The Swordmanship help topic (or other weapons)

[Kaeli]

I just thought it would be fun to start a topic where you can share tricks, hints or if you have questions regarding fighting.

1 vs 1 with shields:
- Is your weapon faster then his? If so there are some tricks you get. Try the miss on purpose and swing again straight away trick. It gets your opponents off guard at times. Its risky if the opponent has a faster weapon.
- Always wait for the block sound before attacking. Unless your range is a lot better and he is open you can try a quick stab.
- DO NOT feign to ofthen! it leaves you open for stabs and other quick weapons
- DO NOT fall into a certain patern. You become predictable and easyly counterable.

Anybody else got things to add?

Will post more later

 

[Arch3r]

Turn your back to the opponent, with the right swing animation you can still hit him.

 

[DuckSauce]

- Is your weapon faster then his? If so there are some tricks you get. Try the miss on purpose and swing again straight away trick. It gets your opponents off guard at times. Its risky if the opponent has a faster weapon.

My favorite trick  Gets the simpletons all the time. Very risky agains't someone that knows what he's doing though.

Turn your back to the opponent, with the right swing animation you can still hit him.

Well that's cheap 

 

[sadnhappy]

Turn your back to the opponent, with the right swing animation you can still hit him.

Well that's cheap 

So that's how Arch3r got all those kills and is considered one of the best EU players

 

[Arch3r]

Turn your back to the opponent, with the right swing animation you can still hit him.

Well that's cheap 

So that's how Arch3r got all those kills and is considered one of the best EU players

Haha, you mean you never noticed? Nah I don't use it much, I did it only 3 times or so. But Kaeli named most of the good and easy tricks, if you don't know these, you probably haven't played melee enough. Just wanted to add something, being 2nd on the poll I could at least share a trick eh ^^.

 

[sadnhappy]

Flawed poll might I add

Anyways, I like to mix up a lot of my offense whenever possible. Determining how good your opponent is is one of the key factors in 1vs1 melee fights. I like to fake the attacks but also hesitating the attack is another good way, ie. holding the button longer than expected. I love the way how the melee fights are very, very simple yet complicated in a good way. Easy to learn, hard to master.

 

[Mabons]

If he is good at blocking feints, do a double back, look as if you are going to feint, then go back to the one you were doing before.

Also, if someone has a fast weapon, they are more likely to feint, so keep your eye out for it.

Last but not least, if you have the longer weapon, feint on your first attack. It usually opens them up for another attack.

 

[Lezard]

I just thought it would be fun to start a topic where you can share tricks, hints or if you have questions regarding fighting.

1 vs 1 with shields:
- Is your weapon faster then his? If so there are some tricks you get. Try the miss on purpose and swing again straight away trick. It gets your opponents off guard at times. Its risky if the opponent has a faster weapon.
- Always wait for the block sound before attacking. Unless your range is a lot better and he is open you can try a quick stab.
- DO NOT feign to ofthen! it leaves you open for stabs and other quick weapons
- DO NOT fall into a certain patern. You become predictable and easyly counterable.

Anybody else got things to add?

Will post more later

- When moving backwards and you are out of range from your opponents swing; make a sudden move forwards and do a quick thrust at the same time. Don't do it if your opponent has a sheild up though.
- Practice accurate slashing over your head (or whatever it's called) since many do not expect such a move. Swings from the left/right is definitely used the most and is often quite easily blocked. Again, don't slash against opponents with a sheild, fast swings is more effective.
- Don't hold the attack button too long since you will often be cought off guard by a sudden attack.

 

[Kevlar]

- When moving backwards and you are out of range from your opponents swing; make a sudden move forwards and do a quick thrust at the same time. Don't do it if your opponent has a sheild up though.
- Practice accurate slashing over your head (or whatever it's called) since many do not expect such a move. Swings from the left/right is definitely used the most and is often quite easily blocked. Again, don't slash against opponents with a sheild, fast swings is more effective.
- Don't hold the attack button too long since you will often be cought off guard by a sudden attack.

Overhand and thrust attacks are pretty slow and usually don't work very well. Thrusts will usually do little damage and open you up for an easy left/right swing attack and overhand is worse since its hard to hit and just as slow.

 

[Kaeli]

Lets see, against spears if found that if you miss a block your pretty dead since they are so extremely fast. They can keep hitting you without you having recovery time. Then again if you get blocked when using a 2 hander its pretty much over with as well. Unless you can block back.

Hmm when faced without shield walk back and wait for them to open, they will get really confident since you are shieldless and well i kill a lot of them by pressing the attack as soon as they open up.

2handed weapon fighting... Well thats all about mobility imho. And getting your first strike in. But i am not thtat good at that so i am going to let other people talk about this =)

 

[Mabons]

Yes, absolutely vital you stay away from shields. If you pretend to fall in a rythm with them(Only recomended when a good blocker) and the feint, it catches them off guard, and it usually killls anyways.

 

[Scorch!]

Something that hasn't been mentioned: Footwork.

Never fall into a predictable pattern with the way you move either, if you are quick enough and able to fool people with your footwork, you can even get behind someone and get the quick kill. Predictable movement just makes it that much more easy to be hit and not be able to strike back.

One thing I like to do, especially if someone has a faster weapon than me: I will make sure I am out of range of as many of his/her attacks as possible, then when they get impatient and push the attack with more than one strike without blocking, I dodge the first strike and quickly counter attack. Works almost all the time.

