What is the purpose of the directional guard stances?

Gameplay
#21

wait,
So you are saying that blocking and parrying doesnt require to match directions but ripostes DO?

I gotta test this. If this is true than its a good system. I like systems where the player doesnt have to be super skillful to be decent in combat, but if you ARE very skillful than you are rewarded by it.
If matching guard and timing causes ripostes than that is really interesting.

I feel like Bernard (is that the name of the combat trainer) is of such high level that fighting against him is actually harder than fighting normal bandits throughout the story so its hard to train against him and know if you got the hang of things

i donw know if his level effects the result of your actions and timing but if it does than its hard to understand if you got things right if he gives no negative feedback more than common foes.

#22

Had a word about this with someone from WarHorse last week, and he told me that if you block from correct direction, the riposte window is very slightly longer. That’s it.

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#23

i hopped into the game for 10 minutes and managed to riposte from the wrong angle and managed to do this, so obviously you can STILL riposte from the wrong angle.
its good to know that riposte is easier from the right angle but it shouldn’t be slightly easier but significantly easier enough to even attempt the right angle.
but thanks for this input, mate.
also i think that blocking passively should diminish less stamina if you use the right direction or some other advantage to encourage proper directional blocking\parrying.

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#24

Hopefully someone will add in directional blocking benefits in a mod.

1 Like
#25

I do HEMA. Guards aren’t meant to “guard” against anything. They are just starting points. Wherever your opponent starts from and intends to strike, if you intend to parry it, you must move your weapon to intercept it.

This applies no matter what guard you happen to be starting from. All that changes is the direction your weapon travels, and your options during and after. You don’t “miss” because you happen to start from the wrong guard.

The only thing that really needs to change with the game’s blocking system is that the player should be required to specify a block direction in response to a feint.

Otherwise, with a regular attack, the system works as it should. You will not see even the most green beginner flat out attempt to parry in the wrong direction against a normal attack. It is pretty instinctual, no matter what guard they started in.

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#26

That’s odd, I can’t riposte from the wrong angle. Did you test this against enemies or against the trainer?

#27

New update/ modding idea: for a successful block with a weapon, you have to match the angle of attack exactly. Blocking with a shield will cover the direction you have selected, and the 2 directions next to it.
Otherwise, you get hit. This would apply to parries and meisterhewen too. Enemies also have to endure this, making combos and feints viable techniques.

1 Like
#28

Hi.
The directional system actually holds two purposes:

1 Defense: when you hold your weapon in the same or neighboring zone as your enemy, the perfect-block slot is longer (the longer the better you are stat-wise against your opponent) so it is easier to parry

2 Offense: the same system works from the other side - if you strike your enemy to the zone far from his guard, it will be harder for him to block perfectly.

So: if you want to have the highest chance to connect (not to get perfect block), strike from the unguarded side. If he has a sword above his head, strike from bellow. If he has a sword on his right, strike from left. When defending, you can press and release the block button to mirror the enemy guard. This way parrying will be easier.

Other use of directional attack is in feints and last but not least in aiming to less armored body parts.

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#29

an elegant solution to the mid/late game superman henry. although such option needs disclaimer like “choose side on forum flame wars” because people who think they are hardcore and use this in the early game will get wrecked

#30

Yeay. an official response :smiley:

  1. when you say “neighboring zones” do you mean that if the enemy is holding his weapon up than these zones are up, left and right?

  2. Is the window for a perfect parry (master strike) also bigger when guarding in the correct guard or its neighboring zones?

#31

Yes (to both questions) :wink:

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