For all of those who have not played the "Mount & Blade" games: It features directional blocking in melee combat, where players can swing, thrust, or hack from four different directions (thrust, left swing, right swing, top hack). These attacks are blocked by blocking in one of four directions according to the attack (if it comes from the left, you hold your weapon to the left, and vice versa. To block a thrust you hold it horizontally down, and to block a hack you hold it horizontally up). You select the direction of your attack or block by turning your mouse in that direction.

Then you could actually become skilled at melee with your playing. Melee would be more fun, shields would be more useful, and two handed would be better. I don't know about you guys, but just holding your weapon out sideways in front of your face as a jack-of-all-trades block doesn't really make me feel epic. Engaging in long sword fights against your trained skill and an NPC's programmed skill would be so much better.

Just my two cents. I hope someone makes a mod for something like this, but I doubt it will happen.

If they could somehow incorporate the combat (melee, archery & horseback) from M&B, I agree, it would make the combat much more intense/fun IMO.

usually i hate these kind of ideas. in this case....awesome. I love m&b combat all around anyway.

I'd been playing a lot of M&B before Skyrim came out, and after a while I realized I was trying to block and swing M&B style. I think it would be great to have M&B combat.

You cannot feel epic, that's a ridiculous notion.

But yes, some more complexity would do the combat system some good. It's a bit simple and underdeveloped currently.

You're a ridiculous notion

I do love the concept of Mount & Blade's combat! It may not be perfect, but it's surely better/more realistic than most games including The Elder Scrolls. I still wish there were a way to port the damage model to TES. With the fluidity of Skyrim combat, it would feel so much better at that.

I must confess, though, I never really use the directional blocking function. When I get into melee, it's usually after I get unhorsed behind enemy lines, so I get overwhelmed with attacks. I'm lucky if I survive by auto-blocking long enough for my troops to reach me

I've seen a handful of videos of M&B combat like that.

It seems like it would be very awkward and not at all fun.


But, hey - different people, different opinions.

(me, I miss the days when you did combat by selecting (F)ight, (D)efend, (R )un, from a menu. Everything has to be "action" these days. )

I agree... if you've never played M&B, but have only seen it, that can definitely understand how it would leave that impression. I felt the same way before I played it.

It's true that the actual combat looks and feels "clunky." Especially with melee weapons. I do wish they would smooth out the animations and quirks. But the actual combat model makes more sense to me. Damage is based on speed and momentum. It is also based on the damage type of the weapon and the type of damage resistance of the armor. Piercing weapons are more effective against heavy armor than cutting weapons, though not necessarily as effective against un/light-armored foes as those that cut. Blunt weapons can largely ignore armor since they cause concussive damage, though all armor does absorb it to some degree.

It's quite amazing to be caught in the middle of 20 lightly-armed farmers beating on your full plate for 30 seconds, but taking hardly any damage at all. Compare that to getting hit by one solid strike from a mounted knight's lance or mace, and you are dead instantly. In other words, armor in M&B does what it was made to do... protect you. When it does its job, it does it well. When it fails, you will most likely not live long enough to realize it.

Mounted combat would be a nice addition too.

...Id rather have mounted combat. the logical next step to mounts.