The foil came into existence as the weapon used for non-lethal training at fencing schools, and thus it is still used by the majority of fencing groups as the training weapon for beginners. It is a stabbing weapon, meaning you are only supposed to hit your opponent with the tip of the blade. For a hit to be counted as a valid touch it must land on the torso; the arms, legs, and head do not count. The valid target includes the front, back, and sides of the torso (the groin counts, however on the sides and back the target ends at the waist). This limited target area came about from late Renaissance fencing masters instructing their students to only aim for vital parts of the body, while attacking the head was considered unsporting. Foil also has a special set of rules, called "Right of way", that are used to determine which fencer scores a point based upon the actions taken by both fencers. In essence, "right of way" is synonymous with "right to score". The fencer that attacks first is considered to have the right of way and will score a point upon hitting the opponent, unless that opponent can gain the right of way by making the attack fail. If both fencers hit each other only one of them can score a point, and sometimes neither is awarded anything if they both attacked at the same time.

The epee (pronounced "EPP-pay", meaning "sword" in French) descends from the rapier, one of the more popular swords used in duels. It is a stabbing weapon, like foil, meaning you are only supposed to hit your opponent with the tip of the blade. Unlike foil, in epee the entire body counts as a valid target (arms, legs, head, and torso). This makes epee bouts more like an actual duel, where often the first fencer to draw blood from any part of the body was declared the winner. Another difference from foil that makes epee more like a duel is the lack of "Right of way". Whichever fencer hits first usually scores the point, and if both fencers hit each other at the same time then both score a point (this is called a "double-touch"). The full body target and possibility of a double-touch often results in slower action in an epee bout, since both fencers must take great care with their attacks. Also, the lack of complex scoring rules makes epee the easiest of the three weapons for an audience to follow.

The sabre descends from the sword used by cavalry. Unlike foil or epee, sabre is a cutting weapon, meaning the opponent can be hit with any part of the blade. The valid target for sabre is the front, back, and sides of the upper body from the waist up, including arms and head (but not the hands). This limited target area came about from the notion that it is contrary to the rules of chivalry to attack an opponent's horse. Sabre also has the rules of "Right of way", like foil, and thus fencers cannot both score a point at the same time. Sabre typically has the fastest action during bouts, making it the polar opposite of epee.