Complete Newbie Combat Questions

[allen]

Hello, players! I am just an hour in to the game (and a very inexperienced computer gamer in general), and I'm hoping an experienced player will help me understand the mechanics of how to execute combat in this game.

Am I supposed to be be button mashing during (basic) combat? It *seems* that I'm not. It seems that instead I'm supposed to choose an opponent. One an opponent is selected then combat *automatically* proceeds on a round-by-round basis, with each of us exchanging blows. Is that correct?

Also, it appears that this game is based on the d20 Modern system for tabletop games, but somehow modified for the computer.

Many thanks for handholding a newbie!

Allen

[FireAnt1]

Yep, Kotor is all about turn based combat. Pause the fight and queue up the actions you would like to take. Then unpause the game and watch your strategy unfold. Keep in mind that most of the special attacks you make will leave that character vulnerable in some way when they defend.

The computer handles all of the tedious calculations so you can focus on what actions you're going to take. One of the most important things you can do to help in combat, imho, is to make sure your 'to hit' number is in the green. For example if you dual wield at an early level your 'to hit' score will be low, consequently your character will miss most of the time. Switch that character to a single weapon and the 'to hit' score will go up. You'll do less damage but you'll hit more often.

Hope you enjoy the game, it's one of my favorites!

[allen]

Thanks for the advice. What do you mean by "queue up the actions"?

[krispykremeguy42]

Typically, I auto-attack with most characters until the situation changes so that I need to do something else. For example, if I'm running low on health, I'll pause, click the heal button, and resume auto-attacks.

Later, once you get some Jedi, you might want to use different force powers (like Stun or Force Choke). If you'd like to stack debuffs, it's handy to queue them up while the game is paused, rather than trying to juggle 3 characters' actions simulatenously.

I hope that answered your question. If you meant more fundamentally (like "what is a queue?"), then that's just making a list of actions to take chronoligcally. You do that by selecting actions at a faster rate than the character can complete them (except autoattack). Moving the character manually clears the queue, so be aware of that.

[Fènghuáng®]

you get 4 basic attacks, Auto-attack, and 3 unlockable feats. And then there are the Force powers, but for now, critical strike, or its ranged equvalent, sniper shot will make it twice as likely for you to do double damage, flurry, or its ranged equivalent, rapid shot, gives an extra attack per round, and all four of these increase the likeliness that you will be hit by the opponent on their turn, and power attack and power blast do extra damage at a reduced chance to hit

[allen]

Thanks so much, folks!

I now realize that I don't quite understand all the icons on the combat mode screen (which is a reason I don't understand how to queue up actions). Is there an annotated graphic online somewhere or a tutorial? (I did a web search but couldn't find one.)

Also, just to confirm...during battle I don't need to be clicking on my mouse to cause each swing of the sword (for example).

[Ragnarök]

No, you don't.

[emerrion]

I was also confused, these really cleared it up

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

I am in the same boat being new player. During combat I understand how to put combat actions in the queue but what happens when the queue is empty but the enemy is still alive, do I have to keep adding actions? Will I just stand there doing nothing or does it default to do the last action again until combat is done? Is there a way to make the game auto pause when the queue is empty so I can assign the next batch of actions?

[allen]

I don't even know how to put combat actions in the queue for each party member. Nor how to monitor each character's health. Nor how to move each character once its adversary is defeated...or do I even have to? Will characters automatically find new targets?

Is there an annotated graphic of the combat screen somewhere? Something to show me what all the little icons are for?

[TIFA'S COWBOY HAT]

Merp

[U_Know]

Strategize your attacks! For example, if you are facing a single opponent by yourself, open with something that can stun them or throw them back a bit, then hit with more direct attacks while they are disabled. Against multiple opponents, if you have a party with you, use crowd control type powers from one character to keep the entire opposition out of the fight while you hit them.

And so on and so forth. KotOR is all about strategy with combat.

[allen]

Sounds good...except I don't understand the keystroke/mouseclick mechanics of how to select, queue up, target actions for each member of the party. That's why I'm trying to find an annotated graphic of the combat mode screen to show me what each icon does.

[Voltronjeremy]

This is from Kotor II but as I recall the combat system remains relatively similar. http://lusipurr.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Knights-of-the-Old-Republic-II-Combat-Screenshot.jpg

Bottom of the screen is what your combat queue looks like. Left-clicking on a target should start up combat with a basic attack and will usually cause your character(And your companions) to position themselves so they can attack. The box in the middle of the screen gives you your melee/ranged attacks, your offensive force powers, and grenades. If you've purchased the appropriate perks/powers you can place your cursor over any of those boxes and scroll up or down to choose different attacks/powers. I would reccommend reading the descriptions for the various attacks to see their strengths and weaknesses.

Your companions will usually handle themselves but you can switch to them using tab and queue up attacks in the same way you would on your own character. I would suggest pausing the game(Spacebar) to give yourself some time to consider your plan of attack.

You and your squad should appear on the bottom right side of the screen. Health is the red bar on the left and force points(Which only appear on jedi) will be on the right. An upwards blue arrow is a positive buff and a downwards red arrow is a negative debuff. When you or an ally are at low health you should use a medpack(In Kotor II it's the second box on the right side on the lower left actionbar) or have a jedi use a healing power. You can also use shields to reduce incoming damage and stimulants(That's the symbol being shown in the medpack slot) to give you a boost to certain stats in combat.

Hope that helped. Sorry for the length.

[BotZero]

the best basic attack is Flurry. If all three hits land with master flurry its 3 chances to crit I believe dealing the most damage but dont spam it too much or you will start to miss too much.

You can set the game to pause after every combat round this lets you know when a round has ended which resets the debuffs you gain from using an attack for the rest of a round you suffer a penalty until that round ends.

At a low lv dont duel wield. When you reach a higher level and combat becomes more complicated its best to que up a few actions for each character and let it unfold rather than try to juggle mid fight.

Be aware that you can pause and access the inventory and use items as long as the character isnt between a combat action or hasnt just used that same item.

[allen]

Hi, everyone. I really appreciate all the help. I'm starting to figure out a bit about the combat mode screen. At least I figured out where the red health bars are!

I chose a "scoundrel" to start with (basically at random), and the game seems to be advancing him up the Sneak Attack tree. I don't know how to ensure that he is actually sneak attacking. I know how to do that in Dungeons & Dragons--flank opponent with an ally. Is that how it's done in KotOR? (I hope not because Carth seems to be fixated on using his blasters rather than melee attacks!).