I need tips how to fight efficiently with melee weapons

[Inferjus]

I am not too good with fighting with melee weapons and I am doing even worse when I get hit. I then usually get hit second time because I am not able to do normal (RMB and then LMB) attack. Could you give me any tips how to fight?

[MazyRun]

It took me a while to get to grips with every weapon but you will feel yourself improving at melee combat the more you engage in it.

I use controller, I find it more efficient, plus I unbind 'dodge' (the backwards jump that drains stamina), I find that this uncomplicates combat, I prefer to move around side stepping attacks naturally.

Firstly, you have to think about your movement and positioning in fights and be super aware of your surroundings. Avoid fighting in tight areas like small enclosed rooms, avoid fighting in absolute darkness (always have lantern equipped).

Stamina management is very important, but you can still scrap through a fight with a drained stamina bar, it just limits what you can do.

It's all about timing, you got to time them weapon swings, if you feel you've swung too early try to move forward so the swing might connect with the oncoming target. If you've swung too late try to move back or side step to adjust the point at which the swing will connect with the target.

All the melee weapons are pretty much equal and perform well in multiple situations, players will have preferences but they all get the job done, there is no 'best weapon'..

You can get by with board with nails until the shovel/pitchfork/axe become available. It's fairly easy to use but as you level up the difficulty increases and it's damage output starts to feel too weak. Time to progress to shovel..

Shovel combat takes a while to master because of the long wind up/swing on it. It's mistiming these swings that will cost you (but you can recover), whenever you miss the target start evading and re-set so you're not tired and out of position.

Dont worry about taking the occasional hit from your enemy, just dont get into a situation where they can hit you more than once in quick succession. Output more damage than them (have emergency heals in hotbar).

Sometimes you will be in control of the fight, othertimes it could get scrappy.. in this case, Light Armor WILL save your life.. Skills WILL save your life (especially things like acid blood and scream).

Pitchfork is a very underrated weapon, with most weapons it's favorable to upgrade their durability & damage first (and leave the light materials/stamina buff for later)..

..However the pitchfork is slightly different, even when upgraded it doesn't do high damage, its strength is its long reach/fast jabbing ability (for small stamina drain). Therefore buffing its stamina & damage first (over durability) keeps it viable alongside the other melee weapons.

You get the axe fairly late into the chapter (or as late as chapter 2), I think this is why many players stick with shovel as their primary weapon even when the axe is available, they've got used to it's reach and swing time and the axe feels different.

The axe is really good though, you just have to let enemies in a bit closer. When you master the axe the shovel can start feeling a bit clunky in comparison, this is a good time to demote your shovel to digging only (basically keep one in backpack to dig up loot piles).

Also remember that quite often melee combat is completely avoidable, sometimes a throwable is better (always have some equipped).

[Inferjus]

Originally posted by MazyRun:

It took me a while to get to grips with every weapon but you will feel yourself improving at melee combat the more you engage in it.

I use controller, I find it more efficient, plus I unbind 'dodge' (the backwards jump that drains stamina), I find that this uncomplicates combat, I prefer to move around side stepping attacks naturally.

Firstly, you have to think about your movement and positioning in fights and be super aware of your surroundings. Avoid fighting in tight areas like small enclosed rooms, avoid fighting in the absolute darkness (always have lantern equipped).

Stamina management is very important, but you can still scrap through a fight with a drained stamina bar, it just limits what you can do.

It's all about timing, you got to time them weapon swings, if you feel you've swung too early try to move forward so the swing might connect with the oncoming target. If you've swung too late try to move back or side step to adjust the point at which the swing will connect with the target.

All the melee weapons are pretty much equal and perform well in multiple situations, players will have preferences but they all get the job done, there is no 'best weapon'..

You can get by with board with nails until the shovel/pitchfork/axe become available. It's fairly easy to use but as you level up the difficulty increases and it's damage output starts to feel too weak. Time to progress to shovel..

Shovel combat takes a while to master because of the long wind up/swing on it. It's mistiming these swings that will cost you (but you can recover), whenever you miss the target start evading and re-set so you're not tired and out of position.

Dont worry about taking the occasional hit from your enemy, just dont get into a situation where they can hit you more than once in quick succession. Output more damage than them (have emergency heals in hotbar).

Sometimes you will be in control of the fight, othertimes it could get scrappy.. in this case, Light Armor WILL save your life.. Skills WILL save your life (especially things like acid blood and scream).

Pitchfork is a very underrated weapon, with most weapons it's favorable to upgrade their durability & damage first (and leave the light materials/stamina buff for later)..

..However the pitchfork is slightly different, even upgraded it doesnt do high damage, it's strength is it's long reach fast jabbing ability (for small stamina drain). Therefore buffing it's stamina & damage first (over durability) keeps it viable alongside the other melee weapons.

You get the axe fairly late into the chapter (or as late as chapter 2), I think this is why many players stick with shovel as their primary weapon even when the axe is available, they've got used to it's reach and swing time and the axe feels different.

The axe is really good though, you just have to let enemies in a bit closer. When you master the axe the shovel can start feeling a bit clunky in comparison, this is a good time to demote your shovel to digging only (basically keep one in backpack to dig up loot piles).

Also remember that quite often melee combat is completely avoidable, sometimes a throwable is better (always have some equipped).

Thanks a lot for the tips! I've got 2 questions tho: what are throwable weapons beside of the knife and rocks; What can you tell me about fast attack?

[MazyRun]

Mostly Molotovs, they are god tier and you can craft lots of them (you can stockpile them at the hideout), you'll be burning them chompers alive soon. There are other types of throwables which unlock later.

Fast attack as in the secondary attack type for each weapon? ..I pretty much just use the primary 'slow' heavy attack for each weapon but there are definitely times where the secondary light attack will be favorable (usually when up close or low on stamina).

It's worth experimenting with it, you might find a combat style which works better using the secondary attack more often.

[Inferjus]

Originally posted by MazyRun:

Mostly Molotovs, they are god tier and you can craft lots of them (you can stockpile them at the hideout), you'll be burning them chompers alive soon. There are other types of throwables which unlock later.

Fast attack as in the secondary attack type for each weapon? ..I pretty much just use the primary 'slow' heavy attack for each weapon but there are definitely times where the secondary light attack will be favorable (usually when up close and low on stamina).

It's worth experimenting with it, you might find a combat style which works better using the secondary attack more often.

I am on chapter 2 and there are almost no Chompers to burn. I will give Molotovs a try in the future tho. I find fast attacks pretty useful when enemy keeps attacking me on a short distance when I do not have any time to do normal attack and they are also very good against Chicks spawned by Banshees. Maybe one of those fast attack tips will help you, but I do not think so since you can rely on normal attacks.