cRPG

cRPG => Beginner's Help and Guides => Topic started by: Ellie on August 25, 2013, 07:43:02 pm

Title: How do I block?!?
Post by: Ellie on August 25, 2013, 07:43:02 pm: I've been playing for a while, but I still just can't manage to be decent at blocking. I suck. I'm lucky to block 1-2 hits from anyone, and when people start feinting and spazzing out like they're having a seizure, well... I'm lucky to get any at all!

Are there any useful tips or tricks to get used to it besides 'just practice', because i've tried that a lot on duel before and well.... If anything I feel worse :oops:

I'm not even effective with a shield. I just get kicked or nudged or swung on before i can block again after i swing...
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Chosen1 on August 25, 2013, 07:51:30 pm: I'm not that good at melee myself, but I can tell you that unfortunately the only way to become decent at melee is just to keep playing and playing. Watch the more experienced players in melee, try to copy what they do. Recognize patterns in your opponents feinting. After enough practice, you'll get to a point to where blocking becomes effortless. I hope I was some help :c
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Paul on August 25, 2013, 08:05:05 pm: Play normal Warband(Native) and start the tutorial. Spar with the bots there and focus on manual blocking. Start with the slowest combat speed in the options and increase it as you progress in skill and reflexes. Block while standing still first, then try it while running around. When you can defend against everything on fastest while moving around without breaking a sweat you can block in crpg too. Then play on the duel server and ask someone to train with you.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Normanguy on August 25, 2013, 08:33:45 pm: Don't appreciate the seizure comment.

How ever if you want to start getting used to blocking, start to recognise feints and such and just practise on eu3 duel server or native and you'll gradually get better with time.
All i'm saying.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Vodner on August 26, 2013, 01:53:21 am: Quote from: Ellie on August 25, 2013, 07:43:02 pm
Are there any useful tips or tricks to get used to it besides 'just practice', because i've tried that a lot on duel before and well.... If anything I feel worse :oops:
Try to stay calm, try to keep your camera steady, and try to keep your eyes focused on your enemy rather than on your character. Wait until you're sure which direction to block before starting your block. Also, try what Paul suggested above.

I'm afraid that reading words can only really do so much. There is no getting around sinking hundreds of hours into practice. You're getting into Warband very late in its lifetime, so you have a lot of catching up to do.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Ellie on August 26, 2013, 02:35:54 am: Quote from: Vodner on August 26, 2013, 01:53:21 am
Try to stay calm, try to keep your camera steady, and try to keep your eyes focused on your enemy rather than on your character. Wait until you're sure which direction to block before starting your block. Also, try what Paul suggested above.

I'm afraid that reading words can only really do so much. There is no getting around sinking hundreds of hours into practice. You're getting into Warband very late in its lifetime, so you have a lot of catching up to do.

I've been playing off and on for almost two years. Usually more off than on, sadly... so when i do start getting better, i end up being horrible again when i do come back :C
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Vodner on August 26, 2013, 05:39:51 am: Quote from: Ellie on August 26, 2013, 02:35:54 am

I've been playing off and on for almost two years. Usually more off than on, sadly... so when i do start getting better, i end up being horrible again when i do come back :C
Warband isn't really forgiving of long breaks. I play on-and-off too (although I played quite regularly for my first two years), and every time I come back I have to spend a number of sessions re-acclimatizing.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Matey on August 26, 2013, 09:52:32 am: I suggest one or a mix of the following.

1. Practice a fucking lot.
2. Ask good duelists for tips and help while practising.
3. Join a clan with at least 1 competent duelist and ask them for tips on TS while practising with them.
4. only play range, cav or super IF armour crutch str build and pray people glance... or maybe a really high athletics build and pray you can stay out of their range.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jarold on August 26, 2013, 08:04:23 pm: I actually went to the native singleplayer arena in the towns and practiced chambering there. Now I can do it most of the time at will. Setting the AI to good actually makes them block a few hits from time to time, they can also chamber you a lot.

