One integral part of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is combat, as you need to know how to fight in different situations in order to complete objectives. It can grow frustrating, especially if you are constantly experiencing desynchronizations everywhere you travel in the game. Luckily, there are some tips that can help even the worst gamer succeed and have fun in this open-world RPG.
The purpose of this guide is to assist you in refining your technique in combat, as well as outlining key points that you should understand before starting the game.
Updated on August 24, 2021 by Hodey Johns: As players have been finding out, not everything in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is straightforward. It boasts one of the lowest completion rates of any game of all time, and while some of this might be due to the lengthy campaign, it's fair to say that some of it has to do with the game getting too hard. If this is you, take a step back and take in a little advice. At no point should the combat feel difficult, and, if it does, there's something off. This list has been expanded to include the latest additional tactics that make the ride through England (and now Ireland and France) a walk in the park.
Pick On Enemies Your Own Size (or Less)
Simply put, if you're fighting somebody whose level is in the red or looks like a skull, you're doing it wrong. Though the game doesn't provide an order for which to knock out each province, there is absolutely a wrong way to go about it.
By fighting against weaker enemies in low-ranking provinces first, Eivor will be at the same level or higher against enemies in the next area for the rest of the game. If it's a tough fight, you shouldn't be in it.
Understanding The Different Playstyles
Players often focus their efforts on one type of combat, which includes melee, ranged, and stealth. The early game requires you to choose one of these playstyles until you level up enough to branch out to add another. Different fights make some playstyles more difficult than others, but it is possible to defeat an enemy using any method.
If you prefer to rush into battle and take your foes head-on, then melee is your primary playstyle. Those with steady aim who prefer a bow and arrow to an ax should focus on ranged gameplay. Finally, if you prefer to sneak through bushes and assassinate your enemies then stealth is for you, but this style does require you to still have a secondary focus on one of the other playstyles as a backup.
Skill Points Are Useful
The best way to focus your efforts on a primary play style is to use your skill points wisely as you place them on different parts of the constellation tree. You should try and stick with one branch of the tree early on in the game, and then later expand into the other sectors once you establish a strong branch.
Abilities Can Be The Difference Between Victory And Defeat
All abilities, including the game's best abilities, can be found throughout the world by collecting the Books of Knowledge in different regions. These will help you in combat as they can take a chunk of damage off an opponent, and they apply to both your melee and ranged weapons. They give Eivor a specialty skill that will allow her to take down an enemy with ease.
Be Melee And Ranged
Although Eivor is given a choice between melee and ranged skills initially, by the end of the game, players will have every single skill filled in. Plus, ranged and melee bonuses are generously mixed into each skill tree.
By starting with a few arrows and then switching into melee attacks as opponents approach, you'll be able to squeeze out the maximum amount of damage possible.
Choose Your Style Of Weapon
This guide has already discussed the various playstyles, but choosing the best weapon for each playstyle is critical.
The types of melee weapons are as follows:
- Bearded Axe
- Flail
- Hammer
- Spear
- Seax (Dagger)
- Dane Axe
- Greatsword
- Light Shield
- Heavy Shield
The types of ranged weapons are as follows:
- Light Bow
- Hunter Bow
- Predator Bow
They all work in different ways and are preferable for different types of combat. It is also important when picking your weapon of choice that your skills and abilities are a good fit. Some of them require two hands and are slower, while others allow for speed to be the lethal factor of their fighting style.
Armor Is Important
The armor you choose is just as important as your weapon and the best armors in the game can be found in this guide. However, you still want to choose an armor that fits your playstyle, as some are made to take heavy melee damage, while others provide better perks for ranged attacks. If you wear a full set it also comes with extra perks, and upgrades can be given to certain armor sets within the skill tree.
Runes Are A Big Help
Armor and weapons can be equipped with runes that can help in every aspect of the game. Oftentimes these are most helpful when facing more difficult enemies, or those with special skills such as poison or fire. They can do other things like enhance your ability damage or lighten your gear to make you even faster when in combat.
Upgrade Your Gear Whenever Possible
Gunnar the Blacksmith resides in your settlement in Raventhorpe and he is an expert at making you even better in battle. All you have to do is bring him ingots, which include:
- Carbon
- Nickel
- Gold
This will allow for further upgrades to be done within your inventory, as well as the ability to add more runes to your gear.
Elites Can Be Tricky
There are enemies within the game known as Elites, and they are easy to spot as their names come up as yellow above their heads. A few of the types of Elites in the game are as follows:
- Standard Bearer
- Goliath
- Arbalist
Boss battles can also be found throughout the map and they are labeled as:
- Lost Drengr
- Legendary Animal
- Daughters of Lerion
One tip when fighting these types of foes is to use your abilities wisely and focus on the lesser foes around them when your adrenaline runs low. It is easier to land a hit on a regular opponent, rather than a few on an elite to rebuild this bar.
Use Ability Points In Every Fight
Conservative players like to save up their ability points for when a big boss shows up. This makes the game's already enormous playtime even more exaggerated. For the sake of being expeditious, use at least one ability point in every combat scenario.
The game feeds ability points back generously, usually at least one every fight. In addition to this, some mushrooms restore this resource. Staying topped off on this resource is a literal waste of time.
Parry Like Your Life Depends On It
A parry is the act of deflecting a hit from an opponent, but it doesn't work in every situation. They can deflect light melee attacks (which turn an opponent's weapon gold), but a heavy melee attack (where their weapon turns red) cannot be stopped by a parry.
The use of this skill can lead to stunning an enemy, and certain weapons also have perks that grant you special skills when a successful parry is performed. You could try to dodge your way out of a conflict, but your limited stamina bar will only grant you so much time.
Minimize Time On Defense
With the way stamina works, playing defense is a battle of attrition that Eivor can't win. Parrying, blocking, and dodging are all necessary components of the game, but these maneuvers should be executed quickly.
Wildly swiping away on offense whenever an enemy isn't attacking brings down even the toughest of foes in a hurry. Eventually, a skill will slow down time on a dodge, rendering Eivor capable of doing immense damage during these timeframes.
Hit Their Weak Points
All enemies have weak points that will highlight themselves in yellow, and this is where your focus should lie. If you hit these places on their bodies then they will fall faster and it could stun them, and it is one of the best parts of the game.
This is more easily done with a bow and arrow, but it is also something to keep in mind when battling the various bosses throughout this game. It will allow for an easier takedown of these opponents if you follow this tip.
Start With A Heavy Attack
The final tip in regards to combat and how to win your fights is to start with a heavy attack, especially when your enemy is unaware of your presence. It will do more damage, and then you can follow with a series of light attacks and parries which will stun them. Your opponents will fall faster than ever before as you beat them down one by one.