Please let there be no master strikes in KCD2

[Tenchuu Khan]

Seriously... it makes combat in this game so utterly boring.

Am on my 5th playthrough because I love the game but combat is so damn stupid.
You attack first - you lose. Period - there's nothing more to it.

Combat is really fine during the tutorial but then everything gets thrown off the board and tadaaa - Master Strike.

I've blown almost 300 hours on this game and afaic it's the best RPG ever made. But I'm so tired of explaining the game to someone and making excuses for how the combat is somewhat "good" once you learn it more.... well no - all you need is the stupid master strike and then it just becomes the same crap over and over.

And don't get me started on the number of useless combos that just don't work... guess why... because every enemy ever, in-between a 4 combo strike just pulls a master strike out of his ass.

Every tournament ever is the same crap: wait for the enemy to attack, master strike.... same BS combo you learn at first + a stab in the face because the third strike throws them off-balance... always.
Besides that face-stabs are ridiculously powerful. Especially the master strike where when you hit the enemy in the throat with an axe... insta-kill.

[DargonBlak]

direction of attack, feints, and other direction-dependent behaviors were a bit of a focus for KCD, back when it was released in 2018 - the devs talked about it.

unfortunately, the game was very buggy on release, and they scaled back (turned off ?), a lot of those dependencies in KCD (but there is still some reported influence).

At one pont, the new KCD 2 Trailer focused on melee combat and feints and special moves, and the devs even mentioned something about direction-of-attack dependence, and being able to finally implement combat the way they originally planned...

so, i think KCD 2 melee combat will actually be even more heavily committed to the idea of Master Strike, Combo, Feints, etc. than KCD (1).

i just have no idea how to improve on such a bad idea, unless it's now completely scripted...

[Tenchuu Khan]

That's great to hear.

I remember back when the game was still in Dev that they released an early access in regards to the combat system and there it was with directional blocks and what not.
It was hard af but fine.
Also remember that there was a scene in the EA where 3 foes approach you and the game crashed at the first attack... always :D

Anyway, thanks for the info on why they then ruined it with that grrr master strike system.

Looking forward to KCD2 - doing so anyway, and the combat looks a lot more versatile in the announcement - I just hope they don't blow it up again.


PS:
If there's slow-mo crap again, make it optional. I hate it.

[FTZ35]

It does not have to be removed completely but the AI should only use it to punish player mistakes.
E.g. if a player starts a combo with a feint and then constantly changes the zone with every additional attack, the AI should at most be able to perform a perfect block or dodge, but not a masterstrike.
Meanwhile the player's masterstrike should be harder to perform on a single target, maybe create a perk that boosts it back to its orginal level when multiple enemies so those fights don't drag on forever.

[2GenL]

There should be moves that you simply cannot defend against - eg, when someone hits you behind the knee when not prepared which causes that leg to give way quickly - but should be very hard to pull off in combat

[LowFPSman]

Originally posted by DargonBlak:

direction of attack, feints, and other direction-dependent behaviors were a bit of a focus for KCD, back when it was released in 2018 - the devs talked about it.

unfortunately, the game was very buggy on release, and they scaled back (turned off ?), a lot of those dependencies in KCD (but there is still some reported influence).

At one pont, the new KCD 2 Trailer focused on melee combat and feints and special moves, and the devs even mentioned something about direction-of-attack dependence, and being able to finally implement combat the way they originally planned...

so, i think KCD 2 melee combat will actually be even more heavily committed to the idea of Master Strike, Combo, Feints, etc. than KCD (1).

i just have no idea how to improve on such a bad idea, unless it's now completely scripted...

Well... Master strike was focus of KCD. Trying to feint is esential, but half of the time ANY attack you try to do will be master striked by enemie. Late game only chance to beat strong opponent is masterstrike again and again and agin. With occational 3 strike combos when enemie is wounded enough to stop 100% master stroke you. Idk what in kcd 2 with masterstrike loop, but I definetly saw ripost loops.

[LowFPSman]

BTW combos in KCD 2 is just ♥♥♥♥,,, with how we lost 3 "directions" legs and stab and starting combo is as underwelming as it is easy.

[ShepherdOfCats]

I'm thinking the combat we're seeing in the CKD2 combat gameplay, with all the cool combos, is either maxed out in stats or they disabled master strikes for the purpose of marketing. I hate to be so pessimistic, but I can't help but think that a more honest presentation of the game will show each combo being interrupted by NPCs doing a master strike on you.