Learn to control your mouse clicks, when I started out I was clicking right mouse a few times for one block on account of spazzing out making me die. Now I just learned to hold the right mouse button until I see their attack direction change. It especially helps not to spaz out when you see someone feinting just relax and block whichever whey he is swinging. It's like dancing when he moves a certain way you move a certain way, when he stops you stop, ( this is also good against holds ) when he swings you block a certain way, just follow his movements.

If you get good you can realize when someone is double feinting in the same direction and just hold your mouse block don't click more than once unless he changes his attack direction. I usually wait for the visual que of when he has actually changed attack direction not when I see him pull back his swing.

TL;DR
Learn to control the urge to spaz out and press your mouse button a million times trying to overcorrect yourself when someone is feinting. Blocking can only be learned over time, it will help to make an alt whos melee and to practice against bots or in the duel server.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on August 26, 2013, 08:38:39 pm: Just run around the battle server and only focus on blocking. Even as a dirty scum shielder who rides a horse most of the time, I've been able to get decent at manual blocking. If you're fighting 1v1 against most players (not necessarily the better players) you should be able to block most of their swings.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Grumbs on August 26, 2013, 09:03:17 pm: Start by going to duel and finding guys low on the score board and duel them. Then when you have the basics down you need to start fighting players that are better than you and just keep practicing. I think a few hours in duel will teach you more than weeks in battle just because you do the same stuff over and over and have little down time. This is just for learning some 1v1 fighting and blocking though, you can pick up bad habits just dueling. Dueling can be boring too, so don't get burned out doing that imo

You will probably develop your own technique, but for me I always tried to separate blocking from aiming the block. So concentrate on getting the right block direction before thinking about the orientation of your character. Just face the right basic direction, get the right block, then aim the block. This way you aren't trying to do too much at once and you can think more about the block direction first rather than doing all at once. Try to use movement to give you more time to block too, so if a hit is coming from your right side, move left while getting the right block and hold it while aiming it until it hits.

Best way to avoid feints if you're new is to assume people are feinting all the time and always hold the block until it hits (you hear the clash). Some feints are quite common, like right swing into stab, so if you see someone do that a lot you know its probably a stab coming, but don't assume it is.

You don't always need to change block when its just side swings. If you turn a certain way while holding a left block you will block the opposite side attack too. This is handy if you don't want to risk changing block direction

You can turn down your sensitivity if you find it hard to get the right direction
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Gmnotutoo on August 26, 2013, 09:07:19 pm: Quote from: Ellie on August 25, 2013, 07:43:02 pm
I've been playing for a while, but I still just can't manage to be decent at blocking. I suck. I'm lucky to block 1-2 hits from anyone, and when people start feinting and spazzing out like they're having a seizure, well... I'm lucky to get any at all!

Are there any useful tips or tricks to get used to it besides 'just practice', because i've tried that a lot on duel before and well.... If anything I feel worse :oops:

I'm not even effective with a shield. I just get kicked or nudged or swung on before i can block again after i swing...

If you're NA I'll hop on duel and bring a few practice swords, so you can level up your reflexes and I can give you some tips on your footwork.

One tip I can give is to watch the enemies hands instead of their blade, focusing on the blade can get disorienting if they are spam feinting.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Riddaren on August 26, 2013, 09:40:39 pm: It doesn't matter how much you practice if your settings are wrong.

Zoom out (-) and increase mouse sensitivity a lot.
Higher agility (and athletics) makes it easier to block as well.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jarold on August 27, 2013, 03:24:59 am: Increasing mouse sensitivity isn't what I recommend. I lowered mine just a tad from the middle, it helps to not have it high because if you are new to blocking your view will move everywhere making it even harder to block.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: MURDERTRON on August 27, 2013, 06:09:39 am: Watch their feet. Since you have to move in the same direction as a hit to get maximum damage, most players almost always move with their strike. So even if they're feinting another way, their feet will tell you where it's really going. The only downside is that its a little tougher to tell against 1h, and overheads and thrusts both benefit from moving forward. Most players are left/right heavy, though.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Matey on August 27, 2013, 11:50:57 am: Quote from: MURDERTRON on August 27, 2013, 06:09:39 am
Watch their feet. Since you have to move in the same direction as a hit to get maximum damage, most players almost always move with their strike. So even if they're feinting another way, their feet will tell you where it's really going. The only downside is that its a little tougher to tell against 1h, and overheads and thrusts both benefit from moving forward. Most players are left/right heavy, though.

