I hope you're better at cleaning than you are at fighting. |
| I'm the greatest fighter on the seas! | Too bad you met ME on dry land. |
| Need to catch your breath? | Only from laughing at you. |
| No-one has ever beaten me in combat! | Oh, so this IS your first time? |
Find the Sword Master
You can find the Sword Master deep in the Forest. Traverse the Forest to the grove of yellow flowers. Just after the flowers, turn right to the southeast, and you will find the wooden sign and log bridge depicted in Murray’s directions. Press the secret switch on the back of the wooden sign and cross the log bridge.
Once on the other side, you will find the Sword Master and an unpleasant surprise!
Defeat Ribbsy
LeChuck sent some crew to take our Carla, the Sword Master. One of LeChuck’s crew members, Ribbsy, will challenge you to a sword fight.
Ribbsy will always attack and Insult you, so you can only Retort. Ribbsy’s insults are different variations of the Insults you’ve already learned. You’ll need to decipher which Insults of his match your Retrots.
Once you defeat Ribbsy, Carcla will give you her medallion as proof of completing the Trial. Corina will appear nearby to collect Carla’s Medallion. Give Corina Carla’s Medallion to complete the Trial of the Sword and unlock the commendation.
Ribbsy's Insult and Retorts
Below is a list of every Ribbsy Insult and its Retort:
| Insult | Retort |
|---|---|
| I'm welcome everywhere I go! | Well, everyone loves a good joke. |
| I'm an amazing fighter! | Yeah - I'm amazed you've lasted this long. |
| I'll give you a taste of my blade! | I'll be scraping you off mine shortly. |
| I've met useless wretches like you before! | Glad to hear you stay in touch with your parents. |
| People tremble whenever I speak! | With breath that bad, I'm not surprised. |
| Looking at you offends my sense of decency! | It's about time you got one. |
| This will be a good clean fight! | I hope you're better at cleaning than you are at fighting. |
| This fight is going swimmingly! | Too bad you met ME on dry land. |
| You're looking a little flushed! | Only from laughing at you |
| My blade is in perfect condition! | Oh, so this IS your first time? |
2 thoughts on “How to do the ‘Trial of the Sword’ Commendation in Sea of Thieves’ The Quest for Guybrush Tall Tale”
I think I broke the whole quest. I got the medallion after beating ribbsy, didn’t think and ran off with it. Tried brining it back and nothing. Nothings working at all. I tried starting again from check point and it made it worse.
Hmm, that’s weird. Does talking to Carla again make Corina come back?