Am I the only one struggling with the combat system?

[The Rake™]

Am I the only one here that's struggling with the combat system? Everyone here seems to enjoy it, but i can't fathom fighting multiple enemies at once without drinking a million health potions and trying my best to stay alive - only to die from an off-screen NPC.
Every time a group fight comes up I just try to cheese everything (like running and hiding behind rocks and poking every now and then to attack).
Also, I can never get the protego timing right, it seems to vary randomly. Do I activate it as soon as I see the yellow circle above my head, or do I have to wait a bit? Sometimes I press Y and nothing happens.
And don't get me started on aiming and targeting. The amount of times I've attacked the wrong enemy and died is too damn high.

TL;DL Can't handle combat, it feels clunky as hell. No idea how you guys enjoy it.

[Adam__86]

Watch the shield / dodge prompts

I can often defeat multiple mobs without moving

[Simbolic]

Originally posted by Muggy™:

Originally posted by Simbolic:

Yeah was tough me at first two, since sometimes fight so many enemies and can't see them all.
Whenever ever you see the yellow on you then shield. Can do perfect blocks but wouldn't worry about that. Generally whenever you see the yellow hit the block key. As soon as you see the yellow circle around your guy. When you do the enemy will immoderately attack you.
Same when you see the red circle on your guy to dodge. The idea is you don't really have to move incredible fast. Your suppose to take your time managing enemies.
By paying attention to either the red or yellow circles as the same time.
Although can spam dodge alot it will work with the yellow circle same as the red. Just won't reflect damage. Sometimes will need to spam dodges when enemies get out of you range of sight. Or if one attacks well another is close to you. So the other enemy won't hit you after you dodge the first one.
Seems like you are making the game harder for yourself thinking there is some exact timing for dodging or blocking. So your delaying and losing your chances to use them.

Wait, I'm confused now. The guy above said I have to wait for the yellow circles to converge?

That's if you want to do a perfect dodge.

[The Rake™]

Originally posted by Za'Muro:

what is so hard about pressing Q and dodging? git gud

Again, I have no problems with mouse + keyboard controls and I've managed to get halfway through the game on Hard difficulty. My issue is with the controller layout and the janky aiming/targeting system.

[Simbolic]

Originally posted by Simbolic:

Originally posted by Muggy™:

Wait, I'm confused now. The guy above said I have to wait for the yellow circles to converge?

That's if you want to do a perfect dodge.

My bad meant perfect block not dodge

[Apokalypt]

Sometimes it is really annoying when prompts almost overlap. You protego one attack only to get hit by an unblockable right away. Or you miss the thunder brewing on the ground and get one shotted.

But all in all, very fun on hard.

[Simbolic]

Not sure if janky the set ups in this game is really different. Same when broom riding, instead of just using the left analog stick to steer all directions and the left analog to move camera. In this game the right analog stick moves you up and down while the left moves you left to right. The Devs apparently wanted game to feel unique not using methods were normally conditioned to.

[Simbolic]

Originally posted by Apokalypt:

Sometimes it is really annoying when prompts almost overlap. You protego one attack only to get hit by an unblockable right away. Or you miss the thunder brewing on the ground and get one shotted.

But all in all, very fun on hard.

The only issue I have is sometimes they don't register. Like when the Spiders go underground to attack you I never see a prompt for that. Few times they hit me without even knowing. Think since there out of your complete range for anything since there moving underground.

[ProestUnicorn]

To be perfectly honest the combat is not only easy, but insanelly fluid and all but not clunky, I find Hogwarts to be somewhere around 6/10 game at best, but the combat system is well thought.

If You cannot handle fighting multiple enemies then levioso one of them, arresto momentum another, glacio the 3rd one and don't attack them - they will just float there for half a minute.