this will also get you really fucking dead when fighting people who have inverted attack directions like cy and saul. it isn't a bad skill to have though, you often gut reaction block based on what swing you just threw and what direction you and your enemy are moving as it often makes one attack direction far more likely than the other... so if you have to quickly guess a block in a bad situation then it might do the trick.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Kafein on August 28, 2013, 12:46:20 am: Most people often mimic the attack they just blocked, you can use that at your advantage to guess which way they'll attack.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Cyber on August 28, 2013, 02:52:01 am: The way I learned at the beginning was just go on a duel server, go off by myself and just try blocking in different directions by myself. I didn't try to fight anyone, just told myself I want to block right, block left etc and tryed to execute it and did it till I didn't make any mistakes, in the very beginning just getting the mouse movement right is a challenge (or atleast it was for me) and it's something that helped me. This ofc is probably not too productive if you already know the basics.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Tears of Destiny on August 28, 2013, 02:54:52 am: What Cyber said is really good advice, half of the problems with people not being good blockers is that they are holding their mouse funny/angled and don't compensate.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: oohillac on August 29, 2013, 06:41:34 am: Do a generation or two as Longspear or Pike. When pressured you are forced to block, as those weapons are unsuitable for fighting back in close range.

You'll find a huge improvement in your blocking in a short time.

I also used to hold my mouse sort of angled inward (like this \ \ ), this made blocking harder. The trick was moving my keyboard closer to the mouse so my mouse stays vertical (like this | | ), as my arms are closer to my sides. Maybe that is what you need to do too.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Equal on August 29, 2013, 07:16:37 am: Overall, being confident will help you block more hits. More importantly is that when you do get hit is to stay focused and make sure to block the next hit. You can't flinch or else suddenly the other player will have landed 2-3 hits on you and you're dead. I've had some of my best rounds in battle start off with a couched lance blackbar me. If I let my health bar make me change my playstyle I wouldn't have been as effective!

I do agree that mouse posture is important, when I was learning how to block I knew which direction I wanted to block before I could properly block that direction in time, when I straightened up my mouse posture I did notice better results. That still happens to me & everyone everyday - like I said it's important to stay calm collected and focused on the next hit so you don't let your opponent land a string of hits on you.

Unfortunately, it is a lot of just practice & muscle memory, but everyone has been in your position before. If you're than peasant lady throwing rocks it would be wise to switch to a melee oriented class so you can take some punishment rather than chopped in half in one swing.

I'm a slow learner, and I like to think I'm a decent player now - if I can do it so can you. Good luck!
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Ellie on August 29, 2013, 12:27:45 pm: That is me throwing stones, but I do have a melee character. I usually use my melee character early in the morning when there's only a handful on, or practicing on duel with friends/random people and getting my butt kicked, trying to learn something :p

Editing so no double post: I'm starting to realize one of my issues. When I'm dueling, any time someone feints or holds, I let go after a second, reflexively expecting a hit, and move into a swing of my own. But since there's no hit, I end up getting smacked down when I try my swing. Kept noticing I was doing that over, and over earlier. Gonna have to break that habit
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on August 30, 2013, 06:08:41 pm: It's helpful to wait until you hear the sound of you blocking the enemies hit before releasing your block, obviously that's easier said than done. I still mainly rely on my eyes than sound and that gets me in trouble sometimes.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Elindor on August 30, 2013, 08:42:33 pm: Quote from: Ellie on August 29, 2013, 12:27:45 pm
I'm starting to realize one of my issues. When I'm dueling, any time someone feints or holds, I let go after a second, reflexively expecting a hit, and move into a swing of my own. But since there's no hit, I end up getting smacked down when I try my swing. Kept noticing I was doing that over, and over earlier. Gonna have to break that habit

This is a common mistake, and you will learn to adjust for it with practice....of course everyone has moments where they fall for it, but inexperienced players tend to fall for it over and over until they figure it out :)
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: San on August 31, 2013, 03:07:15 am: It's simple to initiate a block, but with everything that goes on around you and in a melee fight can make it difficult in certain situations.

