Extensive Kodachi Guide

I thought this guide was really well done and thought through and so I'm posting it here to share with everyone. I will edit it later with the missing images and the messed up code here and there.

Kodachi Guide

The art of slashing people very quickly without screaming "TBF!"



What exactly is a Kodachi good for?[/size]
Put simply, a Kodachi is kinda like if you were to take a dagger and a katana, and force them to have babies. Kodachis let you combine the fast attack speed of a dagger with the strengths of a katana.

Kodachis take a little more skill than a Katana to use, since afterall, it's a Katana with more moves in the end.

Before going any further, you should make note of the pros and cons of the weapon:

[size=21]PROS
-Potentially the highest melee damage/time output in the game
-The ability to rapidly cancel dashes in a dagger-like fashion
-Moving flip (which also can let you "hop" over cover)
-Functions like a Katana, but expanded on with Kodachi-specific moves
-Turn your TBF into a Pseudo QBF with a Void Step leadoff
-Can throw 2 slashes almost simultaneously

CONS
-These suckers are HEAVY
-Less damage per hit compared to the Katana
-Short attack range
-The faster kodachis aren't available until later on
-Nothing worth buying for premium Kodachis
-Insta is difficult

Now, let's get you started...

K-Style. yes. I said it. K-Style
Everything you know about K-Style applies to the Kodachi, I'd suggest brushing up on your BF, DBF, HS, etc. if you're unfamiliar with it.


VOID STEP IS YOUR LIFELINE.
Don't argue this point.

Void step is the most well known kodachi specific move that can make or break you if you use kodachis.

Void Step allows you to unleash an onslaught of standing slashes at a rediculous rate, which can allow you to suppress enemies, or lead off into other moves

Void Step can let you:
-Slash crazy fast
-Link together attacks with a slash
-Cancel movement
-Set egos in place

Want to know how to execute Void Step/Void Slash? I'd imagine yes.

Void Step: Standing Slash -> Charge, release as soon as the charge starts
layman's terms: Click and hold-wait for the slash to reach it's end point-release

Video: http://www.xfire.com/video/55a09/

It's very simple to do, but takes awhile to master. The faster your Kodachi, the faster you can void.
Don't go too crazy trying to make your void epic fast or you may find yourself accidentally throwing normal slashes, which can be the death of you. Start off slow and build it up to a good pace.

On top of your void speed, make sure not to go nuts throwing them. I find that this .gif speaks for all kodachi users in terms of when you should void.



OK I can void, what's so special about that?
Void Step puts you back to the idle standing animation as soon as you release the slash, this opens up MOUNTAINS of possibilities after the slash.

Nifty Post-Void Moves
--Void to:
-Single/Double/Triple (aka. Psuedo QBF) Butterfly: jump-slash-block
Underused imo, it lets you sneak in an early slash without penalizing you with block "cooldown" on your first slash, and with TBF you can throw 4 slashes in that same time frame

-Dash
Simple, but very useful for getting around unexpectedly

-"Dagger" Dash: Dash-Void-Dash-Void-...
-Double "Dagger" Dash: Dash-Void+Dash(before void ends)-Dash(after void ends) (This move may not work anymore, as it was written from experience from awhile back)
VIDEO: http://www.xfire.com/video/54c38/
This is the #1 way to piss of a rifle or revolver user, you can dash around in a dagger-like fashion. You don't need to wait for the void to finish with each dash, you can dash on the slash itself and dash AGAIN when the void ends.

-Slash Shot
Very nasty when done well, hell, throw in a reload shot for a clean easy kill

-2/3 Shadow Slashes
If you've got them from behind ("giggity!") you can shadow slash a 2 or 3 standing slash combo to slow down their ability to turn around, and not to mention the speed of those slashes can do wonders to scare people into turtling
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-Void Snap (Weapon range)
Holding down a weapon key while you void will make your slash as short as it can possibly be, and quickly "snap" you in place with your firearm out. As of late I have found this insanely useful for chaining together firearm attacks with voids, letting me quickly fire on enemies on the move. This can be used in conjunction with Dagger Dashes for what I call a "Void Snap", which will feel exactly as it's named. This is elaborated on later on.

How do I avoid recoiling though???
This is another important part of using a Kodachi well, you need to pick up a little Stalk and Ghost Evade/Block.

Stalk includes a good handful of different moves, but most importantly you should know Stalk slashing.

Slash looking at your opponent, then look away approx. 45 degrees from them. This will prevent you from recoiling back on the hit.

Ghost Evade and Ghost Block are another pair of moves that help to know, and apply to any weapon. These allow you to completely ignore a massive on the ground, even during your voiding goodness.



