Killing - Before You ' re Killed Content . I ' ve seen many a man rush headlong into battle only to have their life cut short in an instant . I ' ve been a trainer of the warrior arts for many spans - cut from the cloth of a great lineage of knights , Blades , and even a distant sellsword or two . It ' s with this knowledge that I ' ll try to pen a brief treatise on the subtle art of war . Not mage fire , not archery or criminal throat - slitting . But war . Man on man with nothing but a fine bit of steel between them . The first thing you ' ll need to learn is how to block . The best way not to get killed is not to let the other man hit you . Use a shield , use it well . Now , you ' ll get tired from this . You may even get a little hurt . But a blocked blow is much better than a landed one . Over time you ' ll get better , eventually shrugging off even the mightiest of hits . But beware - your foes , if they ' re not base cur bandits , will know how to counter you . They ' ll hit you with everything they ' ve got in , order to open you up , and keep on hitting . So watch for these powerful attacks . While it ' s still better to absorb the impact with a quarter inch of steel , it ' s best to try to just step out of the way . Remember , against spells your blocking is useless until you ' re trained . So get up on mages quickly and let them eat steel . Deserves them right for using a witch weapon . You can also block without a shield as well - just cross that blow with your sword , though this isn ' t nearly as effective . And if you decide you ' re fancy and want to wield two blades , you can ' t block at all , so don ' t even try . Without both hands on the hilt you just won ' t have the strength to counter blows . But , with a weapon in each hand you are much more likely to take your opponent down quickly . The best defense , some say . To wield the blade there are some fundamentals . Quick strikes are always good , but can be repelled , so watch for your opponent ' s own defensive postures . Wait for an opening , or create one with your own heavy attacks . Hammers hit hardest but are slow . Same with maces and all blunt weaponry . Axes are a nice middle ground , while swords are the quickest but won ' t stagger your opponent as efficiently with the hard hits . Keep an eye not to get too exhausted - always try to save a little of your strength to counter blows , or even run ! Never let yourself get cornered or surrounded . Pick your threats - weak spellcasters that can hurt you quick are the first things I fell . The shield is not only a defensive tool . Put your shoulder into it and bash your opponent . This sends them flying and opens them up for quick counter assaults . Even better , put extra weight into it and power bash your opponent . If they ' re small this will put them on their knees . Bigger opponents cannot be staggered by heavy attacks . Only the power bash will really knock them around and create openings for you to exploit . So again - block , counter , bash ! Hit them when they ' re down ! They ' ll show no mercy , so why should you ? Battle is about the offense , about catching your foe early and never relenting . Keep moving , keep swinging . If you consider yourself overly powerful , pick up a two - handed weapon and see your foes fall before you like wheat stalks . They ' re slow and unwieldy , but they shatter bones and cleave flesh better than anything . The graves are filled with many a mediocre swordsman . If you don ' t have the stomach for war , try a monk ' s work . But if you do travel the path of the warrior , learn the basics and keep your head firmly planted on your shoulders - or someone ' s bound to lob it off .