 

[Lezard]

- When moving backwards and you are out of range from your opponents swing; make a sudden move forwards and do a quick thrust at the same time. Don't do it if your opponent has a sheild up though.
- Practice accurate slashing over your head (or whatever it's called) since many do not expect such a move. Swings from the left/right is definitely used the most and is often quite easily blocked. Again, don't slash against opponents with a sheild, fast swings is more effective.
- Don't hold the attack button too long since you will often be cought off guard by a sudden attack.

Overhand and thrust attacks are pretty slow and usually don't work very well. Thrusts will usually do little damage and open you up for an easy left/right swing attack and overhand is worse since its hard to hit and just as slow.

So you only use left/right swings?

I did mention you have to practice using overhand/thrusts a lot more than swings. Thrust attacks with speed deals more more damage (especially against armored opponents) than a fast swing (against the body). Don't use overhand/thrust in vital situatuations if you're not accurate and comfortable with them.

I definitely use swings more often though and overhand/thrust attacks occasionally.

 

[Arch3r]

If you find yourself circling around eachother, try feigning and a pirouette at the same time. Looks cool and very effective, did it today .

-Fake block, like blocking left when the enemy is not yet, but almost, in striking distance. He will probally strike right than. Than step back to dodge and launch a thrust.

 

[Mabons]

As for other weapons, like Crossbows, go into first person mode to shoot them. You might find them more accurate then for some reason.

Also, never EVER underestimate an Ambush. I'm still suprised I took out 5 people on my own at the Catapult in Village, just by jumping from the roofs and slashing madly.

 

[Kaeli]

Maybe we should organise a T&T session. Tactics & Training
Would allow people to practice their skills and develop new exciting ones!

 

[ares007]

As for other weapons, like Crossbows, go into first person mode to shoot them. You might find them more accurate then for some reason.

I thought this was "Swordmanship help topic" 

- When moving backwards and you are out of range from your opponents swing; make a sudden move forwards and do a quick thrust at the same time. Don't do it if your opponent has a sheild up though.
- Practice accurate slashing over your head (or whatever it's called) since many do not expect such a move. Swings from the left/right is definitely used the most and is often quite easily blocked. Again, don't slash against opponents with a sheild, fast swings is more effective.
- Don't hold the attack button too long since you will often be cought off guard by a sudden attack.

The best advice so far. I want to duel you some Lezzard  (so far, nobody has been able to deal with your first piece of advice against me without a shield. Not Harn, Taurus or anyone. Well, actually Harn had ridiculous armor and I didn't have a bastard sword or axe, so even though I stabbed/hit him 4 or 5 times, it didn't do anything  )

There's a lot of nice advice here though. Once we get enough, I might consider compiling it into an organized fashion.

Here's a little advice from me:
-If you have an average to long range weapon, immediately attack someone as soon as you see them. With longer range weapons, getting the first hit in is very important; the sooner you attack, the more likely you are to get the first strike in. Also, lot's of people like to feint a lot; this will stop the dead (literally  ). If they have a fast weapon and are blocking, your best bet is to cancel your attack and try to run around to the side. (note: tactics do change for specific opponents. Don't be a robot)
-with a shorter weapon, try to sucker them into committing to the attack and block it while moving forward. This will allow you to get inside and use your weapon's speed.
-your primary go-to attack should be a sideways cut from the left. Most people only attack from the right (especially with shields), so it is often very easy to block most people's attack in a scramble. Attacking from the left will often mess people up. A sideways swing is also easier to land than a straight attack.

Maybe we should organise a T&T session. Tactics & Training
Would allow people to practice their skills and develop new exciting ones!

sounds good to me. Calradian Academy of Arms has had practices kind of like this.

As an aside, if anyone is interested in joining the Calradian Academy of Arms, I've done some writing about melee skills on the website.
http://warbands.mountfanblade.com/?q=node/74

 

[Reapy]

If you catch a guy with a heavy lance out or spear + shield and you have a fast weapon, just close with them and parry / block the first hit or until you are in range. Then just keep your footwork ok and in striking range and spam attack non stop. If they try to put the shield away or change weapons you will get a hit in or two, often killing them.

The only thing they can do here is hope to step out of range so that you miss and they can change up weapons.

 

[Elegy]

Honourary Swordsmanship Vol IV, page 23 paragraph 2

When engaged one opponent of worth and worldly repute,
Tis most honourary to dispense with combat if interrupted,
Together slay the ignoble urchin post haste.

 

[Lezard]

Honourary Swordsmanship Vol IV, page 23 paragraph 2

When engaged one opponent of worth and worldly repute,
Tis most honourary to dispense with combat if interrupted,
Together slay the ignoble urchin post haste.

The most important rule of them all (at least in the deathmatch server to tell the truth ).

- When moving backwards and you are out of range from your opponents swing; make a sudden move forwards and do a quick thrust at the same time. Don't do it if your opponent has a sheild up though.
- Practice accurate slashing over your head (or whatever it's called) since many do not expect such a move. Swings from the left/right is definitely used the most and is often quite easily blocked. Again, don't slash against opponents with a sheild, fast swings is more effective.
- Don't hold the attack button too long since you will often be cought off guard by a sudden attack.

The best advice so far. I want to duel you some Lezzard  (so far, nobody has been able to deal with your first piece of advice against me without a shield. Not Harn, Taurus or anyone. Well, actually Harn had ridiculous armor and I didn't have a bastard sword or axe, so even though I stabbed/hit him 4 or 5 times, it didn't do anything  )

Heh, well I try to use all kind of tricks, but I'm not really a better swordsman than any other top player. The human brain does have it's limitations.

And yeah, lots of good tips and tricks in this thread. Use them!