Combat FAQ for beginners

[Kamamura]

In this thread, I would like to summarize basic combat rules and oddities for beginning players - I feel that the lack of proper manual justifies such summary. I have spent enough time with the game to get a firm grasp on most things, however feel free to correct me where I am wrong. I presume you are using a XBOX style gamepad (the prefered device for games of this type, IMO), if you don't, please refer to your control scheme to proper KB+M equivalents. Let's start with basic actions:

Movement and camera - you move with left analogue stick, and you can slightly shift the camera with the right stick (not very useful). Unlike in Dark Souls or Nioh, this game has a fixed angle camera, which sometimes creates problems with enemy visibility. Luckily, positioning does not matter much in this game, and off-screen attacks are always telegraphed with prompts. You dodge-roll with the A button, and if you hold the A button, your character will start running - not very useful, since there is a delay, and running is not faster than rolling.

Attacking - Standard weapon attack is executed with the X button. You don't have to worry about ranging, because you are always "slided" into range by the game. Targets are chosen semi-automatically, that means the one you are facing is preferred, but sometimes you can hit unintended tartgets. Most enemies do not perform any blocks or dodges, so attacks mean usually free hits. Some enemies have armor, which is signalized by metallic clanking sound, bluish glow around the target, and sometimes with "B" prompt. Shield-bearing enemies (empire pikemen and swordsmen) sometimes switch into blocking stance, which means they won't take any damage from standard attacks, and it's signalized in the same way, only the sound is a wooden "thud".

Break Guard - Enemy armor/block can be removed with the Break Block action, which is initiated by the B button. If performed against shielded enemy, the block is removed and the enemy is temporarily without defence, and can be attacked with X again. If you attack armored enemy with Break Block, you will see pieces of armor being chipped away, and when all the armor is gone, your character will perform an exaggerated, wide swing that knocks the armor off the opponent - this is visually clued by enemy losing his helmet, cuirrass, etc. Armored enemies do not take standard damage before this. Some enemies (Northern Frost Tyrant) regenerate armor, so the whole procedure might be repeated several times.

Block/Parry/Riposte - Defense is rather strange in this game (defensive action is initiated with the Y button). Normally, a weapon parry must be properly timed - you must wait and perform the parry just before the enemy hits you, or he may change his attack. In other words, the attacker is the active party, and the defender is the reactive party. However, in this game, enemy attacks are signalized by two types of prompts - green (blockable) and red (unblockable). There is no logical pattern in this ( for example light, fast attacks vs. heavy, damaging attacks), some are just designated red and some green.

Green Attacks - green attacks are almost all melee attacks, with a single exception - if you have a shield equipped, Imperial rifleman shot is becomes a green attack too (otherwise it's red). Green attacks are blockable - a green prompt appears, which means the attacker has entered into the "attacking" state. Any time, at your leisure, if you are close enough and press Y, you push him back into the neutral stance and the prompt disappears - with twohanded weapons, the action is animated as a pommel bash against the face of your opponent, with sword and shield, it's animated as a shield bash, and with twin daggers, it's a block with the blades crossed in front of your body. What's very important (and not very logical) is that green attack are UNINTERRUPTIBLE - it means if you attack into a green attack, you will do damage, but the enemy attack will commence, and you will take damage as well. The other important thing about green attack is that while you can roll or move out of range, if you roll into the trajectory of the attack, you will always be hit, i.e. dodge-roll does not provide any invulnerable frames.

Red Attacks - red attacks are unblockable. All ranged and most heavy melee attacks are red. Pressing Y against red attacks does nothing - you will take full damage. Dodge-rolling (button A) provides invulnerability frames, that means if you are rolling while the attack would normally hit you, you will take no damage. You can attack into red attacks, doing damage, and some red attacks are even interruptible - at the very least, thief attakcs can be interrupted with daggers.

Charged Attacks - Each weapon has a counter in the top right corner, which is incremented with every successful hit. Once the counter reaches its limit, it turns yellow, and you can perform a single Charged Attack with the right trigger (RT), which has usually a powerful effect (higher damage, stun, AOE, etc.) After that, the counter is reset to 0. Your character is unvulnerable while performing the Charged Attack.

Finishers - Sometimes, opponents are knocked down (some weapon can knock down a particular enemy types, your companions can do that with special actions, etc). A knocked down enemy is either kneeling or prone, with white aura around his body, and "LT" prompt next to him. Knocked down enemies can be finished with the Finisher move by pressing the left trigger (LT) when in range. Finisher will instantly kill the knocked down character. Unlike during the Charged Attacks, your character is NOT invulnerable while executing the finisher.

Companion Action - Eech companion can perform a special, powerful move that helps you fight your enemies (wiill be discussed later). When you are close to your companion, the LB prompt will appear, and the action can be triggered with the left button (LB). Companion actions have cooldown, so you must wait a set amount of time before you can use them again. Companions can also be knocked down similar to enemies. In that case they appear to be kneeling with white glow around their body - use the left button (LB) to revive them.

