Battle Encounters

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Occasionally while exploring, there may be the option to battle an enemy. These enemies each have a level that corresponds to their strength. While in battle, one's lead wolf can be inflicted with conditions that affect their abilities.

## Battling Process

The battling interface involves four attack options, HP bars, and a text section. Each attack option will take some energy, and the success of many attacks seems to be based on your lead wolf's stats.

Unless the enemy is faster than you, your first options will always be Snarl, Focus, Lunge, or Chase. If you do not have high enough speed, your enemy will beat you to the first move. Snarling can intimidate the opponent and lower their dice rolls by 1 if it succeeds. Focusing can raise your dice rolls by 1 if it succeeds. Lunging, if successful, will immediately bring you to the more powerful attack options, Shear and Crush, explained further down. Chasing the enemy can tire them out and lower their dice rolls by 1.

If your first move fails or if the opponent is faster, you will instead be given another four options -- Bite, Latch, Rest, and Retreat. Biting and a go-to move for lowering the enemy's HP. The more successful Bites you manage, the more damage they will do. Some Bites might also cause the enemy to bleed, in which case their HP will go down by a bit every turn. Resting can heal status conditions like bleeding or poison, and can also heal your HP a bit. Sometimes, the resting fails. Retreating will make you flee from the battle. Sometimes, the enemy might be able to get one last hit on your before you're able to retreat.

Latching will provide you with some stronger attack options, Shearing and Crushing. These moves can usually only be used a few times, as the enemy will eventually get out of your grasp and your attack options will revert back to the previous options these moves also have a chance to cause the enemy to bleed. Choosing Release will also bring the attack options back to the previous screen.

Battles are primarily based on random chance and winning will come down to luck. The effectiveness of every move you or the enemy makes is determined by a dice roll. High rolls mean a more effective hit. Some dice modifiers might be present based on your lead wolf's stats, and they can increase or decrease the value of your dice rolls. You can view which dice modifiers are in effect by hovering over or tapping on the dice in the text screen.

Different moves are effective on different types of enemies, which you will notice with your dice rolls. Opponents with Thick Skin, for example, will cause a -1 modifier on your dice roll if you use the move Shear. The details about enemy strengths and weaknesses is included in the opponent list below.

A final aspect of battles is special moves. Based on the type of opponent, their special move will be different and may involve charges, grabs, poison attacks, or surrounding.

### Lucky Feet

Lucky Feet can be used to add an additional modifier to your dice rolls. Lucky Feet will not guarantee a win. One Lucky Foot will add +1 to all your dice rolls during one battle. It will only expire after a battle has been lost or won. Retreating from the battle will keep the Lucky Feet active. Lucky Feet can usually be found while exploring, by giving Acorns to certain creatures. You can see all the encounters that give Lucky Feet in our Explore Encounter List, found here.

### Status Conditions

There are a variety of status conditions that you or you enemies can get during a battle.

    **Bleeding:** A small amount of HP will be lost every turn that this status condition is in effect. This status condition has a chance to be cured through resting.

     **Poisoned:** A small amount of HP will be lost every turn that this status condition is in effect.

**Scattered:** Can only affect group enemies. Reduces the group's damage and rolls if their health drops below 50%. Group opponents scatter when wounded.

**Locked:** You have the opponent locked in your grasp, and you have access to more powerful moves.

**Panic:** Some enemies will start Panicking when low on health and badly hit.

**Wounded:** When affecting an opponent, causes a +1 modifier to be added to your Rest/Wait dice roll

**Badly Wounded:** When affecting an opponent, causes a +2 modifier to be added to your Rest/Wait dice roll

**Tired:** A status effect which can be removed by resting (more information needed)

## Battle Strategy

A definite "best" way to battle does not exist, as battling is almost completely determined by your luck. It's generally advised that you don't enter a battle with an enemy that is more than a couple levels stronger than you unless you have a Lucky Foot, as these battles are much more difficult to win. There are also some enemies that might be more difficult than others. Bears hit very hard, Mustelids have more HP, and many Horned Prey can cause you to bleed much easier. In general, Wolves, Small Canids, and Felines seem to be the easiest enemies to beat.

If you enter a battle and quickly realize that the enemy is hitting you much more (or for more damage) than you are hitting them, it might be a good idea to flee the battle as to not let your health drop more than is necessary.
Make sure to keep an eye on your HP and status. Some attacks can cause you to bleed or poison you, and you must Rest to get rid of these status conditions.
Using the opponent's strengths and weaknesses to your advantage can also be beneficial when facing stronger opponents.

## Battle Outcomes

Winning a battle can reward a variety of different items and buffs including:

* Healing Salves
* Meat Chunks
* Trophy Items
* Recipes
* Stats
* Silver Cones

However, some of these items can only be dropped if a handful of requirement have been fulfilled. This is detailed on the Trophies page.
Winning a battle will also grant EXP to your lead wolf. The higher the level of the enemy is compared to yours, the more EXP will be given.
Losing a battle does not reward anything, and your lead has a chance of contracting an illness. More information about illnesses on the Illness page.

Illnesses lead wolves can get from losing battles:

* Infection
* Poison
* Fleas
* Ticks
* Ear Mites