If You use enemy weaknesses like disarming tanky poachers during big spell cast it insta kills them, glacio + diffindo kills almost everything in one shot, trolls are stunnable in 3 diffrent ways, transforming an enemy into explosive barrel and throwing it at someone is almost guaranteed to double kill.. That is just for spells, but if You drop 2-3 cabbages it will solo the poaching camp, same for thunder potion. Edurus potion gives You not only immortality, but auto reflecting spells into enemies for 30 seconds if You upgrade it. Then there is broken dissillusionment/petrificus totalus mechanic.. it is insanelly easy to kill everything without even using protego in this game.

[Adam__86]

Originally posted by Simbolic:

Originally posted by Apokalypt:

Sometimes it is really annoying when prompts almost overlap. You protego one attack only to get hit by an unblockable right away. Or you miss the thunder brewing on the ground and get one shotted.

But all in all, very fun on hard.

The only issue I have is sometimes they don't register. Like when the Spiders go underground to attack you I never see a prompt for that. Few times they hit me without even knowing. Think since there out of your complete range for anything since there moving underground.

There's a visual prompt on your feet but none for shield dodge

[Simbolic]

Originally posted by Adam__86:

Originally posted by Simbolic:

The only issue I have is sometimes they don't register. Like when the Spiders go underground to attack you I never see a prompt for that. Few times they hit me without even knowing. Think since there out of your complete range for anything since there moving underground.

There's a visual prompt on your feet but none for shield dodge

I Think have noticed that, they can still get me sometimes. Think probably since below my feet which throws me off my rhythm. Not being so common as the others.

[Jrmngndr]

When an attack from an enemy 'spikes' a red marker in your head, that means protego won't work, you should roll. Only the orange marker can be fought with protego. Personally, I didn't change anything and I can't really complain about the mechanisms.
Note: I'm also at end-game, in hard difficulty. The main difference is Stupefy doesn't break shields. You should 1. stack potions just in case 2. have a couple of each beast species just so you can always upgrade your equipment.
I ended the story in normal difficulty, then changed to hard. Never had a problem, and never used potions (only healing) or plants.
I personally use Confringo, Diffindo, Bombarda and Expelliarmus (switching the latter sometimes). Upgraded ancient magic filling and the damage each of that spell does + it's related talent, and it's a piece of cake, even though I don't use any spell that breaks shields, I use ancient magic or ancient throw for that.

[Adam__86]

Originally posted by Simbolic:

Originally posted by Adam__86:

There's a visual prompt on your feet but none for shield dodge

I Think have noticed that, they can still get me sometimes. Think probably since below my feet which throws me off my rhythm. Not being so common as the others.

They're definitely annoying especially first encounter

[Red]

I've beat the game on hard difficulty with a controller without too much difficulty and agree that the targeting rather crappy.

It's most noticeable in the final Crossed Wands duel against 4 opponents, but that's really the only part of the game where I had to retry several times to beat a quest. Can also see how the final battle is probably way easier on M&K without having to aim with the controller, but it worked out all right.

[Lazydrones]

Playing on hard: Not really "that" hard but it is intended to be an all audience kind of game so isn't necessarily meant to be a grind you to dust type of experience.

I started by petrifying as many enemies as possible from stealth. My real issue was, fights were too far between unless you went out of your way looking for them. You do get rewarded for camps and such but early on I had issues with certain encounters. By the time I hit the next encounter I was out of rhythm. So I just started looking for every fight I could muster to practice. Also pay attention to enemy "weaknesses" EG: using flipendo on a troll after they have slammed their club or a dugbog levioso / difindo combos that kill them in a two hit combo.

Be patient and wait for openings when you are surrounded. Learn what spells to use against which enemies / defenses. Don't focus too much on one enemy when surrounded and disable others.

The only enemies I really have issue with is when I end up with 5 - 6 goblins at the same time and I'm out of ancient juice. They can sometimes spam back to back attacks which is typically a guaranteed hit unless you spam your dodge. Dodge upgrade is practically useless since enemies will teleport to you if your timing is way off. It is really only good for repositioning.

Plants and pots do help don't forget them.

[sno0ks]

It's tough at first but you eventually get the hang of it, especially after you get more spells.