Ubisoft Montreal shipped For Honor on 14 February 2017 built around the Art of Battle, a melee system where every guard and every attack lives in one of three stances: top, left or right. The 18 mission campaign runs three chapters against Apollyon and her Blackstone Legion, and multiplayer has grown past 30 heroes split between the Knights, Vikings, Samurai, Wu Lin and Outlanders. Marching Fire added the Wu Lin in October 2018 along with Breach, the four against four castle assault mode.
Combat in FOR HONOR rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Art of Battle three stance guard
Guard, light attacks and heavy attacks all sit in a top, left or right stance, and an incoming attack only lands if your guard is not already covering that side. Assassins drop their guard after a moment rather than holding it, which is the trade for having a Deflect the other classes do not get.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Revenge meter
Blocking, absorbing hits and fighting outnumbered fill a meter that, when triggered, knocks everyone around you off their feet and grants both damage resistance and extra damage. Piling four players onto one is the fastest way to hand that player a free Revenge activation and lose the fight.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Stamina and exhaustion
Attacks, dodges and guard breaks all cost stamina. Empty the bar and you move slower, stagger when you block and cannot dodge at all, which is why strong players spend a fight baiting swings rather than trading them.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Feats earned through Renown
Renown builds from kills, assists, minion clearing and zone captures, and it unlocks four tiers of Feats during a match. A tier four Feat can end a Dominion round outright, so clearing the minion lane is worth more to the scoreboard than chasing a duel across the map.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Gear stats disabled in duels
Gear stats only apply in the four against four modes. Duel, Brawl and ranked play strip them out completely, so a high reputation account has no numerical advantage over a fresh one in a one against one match.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Art of Battle three stance guard + Revenge meter
Guard, light attacks and heavy attacks all sit in a top, left or right stance, and an incoming attack only lands if your guard is not already covering that side. When combined with Revenge meter, blocking, absorbing hits and fighting outnumbered fill a meter that, when triggered, knocks everyone around you off their feet and grants both damage resistance and extra damage. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Stamina and exhaustion + Feats earned through Renown
Attacks, dodges and guard breaks all cost stamina. Paired with Feats earned through Renown, renown builds from kills, assists, minion clearing and zone captures, and it unlocks four tiers of feats during a match. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Gear stats disabled in duels as a Multiplier
Gear stats only apply in the four against four modes. Duel, Brawl and ranked play strip them out completely, so a high reputation account has no numerical advantage over a fresh one in a one against one match. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Gear stats disabled in duels optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Role
Each role approaches combat differently:
Knights (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Warden longsword Primary mechanic: Art of Battle three stance guard
Knights offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Vikings (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Kensei nodachi Primary mechanic: Revenge meter
Vikings offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Samurai (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Lawbringer poleaxe Primary mechanic: Stamina and exhaustion
Samurai offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Wu Lin (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Berserker dual axes Primary mechanic: Feats earned through Renown
Wu Lin offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Outlanders (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Nobushi naginata Primary mechanic: Gear stats disabled in duels
Outlanders offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your weapons to your role's stat priorities
- Exploit Art of Battle three stance guard for maximum damage windows
- Chain Revenge meter and Stamina and exhaustion for combo damage
- Use Feats earned through Renown to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Watch the opponent's guard indicator rather than their animation. The Art of Battle resolves on stance, so an attack coming from their right side is blocked by putting your guard on that side regardless of how the swing looks, and reading animations will make you late every time.
- Position using Art of Battle three stance guard to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and weapons for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Revenge meter: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong weapons for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Citadel Gate but will get you killed in High Fort.
More FOR HONOR Guides
- FOR HONOR FOR HONOR Overview
- FOR HONOR Best Builds
- FOR HONOR Tier List
- FOR HONOR Walkthrough
- FOR HONOR Beginner's Guide
- FOR HONOR Tips & Tricks
- FOR HONOR Weapons Guide
- FOR HONOR Boss Guide
- FOR HONOR Maps & Locations
- FOR HONOR Crafting Guide
- FOR HONOR Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy FOR HONOR, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Combat Guide: action game with similar mechanics