Other than time, the best thing for me was how I orient my mouse and how to minimize how much I move my mouse when fighting. I had a bad habit of twisting my hand when trying to turn in game, and after 10-15 seconds my mouse was turned all the way to the left and my blocks started to mess up. You have to find a position that's comfortable for you and allows you to block easily. For me, I got accustomed to keeping my mouse pointed up, and adjust myself when it starts to turn too much. People know how to play where they mess up your timing and blocks (ex having to block right and turn left while moving your character, or block up/down and turn quickly, both tricky).

Another tip is to also learn how to keep pressure up with your own attacks. If you try to play too defensively and block all the time, you won't get much done. This can only be attained through practice, trial & error, and asking questions. It's very much a cognitive process where you keep track of what actions/strategies work for you. You also have to recognize when you try to attack too late after your block or other factors where you lose your attack phase. People say otherwise, but I use my eyes to block so I can retaliate as soon as possible.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: stryker montgomery on September 02, 2013, 07:02:09 am: Quote from: Paul on August 25, 2013, 08:05:05 pm
Play normal Warband(Native) and start the tutorial. Spar with the bots there and focus on manual blocking. Start with the slowest combat speed in the options and increase it as you progress in skill and reflexes. Block while standing still first, then try it while running around. When you can defend against everything on fastest while moving around without breaking a sweat you can block in crpg too. Then play on the duel server and ask someone to train with you.

What game spead does C-RPG play on?
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Paul on September 02, 2013, 08:38:53 am: Normal, but when playing offline there is no latency.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: stryker montgomery on September 02, 2013, 08:47:20 am: Quote from: Paul on September 02, 2013, 08:38:53 am
Normal, but when playing offline there is no latency.

Thanks.. was just wondering what game speed i should practice at to simulate it the most.

Now I just need to figure my way around the magic voodo greatsword polearms that seem to animation cancel in ways that I never even considered possibly and cant even do in a non-combat situation.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Camaris on September 04, 2013, 01:44:11 pm: I learned to block when i started to duel every day until it worked. You cant learn to block in battle and its hard to learn it on siege (you probably could learn it on both but it takes a lot and a lot more of your time). My advice is duel server. Duel everybody. When you start to be able to block those (90% of the time) who killed you within some seconds before your training you have almost done it.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Bittersteel on September 04, 2013, 06:13:01 pm: I laughed quite alot about the seizure comment.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phew on September 05, 2013, 08:36:15 pm: There are lots of play styles that don't require getting proficient at blocking:
-Archer/Horse Archer
-Xbow/Horse Xbow
-Thrower/Horse Thrower
-Lancer
-Spec 18/24 or similar, wear light armor, and just backpedal and use a long weapon (glaive/greatsword/etc)
-Spec 36/3 or similar, wear plate, and just never stop swinging

So if you don't feel like learning how to block, just play one of the above, and you'll still have fun.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on September 05, 2013, 08:57:05 pm: You do need to block as a lancer, even if you try to avoid other cavalry you'll get blind sided some time when you're in the thick of it. But I cheat and use a shield, so I don't ever have to think about it, just right click when in danger.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Kafein on September 05, 2013, 09:25:57 pm: Also, a great way to learn to be consistent at blocking when you can already fight is to go to the duel server and ask people mouse-only duels. No movement, no kicks/nudges etc. just attacks and blocks.

