About Combat
Melee combat is any type of non-ranged and non-magical physical attack by one character on another character. It can be initiated by holding a weapon in your primary hand and typing "attack <target>" while you are in melee range of your target.
Most weapons will also have different verbs that can be used to initiate different types of damage. For example, a broadsword can be used to slash or thrust. A slash will cause more damage, while a thrust will be more precise. Simply typing "attack" will randomly choose between the different attack types of a specific weapon type.
Also, you may specify which part of your opponent's body you wish to attack. If you don't specify, you will randomly attack a body part. Some body parts are more vulnerable to certain types of damage, and some are much more vital (such as the head and neck).
To attack a specific body part you can type "attack <target>'s right leg," or you can string both specific commands together to have "thrust <target>'s right eye."
This style of combat, although fundamental, is very effective. The idea is to attack with a weapon while parrying oncoming blows with a shield. For this style of combat, training in armor & shields and a choice of a one-handed weapon, be it from the list of knives & rapiers, blades & axes or crushing weapons, is required. Of course, learning tactics can always help give you an upper hand in the battlefield, and to completely utilize this style, the player will also need to be in the proper stance, on his guard and ready to parry any blow.
Tactically more difficult, two-weapon combat can be very deadly. The idea is to carry one weapon and use it to parry blows as well as attack. The skill in which one parries the blows depends upon their proficiency with their weapon. Be if from the class of knives & rapiers, blades & axes, or crushing weapons. This style of combat requires vast knowledge of combat tactics and is a very efficient way for the larger races to battle. Some two handed weapons are the bastard sword, the claymore, the greatsword and the battleaxe.
Requiring strength and stamina, brawling is the simplest form of combat, yet quite lethal, whereupon a person uses his bare hands to pound his opponent into submission. While fists alone may not be suited for killing a heavily armored enemy, with the aid of certain weapons, such as brass knuckles or even a broken bottle, it is quite possible. Unarmed combat allows a person to grapple his opponent and wrestle them to the ground using strong-arm tactics as well. The moves in grappling include; punch, kick, shoulder throw, hip throw, elbow, and head butt.
Battling with the aid of a pole arm is very different from other forms of combat. The long reach allows a person to engage one enemy while keeping others at bay. To be effective at this style of combat extensive training in the skill is necessary. Learning tactics helps as well. The stance that is used is important since a polearm can be hard to handle otherwise. Among some polearms are lances, spears, staffs, halberds and staves.
Large weapon can be anything from a simple maul or club to a deadly flamberge and requires knowledge of large weapons skill as well as tactics. The stance used is also important since one hand is free and parrying is useless. A person must either plant his feet in a rooted position or try some evasion & dodging technique in an evasive stance.
Archery and ranged combat is very effective in allowing a person to kill an enemy from afar. Many bowyers and fletchers in the lands teach the skills required to use bows & crossbows, which fire armor piercing projectiles at an opponent, thereby doing damage. With archery, stance is not as important as the distance from an enemy. One should try to remain at missile range, since any closer makes it much harder to use the weapons. Ranged combat works in a similar way and one needs to be in at least a stone's throw from the enemy to be deadly, since any closer to the target and these weapons become dysfunctional, requiring momentum to rend flesh. One needs to be schooled in thrown and slings to master these weapons, which include; stones, knives, daggers, throwing axes and javelins.
To battle an enemy with magic, one must have learned the spells available to him and can only invoke those that coincide with his level of learning. To cast an offensive spell, a hand needs to be free so stance is a main factor in this style and choosing an evasive one is safest if you cannot keep out of range of your enemy. Magical combat also allows a player to cast defensive spells on himself and his hunting group, offering them some protection from enemy fire. Wands and scrolls are also available and will, in many cases, allow a magic user to cast spells above their capacity at that time.
