Crossed Swords

You suppose right! Really enjoying my time with this game up until now. Its mechanics are very simple to understand and most fights are interesting though some mechanics still mystify me. How big is your experience with the game Gabe? I've been looking into some guides and stuff but most don't note what I need to know.

I’ve played it countless times as a youth, I’m not the best but I think I’ve got the mechanics figured out. Tell me what you want to know and I’ll see what I know. If I can’t, we’ll fugure it out together(I’m going to play it with my dad today so that helps).

If you wanted to know what the flashing meter next to your gold and above your magic power stock is, that’s the power gauge for how much damage your swings do. The more it fills the more damage you do(i think it only does more damage at max). It won’t fill when blocking or taking damage.

There’s also a few extra moves the game doesn’t tell you about(an early game villager mentions trying input combinations) like a thrust(down+attack), a projectile(up+attack+magic) and a counter(down+attack+magic) Some or all of these cost meter. These inputs my be wrong, but see if that helps.

Well you already answered my biggest question, the meter.

Here's a few more!

- what is the difference between the shields?
- do weapons bought also deal more damage, or are they just upgrades in terms of specials?
- sometimes I'll do a 'combo' of attacks (not the rapid slash) but sometimes I cannot get that to work and I just get a regular single slash. What triggers this? I've lost a lot too this.
- some enemies will randomly jump back to the back-plane during mid-combo. This seems very random. They'll even do this when landing in my rapid-slash.
- how do you deal with certain enemies like the Goats that counter your attacks?
- I assume the late game foes that auto-dodge the heavy hits should be fought by making them whiff attacks on you?
- some enemies like the flyers can do a big attack combo, is there anything you can do against this if you're hit by it or are you done for?

Preface: I’ll have to edit this a bit more if it’s not so clear.

Here's a few more!

OH NO!

- what is the difference between the shields?

I think there defence boosts, so you can take more hits. That, and maybe a shield hit box increase, but I think it’s just the former.

- do weapons bought also deal more damage, or are they just upgrades in terms of specials?

They deal more damage, the more expensive the more damage, aswell as more magic stock. The ShieldAxe is the second most powerful weapon, the 1st is Fira Sword. Default sword is the weakest. Can’t say exactly where the others go but in the middle.

- sometimes I'll do a 'combo' of attacks (not the rapid slash) but sometimes I cannot get that to work and I just get a regular single slash. What triggers this? I've lost a lot too this.

Hmm, I know what you mean, I’m not too sure. Might just be dropped inputs.


- some enemies will randomly jump back to the back-plane during mid-combo. This seems very random. They'll even do this when landing in my rapid-slash.

Yeh that can’t be helped, certain foes can cancel out of your moves at will.
So avoid using rapid slash on them as it’s a waste.

I can guarantee that if you bait most humanoid foes they will be stunlocked for the duration of your combo.


- how do you deal with certain enemies like the Goats that counter your attacks?

Try strafing left/right to bait their hit, dodge, hit them once, then strafe again and repeat until dead. This will avoid triggering their counter, which only activates if you hit them 2/3 times. Never attack them with a regular slash 1st(they’ll likely/will counter it), wait for them to attack and punish the opening.

Alternatively, most foes can’t block specials and/or magic. So use rapid slash if they can’t block it(this should usually kill them) and magic if they can’t block that(mist sword magic will combo mobs for about 6 seconds).


- I assume the late game foes that auto-dodge the heavy hits should be fought by making them whiff attacks on you?

Precisely, Ditto above. Striking during they’re attack recovery guarantees at least 1hit on them. This should be your approach more often than not, as strafing is safer than blocking.

Example: Red fish and SATAN goat will block rapid slash, so Whif strat will work instead.


- some enemies like the flyers can do a big attack combo, is there anything you can do against this if you're hit by it or are you done for?

Use the combo breaker special move(Down+Attack+Magic). It cancels enemy attacks, does minor damage and pushes them back a row.  It’ll cost a small portion of life but it’s much less than what you’d receive otherwise.

Red winged knights are the only knights that can do a fast flurry(green and gold/yellow can’t). Safest strat is to use rapid slash, it will combo them before they have a chance to use it. Just don’t let them use that move. Mist sword or puppet sword magic also disable them well too.

Some enemies(for example: Blue knight and SATAN Goat) will do a combo of regular swings, you’ll have to count the swings and attack after they’ve finished.

If it’s just a regular combo then you can still block between getting hit.

This is probably wrong, but see if you can use the thrust stab(Up+Attack) while your getting hit, in order to push the foe back a row.