Hello. No matter what weapon and skill setup I use, my main methods of damage avoidance are dodge if and pushing. I only ever block when I’m dodging (in case I mess up) and when reviving. I would like to block more since I just got Unchained and love the idea behind the play style, and there’s plenty of other characters who’s skills benefit from blocking as well. What is a good scenario to block in, and how can I learn to block more?
ALso, I’m just wondering what “effective block and push angles” are.
When you receive damage, that is a good scenario to block.
And Im being completly honest here, its hard to tell people “when” to block when we dont know how you play, for example I blockshove every 2-3 hits I do in a crowd, mainly because if you dont block anything, maybe your shove will help one of your mates?
So try to keep in mind in which situation you receive damage and adapt.
Do you have problems with elites, in crowds, when you hear specials and dont focus on regular enemies?
Apart from the obvious “overhead swing from SV block” of course.
In your inventory, go hover over the elf’s Spear or a Shield + Weapon combo, you’ll see a blue arc that covers a full 180° semi-circle. Hovering over other weapons will show correspondingly smaller arcs. Some are quite terrible, see Dual Daggers, for example.
Enemy swings that are blocked from inside that arc are blocked at normal cost, and ones that come in from outside that arc cost double the stamina - and some monster attacks seem to deliver damage through out-of-arc blocks.
Pushing is weaker against enemies that are outside your arc as well, and they’ll be staggered for a lesser period of time.
If you equip two effects that give +30% effective block and push angle, then that example 180° arc is now a 288° one, leaving only a 72° arc directly behind you that is weak.
The difference can be most easily felt by loading up Handmaiden with +stamina regen aura along with the talent that improves stamina regen. Put on a spear and some +effective arc effects and go wading through a crowd of skaven. Then do the same thing, but using Glaive instead, and without the effect arc. Your block will break substantially faster as many more attacks will be coming in from outside your effective arc and so drain your stamina faster.
Also worth noting is that if you’re using the Saltzpyre career that makes blocking light attacks cost no stamina, then it only applies while within the effective block and push angle. Increasing that angle will increase the number of attacks that are blocked for zero cost.
I haven’t tested it yet, but I assume that “timed parries cost zero stamina” trait also likely needs to come from that effective arc.
Sorry, I might not have been clear in my original post. I don’t really have any issues receiving damage, I avoid it pretty well by dodging and pushing. The only time I use block is as a safety net when I’m dodging, (in case I mess up the dodge) or when I’m reviving someone.
I was wondering how I could learn to block more instead of dodging or pushing, because some characters and skills specialize around blocking and it seems like a fun playstyle.
Thanks, that all makes sense. I don’t have any items with the “timed parries cost zero stamina” trait (just started unlocking oranges on my characters), but this is good stuff to know.