How to use the shovel?

[EpicRice]

The shovel is so slow, and I honestily don't know how i'm suppose to time it. Getting rushed by multiple enemies makes it so difficult to use, particularly against fast moving enemies.

[MazyRun]

It takes a while to get used to, you gotta time those swings. You will get the feel for it, good stamina management helps.

Practice getting used to the timing of the swings by fighting with it out in open areas (so you have room to run around and evade), you will find it easier to judge when to swing.

Shovel is only hard to use when you're stationary within a confined area with no space to move/evade, that's when you can get into trouble (other weapons, better suited for close quarters, will become available).

You can assist the timing of your hits by moving your character with the swing, e.g, move backwards if you feel you have swung late, move forwards if you feel you've swung too early..

..Sometimes you will need to move left or right with the swing to adjust the point at which the shovel connects with the oncoming target (think of it like hitting a baseball).

[EpicRice]

Originally posted by MazyRun:

It takes a while to get used to, you gotta time those swings. You will get the feel for it, good stamina management helps.

Practice getting used to the timing of the swings by fighting with it out in open areas (so you have room to run around and evade), you will find it easier to judge when to swing.

Shovel is only hard to use when you're stationary within a confined area with no space to move/evade, that's when you can get into trouble (other weapons, better suited for close quarters, will become available).

You can assist the timing of your hits by moving your character with the swing, e.g, move backwards if you feel you have swung late, move forwards if you feel you've swung too early..

..Sometimes you will need to move left or right with the swing to adjust the point at which the shovel connects with the oncoming target (think of it like hitting a baseball).

Yeah that's kind what got me. Got a night invasion with 2 savages with sticks and just panicked as hell. But in the open world, the mutated dogs usually get me too as I just struggle too much with timing the swing in comparison to the board with nails.

[MazyRun]

Upgrading the damage output on the shovel will help, it will reduce the amount of times you have to hit something to kill it.

Firearms are sometimes preferable in situations where you are holed up in a room and 1 or 2 intruders burst in.

Huge dogs are pretty agile, they often get an attack in.. you will find leveling up your skills and wearing armor will help during these scrappy encounters..

When you are stocked up on ammo & throwables you will be able to fight from range more often.

If you get really efficient at scavenging/looting & trading you will have enough resources & items to become less reliant on melee, especially during the night (disposable shotguns are ideal for base defence).