Mordhau Combat Tips For Beginners

Why combat mastery matters ⚙️

Mordhau looks chaotic at first but beneath the blood and chainmail lies one of the most skill-based combat systems in gaming.

Every swing, feint, and parry depends on timing, accuracy, and reading your opponent. Once you understand the rhythm, battles start to feel like duels rather than brawls.

Here’s a breakdown of essential combat tips for new players learning the ropes in 2025.

Step 1: Learn the basics first 🧱

Before diving into advanced tricks, start with the fundamentals.

• Play the tutorial - it explains core mechanics like parrying and riposting.
• Use Third Person (P) early on for better spatial awareness.
• Stick with simple weapons like the Longsword, Messer, or Arming Sword - easy to learn, hard to master.

💡 Pro tip: Focus on one weapon type at a time to build consistency.

Step 2: Master parrying and ripostes 🛡️

Parrying is your best defence and your gateway to offence.

• Parry: Right-click at the moment an enemy’s weapon is about to hit.
• Riposte: Attack immediately after a parry for a faster counterstrike.
• Don’t spam parries, stamina drains fast if you block everything blindly.

🎯 Tip: Learn to read swing animations, not just react to sounds. Experienced players disguise their attacks.

Step 3: Understand drags and accels ⚔️

These are advanced movement tricks that change the timing of your strikes.

• Drag: Turn your camera away during a swing to delay the hit.
• Accel: Turn into the swing to speed it up.

Why use them? They mess with your opponent’s timing and make your attacks unpredictable.

🧠 Practice: Try them in offline duels before heading into real matches, they take muscle memory.

Step 4: Feints and morphs 🌀

Feints cancel your attack mid-swing to bait your opponent into parrying early.

• Feint: Start an attack, then press Q to cancel and follow up instantly.
• Morph: Start one attack type (e.g., overhead) and switch to another mid-motion (e.g., stab).

Used sparingly, they confuse opponents but overdo it, and skilled players will punish you.

💬 Pro tip: Feint into a kick if your opponent always holds block, it breaks their guard.

Step 5: Manage your stamina ⚙️

Every action, block, swing, feint - costs stamina.

• Running out means you’ll drop your weapon during a block.
• Don’t panic-swing when you’re low; instead, back off and recover.
• Stamina management is what separates good duelists from great ones.

💡 Tip: Equip Friendly perks like “Second Wind” if you rely on blocking often.

Step 6: Use footwork and spacing 🦶

Standing still is the fastest way to die.

• Always move side-to-side, not backwards.
• Circle opponents to force awkward swings.
• Step forward during attacks to extend reach, it also adds momentum.
• Sprint attacks (Shift + LMB) are risky but useful for catching runners.

🎯 Bonus: Use crouch or jump feints to throw off hitboxes mid-duel.

Step 7: Watch your positioning 🗺️

Combat awareness goes beyond your target.

• Avoid fighting near walls or corners, camera control suffers.
• Keep your back clear in group fights.
• Use obstacles to block arrows or throwables.
• If outnumbered, retreat to a choke point where they can’t surround you.

🧱 Pro tip: Use the environment. Ladders, spikes, and firepots can save you in tight spots.

Step 8: Pick the right armour 🪖

Armour affects mobility, stamina, and weapon damage taken.

💡 Tip: Don’t go full heavy early, stamina drain will kill your flow. Try a mix for balance.

Step 9: Train consistently 🧠

There’s no shortcut to skill, only practice.

• Use Offline Duel Mode to learn patterns safely.
• Watch skilled players on YouTube or Twitch, study their rhythm.
• Practise “mirror fights” where you only parry and counter identical moves.

🎯 Goal: Learn to react to animations, not panic to swings.

Step 10: Keep calm under pressure 💬

The hardest skill in Mordhau is staying composed.

• Don’t mash buttons, deliberate movements win fights.
• Focus on one opponent at a time.
• Accept losses, every duel teaches timing and spacing.

🧠 Pro tip: Even veterans lose often. The difference is they learn from every hit.

Final thoughts 💭

Mordhau’s combat is brutal but fair. Once you understand its rhythm, parries, drags, and all - it becomes more of a mind game than a brawl.

Start slow, learn the basics, and build up your muscle memory. With patience and practice, you’ll go from panicked blocking to choreographed dominance.

And if you’re hosting your own duelling arena through ChipHead, you’ll enjoy the smooth performance and stability needed for serious swordplay. ⚔️