Combat

Combat is a unique system in Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey encountered during exploration. At some point in time, you are going to find yourself in a dangerous situation with an animal and combat will ensue.

Overview
Combat in this game is unlike other games. You can't run out with a Sharpened Stick and stab a Giant Warthog in the eye just because you want to. You aren't able to take an aggressive combat role. Instead, you are required to do a bit more thinking and use your smarts to figure out the best course of action in a dangerous situation. Your hominid isn't at the top of the food chain and in fact is part of the food chain.

Combat consists of three main actions:
 * Intimidating an animal - Scare away that threat. If you don't get into a fight, you don't have to have engage in combat.
 * Counterattacking an animal - Give that threat a lesson they soon won't forget. If you are attacked, you can defend yourself. This is the only way to attack a threat. Be aware this is dangerous and requires skill because if you fail to attack, you can be hurt badly or killed.
 * Dodging the attack of an animal - Run away from danger and live to fight another day. If you are attacked, you can move out of the way of the attack. Be aware this is dangerous and requires skill because if you fail to dodge, you can be hurt badly or killed.

Intimidating
Intimidation can be performed bare-handed or while holding an object in either or both hands. Intimidating can be performed alone or in a group.

Intimidating can only be done when your hominid has the Alert status.

The larger you can make your hominid to a threat, the better your chances of intimidating that threat. Having two items in your hands makes your size much larger. Even items that aren't offensive in nature can be used to increase your size and intimidation power. A Natal Grass Cycad in each hand makes your size much larger to a hostile threat. Even though the leaves aren't a weapon, they can be quickly grabbed in any biome and used to intimidate hostile threats.

Early in the game, intimidating is automatically triggered when near an animal that's about to attack. In this instance you will get an option to intimidate by pressing the appropriate button. Later in the game, you will learn neurons that allow you to choose whether you want to intimidate or not.

A successful intimidation will result in the intimidated animal running away. If unsuccessful, the animal may attack you instead. The success rate of intimidation depends on the objects held in your hands and on the numbers of your exploring party.

As you learn specific neurons, your ability to intimidate successfully will increase. Group intimidations will also become more successful.

When exploring in a group, your clan members may mimic this action automatically or even initiate it by themselves once the Self Empowerment (CM 02) neuron is learned.

Counterattacking
Counterattacking can be performed barehanded, holding a single-handed weapon, and/or a double-handed weapon. However, weapons make counterattacking more successful. Counterattacking with your bare hands is not recommended as this will almost always result in an injury to your hominid. You will only be able to counterattack when attacked by another animal. This is the only way to attack an enemy.

When attacked, time will slow down and you will be prompted to press and hold buttons in a specific order to counterattack.
 * A successful counterattack will result in your hominid damaging the attacking animal in a specific way, depending on the weapon in your hands. However, counterattacking isn't without its risks. Depending on the animal and the weapon used, you may sustain damage. Certain animals can damage you even after a successful counterattack with the wrong weapon.
 * An unsuccessful counterattack may result in your hominid falling down to one side with an injury specific to the attacking animal ( Bleed minor ico.png Bleed major ico.png Bleeding, Injury minor ico.png Injury major ico.png Injury, Venom Poisoning minor ico.png Venom Poisoning major ico.png Venom Poisoning ).
 * A failure to counterattack (not taking any of the prompts following the attack) may result in an injury for your hominid or even a death cut-scene, depending on the attacking animal.
 * After successfully hitting an enemy the first time with each weapon, on onscreen display will alert you to your ability to Strike ico 128.png strike that enemy with that weapon.

A killing animation cut-scene may be triggered by the first counterattack on an animal, the success rate depending on the type of animal (higher success rates for smaller animals such as mambas and lower success rates for larger animals such as  Machairodus).

After successive successful counterattacks on the same animal, the animal will begin to show injures (moving slowly, limping, making pained noises, sticks sticking out of them etc.). In this instance another counterattack may cause a cut-scene showing your hominid killing said animal.

As you learn specific neurons, your ability to counterattack successfully will increase. This lowers the chances of damage and increases your ability to cause harm.

When exploring in a group, your clan members may mimic this action automatically or even initiate it by themselves once the Group Defense (CO 06) neuron is learned.

Dodging
Dodging can be performed by either holding one, two, or no items in hand. You will only be able to dodge when attacked by another animal.

When attacked, time will slow down and you will be prompted to press, hold, and release buttons in a specific order to dodge.
 * A successful dodge will result in your hominid running in the selected direction and sustaining no damage from the attacking animal.
 * An unsuccessful dodge may result in your hominid falling down to one side with an injury specific to the attacking animal ( Bleed minor ico.png Bleed major ico.png Bleeding, Injury minor ico.png Injury major ico.png Injury, Venom Poisoning minor ico.png Venom Poisoning major ico.png Venom Poisoning ).
 * A failure to dodge (not taking any of the prompts following the attack) may result in an injury for your hominid or even a death cut-scene, depending on the attacking animal.

Initially, dodging will cause your hominid to drop any items in your hands. Learning specific neurons reduces your chances of dropping items during a dodge and eventually allow you to keep from dropping your items.

As you learn specific neurons, your ability to dodge successfully will increase. This lowers the chances of damage and increases your ability to escape.

Repeated dodges in a short interval of time will quickly lower your dopamine levels, especially when exploring alone.

When exploring in a group, your clan members may mimic this action automatically or even initiate it by themselves once the Group Preservation (DO 07) neuron is learned.

Neurons
The following neurons impact combat.