Combat

In a large, diverse environment full of predators and ne'er-do-wells, it's only inevitable that the player will end up in combat at some point. When entering combat, the status bar on the left changes into the combat menu. There, the player can see the stamina, fighting skill, stats, and status effects of the currently controlled cat, as well as the actions they can take if it is their turn.

If a fighter's stamina falls to 0 during combat, they will become exhausted and, in 1v1 battles, the fight will end. With a burst of adrenaline, they will attempt to flee the scene. If they are unable to flee, either due to injury or the opponent preventing their escape, they will lose consciousness. Depending on the severity of the situation, they may die. This applies to both the player and their opponent/s. It is recommended to begin trying to flee a battle between 15 and 25 stamina.

## Combat Actions

There are four types of actions that can be taken in battle: **Attack**, **Defend**, **Escape**, and **Mercy**. How many options are available under each action type will depend on the controlled cat's fighting skill level and abilities learned.

* Attack
* Defend
* Escape & Mercy

All fighters start with basic claw and bite attacks. These attacks don't do much damage without any strategy or skill behind them. More attacks are unlocked as the controlled cat advances in the fighting skill and learns more combat moves (see Fighting Skill Table). While each move has its own factors determining success and damage, for the most part, attacking relies on the strength stat and fighting skill level. The **Lion-Hearted** and **Cunning** special traits can also be helpful in determining success for certain moves.

There are two defensive actions that can be taken in battle: **Dodge** and **Parry.**

Choosing to dodge during your turn prepares the controlled cat to attempt to avoid the opponent's attacks completely. This action relies heavily on the agility stat. Having the **Fast** and/or **Stealthy** special traits will also improve the controlled cat's performance in dodging. Dodging in battle will reduce or completely eliminate damage taken, depending on dice rolls, but can be very exhaustive for cats without high agility scores.

Parrying your opponent will put the controlled cat in a ready position to meet and deflect the opponent's next attack, turning that energy against the attacker. Although not as protective as dodging, parrying reduces the amount of damage taken while also having a chance to deal damage in return. It is not as effective as dodging or attacking directly, but depending on the opponent's fighting style it can be part of a successful battle strategy. Parrying requires the **Basic Parry** fighting skill ability. Like dodging, parrying relies on the agility stat, and can be helped by the **Fast** and **Cunning** special traits.

The player can choose to attempt to escape during their turn. During sparring matches, this is always successful. During real fights, however, the opponent can attempt to keep the player engaged - escape attempts will not always be successful, and may sometimes incur further damage. Having the **Stealthy** special trait can be beneficial when attempting to escape from enemies with low intelligence and spirit stats.

If the opponent's stamina falls below 15, the escape action is replaced by **Mercy**. The controlled cat will attempt to stop the fight and let the opponent leave while they still can. Some opponents will gladly take the opportunity to flee; others will be all too happy to give their life just to spite you, and may take advantage of the pause to get an attack in. Regardless of what the opponent chooses to do, choosing mercy offers a small boost to the controlled cat's moral compass.
#### Claws

The player can also sheathe and unsheathe the controlled cat's claws for the battle. Fighting with sheathed claws does little to no physical damage, and eliminates the risk of injuring or killing the opponent. This may be desired in practice fights or squabbles where the player doesn't actually want to hurt the other cat, and seeks only to exhaust them. As such, sparring with claws *unsheathed* will earn the ire of your sparring partner if the fight is expected to stay friendly, and can negatively affect the controlled cat's moral compass. Fighting with claws sheathed, depending on the context, can likewise offer a small boost to the controlled cat's moral compass.

## Combat Styles

There are two styles of combat in *From the Ground Up*: **1v1** and **Siege**.

### 1v1 Combat

1v1 combat is the most common combat type in *From the Ground Up*. The player will become engaged in this type of combat whenever they are attacked, either by a predator or another cat, and can initiate combat themselves by attacking others in their environment. 1v1 Combat is also used for friendly sparring matches between cats.

### Siege Battles

Siege battles are a feature planned for a future update of *From the Ground Up.* With Rival Clans come Clan relations, which can very easily go sour. If the player's Clan goes to war, they will eventually be met with a siege battle. Unlike 1v1 fights, in siege battles the player directs all allies on scene on a tactical-style battlefield. Of course, depending on outside circumstances such as friendships, forbidden love, or other motivators, your cats may not always follow orders the way you intend.