It also separates men and babies
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phew on September 05, 2013, 09:53:01 pm: Quote from: Kafein on September 05, 2013, 09:25:57 pm
Also, a great way to learn to be consistent at blocking when you can already fight is to go to the duel server and ask people mouse-only duels. No movement, no kicks/nudges etc. just attacks and blocks.

I'd like to see a Cyranule/Miley "mouse-only" duel. Actually, I wouldn't. It would last until one of them got carpal tunnel and had to go to the hospital.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on September 05, 2013, 09:54:23 pm: Miley/Cy mouse only duel would only work if they were using weapons that aren't blockable, but you can still chamber with (like the rondel in secondary mode). Or until one of them had a muscle cramp.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Elindor on September 05, 2013, 11:22:22 pm: Quote from: Phew on September 05, 2013, 08:36:15 pm
There are lots of play styles that don't require getting proficient at blocking:
-Archer/Horse Archer
-Xbow/Horse Xbow
-Thrower/Horse Thrower
-Lancer
-Spec 18/24 or similar, wear light armor, and just backpedal and use a long weapon (glaive/greatsword/etc)
-Spec 36/3 or similar, wear plate, and just never stop swinging

So if you don't feel like learning how to block, just play one of the above, and you'll still have fun.

36/3 with great maul coming up.

jk.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on September 05, 2013, 11:23:51 pm: I think you'd be better off with a longsword or morningstar with a 36/3 build
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phew on September 06, 2013, 03:45:43 am: Quote from: CrazyCracka420 on September 05, 2013, 11:23:51 pm
I think you'd be better off with a longsword or morningstar with a 36/3 build

Anything but a Rondel should work pretty well. I did 6 gens as 33/9 with a great long bardiche/long bardiche, and my right mouse button went largely untouched.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Fredom on September 12, 2013, 09:54:10 pm: Most of cRPG players play for more than 2-5k hours. Mostly you learn it by finding a person who shows you how to do it ( in my case, 3 years ago^^) or you learn it yourself. Then just select manual block and play. After a time of playing you will get bettwr. Just try up-side-side-down block combination at the beginning of the round. That's what I do/did to get warm before meeting an enemy. I hope I could help you a little bit but here are so mqny posts, you will get a good suggestion^^
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Ellie on September 15, 2013, 08:01:07 am: Quote from: Elindor on September 05, 2013, 11:22:22 pm
36/3 with great maul coming up.

jk.

I actually did that with a long maul once. Was... not the brightest idea ever :D
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Carthan on September 23, 2013, 02:37:15 am: I am not sure if anything similar has been posted above but here are some things that may help.
~Make a skip the fun with near pure strength and lots of ironflesh (powerstrike optional) that way you can survive longer.

~Disable automatic repairs and run around in anything you want for free (Items will degrade though). A good amount of people should be afraid of someone running around in very heavy armor.

~Focus on peasants (maybe some tincans too), they love to spam and should be slow enough to be good for practice.
BEWARE FAKE PEASANTS!

~Do whatever you are good at, chances are you will do alot better with your own style than narrow advice from strangers. Or atleast try to find a good balance.

~ Why not combine everything above, should be either informative or hopefully entertaining. Hey maybe both.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phantasmal on September 23, 2013, 03:23:19 am: My biggest problem in learning to block (while I am still not too good at it) was that I would make "overcompensating" mouse movements. For example, to block right I would move my mouse like 3 inches to the right (rotating my player) and be completely out of position for a leftside block. Try to make your mouse movements concise, which will allow you to better respond to feints (and feint spammers). Also, learn the animations for each swing. I usually only bother blocking feint spammers if their swing is 25% of the way completed (which means it is probably an actual swing). Lastly, learn to use your movement to your advantage in combat. If you are moving the right, your opponent is most likely not going to swing at your leftside (due to a horrible speed bonus), limiting the number of efficient attack directions.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Vodner on September 23, 2013, 05:21:45 am: When I first started learning the game, a friend of mine (Racecar) started playing at the same time as me. This made things a lot more fun, since we could both measure our progress by how long our duels lasted. You might consider trying to do the same.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jona on September 25, 2013, 06:17:00 pm: Quote from: Phew on September 05, 2013, 09:53:01 pm
I'd like to see a Cyranule/Miley "mouse-only" duel. Actually, I wouldn't. It would last until one of them got carpal tunnel and had to go to the hospital.

