Attacking in Combat

*Note: All controls are default, and can be changed in the Settings screen Simply wielding a weapon won't dissuade many of your enemies. You'll have to use it. There are a variety of weapons to choose from, each with its own nuances, but they fall into two broad categories: melee and ranged. Melee weapons are used up close. These are things like swords, spears, clubs, and battleaxes. Each melee weapon has 3 attacks: • Standard Attack ([LMB]): the base attack for the weapon, and the one you'll likely use most often • Heavy Attack ([F]): a slow, high damage attack that makes use of <a action="GoToPage" data="Combat_Grit">GRIT</a> and can break through blocks • Special Attack ([Q]): this varies by weapon, and costs Mana instead of Stamina to use. For example, using this with a sword does a quick slash and stab combo, but using this with a spear switches to a throwing mode allowing you to use the spear as a ranged weapon • Sprinting Attack ([SHIFT] + [LMB]): lunges forward during the attack and deals good damage, but can cost a lot of Stamina You can also equip a shield with any one-handed melee weapon. Shields offer much better <a action="GoToPage" data="Combat_Defending">Blocking Absorption</a> than a weapon alone, but also replace the Special Attack with a quick but low damage shield bash. The damage you do with a melee weapon scales with different <a action="GoToPage" data="Progression_Attributes">Attributes</a> depending on the weapon. Most commonly this is Strength. Ranged weapons are the opposite of melee weapons. They are best used at a distance, and don't offer different attacks. While wielding a ranged weapons, aim it by holding [RMB] and then fire by clicking [LMB]. Clicking [LMB] without aiming will swing the weapon, hopefully clearing you enough space to fire again or retreat. Firearms like muskets fire their round very quickly, so you don't have to judge travel time to the target. However, they take time to reload. Bows suffer from the arrow traveling more slowly, and it will drop as gravity affects it. They can fire more quickly than firearms, though. The damage you deal with ranged weapons scales with your <a action="GoToPage" data="Progression_Attributes">Dexterity Attribute</a>.