Blocking High in Duels - what does it indicate?

[Ghostie]

I've tried to practice my manual blocking and riposte on the official duel servers for several days now, using my warhammer for the lack of a different 1h weapon.

In many duels, at the start, I've noticed that most of my opponents raise their weapon by blocking high. Not finding any answer through the search function, I'll ask in a separate topic:

What does a high block at the start of a duel mean? Is it a polite indicator of readiness or somesuch?

I'm interested in etiquette and good behaviour overall in cRPG and as a new player. Is there any other advice you are willing to share?

Cheers,
Ghost

[Tears of Destiny]

A side effect of "Duel."

It is an evolution from the "High Five" and a sort of bowing if you would. A High Five is commonly when two friends in a duel or team mates on Battle spawn, then turn to each other, person A up blocks and person B overheads, then reverse.

Raising your weapon to an overhead block in Duel is merely a formality, though i suggest you return the gesture.

It is a good indicator that the player is used to dueling and is not a jackass who facehugs even before the duel starts.

[Tot.]

Back in the days when there was no 'duel' mode it was a significator that one wants to duel, you responded by blocking upwards too. Nowadays its just a "ready, come at me bro" thing.

[Punisher]

It's a remnant from the early days of Warband when there was no duel mode. Duel servers were running deathmatch and the up block was used to challenge someone to a duel/accept a duel.


Blah, Tot beat me to it.

[Ghostie]

Right, that was quick, thanks!

I should've actually posted this in your rather brilliant beginner's guide thread, Tears, mea culpa.

I've always tried to get to know the little quirks and peculiarities of 'proper protocol' in games that I was new to.

Like the single shot in the air in Planetside, when indicating a duel with an opposing trooper, or dropping a piece of gold for a gater in Ultima Online.

Thanks again and cheers!

[Jarlek]

The upblock is a general salute. It means that you are ready to duel, that you WANT to duel (as a question), that you accept the duel or as a "hi"/"salute" (often used outside duel, like battle).

It can also be used to signal that you want to duel/fight this guy alone. For example, you and a group of friendlies see a lone enemy, you rush forward and do the upblock to signal that you want to fight him alone.

The opposite, the downblock, is also sometimes used as to signal that you do NOT want a duel. This is usually also emphatized by rotating left and right with your character, as if he would shake his head (but instead does the whole body).

There are also a lot of other Do's and Do Not's related with Duel. Some of them are:
Do NOT use a weapon/shield on your back. Like swithcing to a maul, bow or a shield that you didn't show/have before the battle started. If you want to fight with more than one weapon, you usually cycle between them (and upblock preferably to show them) before you accept the duel. This is also in the Rules and you can be kicked/banned for it.
Do NOT pick up any weapons/get on a horse. If you were not on a horse when the duel was initiated or had the weapon equipped, then you are doing something that is not allowed. This is also against the Rules and you can be kicked/banned for it.
Do NOT "facehug". "Facehug" is when you move towards your opponent before the fight starts. This makes it so you can attack immediately after the timer is down and it can negate range differences is weapons. You are only allowed to stand still or move away from your opponent. This is also in the Rules and you can be banned/kicked for doing it.
When you dehorse a rider, you let him get up before you continue to fight. This is NOT in the Rules. The reason for this is that when you kill a horse, you regain all health and ammo and your shield is repaired. This is NOT applied to the horseman so he is still damaged, giving you an edge.

That's all I can think of now, gonna post more if I remember them.

[RandomDude]

A side effect of "Duel."

It is an evolution from the "High Five" and a sort of bowing if you would. A High Five is commonly when two friends in a duel or team mates on Battle spawn, then turn to each other, person A up blocks and person B overheads, then reverse.

Raising your weapon to an overhead block in Duel is merely a formality, though i suggest you return the gesture.

It is a good indicator that the player is used to dueling and is not a jackass who facehugs even before the duel starts.

no

Back in the days when there was no 'duel' mode it was a significator that one wants to duel, you responded by blocking upwards too. Nowadays its just a "ready, come at me bro" thing.

this, cos there was no "duel" mode, there were deathmatch servers hosting "duels" and if u wanted to duel someone u both did an upwards block

griefers used to wreak havoc

ppl still use it as a sign of readiness and mutual respect etc

[Torp]

It is also used on battle servers as a 'hello', when you see a clanmate or another person you know. Then you would also rturn it by blocking yourself, like you would answer with a 'hello'

[NuberT]

For me its like a "shake hands" before the fight, I consider people "unsporty" who dont respond to my upblock properly, but I dont get mad

[Toffey]

It's almost like there's a Mount & Blade culture. Like others have said, it goes back to the old days of no duel mode, but now it's become so ingrained in the game that people do it without even knowing why.

[Paul]

At least on EU side I still remember when it was created. It was in early Native beta, when siege had only one map(Hailes, wasn't named at that time tho). On the left side(attacker view) and behind the castle where some space where avid duelists met and identified each other with the up block. I think I was one of the first doing this. I maybe even invented it(EU side). NA will probably say they invented it for protesting against Obama or something.

[Panoply]

At least on EU side I still remember when it was created. It was in early Native beta, when siege had only one map(Hailes, wasn't named at that time tho). On the left side(attacker view) and behind the castle where some space where avid duelists met and identified each other with the up block. I think I was one of the first doing this. I maybe even invented it(EU side). NA will probably say they invented it for protesting against Obama or something.

^ hipster

[Lezard]

At least on EU side I still remember when it was created. It was in early Native beta, when siege had only one map(Hailes, wasn't named at that time tho). On the left side(attacker view) and behind the castle where some space where avid duelists met and identified each other with the up block. I think I was one of the first doing this. I maybe even invented it(EU side). NA will probably say they invented it for protesting against Obama or something.

Maybe you invented it, I don't know, but at least I was the first one to publically be accused of being a Duel chocolate chip cookie!

http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,85470.0.html

Also remember dueling a lot on top of the the tower on Ruined Fort. Good times.

[Mephisto]

;...(
Good old days of beta...
The year is .500 of our Lord Armagan. There are four maps in this world.  All the players were a close-nit community. Duels indicated by overhead. Old thrust animation. I feel like crying.

Its an old tradition of beta veterans, later on passed from generation to generation. A beautiful thing.

[pratolli]

;...(
Good old days of beta...
The year is .500 of our Lord Armagan. There are four maps in this world.  All the players were a close-nit community. Duels indicated by overhead. Old thrust animation. I feel like crying.

Its an old tradition of beta veterans, later on passed from generation to generation. A beautiful thing.

I can still remember it..
(but I was accepted in beta .600).
Good ol' times. It was really fun to destroy griefers.