It would be a god-awful duel only because cyranule relies on hilt slashing which requires footwork (need to be up close and in a BJ-giving position) and miley is an S key hero with either a long 2h or pole. If they didn't move it would be as lame as any other slightly-competent blocker not moving. Or miley would just pick a flammy and sit right outside cyranule's lolstabbing range. :lol:

(click to show/hide)
Not to mention that they are also both really overrated players and duelists, anyways.

On the topic of learning how to block, I like to bring my new recruits / less-melee-proficient friends up to speed by doing the following training method:

1) A mouse only duel where you just block and your partner tries their best to hit you... resorting to massive feinting, spamming, and even holding. You just block until you die.. its really easy to block when not moving around and having just one thing to focus on, their weapon.
2) Once you get proficient at mouse only, do the same exact thing (where you only block still, and they spam you) but now with footwork and WASD added. This makes it significantly more challenging, but once again you just need to see past their tricks and focus on their weapon. (of course if they are a kicking nerd, be on the lookout for kicks :D ...or just make the rule that nothing but WASD + mouse allowed).
3) Go back to mouse only, but this time you attack as well as blocking.
4) Now add movement, same as step 2 but you are once again trying to attack.. basically this would be a full-fledged duel now. The only recommendation is that perhaps they take it a little easier on you to start if their skill level is far above yours.
5) Go duel other people, have your partner / mentor watch you, and then they can see from a bystanders perspective your strengths / weaknesses, and if you need any final adjustments before you are ready to go and take on the world!

If you want, I have no problem helping you out, just send me a message.

Good luck with your training!
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Kafein on September 25, 2013, 06:48:23 pm: Well that's the point of mouse-only duels, you can't compensate errors and weak blocking just by movement and spam.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phew on September 25, 2013, 06:51:23 pm: Quote from: Jona on September 25, 2013, 06:17:00 pm
Not to mention that they are also both really overrated players and duelists, anyways.

Neither really plays siege, so I don't have much first hand knowledge of either's abilities, so I just kind of randomly picked two of the top-ranked duelists. A lot of the top 25 NA duelists aren't necessarily amazing blockers, they just duel in loomed plate and kick a lot. GiggleKnight and Saul are the best blockers I've personally dueled; no amount of feints/holds/etc. can fool them.

There are a lot of players now that would suffer more if you took away their kick key bind than if you took away their right mouse button.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jona on September 25, 2013, 07:23:43 pm: Quote from: Phew on September 25, 2013, 06:51:23 pm
There are a lot of ~~players~~ exploitative scumbags now that would suffer more if you took away their kick key bind than if you took away their right mouse button.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Matey on September 25, 2013, 09:24:21 pm: Quote from: Jona on September 25, 2013, 06:17:00 pm
It would be a god-awful duel only because cyranule relies on hilt slashing which requires footwork (need to be up close and in a BJ-giving position) and miley is an S key hero with either a long 2h or pole. If they didn't move it would be as lame as any other slightly-competent blocker not moving. Or miley would just pick a flammy and sit right outside cyranule's lolstabbing range. :lol:

(click to show/hide)
Not to mention that they are also both really overrated players and duelists, anyways.

You really have no idea what you are talking about.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Nightmare798 on September 25, 2013, 09:27:50 pm: Quote from: Ellie on August 25, 2013, 07:43:02 pm
I've been playing for a while, but I still just can't manage to be decent at blocking. I suck. I'm lucky to block 1-2 hits from anyone, and when people start feinting and spazzing out like they're having a seizure, well... I'm lucky to get any at all!

