What's the deal with clinches?

[Hackie P4ckie]

I remember when I played this game like two years ago, clinching was easy and I kept using it all the time. Now, when I walk into someone to clinch, there's no actual clashing of swords animation or time to even win the clinch, it seems like they just auto fail now.

I've been trying against Bernard for the last five minutes and every time I clinch, even pre-mashing the attack button, I don't last for longer than even a split second. The clinch fails the moment it starts and I get kicked away. I don't have clinch master, but I'd still expect to be able to win a clinch at least once. It seems like every single person I've met so far is too strong for me somehow.

[Valden21]

Are you playing on a new playthrough? If so, that might be the reason. In short, your Henry needs more experience. Winning clinches is based on the difference between how good you are, and how good your opponent is. So as you get better, so will your chances at winning a clinch.

[Hackie P4ckie]

Originally posted by Valden21:

Are you playing on a new playthrough? If so, that might be the reason. In short, your Henry needs more experience. Winning clinches is based on the difference between how good you are, and how good your opponent is. So as you get better, so will your chances at winning a clinch.

I'm level 9 and also have 9 strength. I can't really be sure how strong my enemies are by comparison.

Strangely enough, I've actually won some clinches already, but this happened when I was fighting a bunch of guards in Rattay and they pinned me in a corner. They kept triggering clinches and I was winning them instantly. Seems like there's no middle ground between immediately losing or immediately winning.

[DargonBlak]

All your related skills matter, not just Strength - and from what i've experienced, Warfare and Weapon skill matter as much as strength - and maybe even Unarmed Skill ?

Warhorse never published the actual math of anything, so everything about "how it works" is mostly anecdotal guesswork.

But, if ur "always failing" then you clearly don't have high enough skill levels in whatever skills matter - because most of it is skill versus skill competition with some random layer.

And what bothers me with Clinches is there is no certain way to engage in a clinch - no fixed mechanic - which is very annoying to me.

[AfLIcTeD]

Originally posted by DargonBlak:

And what bothers me with Clinches is there is no certain way to engage in a clinch - no fixed mechanic - which is very annoying to me.

All you need to do is get close enough to them and you will clinch. Can get annoying if they are stuck in a corner and keep bouncing back to you, clinching over and over.

[LArc7thHeaven]

Originally posted by AfLIcTeD:

Originally posted by DargonBlak:

And what bothers me with Clinches is there is no certain way to engage in a clinch - no fixed mechanic - which is very annoying to me.

All you need to do is get close enough to them and you will clinch. Can get annoying if they are stuck in a corner and keep bouncing back to you, clinching over and over.

While in unarmed combat it basically stunlock your opponent to death

[DargonBlak]

Originally posted by AfLIcTeD:

Originally posted by DargonBlak:

And what bothers me with Clinches is there is no certain way to engage in a clinch - no fixed mechanic - which is very annoying to me.

All you need to do is get close enough to them and you will clinch. Can get annoying if they are stuck in a corner and keep bouncing back to you, clinching over and over.

Nope - sometimes they dont cllnch and instead swing at you as you get close and even when you glitch through them - nothing guarantees a clinch

Yes, it happens magically "most times" when you close in - but that's not my point

[Valden21]

Originally posted by Hackie P4ckie:

Originally posted by Valden21:

Are you playing on a new playthrough? If so, that might be the reason. In short, your Henry needs more experience. Winning clinches is based on the difference between how good you are, and how good your opponent is. So as you get better, so will your chances at winning a clinch.

I'm level 9 and also have 9 strength. I can't really be sure how strong my enemies are by comparison.

Strangely enough, I've actually won some clinches already, but this happened when I was fighting a bunch of guards in Rattay and they pinned me in a corner. They kept triggering clinches and I was winning them instantly. Seems like there's no middle ground between immediately losing or immediately winning.

It's not just Strength that matters. Clinching is part of the combat mechanics, so combat-related skills have an impact on it. Strength, Warfare, Defense, etc.; your levels in all those skills come into play. It may also depends on your skill with whatever weapon you're using at the time; for instance, I use longswords so much in this game that my chances of winning a clinch are about 75-80% when I'me armed with one, but they drop to about 50% when I'm using any other weapon.

[MacSuibhne]

If you want to initiate a clinch, all you have to do is step back quickly. the aI will try to maintain 'distance' and your opponent will rush forward. As he does so, step forward to meet him and the clinch will happen. At which point, you have to get off the shove or the kick before your opponent, and a lot of that depends on your strength and skills as has been mentioned.

That said, you have to time it. You can't pre-mash the attack button ...in any of the combat mechanics in this game.

If you remember anything, remember that in KCD timing is everything.

[JakeURb8ty]

So if i don't want to clench constantly, side step and don't step back? It always confused me how Bernard said to 'control that space' even tho it feels like the AI just follows me in it always matching my move. I've avoided the clench master perk on purpose because I thought that was responsible for the constant clinching my last play through. When it repeats it gets old fast -even if i win.
the sasau foreman. man over and over and over I couldn't take 3 steps

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by JakeURb8ty:

So if i don't want to clench constantly, side step and don't step back? It always confused me how Bernard said to 'control that space' even tho it feels like the AI just follows me in it always matching my move. I've avoided the clench master perk on purpose because I thought that was responsible for the constant clinching my last play through. When it repeats it gets old fast -even if i win.

Side stepping might help. Just moving backwards won't, by itself, initiate a clinch--you have to get the opponent to 'run' towards you and then step into him. I suspect the stepping into him (inside his guard) is the critical element.

And yes, the AI wants to maintain a certain distance between you and the opponent. The opponent will try to get within striking range of you, if you allow him to. If you force the distance to be smaller than striking distance (or allow the opponent to), a clinch will almost certainly be the result, doesn't matter whether you initiate it or not.

Finally, next to "timing" the next most important realization you can come to is what Bernard tells you--keep moving, your life depends on it.

[JakeURb8ty]

helpful to know.
Was going to add I often do periodic right click stabs to keep them at distance - works for the most part but nothing is 100% as its a very fast moving game of rock paper scissors

[LArc7thHeaven]

Little trick for clinch. When clinching hit the left button (kicking/pushing your enemy far away), now move backward as far as you can to force AI to running toward you and when they close (and just starting attack animation) just press block.... et voila! instant master strike. Rinse and repeat or Clinching then press RMB and with longsword execute captain bernard's taught combo because you will guarantee about 2 hit after winning clinch