Melee combat in Ryzom very complex, with many variables affecting the outcome of a particular melee hit. The amount damage as well as the speed at which the damage is dealt are all a function of the weapon. The damage can be multiplied by two using the increase damage stanza, and similar to an area of effect, the circular attack stanza allows multiple targets within weapons reach to be hit simultaneously. This hit can then be parried or dodged by the opponent. If an actual hit occurs, the damage dealt is then reduced by whatever armor protection the body part hit is wearing. A critical hit may be landed at any time during melee combat. This critical hit induces debilitating effects on the opponent, making the job of a melee fighter that much easier. What follows is a list of the combat stanzas and special combat effects with the description of what they do.

Accurate attack

The accurate attack stanza available to fighters is a skill that increases the chance their attack will not be parried or dodged by the opponent. This stanza increases the level of the attacking player by up to 20 points.

Bleeding

Bleeding is an stanza option that can be included in any attack that uses a slashing type weapon. Its effect is a small increase in damage that lasts for 10 seconds. This increase in damage stacks on itself and is calculated on a per hit basis. The maximum factor is 1.2 for all skill levels. This means that the maximum damage sustained by the bleeding effect is 1.2 times the base damage of a particular weapon. 

Critical Hits

Critical hits are a normal part of melee combat. The base critical hit rate for combat is 5% , certain weapon boosts can increase these but are very rare. The effect of a critical hit depends on the body part that was hit. The critical hit effects are listed below:

Body Part	Effect
Head	Stun
Arms	Slow Attack
Chest	Loose Stamina equal to 50% of Damage
Hands	Decrease combat skill by 20
Legs	Slow movement
Feet	Decrease Dodge by 20

Aim Stanza

The aim stanza can be used to increase the chance a particular body part is hit. This allows the fighter to direct attacks at unprotected body parts, and also gives the player some control over the critical hit effect. By aiming at the head, for example a skilled fighter is able to increase the chances of stunning his opponent with a critical hit.

Circular Attack

The circular attack stanza allows multiple targets within weapons reach to be hit simultaneously, however circular attack will only work on mobs or players that have you targeted. The maximum number of simultaneous targets, as well as the maximum total damage is determined by the circular attack stanza level. Higher levels of this stanza will hit more targets, and do more damage per target.