Are there any useful tips or tricks to get used to it besides 'just practice', because i've tried that a lot on duel before and well.... If anything I feel worse :oops:

I'm not even effective with a shield. I just get kicked or nudged or swung on before i can block again after i swing...
i know that feeling. if you really cant do it and you feel that you wont be able to learn it anytime soon, just grab a shield. situation with 1h got quite a lot better.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phew on September 25, 2013, 09:50:26 pm: Quote from: Nightmare798 on September 25, 2013, 09:27:50 pm
i know that feeling. if you really cant do it and you feel that you wont be able to learn it anytime soon, just grab a shield. situation with 1h got quite a lot better.

Shields do have less lateral coverage in melee than weapon blocks, and they are noticeably slower (even the 100+ speed shields). They also seem more prone to block stun and crushthrough than weapon blocks, despite the higher weight of shields (I suspect that shields are treated at half their listed weight for these calculations). Not to mention that shields really slow down your movement speed, so it's harder to get in position to attack. Shields are great when fighting multiple people or approaching ranged enemies, but in any 1v1 situation, they are a serious liability.

In my personal experience, just using a long weapon and backpedaling/kicking a lot to avoid blocking is much easier to master than overcoming all of the shield shortcomings above.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jona on September 25, 2013, 10:14:55 pm: Quote from: Matey on September 25, 2013, 09:24:21 pm
You really have no idea what you are talking about.

Please, feel free to enlighten me, all-knowing one.

Quote from: Phew on September 25, 2013, 09:50:26 pm
Shields do have less lateral coverage in melee than weapon blocks, and they are noticeably slower (even the 100+ speed shields). They also seem more prone to block stun and crushthrough than weapon blocks, despite the higher weight of shields (I suspect that shields are treated at half their listed weight for these calculations). Not to mention that shields really slow down your movement speed, so it's harder to get in position to attack. Shields are great when fighting multiple people or approaching ranged enemies, but in any 1v1 situation, they are a serious liability.

In my personal experience, just using a long weapon and backpedaling/kicking a lot to avoid blocking is much easier to master than overcoming all of the shield shortcoming above.

Only time I had ever suffered from block stun with a shield was when a great maul DIDN'T crushthrough... in my experience shields almost never get block stunned. Could be because my shielder has always had mroe str than my non shielder. However, I will agree with you 100% that crushthrough affects shielders more often than someone with a weapon of decent weight (I feel like a whimpy 1hander won't be any better than a shield). It could also just be because you move slower with a shield, if you are backpedaling they get less of a negative speed bonus, and therefore they will crushthrough more often than when against someone unhindered by a shield.

Also, I highly recommend not going shielder if you are not too good at blocking as of now. While a shielder you will never learn to block properly, and when facing anyone with a bonus against shields weapon, you won't be able to block after just a few hits since your shield will be gone. If you want to go shielder, at least practice blocking extensively (at least to become moderately proficient at it) beforehand. That way you can still fight after the shield breaks. There is nothing an opponent hates more than someone who becomes more deadly without their shield weighing them down.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Phew on September 25, 2013, 10:30:56 pm: Quote from: Jona on September 25, 2013, 10:14:55 pm
Only time I had ever suffered from block stun with a shield was when a great maul DIDN'T crushthrough... in my experience shields almost never get block stunned. Could be because my shielder has always had mroe str than my non shielder.

With my puny 18 strength and 5.5 - 6 kg shields, I've been block stunned by weapons as light as 3 kg (claymore, SoW, etc). I think when they doubled the weight of shields, they failed to double the effective weight used in the block stun/crushthrough calculations.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on September 25, 2013, 10:38:31 pm: I would get block stunned relatively often of great swords or heavier weapons with 18 strength and a knightly heater shield. At 21 strength it seems to happen very infrequently against great swords, but heavier weapons still do stun me pretty often with my shield.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Matey on September 25, 2013, 10:52:00 pm: Quote from: Jona on September 25, 2013, 10:14:55 pm
Please, feel free to enlighten me, all-knowing one.

