Combat skill

[cassini]

I'm early in the game and I already have 30 in archery and 30 in fishing but only 9 in combat. Every skill save for combat increases with each use. Fish and hunting animals respawn more quickly than combat animals. So this all makes it very difficult to progress as quests depend on killing combat animals that require higher skill. I am stuck and forced to walk back and forth waiting for lower level combat animals to respawn hoping they'll increase my level which they are very reluctant to do. Is this an intended behavior or a bug?

[MagBag57]

It is not a bug. It's difficult, especially in the beginning, but not impossible to raise your combat level.

[Tolkien Book Fan]

I found this rather annoying too. I spent a lot of time in the original village before heading for Yellow Valley. Judging by the basic monsters, I think they intended that you go, or at least start trying to get to Yellow Valley earlier than that. Learning Herbalism and Alchemy gives you more to do while you wait for combat creatures to respawn.

I hit Combat 100 just outside the last city, so Combat progression scales well overall, I would say.

[cassini]

Okay, it’s good to know it’ll work out eventually. Thank you for your replies!

[archmag]

Don't grind for combat on lower level enemies, that is a waste of resources - your weapons will break, potions will get used and chance to get an increase is very low. Also archery enemies at least give some resources while melee enemies often drop no loot at all.

You get enemies that require combat requirements close to yours when you progress on main mission. And then you get 1 increase per enemy. I got to 100 combat on final three bosses. Got to 97 on first, didn't have 100 to kill him, went to second, cleared enemies that were guarding him, got my last 3 skillpoints and killed both bossess after that.

[Hassat Hunter]

Here was the log I kept during my second run;

COMBAT:
Pre-cave: 19
Caves: 20
Yellow-Valley entrance: 25 (immediately first foe outside the cave, but you can use the cave-residents to level on)
Mayor-rescue: 30
Crossroads-north: 35
Entrance to bandit cave: 40 (unlike afore though no foes inbetween 35 and 40 - the houndcave should give some levels but for me, none of them gave a level up, and most at the graveyard are over 40 :/)
Inside the cave: 46
Graveyard-cave entrance: 40
Inside graveyard-cave: 48
Mines (behind the gate): 54
Orc camp (Grey Valley): 56
Monestary path: 55
Silver mine: 62 (that cave was kinda handy there for this this time around)
Orcs' Camp (dam): 70
Cementry side-route (top): 75 (got plenty of side-mooks to kill + cave full)
Side-route (inside): 80 - boss at end 85 (that's quite the jump but plenty of fodder to level on)
Monastery assault: 87
Siege of Azule City: 88-92 (the middle are 78 and 80? That makes it unlikely to level on them :/)
Demons: 90-100 (you can get this cycling through all 3 demon locations, atleast I could)
Can't say I've noticed much issues leveling before the caves. The batcave, snakes, spiders all offer plenty of combat opportunities.

[Natteee]

Yeah I think combat is the hardest one to level up. It's just really slow and requires a lot later on.

[~Dreamer~]

Has anyone actually checked on when combat levels up?
My current theory is that it only levels against monsters that don't respawn, thus giving the devs a way of exactly controlling how high it can be at certain points in the game.
That's only my theory though, based on the fact that it was always exactly as high as it should've been at certain points in the game (locking me out of a few areas the devs didn't want me to go to yet)

Even if that's not the case, it might be capped on game progression. It definitely felt way too fitting to my main plot progress to be random.

[Natteee]

Originally posted by ~Dreamer~:

Has anyone actually checked on when combat levels up?
My current theory is that it only levels against monsters that don't respawn, thus giving the devs a way of exactly controlling how high it can be at certain points in the game.
That's only my theory though, based on the fact that it was always exactly as high as it should've been at certain points in the game (locking me out of a few areas the devs didn't want me to go to yet)

Even if that's not the case, it might be capped on game progression. It definitely felt way too fitting to my main plot progress to be random.

Oh yeah, that's very possible. I could see that being a thing definitely yeah.

[Hassat Hunter]

Yeah, no that's not true. The respawn is specifically there to offer you options to level if RNG is failing you.
Would defeat the purpose of that if they did.

[~Dreamer~]

Originally posted by Hassat Hunter:

Yeah, no that's not true. The respawn is specifically there to offer you options to level if RNG is failing you.
Would defeat the purpose of that if they did.

Hm, yeah, just looked over your log - the fact that you leveled up by cycling over the demon area definitely rules out the first theory.
However, I noticed that some of your numbers are really even, and you mentioned that you were unable to level at times no matter how much you grinded.
I wonder if the "cap based on main quest progress" theory could be the case based on that?

[Lonely Troops]

The Combat skill leveling works on any monster where you need the Combat skill to fight with it. There is a random chance for the skill increase. The change is better if you fight monsters close to your combat level. If you fight somewhat weak monsters compared to you combat level, there is a smaller chance to get the skill increase, and eventually there is no chance if you fight too weak monsters.

The same principle is used for the other skills too, but the base chance is higher.

[Natteee]

Originally posted by Lonely Troops:

The Combat skill leveling works on any monster where you need the Combat skill to fight with it. There is a random chance for the skill increase. The change is better if you fight monsters close to your combat level. If you fight somewhat weak monsters compared to you combat level, there is a smaller chance to get the skill increase, and eventually there is no chance if you fight too weak monsters.

The same principle is used for the other skills too, but the base chance is higher.

Yeah I noticed that as I was playing, thanks for confirming it.

[Deisophia]

Originally posted by Psyonix, fix the achievements..:

Yeah I think combat is the hardest one to level up. It's just really slow and requires a lot later on.

Actually that would be lockpicking... even with the uh.... boosts.

As for OP you need to fight appropriate enemies as they give you a higher chance to level up, rats have a much lower chance to enhance your skill, whereas ogres have a much higher % chance to give you a level boost. Focus on fighting only necessary enemies, once you reach grey valley you can focus on clearing all enemies, you can also make your own weapons at that point.

[vagos_d]

Originally posted by Lonely Troops:

The Combat skill leveling works on any monster where you need the Combat skill to fight with it. There is a random chance for the skill increase. The change is better if you fight monsters close to your combat level. If you fight somewhat weak monsters compared to you combat level, there is a smaller chance to get the skill increase, and eventually there is no chance if you fight too weak monsters.

The same principle is used for the other skills too, but the base chance is higher.

This random and grind mechanic is a joke. I did the 3 serpents in 2nd town, did the mission but after 4 of them no lvl up. How can i progress if i am missing 5 combat points and no way to get them?
Huge waste of resources to combat spiders and huge rats. Not even enemies close to my level.
Is there any other way?