Mordhau has been something of a sleeper hit since it came out in April and the multiplayer hack ‘n slash game has built a serious following. The game can pit up to 64 players against each other in combat or see players fight in 1 v 1 duels. In epic battles players can charge across the battlefield on horseback, mount the castle walls with ladders, operate siege weapons, build fortifications, or most commonly face opponents in melee combat.
It’s a simple game with a lot of depth and there are some basic things to keep in mind when playing to stay alive in the heat of combat. Here are ten tips for beginners to Mordhau that’ll keep players in the fight just a little longer.
10 Light Horses And Long Lances Win Jousts
Jousting can take place in one on one duels or as critical engagements on the battlefield. The intent is to knock the other person off their horse without getting dismounted yourself. The name of the game is to reach max speed before a strike and to make sure you get the first hit in.
Lighter horses run faster, which means you get up to speed sooner than someone on a heavier horse. It's also important to remember that lances are longer than polearms which means the player with the lance will hit the opponent before their polearm has a chance to hit.
9 Spend Your Points Wisely
Mordhau forgoes the traditional class system found in most team battle games and instead lets the player choose their own loadout using a points system. Every player starts with 16 points and can spend those points on armor, weapons and perks.
Players wishing to have stronger armor will have to sacrifice on the type of weapon and perk they get, although it should be mentioned that the player can pick up weapons found in combat. One common tactic is to spend more points on perks and armor and hope to find a better weapon on the field. The point system is very customizable and allows players to build a character that suits their playstyle.
8 Ignore Perks At Your Own Peril
Out of the entire loadout, perks are arguably the most important purchase the player will make. The perks are incredibly varied and can suit any playstyle. There are perks for enhanced health regeneration, increased arrow damage, damage reduction, and many more with uses both in and out of combat..
Currently some of the best perks are Second Wind which boosts stamina regeneration when hitting an opponent, Bloodlust grants a better health recovery after making a kill, and Friendly grants better damage reduction when accidentally struck by teammates, which will happen a lot. Players don’t need to spend all their points on perks, but it’s definitely not an area to be stingy with points.
7 Always Wear A Helmet
Never, ever go into combat without a helmet. It doesn’t matter what your playstyle is or how goofy it looks, always wear a helmet. The name of the game is to look for an opponent's weakness and to exploit it. Years of zombie fiction and the recent Avengers: Infinity War movie have taught us to always go for the head and you better believe Mordhau players will follow that advice religiously.
While having armor for your torso or your legs is a debate players are having, there’s no question that a helmet is mandatory. It should also go without saying that if you come across some poor fool in the battlefield without a helmet, their head should be the go to place to attack.
6 Keep Enemies Close, But Not Friends
The game has a strong desire to adhere to reality whenever possible so friendly fire is a game mechanic that is always present and always a threat. It’s a good idea to remain in groups for safety purposes, but if you get too close to that team mate swinging an axe around you run the risk of having your own head chopped off.
Experienced players know to keep enough distance between each other to be safe without getting too separated. If you’re with inexperienced players it’s better to run the risk of getting isolated then having your health whittled down by a team mate who’s not paying attention.
5 Switch Your Grip
Every weapon has an alternative grip that allows the players to fight differently with their weapon in combat. Instead of wielding a long sword from the handle and fighting at a distance, players can grab the blade with one hand and fight up close, on a fun side note this technique is called the Mordhau Grip
Changing your grip can be useful for enemies who get too close for longer weapons, some alternative grips do more damage to heavy armor, and some weapons can even be thrown if the enemy tries to retreat. It’s important to learn the different grips of each weapon and learn to use them effectively.
4 Know Your Weapons
In addition to understanding the alternative grips, it’s also important to understand the role each weapon has in combat and use it for that role. Blunt weapons are best when fighting solitary, heavily armored opponents, bladed weapons like swords are best for enemies with less armor, and spears are great against groups or calvary.
Knowing what your weapon is good for in combat can give you a sense of purpose when rushing into battle. That isn’t to say you couldn’t try tackling a heavily armored opponent with a halberd, you just won’t be as effective as someone wielding an eveningstar.
3 Faster Is Better
Horses are an important tool on the field of battle. They can allow players to relocate to areas of the fight their team might be losing, gain some ground on the enemy’s position before the archers and siege weapons can do serious damage, and plowing into enemies can do some serious damage.
All of the above requires you to operate your horse at high speeds to be effective. In fact, the damage you deal when couching your lance from a horse increases the faster you’re moving. As a result Light horses are seeing the most use, there are a handful of mediums, and heavy horses just aren’t worth it. Staying fast is key when using horses.
2 Watch Your Stamina
While this is important in large battles it’s even more so in duels. Nearly every action you character performs drains stamina which is crucial for effectively parrying or chambering your opponent's attacks. If you’re out of stamina when you perform these critical moves you run the risk of your opponent disarming you.
You can regain stamina by hitting an opponent, but that becomes harder to do if your stamina is drained and you find yourself disarmed. So preventing your stamina from ever draining away completely is a good way to stay alive and stay dangerous in combat.
1 Know Your Place
Combining much of the above into one tip, the best thing beginners can do to be effective in Mordhau is to know their role and perform it. There’s nothing worse than a beginner trying to fight a single enemy with a halberd while he’s surrounded by allies and it’s annoying to see a beginner with a heavy weapon prioritize the lighter armored foes while ignoring the heavily armored ones.
Understanding that Mordhau is a series of check and balances and knowing where your playstyle fits into that large game of rock paper scissors is critical to moving from a beginner to a veteran. A beginner who knows their place and does it well can be just as dangerous as a pro fighting out of their element.