combat mechanics
Fighting game rules
Combat mechanics are the rules and systems governing fighting in video games: how attacks connect, how damage calculates, how characters move and respond during battle.
The term appears in game reviews, design discussions, and player guides: The combat mechanics reward timing over button-mashing.
Mechanics can be simple or elaborate, covering everything from hit detection to stamina management to combo chains.
- attackingActively engaging offensively
- button mashingRapid indiscriminate controller input
- cooldownsPost-exertion rest periods
- action pointsSpendable turn resources
- dice rollingCasting numbered cubes
hit points · block · dodging · parrying · initiative · grappling · countering · health bars · stamina · spellcasting · guard · reloading · combo system · turn-based · line of sight · traps · status effects · swing
combat mechanicstrading systems
Infrastructure for market transactions
resource management · inventory systems · character customization