Artifact Activation - if you have an artifact equipped prior to the combat encounter, you may use it with the right button (RB). The action takes some time, and the effect varies according to the type of the artifact - it can heal you, damage your opponents, etc. Artifacts have limited amount of uses, and there is also a cooldown between the individual uses.

[Lee]

This is a really great overview - pinning it for easy reference.

[Kamamura]

There are three main weapon types in the game:

Two handed weapons - large axes, maces and clubs held by both hands. This type of weapon is the slowest to attack, but they do the greatest amount of damage. This is important when attacking foes with inherent armor, like ogres, because a fixed amount of damage is subtracted from each attack, making fast, but weaker weapons less effective. Two handed weapons are best suited against armored foes like the Empire, Corrupted or Ogres, and they cannot riposte. Thieves can evade two handed attacks with flips, making your attacks sometimes miss altogether.

Twin weapons - paired daggers, clubs, short swords, these are the fastest, but weakest weapons in the game. They are best for fighting against thieves, anarchists, assassins and other nimble enemies. Twin weapons' riposte interrupt red attacks of thieves. These weapons are, however, unsuitable against heavily armored enemies.

Sword and shield - this is the middle ground, neutral style of armament. It has no exceptional advantages, but also no blatant weaknesses. Sword and shield is best used to fight Northerners, because riposte against their repeated bashing attacks do increased damage. Shields can also block the ranged attacks of the imperial riflemen (only their attacks in the whole game, for some reason). Bucklers are smaller shields that have lower defense, but charge weapons faster on ripostes and can deflect rifleman shots back to the shooters.

Specific weapons usually have specific bonuses against certain enemy types - you can display those by pressing Y on the inventory screen.

[Kamamura]

There are five distinct enemy factions in the game:

NORTHENERS - Northeners are your stereotypical, fur-clad barbarians. They are armed with two handed axes, swords and shields, and their ranged troops throw bolas that can immobilize you for a short period of time (you can escape by wiggling the left analogue stick). Northeners try to overwhelm you with repeated green bashes that can be riposted with sword and shield, doing considerable damage in the process. They also have shamans that heal friendlies in a small radius, so they are the priority targets. Attacked shamans can teleport out of the harm's way. Norhtern elites are Ice Tyrants that wear regenerating ice armor.

EMPIRE - Empire faction are armor-clad, well trained regulars, consisting of pikemen, swordsmen, riflemen and officers. Riflemen can both shoot at a distance and bayonet lunge in close combat, but their shots can be blocked/deflected with shields/bucklers. Swordsmen and pikemen can block with their shields - this is indicated by blue glow around them (they do not take regular damage, but the block can be broken with B). Officers are armored, which is indicated by thick white edge around their life bar - their armor must be first "peeled off" with B attacks, then it's shattered and the officer is susceptible to normal attack. Their pistol shot cannot be blocked with shields for some reason.

THIEVES - This group is composed of shady, criminal types - assassins, highwaymen, anarchists. They are best fought with twin weapons, and they can avoid two-handed attacks with a flip. Their attacks are often faster and more suprising, anarchist throw bombs doing fire damage, and higher level assassins can disappear and reappear with a punishing attack.

UNDEAD - This group includes skeletons of all shapes and sizes and their necromantic masters. Undead regenerate and can come back to life, therefore they must be dealt with quickly. Some throw bottles with corrosive liquid, undead pikemen can also block. Necromancers can call more undead to assist them, and can protect themselves with a magical sphere that must be peeled off with B attacks similar to armor. Wraiths damage players constantly and teleport around, but do not have other direct attacks.

CORRUPTED - These are humans afflicted by the strange disease spreading in the game that also afflicts the Dealer. The basic enemies just shamble mindlessly around throwing a simple green attack occassionally. Higher level corrupted have armor and dangerous unblockable attacks. Corrupted can be protected by immobile pillars that shoot immobilizing tentacles against the player, and defend themselves with an AOE blast - they must be shattered with B attacks.

There are also ogres that are best fought with two handed weapons - approach them carefully, because they have highly damaging attacks with great reach. Their main combo is two green attacks, followed by a red overhead swing that ends up with burrying the ogre's club in the ground, giving you a large window for counterattack. They also attack with a two-strikes red combo. The safe way to fight them is to wait for their main combo and attack them while they are defenseless.

Then there are also mages of various types - they mostly use offensive blasts and AOE attacks, but are defenseless up close - the best tactics is to make them the priority and remove them from the fight ASAP, because their spells are difficult to avoid constantly.

[Xuande]

This might not be the right place to ask, and if so feel free to delete this post.

Is there any chance we can get an option to toggle prompts to Playstation-style buttons? While I don't use a PS controller myself, I do use a Wii U Pro controller, so games that use Xbox-only prompts can get confusing. A/B and X/Y are inverted.

Since PS prompts are unique in their location (triangle is always top face button, square is always left fece button, etc), they help for those of us not using your standard generic controller. I'd rather have no button-specific prompts at all than deal with the ingame button prompts the way they currently exist.

