Basic Tips for Avoiding Damage

**by  u/Gwitninm**

Before we start I want to address a few things which are important, but not necessarily a defensive thing.

### Ping the enemy before you engage him!!

Every player can  ping one enemy at the time, so if there are multiple enemies,  ping the one which isn't pinged yet. You (and your team) can only kill and/or avoid what you are aware of. This is important to avoid elites!

### Maintain Situational Awareness

Be aware whats around you! It´s like driving, know whats around you and where it´s heading. That means: Look around you and listen to audio-clues. A lot of enemies give away their position just by making noise. This is important, because you take double damage if you are hit from behind; dosen´t matter who attacks (So if an Chaos warrior hits you with his heavy from behind, you are going to have a bad time). Kite the enemy and use dodge/pushes, to never let the enemy behind you.

### The Basics of Avoiding Damage

There are main 4 ways to avoid damages in this game without using an item: **Blocking**, **Pushing**, **Dodging** and **Ranged Combat**.

#### Blocking

Good against hard hitting enemies like the Rat Ogre, Trolls, Chaos Spawn, Chaos Warrior, Plague Monks, Berserkers, Stormvermin, etc.

If you block, you will prevent all damage as long as you have stamina.

Blocking a light attack will cost 1 stamina (half a shield), block a heavy will cost 2 stamina (a full shield) and blocking a "super heavy attack" will cost you all of your current stamina PLUS you will be either thrown away or staggered for a short amount of time (depending on the attack).

There is a good rule for blocking : If the enemy is  pingable and melee, block all attack. Start blocking as soon as you see them lifting their sword/axe and keep blocking as long as the full animation is going.

One enemy can only focus one of your teammates. So If you are focused, block and let your teammates deal the damage!

#### Pushing

Good against hordes and small enemies

It´s simple. A push will cost you 2 stamina (a full shield) and will push and stagger every enemy in front of you (depending on your push/block angle). This will leave most enemies open and easy to kill.

A good rule is : If you are using a fast attacking weapon: attack 3 times -> push 1 time. With a slow weapon: attack 2 times -> push 1 time.

Keep in mind that pushes only work against small enemies (e.g. slave rats, clan rats, chaos hordes, ...). And in addition some enemies can´t be pushed after starting their attack animation(e.g. stormvermin, plague monks, berserkers, ...)

A push will also interrupt attacks from small enemies, so if you are surrounded by a horde you can use your push as an 'OH SHIT!'-button and push your way to safety. (Push -> turn around -> Push -> turn around -> move -> repeat until you aren´t surrounded anymore)

#### Dodging

Good in nearly every situation!

Dodging is you main tool to avoid elites. (But I´ll make an additional post on How to avoid every elite in greater detail). In addition dodging is you main tool to move while in melee combat.

You need to know, if a small enemy (e.g. a clan rat) is to far away from you, it will interrupt anything it is doing and start chasing you. Meaning if it attacks you and you are dodging to far away from it, it will stop his animation and start chasing you. Giving you the opportunity to strike back.

Use your dodge as much as possible to kite enemies. You will at least halve the damage taken just by dodging while attacking and circle around the enemy or kiting them backwards.

Just be aware of whats behind/beside you to not dodge into an object or another horde coming from the back.

If you are good and confident in the connection to the host you can even dodge all attacks from bosses, thou I won´t suggest, because blocking is safer against bosses.

And now to the last one.

#### Ranged Combat

If it can´t reach you it can´t harm you.

You can utilize ranged combat to take out strong enemies for afar (e.g. stormvermin, plague monks and berserkers, ...) so they won´t reach you in the first place which decreases the chances of being hit.

Instead of slaying a horde with 3 other mates in a small corridor, just stay back and keep an eye for elites to kill directly on sight before they even get the chance to attack/stun you.

Just keep in mind to save an "iron stash" which is for emergency only (e.g. saving a mate from a hook/gutter).

My advice would be, you always keep around 20% ammo for saving mates. If you run out of ammo, keep your "Ult" for saving mates!

Don´t waste your ammo on a clan rat standing all alone in the woods.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day.