# Need help with melee combat

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588>\
**Category:** The Bunker\
**Created:** [September 25, 2015, 7:12am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588 "2015-09-25T07:12:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![yellowdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c2a13f/32.png) [@yellowdog](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/yellowdog)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 7:12am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588/1 "2015-09-25T07:12:09Z")

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Hello guys, I could need some help with Melee combat. In versions Kaufman and Brin I could fashion a nail board and if there weren’t too many zombies I was set. Now in Cooper almost nothing works right. Combat Styles have no effect in my game. I give myself 20 strength and 15 dexterity - still not much success. Every 4th attempt is a hit but previously I could hit everything with a nail board. Can’t attack children with Melee either.

Am I doing something wrong? I have upped my stat points to 20-15-15-15 and my skills all have a value of 4. Need advice please…

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**Author:** ![Random\_dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4da419/32.png) [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 11:39am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588/2 "2015-09-25T11:39:46Z")

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How much armor are you wearing? Torso encumbrance can and will screw you over. =w=

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588/3 "2015-09-25T14:41:11Z")

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There should be a message telling you that your torso encumbrance is throwing you off balance… I doubt that he wouldn t have noticed that.

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**Author:** ![mattroks101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@mattroks101](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/mattroks101)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588/4 "2015-09-25T15:56:50Z")

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What’s your melee skill at?

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**Author:** ![skoormit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@skoormit](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/skoormit)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588/5 "2015-09-25T16:21:17Z")

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> [@Random\_dragon](#):
>
> How much armor are you wearing? Torso encumbrance can and will screw you over. =w=

What’s the relationship? Is your effective melee skill equal to your skill level minus your torso encumbrance?

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**Author:** ![Random\_dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4da419/32.png) [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/need-help-with-melee-combat/10588/6 "2015-09-25T18:08:28Z")

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Each level of encumbrance (1 in the stable and early experimentals, 10 after they made the stat more granular) is effectively minus 1 level to both melee and dodge. This is especially annoying with zombie children and other small targets. Since you said your relevant skills are all at 4, it wouldn’t take much to lower your effective skill. Just a duffel bag or too many scavenged clothes that haven’t been refitted can eat up all that skill easily.