User:Cymbalta/Tips and Tricks

Some tips I learned over time...

Combat

(or, Holy Land Self-Defense: A Primer)

Defense

Always be in defensive mode, unless you really intend on attacking/running at that moment. If you forget, you'll take more damage than you can spare.

Countering

...is a useful way to dispatch an opponent, or give yourself some breathing room. Either way, use this every chance you get. But, uh, time it right, or you'll earn a smack from a sword.

Throwdown

Grab and throw is useful 3 ways: Breathing space, since 1 guard is easier then 2; taking advantage of your environment, say, into a merchant stand or scaffold, or throwing off of a ledge or into the Poisonous Water of Doom; and finally, for throwing them to the ground. Course, when you throw them to the ground, it's a good idea to kill them afterwards. The hidden blade does wonders for this...especially against those damn Templars (21/60 on 11/18).

Running

(or, crap there's too many of them time to go!)

• Sprint. There's no reason not to.
• When running, don't run into people. It's a really good way to fall flat on your ass.
• Rooftops are empty, and have gardens to hide in. Use 'em.
  • ...but remember to kill the pesky archers while you're up there. Practice quickly taking them out with a throwing knife. And, if you've got the jump on one, use the blade. It saves a knife, and they usually don't block it.
  • Oh, and guards can climb up. But they do it slowly...so, bottleneck them and hack and slash away with your sword as they struggle up. Less guards, and easier to get away.
  • Grab if you don't think you'll make that last jump. It saves a lot of trouble, and you'll avoid awkward stares when you land, even if you don't die.
• If you are climbing, climb fast. Guards are excellent shots with rocks. Gravity hurts still, no matter how cool you are. If you read that and said, "but I can't climb any faster without something to climb onto!", consider choosing a better position to scale. Scaffolds are an excellent choice. In fact, I would like to personally thank the man who included them- not only for climbing, but also for getting rid of a guard or two the easiest way I know of. Besides the Poisonous Water of Doom, that is. I'd like to kick the guy who decided to have the water be deadly, by the way.

On Entering a City for the Second Time

(or, how to renew your visa)

When you re-enter a city for your second assassination, first head for the Assassins Bureau. Listen to what the other assassin says. He will tell you of some locations you should search for information. But, the only thing you need to glean from the conversation is a cardinal direction- north, south, east, west. Head for the district in that area. Once you are decently within it judging by the map (which you should be using), head for a rooftop. Look for a tall building, perhaps even with a eagle flying over it. Head on over, climb it to it's tallest point (remember that many of the Vantage Points have nearly identical structure) and do the Batman thing. Suddenly, your map will explode with every other high point in the district, and maybe even some helpful interrogation/save a civilian missions will show up.