Combat

**Combat** is an inseparable part of the Witcher world, so you will have many chances to perfect your fighting abilities in-game. Unlike the game which Nevewitcher uses as base (Neverwinter Nights II), the combat system has no turns, does not use d20 and armor class does not exist.

## Using combat actions

 File:TWO Hotbar.jpg
All combat actions are feats (icons) that can be pulled from your feat list in your character sheet (default hotkey c). Icons with a red border are hostile/harmful attacks, icons with a yellow border are defensive actions and those with a brown border are actions that are neither offensive nor defensive.

## Reaction Speed

One of the major factors that decides how capable in combat your character is, is the reaction speed. Races share a common reaction speed which is augmented by the Reflex stat as well as certain combat training skills.

When you perform an attack (for example, heavy attack) your character must finish the animation (enemies are only damaged when the weapon would hit them, not instantly) after which the reaction speed decides how quickly you can activate the next combat action or move. Witchers, as mutants, have very high reaction speed, thus they can attack more often more quickly. Some skills can be obtained that increase reaction speed.

## Adrenaline

 File:TWO Adrenaline.jpg
Each character slowly builds up adrenaline when in combat (the amount of enemy/type of enemy is a factor). Adrenaline is automatically spent on attacks to increase damage. Some skills consume all of it.

## Movement

During combat (a red border indicates combat mode) your character's movement speed is reduced due to them walking cautiously. This is true for all thinking creatures (but not monsters). It is still highly recommended to use the mouse during combat, but minor adjustments in position can be done with the WASD keys. Be sure not to overuse them, this can cause server lag.

#### Evading

The easiest way to avoid being hit is evading the attack. After activating this combat action the next attack coming towards your character will be evaded, unless it has magical properties. The attack must come in the next 2 seconds (estimate) or the evading effect will be lost.

#### Dodge Rolls

If the skills to dodge roll have been acquired your character can use dodge rolls to move out of the way of incoming attacks. During the animation all damage is highly reduced from melee swings, projectiles will simply miss.

#### Charging

Charging is a combination of a melee attack and movement. Your character will charge towards an enemy with increased speed until in range of a melee attack (which counts as heavy, due to the approach). Monsters love to charge enemies. One can defend against incoming charges with Anticipate or Retaliation.

## Melee

 File:TWO SK ATK.jpg
One of the main ways to defeat opponents are melee attacks. All melee weapons share combat actions (feats) - Quick Attack, Heavy Attack, Cleave and Precise Strike. The performing combatant must be within their weapon's minimum range (aka, great swords have longer reach than daggers and so on) to be able to perform any attack. There are no attack rolls, if your character is proficient with the weapon they are holding their chance to hit is about 80% (estimate) by default. Some skills can push this higher, but the chance to hit can never go beyond 99%.

Most attacks hit the main body (torso) and deal regular damage. A critical hit (base chance 10% (estimate)) instead targets either the head (damage x3), arms (damage x2, chance to disarm) or legs (damage x2, chance to cripple). Attacks from behind do double damage.

If a target is prone and helpless, any regular attack becomes a Coup de Grace instead, which will kill the target regardless of how much Vitality they have left / no matter what armor they wear.

#### Quick Attack

As the name indicates, your character performs a quick attack. The animation is short, thus there is little time for enemies to defend against it, but due to the short swing the damage is lower than a Heavy Attack.

#### Heavy Attack

The combatant uses an elaborate swing to strike their enemy with all of their might. Heavy attacks are easily spotted, but cannot be fully parried (some damage gets through).

#### Cleave

A cleave attack can be done with most weapons. Each character has a stat called "Strikethrough chance", which determines how high the chance is to hit the next target within range close to the first one hit. If successful the next target will be hit, which will reduce the Strikethrough chance further, in order to hit the next target. Strikethrough can be above 100%, it has no limit.

#### Precise Strike

A precise strike sacifices 50% of regular damage in an attempt to hit critical, increasing the chance to crit to about 40% (estimate). Critical hits landed this way do not suffer the 50% reduction.

#### Whirl

A skill that has to be obtained through combat training. Like Cleave, it strikes multiple enemies, but instead of only those before the combatant it can hit every single enemy in a 360 degrees circle. The Strikethrough chance is doubled when using Whirl.

#### Sunder

Sunder attacks the target's equipment rather than the user. Once obtained through combat training, the combatant can try to damage the weapon or shield of their enemy. Items that lose all durability this way become unusable. Sunder does little to no damage to the enemy itself, but does terrible damage to their items.

