04-good.Rmd

# Knight IV: Expert

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  <img src="imgs/miecz.png">
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## More advanced moves and tricks

You'll learn about the final tricks which you should learn now, requiring very good timing and being familiar with how the game works in general.

### Aggressive jabs

One aggressive and extremely fun move is a jab charge -- a quick shield slide to gain speed followed by a jab. This is an effective way to interrupt someone who is charging a slash -- but for it to succeed it must be done with extreme speed and good timing.

Keep in mind that sometimes you may want to press left mouse button before you even get near the enemy (jabs aren't instant because you always have slight delay on online servers, and they also have a short duration after release). This also applies to the rest of this section.

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<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/agjab.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

You can actually try to interrupt every slash with a jab as soon as you're close enough to the enemy -- but keep in mind this requires a lot of focus and very good reflexes. You have only half a second before the enemy is able to release their slash, so be careful. This is something that only the best knights do, but it's very satisfying to constantly interrupt slashes with jabs. 

If you feel comfortable with doing this and have good reflexes, you can pretty much just constantly stay close to the enemy and interrupt every of their slashes with a jab.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/agjab4.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/agjab3.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/loved.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/pogrus.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

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Surprise jab right after being unstunned from jabbing enemy shield (notice how I released the jab slightly before I got close enough to the enemy)

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/agjab52.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Another surprise jab on enemy that starts charging a slash after shieldbashing me:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/dab.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Some more jabbing in the gif below. First, me and the enemy start charging a slash around the same time, but I release it as a jab instead of continuing to charge it in case the enemy started charging first. After that, I shieldbash the enemy (which couldn't be crouching because they're moving around) and follow up with a jab. The enemy stays still in place after that happens, so they're likely to be crouching -- I go in and jab in the proper direction. The enemy attempted to jab first but failed.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/jabr2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

### Instajabs

This is a very important move in high end duels, similar to [tempo jabs](https://deynarde.github.io/kag-knight-guide/knight-iii-advanced.html#tempo-jab) from the previous chapter. It allows you to damage knights that slash your shield, even if they shield right after. Basically -- there's a small delay between slashing and putting your shield back up. If you put your shield up right after slashing, the animation may show, but the shield won't actually be there.

During that small delay, and right after your stun from being slashed in the shield is finished, you can jab the enemy. It requires good timing and quite a bit of training. In most cases you want to click left mouse button while you're still stunned on your screen.

In the gif below, the red knight is a bot that starts shielding right after finishing a slash.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/instaj1.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Gifs of instajabs in actual gameplay:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/intj3.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/pogdog2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/int6.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/peg3.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Finishing a low-health enemy with an instajab:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/secretpag2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

If you know that the enemy knows how to instajab, you should try to jump back slightly every time after slashing them on their shield.

### Instaslashes

The idea is that if someone slashes your shield, you can start holding left mouse button as soon as you get stunned, and release it when 75% of the cursor charges (first yellow dot on the cursor charging). Even though you see only 75% of the cursor, you will do a slash both on your screen and the enemy's screen.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/drag2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Any time you do a quick instaslash (75% of cursor), you'll be able to release it faster than the enemy will be able to, even if they're slashspamming. This is due to slashes having a duration after releasing -- you can't instantly start charging another slash after releasing one. Instaslashes make use of that -- they're a perfect counter against slashspamming enemies.

You can actually do it from other stuns as well, such as being stunned from fall damage -- start slashing as soon as you get stunned. 

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/knockinsta1.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Instaslashes are actually a very viable trick and not just a niche trick -- if somebody will start charging a slash right after releasing their first one on your shield, you will always be able to slash them.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/insta1.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/pepesad.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

As you can see in the gif below, you can of course do a jab after a successful instaslash -- they're pretty much the same as normal slashes.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/insta2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

90% of the cursor (final yellow dot before full cursor charge) obviously also works, but if the enemy is able to slash fast you may sometimes get slashed first. Try to do instaslashes as fast as possible.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/insta3.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/insta42.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Knights can sometimes try to shieldbash after slashing your shield. We can combine crouching with an instaslash to hit them.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/peg2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Instaslashes can be also done from the stun on an unshielded slash and the slight stun from a jab interrupt -- although on 90% of cursor (final yellow dot before full cursor)

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/instad3.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

### Jabbing after slashing shield

If you know that the enemy regularly instajabs or instaslashes, you can try to jab right after slashing at their shield. This will prevent them from doing both (although they're still able to counterjab it).

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/instjc.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Try to not do this too often though -- if the enemy won't be doing an instajab or an instaslash, you will just jab the shield and get stunned.

### Jab after being slashed+jabbed

You can jab right after being slashed + jabbed if you do it fast enough (I usually just mash the left mouse button when I'm waiting to get unstunned):

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/sadeg.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Even if the enemy shields right after, you will still be able to damage them with a jab (similar to how instajabs work).