Well simply put, what you said was just plain wrong. If you really don't know why you are wrong then you should probably spend a few hours dueling Cy or Miley if you can get em into duel server.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on September 25, 2013, 11:11:17 pm: Also this thread went on 4 pages too long..."How do I block?" - Right click by default.

+1 post and lock prz :shock:
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jona on September 25, 2013, 11:12:51 pm: Quote from: Matey on September 25, 2013, 10:52:00 pm
Well simply put, what you said was just plain wrong. If you really don't know why you are wrong then you should probably spend a few hours dueling Cy or Miley if you can get em into duel server.

Shouldn't go insulting others when your only argument is "you are wrong. just trust me man, idk why, but you most definitely are."

And I somewhat recently dueled cyranule... all I had was a +0 war spear on my hoplite... since I could outrange him and keep him away from hiltslashing, I won. Simple as that.

Quote from: CrazyCracka420 on September 25, 2013, 10:38:31 pm
I would get block stunned relatively often of great swords or heavier weapons with 18 strength and a knightly heater shield. At 21 strength it seems to happen very infrequently against great swords, but heavier weapons still do stun me pretty often with my shield.

I kinda forget what my 18-18 shield build was like, but at 21-15 it is definitely a very rare occurrence to be stunned by any type of sword i.e. its never happened as far as i recall.

Quote from: CrazyCracka420 on September 25, 2013, 11:11:17 pm
Also this thread went on 4 pages too long..."How do I block?" - Right click by default.

+1 post and lock prz :shock:

Yeah, to be honest I thought this was a troll thread by reading the title at first.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Matey on September 25, 2013, 11:24:27 pm: Quote from: Jona on September 25, 2013, 11:12:51 pm
Shouldn't go insulting others when your only argument is "you are wrong. just trust me man, idk why, but you most definitely are."

I didn't insult you though... You have however insulted other people without any explanation. Anyways, I don't really want to turn a beginner help thread into a NA drama thread, hence why I have made very basic replies. Lets just leave it with: I strongly disagree with your statement.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Jona on September 26, 2013, 12:35:57 am: Quote from: Matey on September 25, 2013, 11:24:27 pm
I didn't insult you though... You have however insulted other people without any explanation. Anyways, I don't really want to turn a beginner help thread into a NA drama thread, hence why I have made very basic replies. Lets just leave it with: I strongly disagree with your statement.

Saying someone is dead wrong is as much of an insult, if not more so, as someone saying others aren't all they are cracked up to be. You directly insulted my knowledge, while I just said that other's didn't live up to their name, which is no fault of the individual players, but more so of the community. You, sir, attacked me while all I said was that your pal ain't such a super star. Never said he sucked or anything...

The end.
Title: Re: How do I block?!?
Post by: Nightmare798 on September 26, 2013, 11:07:45 am: Quote from: Phew on September 25, 2013, 09:50:26 pm
Shields do have less lateral coverage in melee than weapon blocks, and they are noticeably slower (even the 100+ speed shields). They also seem more prone to block stun and crushthrough than weapon blocks, despite the higher weight of shields (I suspect that shields are treated at half their listed weight for these calculations). Not to mention that shields really slow down your movement speed, so it's harder to get in position to attack. Shields are great when fighting multiple people or approaching ranged enemies, but in any 1v1 situation, they are a serious liability.

In my personal experience, just using a long weapon and backpedaling/kicking a lot to avoid blocking is much easier to master than overcoming all of the shield shortcomings above.

well, it takes time to get used to it, but if you wont let yourself be outflanked, and if you feint like crazy, you should be able to do just fine. ofc, i play mostly siege, so the effects in battle mode may vary. he said he has problems with blocking, and blocking manually is not something everyone can invest time into. [especially not when everyone is running around with uber-fast triple loomed shit. AND DONT YOU DARE TO SAY THAT LOOMING HAS NO REAL EFFECT WHATSOEVER, BECAUSE THATS COMPLETE BULLSHIT].

also, lets not forget the good coverage against ranged, which is always uselful.