I suggested this before Kick was implemented, so it may seem pointless now.
I feel like it's currently too difficult to fight enemies in 1 v 2+ melee situations. Obviously sticking together in a group should give you an advantage, but currently it feels like unless a larger group comes at you in single file (or they just suck) you will lose versus superior numbers. The attacks come so quickly that even if you are skilled enough to block every incoming attack or are using a shield you will be lucky to get a single counter in.
I suggest a shove ability, with a separate key bind (V would fit nicely) that doesn't use directional attacks. You would hold your weapon flat, like when you crush garlic with a kitchen knife and shove opponents away, or just shove with your shield (weapons have no affect on shove behaviour, its just aesthetic). The shove attack would be slightly faster than a regular slice but would throw you of balance slightly, increasing the delay for your next attack (blocking is un-affected), the shove would be short-ranged and missing with a shove would have the same inertia penalty as other weapons. The shove would knock an opponent back by a couple of feet, it would also interrupt any attack they were chambering while not having any affect on blocking (otherwise you could shove a guy to break his block while your buddy stabs him).
The main purpose of the shove is to allow you to have a bit more of a chance in 1 v 2 or 1 v 3 fights (any higher and your dead anyway). You can knock one enemy away, giving you a couple of seconds to fight the other(s) on more even terms. For example you get attacked by two enemies at absolute point blank range, one with a shield and one with a 2hander, you guess the 2handed guy is easier to beat so you block a few attacks and see an opening, then shove the shielded enemy away. Turns out the 2handed guy was pretty crap, so you kill him in one swipe before his teammate can get back to save him, then you continue the 1 v 1 fight on pretty even terms.
Shoving would be useless in a 1 v 1 fight. The short range and inertia penalty mean that trying to shove someone in a 1 v 1 would allow them to just backpedal and swing at you, the attack delay immediately after shoving also means that your opponent gets one free swing at you where you definitely won't retaliate. You could possibly abuse shove by staying in an area with a ledge or ladder to fall off and simply shoving people off as they come to get you (like the roof on village, the one with the walk way leading to it) but your opponents could just step back and kill you with their longer reach.
Summary
I feel like it's currently too difficult to fight enemies in 1 v 2+ melee situations. Obviously sticking together in a group should give you an advantage, but currently it feels like unless a larger group comes at you in single file (or they just suck) you will lose versus superior numbers. The attacks come so quickly that even if you are skilled enough to block every incoming attack or are using a shield you will be lucky to get a single counter in.
I suggest a shove ability, with a separate key bind (V would fit nicely) that doesn't use directional attacks. You would hold your weapon flat, like when you crush garlic with a kitchen knife and shove opponents away, or just shove with your shield (weapons have no affect on shove behaviour, its just aesthetic). The shove attack would be slightly faster than a regular slice but would throw you of balance slightly, increasing the delay for your next attack (blocking is un-affected), the shove would be short-ranged and missing with a shove would have the same inertia penalty as other weapons. The shove would knock an opponent back by a couple of feet, it would also interrupt any attack they were chambering while not having any affect on blocking (otherwise you could shove a guy to break his block while your buddy stabs him).
The main purpose of the shove is to allow you to have a bit more of a chance in 1 v 2 or 1 v 3 fights (any higher and your dead anyway). You can knock one enemy away, giving you a couple of seconds to fight the other(s) on more even terms. For example you get attacked by two enemies at absolute point blank range, one with a shield and one with a 2hander, you guess the 2handed guy is easier to beat so you block a few attacks and see an opening, then shove the shielded enemy away. Turns out the 2handed guy was pretty crap, so you kill him in one swipe before his teammate can get back to save him, then you continue the 1 v 1 fight on pretty even terms.
Shoving would be useless in a 1 v 1 fight. The short range and inertia penalty mean that trying to shove someone in a 1 v 1 would allow them to just backpedal and swing at you, the attack delay immediately after shoving also means that your opponent gets one free swing at you where you definitely won't retaliate. You could possibly abuse shove by staying in an area with a ledge or ladder to fall off and simply shoving people off as they come to get you (like the roof on village, the one with the walk way leading to it) but your opponents could just step back and kill you with their longer reach.
Summary
- Shoving is a fast, unblockable attack that does no damage but knocks enemies back a few feet.
- Shoving has a short range (arms length) and is affected by the same inertia penalty for misses as weapons.
- Shoving will interrupt attacks but not blocks (blocking still has no affect, it's just not interrupted).
- After shoving, the shover has a delay before making his next attack, allowing his opponent to take the offensive.
- You can shove with any weapon, even bows, the difference is purely aesthetic though.
- Shoving should have no advantage in a 1v1 fight.
- When fighting 1v2+ shoving has the advantage of removing one enemy for a brief period of time while you try and dispatch the other(s).
