Combat System

Gloria Victis uses a fully non-targeted combat system — there is no tab-lock. Every strike must land in the correct direction and from the correct distance, or it whiffs. Attacking when your foe's guard is down, blocking the right way at the right moment and using footwork to dodge are what win fights. It is, by design, a skill-based game first.

Mouse movement chooses the direction of your swing — left, right, overhead or thrust. A normal left-click is a fast, weak attack. Hold left-click until the bar turns red to release a heavy attack: much more damage, but slower and costlier in stamina. Damage resolves by type — slashing, piercing and blunt — against the armour it strikes, since weapons and armour are modelled on authentic medieval equipment.

Hold right-click and match your mouse to the direction of the incoming swing to negate the hit. Shields give a larger arc of protection and forgive imperfect direction more than weapon parries — but they have a weakness: opponents can kick a shield to stun you and break your guard, opening you up for the follow-up.

Realism extends to your stamina pool. Running, striking, parrying and even holding your weapon up in guard all consume it. Run dry mid-duel and your weapon gets batted aside for a quick death. Heavier armour drains stamina faster (weight hurts dexterity); lighter armour drains slower. So you either burst hard early or fight patiently and counter — your armour weight is part of that choice.

Each weapon has its own techniques drawn from real medieval combat manuals — the sword, for instance, has feints. Techniques still need the right direction and distance, can be blocked, hit harder and cost more stamina, and many are conditional. Archery rewards a steady aim (eagle-eyed archers earn fame), and mounted combat is tougher than fighting on foot due to horse physics and speed — but very rewarding once mastered.

PvP spans the full range: blunt-weapon arena duels at one end, and massive realm-vs-realm sieges at the other, where "arrows will fall like the rain." You can earn fame as an undefeatable duelist, an eagle-eyed archer or a respected commander inspiring allies in battle.