#### Shield Bash

As the name implies, a shield bash can only be performed while holding a shield. When used the shield counts as a bludgeoning weapon. Shield bash has the chance of knocking the target prone.

## Defensive Actions

 File:TWO SK Def.jpg
A defensive action (indicated by the yellow border) exists to stop incoming attacks. Evading attacks and dodging are also defensive actions, look at Movement to read about them.

#### Parry

Parry can be used both armed and while using fists. Fists can only parry fists however, while a melee weapon can parry any other melee weapon. A successful parry can cause the attacker to be staggered. Witchers can parry bolts in flight if they acquired the necessary skill. Monsters that are one size-category larger than you cannot be parried if they charge.

#### Trip

A simple kick against the torso of your enemy. Trip deals no damage, instead seeking to knock the target prone. Enemies knocked down must succeed in a balance skill check (armor lowers their chance) or remain prone. A new check is granted every 6 seconds.

#### Shield Up

While holding a shield your character can activate a stance called "Shield up", which blocks incoming projectile attacks (similar to how shields work in TW3). The character must have enough stamina to block each attack or the combat mode will end automatically, activating "Shield up" does not cost stamina however. While using this mode the movement is further reduced.

#### Anticipate

When activating this mode your character "anticipates" an incoming charge attack. The enemy's charge is instantly parried, causing them to become staggered. Must be acquired in the combat skill tree. Monsters that are one size-category larger than you cannot be parried if they charge.

#### Retaliate

An improved form of Anticipate, instead of simply parrying the charge you instantly attack the charging enemy first. This counts as a heavy attack. Must be acquired in the combat skill tree.

## Ranged

Ranged attacks (performed with a short bow, long bow, war bow, light- or heavy crossbow, throwing axe, throwing dart, shuriken or javelin) work differently than melee attacks. Each character has a stat called "Ranged Accuracy" that influences the chance to hit enemies. Each ranged weapon has an "ideal" range, the chance to hit being lower if the target is too close or too far away. Additionally, wind speed and weather can make ranged attacks hit even less.

#### Quick shot / quick throw

A simple attack with one bolt/arrow or thrown weapon. Like quick attack for melee, it is the quickest, thus harder to dodge, but also the weakest. Ranged attacks cannot be parried, except by Witchers with the proper skill.

#### Rapid Shot / Rapid Throw

The combatant shoots/throws many projectiles quickly, which have a lower chance to hit but can strike targets around the originally intended one.

#### Many Shot

A long charged attack where one fires multiple arrows/bolts. Guarantees to hit more than one enemy, but the motion is easily noticable.

#### Heavy Throw

A long charged attack where one throws a shuriken, throwing axe, dart or javelin with as much force as possible.

#### Aimed Shot / Aimed Throw

Like Precise Strike, you sacrifice overall damage in an attempt to hit the head / arms / legs of the target in a critical strike.

### Barricades

Ranged attacks and spell projectiles require a direct clear line in order to hit their target. Barricades are objects that block that line, becoming the target of the attack instead. Any damage that should have been dealt to the target will hit the barricade instead until it is destroyed. As barricades are either stone, wood or some other non-living material, they cannot be critically hit.

## Fist Fights / Non-lethal attacks

Each character has the option to fight only with their fists (as well as hands and feet).

If an actual fist fight takes place, combatants can only use their fists and nothing else. Fist attacks mostly deal what is called Non-lethal damage, also known as pain. Your pain threshold is equal to your Vitality. If the pain amount is as high as your Vitality (or higher), the character goes KO. While unconcious you are both helpless and prone, meaning you can instantly be killed via Coup de Grace. Every 6 seconds you gain a fortitude save to overcome the pain and regain conciousness, though your pain will still be almost as high as your vitality. Pain can be removed by resting or using pain killers.

#### Quick Punch

A quick punch towards your enemy, works the same as quick attack. Unlike a weapon however your fist does almost always pain damage, with a little vitality loss here and there (bloody lip, burst blood vessels, a tooth gone flying).

#### Heavy Punch

A heavy single-target punch delivered towards the enemy. Easily spotted by enemies.

#### Critical Punch

As with all critical attacks, you sacrifice damage potential in order to land a critical hit.

## Protection

The easiest way to protect oneself from combat damage is armor.

Each piece of armor offers a stat called "Ablation". Ablation corresponds to a damage type, like Ablation: Slashing Damage or Ablation: Monster Damage. A piece of heavy armor could offer 80% ablation against slashing weapons, meaning only 20% of the damage will actually hit. All body parts are treated as seperate entities, meaning ablation from gloves is not cumulative with ablation from a helmet worn.