Desperately need help. Tips, build planning, ect.

[Myltinous]

I'm just saying from my own experience, I started out as a 18-18 hybrid doing a little bit of everything (archery, shielding, polearm), and quickly abandoned everything but noshield melee because I found it boring and unsatisfying.

Learning to manual block was hard ofc. but it was fun, not frustrating.

And I felt that my progression as a player was much more rapid while playing without a shield, since you had to be constantly awake to follow feints and such, not just hold rmb and listen for the "thud".

Not all new players are looking for the easiest way to get a bunch of frags, but the best way to learn how to play the game, and imo, from my own experience, that is to play noshield melee. Nothing wrong with playing a shielder ofc., but a shielder that CAN manual block is several times more deadly than one who can't.

It's just my opinion ofc.

I completely agree with this. I'm using a 2h build in my 1st gen and am really enjoying it. You will die alot more, but once you somewhat get that hang of manual blocking it can be a very fun build. The key to being a newb 2hander is to really focus on footwork; stay out of ones reach, then come in and attack, then backpeddel out of range again (you will have to do single manaul blocks to get in and/or out). Don't worry, it's completely normal to suck at the beginning, even when your char starts getting to the higher lvls. Focus less on lvling up your char and more on improving your play; a well built char is nothing if you don't know how to use it. Hope you stick with us 

[Phazey]

Something else that might help:  try turning your mouse sensitivity up to about 90% or more in the option menu so it doesn't take as much hand movement to block or attack.

For most people i trained, lowering the sensitivity was helpful and made it easier to accurately block. With too high sensitivity your camera is very unstable but more importantly: it's easier to block the right directions. I've noticed that with too high sensitivity, you sometimes block the wrong direction because the mouse is overly sensitive.

So look at sensitivity and see what works for you.

[Laufknoten]

• good footwork
• spamming
• manual blocking
• judging weapon reach and speeds
• holding swings
• feinting
• chamberblocking
• facehugging
• max range swinging
• target switching
• using freelook
• running
• battlefield awareness
• map knowledge
• recognizing players
• teaming up
• discussing and using tactics

Great post, Phazey. But for the beginning I'd say footwork, manual blocking and battlefield awareness are the most important things to learn for an inexperienced player. Basically the "non-fighting tricks" are important at the beginning, cause they keep you alive. 

[Spawny]

For most people i trained, lowering the sensitivity was helpful and made it easier to accurately block. With too high sensitivity your camera is very unstable but more importantly: it's easier to block the right directions. I've noticed that with too high sensitivity, you sometimes block the wrong direction because the mouse is overly sensitive.

So look at sensitivity and see what works for you.

While this is true, there's one major downside to having a low mouse sensitivity:
You can't turn fast enough in high speed duels (try keeping up with a guy with 7+ athletics running circles around you). It's easier for the enemy to get behind you and hit your back, because you just can't turn fast enough.

[Baggy]

While this is true, there's one major downside to having a low mouse sensitivity:
You can't turn fast enough in high speed duels (try keeping up with a guy with 7+ athletics running circles around you). It's easier for the enemy to get behind you and hit your back, because you just can't turn fast enough.

Thats my problem ,I have lowish sensitivity cos i Manual block better that way but i cant rally do fancy spin stabs and i get turned easier.

[Knute]

For most people i trained, lowering the sensitivity was helpful and made it easier to accurately block. With too high sensitivity your camera is very unstable but more importantly: it's easier to block the right directions. I've noticed that with too high sensitivity, you sometimes block the wrong direction because the mouse is overly sensitive.

So look at sensitivity and see what works for you.

Yeah, the camera can get a little wild if you turn it up too high, so it's all about finding that happy medium.  I use an unbalanced great axe with a 18/21 build though, so the erratic movements and faster rotation seems to help out when circling point-blank.