Against a good defender, raw swings get blocked. Kicks, bashes and feints are how you break a guard open so a real blow can land — the difference between a fighter who looks busy and one who actually kills.

Kicks

A kick (default Q) deals only about 10 damage on its own — its value is that landing one on a raised block stuns the enemy, freezing them long enough for a full attack. It's the classic answer to someone hiding behind a shield. Kicks are costly in [stamina](/wiki/combat-guides/stamina), hard to land on an enemy backpedalling away, and a whiffed kick leaves *you* exposed in recovery.

Shield bash

With a shield equipped you can bash at close range to stagger or stun an enemy — superb in a tight press or to start an exchange on your terms. It pairs naturally with holding the front of a shieldwall.

You **must have the *Shield Bash* ability to do it at all — it's the leftmost node at the bottom of the abilities tree, and a player without it simply can't bash. To perform one, hold right-mouse (block) then click left-mouse; it can't be keybound. A bash is a genuine directional attack — left, right, overhead or stab, all at the same speed, though the stab is hardest to read because the shield barely moves — so it can even [chamber](/wiki/combat-guides/blocking-and-shields#chambering-the-parry) an enemy's swing (and be chambered in turn). A short cooldown** stops you chaining bashes to stunlock someone.

Feints

A feint baits the block: begin an attack, cancel it (cancel-attack key or switch to block) so they commit their guard to the wrong direction, then strike the line they left open. It costs 5 stamina and beats the patient defender who won't swing first — the one a kick alone can't always rush.

The advanced form is the sound feint — cancelling at the instant the swing's sound reaches the enemy, so they flinch at a blow that never comes. Same 5 stamina; it's all in the timing.

Mixing it up

When to commit

• Right after a kick or bash lands and they're staggered.
• When they're out of stamina and can't block or counter.
• During their recovery from a whiffed or fully-charged swing.
• When a teammate has their attention — flank and hit the back.