Half Sword lets you fight with your fists, but you shouldn’t have to (or want to). Forging a weapon is absolutely essential for survival, and the Mace is one of the first few weapons you will be able to craft.
You can also customize it, fine tuning your build to adhere with the surprisingly complicated in-game physics. That being said, this can get a bit overwhelming, especially for newcomers given the sheer breadth of options available.
I’ll be providing a breakdown of the whole Mace build process and how to effectively use it during combat for this surprisingly engaging indie game.
Forging Your First Mace in Half Sword
To craft a weapon, you’ll want to head on over to the blacksmith within the Tavern. Click on the Craft Weapon flavor text, and you should be immediately directed to the forging process.
You’ll notice that there are quite a few parameters to change here:
- Weapon Type: Select Mace from here.
- Leather Color: Used to change the color of your leather grip handle. Optional accessory.
- Wood Tint: Swaps out the color of the wooden pole. Purely cosmetic.
- Decorative Metal: Choose between Iron and Steel for the head piece. Can choose between two head shapes (club and spike).
There are also a few more options, which let you adjust both the size and mass (weight) of the headpiece and bottom pole. Select a reasonable shape and be mindful of the weight (displayed at the center of the UI).
Make sure to pick longer Maces while forging. A longer Mace can hold in a lot more momentum, making the attack a lot stronger. Of course, this means that you also need to spend a lot more time learning the controls, which are going to be even tougher now.
Once you’re done testing the weapon out in the practice room, craft it using the requisite amount of Pfennings (coins) and add it to your inventory, and you should be done!
Best Beginner Build With A Mace
Your options as a beginner will be quite limited, which means you’ll want to go with the basics. Progression in this game takes time, so stick to whatever scrapes by, but don’t forget to bring a shield along the way for a few blocks and counters. Or you could choose to dual wield, if that’s your thing.
Here’s an effective starter build for beginners:
- Pot Lid (0.61 Kg/2p)
- Trousers (1 Kg/2pc)
- Mace (As you craft one)
You’ll eventually have more options as you progress through the game. The Pot Lid isn’t anything special, but it serves its purpose as a makeshift (if not kind of underwhelming) shield. You’ll want to rely on maintaining your distance, since you won’t have any armor at this stage.
How to Use the Mace in Combat Efficiently
The Mace distinguishes itself from other weapons in a couple of key areas. It’s a top-heavy weapon for starters, which means you must balance its weight accordingly while using it in combat in Half Sword.
The idea here is to swing the Mace with enough momentum to cause a decent amount of damage. You can try swinging the mace from left to right (or vice versa) by dragging the mouse around, but make sure that each attack connects.
If you miss the attack window, you’ll remain vulnerable and might want to dodge the upcoming counterattack. Take your time, practice, and try swinging the Mace down for maximum damage.
Once your enemy is done swinging around, retaliate by crushing the Mace into them, preferably at pressure points such as the head and near disjointed bits of armor.
It’s especially effective against armored foes, but kind of underwhelming if not used correctly in the opposite situation against foes with no armor, making Swords and Daggers a much better pick in those cases.
The Mace is one of the more difficult weapons to master, so you should take your time and practice using it. Try to balance your body weight against the Mace, and don’t go blindly swinging around.
Make sure each swing is charged up and actually connects to the enemy. For best results, try aiming for a quick bonk or two down the head. This should immediately down them, even through armor.
How to Counter A Mace User
The first thing you should keep in mind when facing off against a Mace user is they are incredibly dangerous once they start winding up attacks. Make sure to keep your distance to avoid getting hit and having more than a few dislocated joints.
You’ll want something with a bit of range, and a Sword is the best beginner pick here. Jab them once they’re done with their attack, and keep at it. A riskier approach would be to block their attacks entirely with your sword, and then prepare for a counter attack.