If you know that the enemy does this consistently, you can counter it in a few ways:

A) counterjab the jab, killing the enemy (if they didn't heal):

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/sadge1.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

B) jump away right after doing the slash + jab combo (this can be hard to do consistently and may not be successful sometimes):

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/03-decent/realisation.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

C) not do a jab after a slash (do this if you have 1 heart -- you have time to shield right after and not get jabbed)

### Slash stomping (hard)

Start charging a slash, jump from the highest point of the enemy that is shielding up (as mentioned earlier, the players' model is a circle) and try to land on a lower point, slightly to the side. This way the slash pierces their shield, and the additional velocity allows you to do a 1 heart stomp.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/5.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

It works the same as a normal slash stomp, so you can jab the enemy after successfully doing this.

### Blitz crouch

This is a more advanced way to get 'inside' the enemy so you can attack him. To do it, do a shield slide stun which will slightly pop the enemy up in the air. As they fall you move slightly under them and crouch so that they fall into you (both of your hitboxes are overlapping). Works the best when the enemy is next to a wall.

At this point, you can phase through the enemy and attack them.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/8.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

### Glue after crouch

When you and the enemy keep walking into each other, you can move back slightly, crouch and wait for him to get inside you, then stop the crouching and start walking forward. In some cases you may glue yourself to the enemy (you will be moving the enemy towards where you're walking while still being inside them) -- you should use this to your advantage and slash your enemy when he's confused and doesn't know what direction to shield. On your enemy's screen, you aren't inside them -- you're in front of them.

Enemy's POV:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/55.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Your POV:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/56.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

Example in actual gameplay:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/crouchglue.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

If this happens to you after walking into somebody's crouch (although on your screen you may not see yourself walking into a crouching enemy, which is why this happens), you should jab/slash in the opposite direction than you actually see the enemy (if you're walking left with somebody glued to you but them being in front of you from your right side, you should attack while aiming left rather than right). Better yet, you can also do 360 angle attacks (mentioned in chapter earlier, this is when you quickly move your mouse from left to right after releasing an attack -- attacks have a duration so the arc of the attack will be a full 360 angle arc) 

Another example, although it's a bit harder to notice it here -- this time we're the one being pushed by the enemy:

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/oddity2.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

We can tell this is happening to us due to the specific movement of our character and being pushed by the enemy. As you can see, in the above gif I slash right while the enemy is pushing me from the left -- what is actually happening here is that the enemy is inside me and moving their shield around, even though on my screen he appears to my left. This is why I slash right (remember the direction of attack while inside somebody/crouching). You can also notice that I quickly move the cursor to the left after releasing the slash -- to make sure that the enemy gets hit I do a 360/two-angled slash.

## Using food items in between double slashes

You can use food items between double slashes from the enemy -- however, you can only do so by opening the inventory with F and hovering over the item, then closing it with F rather than by pressing V (You're able to open and close inventory while stunned, but not use the heal key). It works the same while being stunned from water. Keep in mind that clicking the food item in inventory won't work -- you can't click inventory buttons while stunned -- you have to close the inventory with your mouse button on the item.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/hahanoob.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

## Some trivia

Moves that aren't really used, but are in theory possible.

### Shield bash + double jab

Rather hard move to do, requires good timing and familiarity with shield bashes. Basically, shieldbash someone and then very quickly double jab. Nobody in the game is able to do this consistently as of June 2020, so it's probably more trivia rather than an actual trick.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/6.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

### Shield bash + slash

This one is also more trivia than an actual trick, similarly to shield bash + double jab -- it's very hard to do this consistently. Basically, you need to do the fastest slash possible right after stunning the enemy. You basically need to start charging the slash before you know the enemy is even stunned, which is why it's so hard.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/7.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

### Shieldslide crouch

Works best on a flat terrain. Basically, do a quick shieldslide, but stop when you're getting closer to the enemy and start holding S. You will still have the momentum from the shield slide and will get inside the enemy. 

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/pagers.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

If done with certain timing, it can glue the enemy with you as shown above. Hard to do consistently, so it's again more trivia than an actually useful trick.

<video style="display:block; max-width:100%; height:auto;" src="webm/04-good/10.webm" controls loop="loop" preload></video><br>

## Becoming the best

At this point, you know pretty much all the moves. If you can do all of them, all there's left for you to do is just mastering everything. Keep optimising your playstyle. Of course, you won't ever stop doing mistakes completely, but now you just need to focus on doing them less and less. Train your timing and muscle memory to be even better.

We recommend getting into competitive CTF if you didn't yet. In our opinion, competitive CTF (Captains, clanwars and so on -- ask around on the official discord, discord.gg/kag) is much more fun than just plain 1v1s and playing TDMs. You also learn how to teamwork much better there, and in general it's a lot more satisfying to play.