[Kamamura]

There are four companions ín the game that fight beside you in combat, and each of them contributes with a special action that can be activated with the left button (LB) if you are close enough. The ability has a cooldown that recharges faster if you are near your companion. Companions can get knocked down - that is indicated by kneeling posture and white aura around the companion. Knocked down companions can be brought back to the fight with (LB). Each companion has a personal story-related questline that once completed, upgrades the companion to his/her platinum version, improving his/her efficiency. Each companion also boosts helps the player to overcome a specific gambit challenge. If you accept their help, they won't help you for three following game turns both in and outside of combat.

Malaclypse - Malaclypse is a mage disguised as a travelling bard. In combat, he attacks with slow and weak magic missiles that ignore enemy armor, and can teleport out of danger. His special action casts protective Magic Shield around the player. The shield can absorb one hit, after which it disappears. The upgraded Malaclypse throws away his disguise and assumes the identity of the Mage. His Magic Shield spell now also damages surrounding enemies when broken. Outside of combat, Malaclypse allows the player to respin the wheel during the Wheel Gambits.

Colbjorn - Colbjorn is a barbarian from the Northern wastes who fights with two swords. His special ability is berserker charge that stuns and damages multiple targets. The upgraded Colbjorn assumes the identity of the Ally, and his blades are now infused with the power of fire that does extra damage to Northerners. Outside of combat, he offers the player an extra dice during dice gambits. Note that this is much more powerful than the other companions that typically just allow the player to try the challenge again.

Estrella - Estrella is a former Imperial army officer that became disillusioned with the aims and methods of the empire and is now a hunted woman with the price on her head. In combat, she fights with a pistol and a sword. Her special ability is a three attack combo - gauntlet punch, sword lunge and pistol shot - that stuns most enemies. When upgraded, Estrella assumes the identity of the Rebel, which improves her pistol by adding a second barrel, increasing her pistol shot damage. Outside of combat, Estrella allows the player to try again during the Pendullum Gambits

Adrianne - Adrianne is a strong, stocky female smith that fights with her anvil fashioned into a giant hammer. She is the ultimate melee tank, capable of withstand a lot of damage, and her attacks are effective against armored and shielded foes she prefers to engage. Her special action is a series of powerful smashes that greatly damage enemy armor. Upgraded Adrianne wears an improved metal gauntlet that greatly increases her health in combat. Outside of combat, Adrianne allows the player to include a duplicate of a favorable card into the game during the Card Gambits.

[Lee]

Originally posted by Xuande:

This might not be the right place to ask, and if so feel free to delete this post.

Is there any chance we can get an option to toggle prompts to Playstation-style buttons? While I don't use a PS controller myself, I do use a Wii U Pro controller, so games that use Xbox-only prompts can get confusing. A/B and X/Y are inverted.

Since PS prompts are unique in their location (triangle is always top face button, square is always left fece button, etc), they help for those of us not using your standard generic controller. I'd rather have no button-specific prompts at all than deal with the ingame button prompts the way they currently exist.

We already have that option in-game! If you look in the controller settings, there'll be a button prompts option near the top. Switch it over from auto to the controller of your choice.

[Lord_Zoltus]

I have some issue with combat - default colors just confuse me. When green marker appears above the enemy (when he attacks) I automatically press A button on my controller (because it's green) instead of Y (counter attack).

[Cheeseness]

Originally posted by DjZolt:

I have some issue with combat - default colors just confuse me.

If you haven't spotted them, there are alternative indicator colour sets that you can select in the Settings menu under General.

[Lord_Zoltus]

Unfortunayely no indicator suites me :( I'd like to have yellow indicator for normal attack, but options are only green and blue.

[Clead HeavenHell]

Originally posted by DjZolt:

Unfortunayely no indicator suites me :( I'd like to have yellow indicator for normal attack, but options are only green and blue.

+1

[Hika Elm]

I really like the combat system. I'm a big fan of Batman Arkham and Middle-Earth Shadow of... fight system and you just did the same :-)

[Ardariel]

Ading info about armor and how it works would be very useful imo

[Emilio]

Originally posted by Ardariel:

Ading info about armor and how it works would be very useful imo

All the armors are functionally the same thing.
The thing that sets them appart (aside from looks) is their stats.
Inspect your armors and you'll see all the stuff it provides such as speed reduction, defence values, fame requirement and uniqe additional properties depending on the piece of armor.

[Ardariel]

Originally posted by Emilio:

Originally posted by Ardariel:

Ading info about armor and how it works would be very useful imo

All the armors are functionally the same thing.
The thing that sets them appart (aside from looks) is their stats.
Inspect your armors and you'll see all the stuff it provides such as speed reduction, defence values, fame requirement and uniqe additional properties depending on the piece of armor.

i ment armor rating itself. Cause obviously it dont reduce damage done to you bluntly. The "defence" stat is what i`m talking about. Anyway i found that info even yesterday, just adviced author to add it here, cause its not obvious enough (even if easy to guess) and, as i understand, OP want to get all combat info under 1 topic, so...

[krendall2006]

Is it me or is the combat much less forgiving in this game than the first one?