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Stellar Bladesets itself apart from typical hack-and-slash games by leaning more towards being a soulslike game, especially in its combat mechanics. While it’s not the easiest game, it’s also not the hardest out there. However, there are certain combat elements you need to learn and adapt to to make your journey far more manageable.
Combat is unavoidable and frequent throughout the entire game, so getting the hang of it is essential. Fortunately, we have a stellar guide filled with some of the most helpful combat tips. Whether you’re new to this type of game or not, you’re bound to learn something useful to enhance your gameplay experience.
Parry, Parry, Parry
Before diving into combat in Stellar Blade, it’s essential to understand a few key details. Firstly, enemies’health bars are displayed in white, accompanied bya blue shield indicator below. Beneath this shield, you’ll noticeyellow dots, which representthe number of successful parries needed to initiate a Retribution attack, capable of dealing significant damage.
There’s no stamina mechanic in the game, so you have freedom to execute actions as much as you can.
Stellar Blade’s combat shares similarities with Soulslike games,emphasizing elements like parrying and dodging enemy attacks. Waiting for openings to strike and avoiding excessive greediness is crucial, as overextending can lead to setbacks.The combat presents a certain level of difficulty, particularly for those unfamiliar with Souls games, but one habit to develop from thestart is mastering parrying.
Parrying proves vital for effectivelyblocking enemy attacks without sustaining damage. It alsobreaks certain enemies' stances, enabling continued combos or providing opportunities to heal. The game encourages an aggressive playstyle, urging you to engage enemies head-on, parrying attacks, and dealing damage while staying in the heat of combat.
While regular enemies are manageable, parrying bosses not only feels rewarding but alsoconserves healing resourcesandenhances your chances of executing a Retribution attack.
Dodging, while present, isn’t the most reliable evasion method. However,unlocking double dodge may offer some assistance, though it still pales in comparison to the effectiveness of parrying.
Plan Your Approach
Thanks to your drone,you’ll have the ability to scan areas for enemies, pinpointing their locations. This grants you a significant advantage in combat, particularly in open areas throughout the game. Knowing the enemy’s whereabouts allows you toapproach encounters strategically, dealing with them one by one.
It’s wise to avoid engaging with multiple enemies simultaneously, especially during the early to mid-game stages when combat can be challenging. While enemies may not always be conveniently separated, if there’s an opportunity to confront them individually, it’s beneficial. Doing so allows you to conserve healing items,which can be limited resources early in the game, and increases your chances of success in combat encounters.
Unlock The Ambush Skill As Soon As Possible
One of the most invaluable skills in the game isAmbush, which allows you toswiftly eliminate enemies with a single strike from behind, effectively bypassing combat altogether. This skill caters to a stealthier approach, butwhen paired with the Camouflage-Type Exospine, it transforms you into an assassin byreducing enemy field of view, making it easier to approach undetected.
With Ambush, it’s worthwhile topatiently wait for the opportune moment when enemies expose their vulnerable backs, enabling you to dispatch them swiftly and silently.
Its subsequent skill,Chain Charge, enables you tocharge at a nearby enemy after executing Ambush,dealing significant damage anddown them. Although this may not always result in an instant kill, the incapacitated state providesan opening to unleash a follow-up combo that could potentially finish off the enemy.
Use Ranged Attacks To Break Enemies Shield
All enemies in the game possess ablue shield meter,providing them with damage reduction. While this shield is active,your attacks will primarily deplete it, along with a portion of their health, but you can do this from a distance. As you progress,your drone will be upgraded to serve as your gun, offering various types of ammo usage later on.
Your drone serves as your primary ranged attack method, so it’s crucial toutilize it against enemies to break their shields before engaging in close combat. Once their shield is broken, they become more vulnerable to your attacks.This strategy applies to bosses as well, so before confronting any boss, use your drone to deplete their shield.
It’s important to note that certain enemies may dodge as soon as you aim at them with your drone, so keep that in mind.
Additionally,the Shield Breaker skillproves to be another effective method for depleting enemy shields, further enhancing your ability to dispatch foes efficiently. By employing these tactics, you can effectively weaken enemies and bosses, gaining the upper hand in combat encounters.
Keep A Stock Of Ammunition
In addition to the previous tip, it’s crucial to remember thatranged attacks require ammunition, and depending on the types of ammo you’ve unlocked,you’ll need to replenish them regularly. Fortunately, restocking on ammo iseasy and inexpensive. At any camp, you’ll finda vending machine where you can purchase any type of ammunitionunlocked from the Drone Upgrades menu.
Ammunition is cheap, so it’s advisable toalways restock whenever you come across a camp.
However, keep in mind that unlike health items,you can’t store excess ammo for later use. Instead, you’ll need to check your ammo reserves regularly and purchase what you need at the next available camp. By staying stocked up on ammo, you ensure that you’re well-prepared for combat encounters and can effectively use ranged attacks.
Keep A Stock Of Health Potions As Well
As you stock up on ammunition,it’s equally important to ensure you have an ample supply of health potions. These items are affordable as well, especially if you’ve been completing side quests and accumulating gold.
Having a surplus of health items can be a lifesaver,considering the constant barrage of enemy encounters you’ll face throughout your journey. By keeping your inventory well-stocked with health potions and ammunition, you should be well prepared for any encounter.
Always Keep A WB Pump With You
Not every time will you be able to perfectly parry enemy attacks or effectively break their shields in combat. You’re likely to get hit a lot and potentially even die. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting so close to defeating a boss only to fall at the final hurdle. But fear not,with a WB Pump, you’ll have a second chance.
AWB Pumpis an item that allows you torevive yourself after being killed in combat, giving you that precious second opportunity. However,it won’t save you from fatal fall damage.
You canpurchase WB Pumps from various merchants and vending machines in camps, but they come with a price tag of1,500 G, which might seem a bit steep early in the game. Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth having at least one. While you’ll only get to use it once initially, later in the game, you’ll be able to carry two, doubling your chances of survival.
I’ve found the best way to use it is during boss fights,especially when I’ve already taken down at least half of their health or more. It significantly boosts my chances of beating them.
There Is No Single Gear Equipment That Does It All
As you explore the different regions in the game or complete side quests, you’ll encounter a wide variety of equipment. There are two main types that you can equip to Eve:ExospineandGear. Exospine is anupgradable piece of equipment that typically focuses on enhancing a specific element of combat, whether it’s ranged attacks, combos, or Beta skills. On the other hand,Gear grants Eve a single passive ability.
You initially start withone slot for each type of equipment, but as you progress, you can unlock more slots.
These equipment slots are essential for enhancing Eve’s combat abilities, butdon’t hesitate to switch them when needed. Depending on the situation,you’ll need to adjust your equipped equipment accordingly. For instance, there’s no use for a Camouflage-Type Exospine when facing bosses, so you can switch it out for something more suitable. Adaptation is key to success in Stellar Blade.
You Can Change Difficulty, Just In Case
Stellar Blade offerstwo difficulty optionsfor you to choose from before diving into the game:Story modeandNormal mode. In Story mode, the focus is on enjoying the narrative without stressing too much about mastering combat mechanics or deflecting enemy attacks. On the other hand, Normal mode provides a balanced challenge that allows players to fully experience the combat mechanics and feel a sense of accomplishment.
We recommend starting with Normal modesince that’s where the game truly shines, and you can fully immerse yourself in the rewarding combat experience.
However, there may be instances where you find yourself struggling with a particularly tough boss, unable to progress further. In such cases,there’s no shame in adjusting the difficulty to Story mode temporarily, just to overcome that hurdle.
After completing the game for the first time,you unlock Hard Mode.