Ghost Evade: Look 45-90 degrees away from the direction they turn when they massive
Ghost Block: Tap Block twice or more, best used in conjuction with Ghost Evade


You mentioned Standing Slashes...what about them?
Standing slashes for a kodachi have a pretty unique timing to them. While not widely used, they can be used from time to time. To execute these, you'd be wise to Shadow Slash (basically just block cancel them)

-1 : A single standing slash is a waste, and should be replaced with a void if you intend just one.

-2 : 2 slashes can be thrown nearly simultaneously, double click then start pushing down on your block as soon as the first slash is thrown. Quick and effective combo

-3 : The third slash comes very late, and can be used like a trap of sorts. Practice block cancelling the third slash as early as you can (I usually start off by blocking as soon as the arm goes back, then you can fine tune from there). The third slash comes in time about when the block goes down if you get good at this, and means you can go into another combo with them stuck still for half a second, or start a BF

-4 : A bit of a waste to be honest, the last slash takes awhile to get to and it doesn't have that tricky timing like the third

Used in conjunction with Void, these are potentially nasty, but their use is really a preference thing.

Got any home-brewed combos for us Kodachi users?
Yup. NONE OF THESE ARE OFFICIAL MOVES. They were made up by me or by other players ingame. If you have one, drop me a pm or post it up, I'll add it if it's something new.

Moves are rated 1 * to 5 * for usefulness.

-Bloody Paw: Void-slash-slash-slash+block-jump-slash+switch to gun+dash back-fire
-K Terminology: Void-3 slash Shadow Slash-HSS-Fire
Video: http://www.xfire.com/video/55a0b/
My signature finishing move of sorts, looks awesome, and works pretty good, guaruntees a pretty heavy damage output with revs or shotgun
Rating: ****

-Void Frag: Void-Switch to Gun-Reload-Switch to Grenades-Throw frag-Switch to Kodachi
You can take advantage of the no-animation frag throw during an onslaught of "dagger" dashes without having to wait on the grenade animation before going back to your kodachis, just be sure to have a gun that isn't full up to do this so you can reload shot
Rating: ***
NOTE: Exactly what causes no animation frags is still being worked on, reload shot works SOMETIMES, but not always. I'm guessing it's something to do with being on the last frame of an animation when switching

-Snake Trap: Void-Dash 60 degrees-Void-Dash 60 degrees-...
A BF Trap pun, basically running a triangle (or circle if you wish) around someone while throwing voids. Great vs dagger users or that annoying turtler with low sensitivity
Rating: ***

Today's segment is on ways to handle different enemies while using kodachis. This will cover both melee and ranged weaponry, starting off with ranged.

KEEP IN MIND THAT MANY OF THESE APPLY TO ALL MELEE WEAPONS IN A SIMILAR FASHION


The kodachi's strengths on the ground extend beyond melee combat, and can do wonders to turn the tables in your favor in a firefight.



The key here is the classic "Galaga" movement dubbed by players of IGunZ.
Now break that Galaga machine so the enemies move frantically and at random; now you're thinking kodachis.

Work with your dashes, slash-swaps, and alot of jumping to keep the enemy from being able to get a grid on you. Use void step regularly to cancel out your dashes to avoid a regular pattern of movement. Refer to "Dagger" Dash above for this.

Specific automatics have a slightly different way of being handled well

Rifles
Rifles are generally quite accurate, coupled with a high fire rate. This is the reason why tight hallways are a rifleman's heaven for kills, once they can force you into the least amount of movement, then can hit you 30 times within 2 or 3 seconds at 16 damage apiece.

A fight against a rifleman can be handled with minimal use of cover, as the accuracy of the gun can be used to your advantage. Keep up the rapid dodging and use some occaisional blocks after your dashes (NOT AFTER A VOID, that may slide glitch you) if you start to figure a pattern. Be sure to make your voids come at random, and try your best to avoid a pattern with your horizontal dashes.

SMGs
SMGs are less accurate than rifles, but pack a considerably harder punch (at level 57, the SMGs available to you make a shotgun look like a pea-shooter).
This slight lack of accuracy is risky for you since some of the off-target shots can hit you while you're on the move, and lead shots are easier to make with an SMG due to this.

Handle this like you would a rifleman, but this is a case where it's a good idea to try to lure them into an area where you have some cover to use. Getting caught by a burst of an SMG can take you down in 6 shots flat.

Raptor/Iris Pistols
These aren't neccesarily automatics, but they are the accurate high fire rate pistols and are handled in the same fashion. These are the middle ground between the SMG and the Rifle at high levels, and the strongest per hit "automatic" prior to level 50.

These don't fire as fast as rifles or SMGs, so your dashes have a much more dramatic effect, as well as your vertical movement. In this case, I would suggest closing in on them gradually as you dodge their fire. Use their reloads to advance on them or start an attack.

The big thing with these pistols is that they act as a great "softener" for other weapons. They tear up your AP and HP equally and can leave you in a mess after half a magazine of hits.

Machine Guns
The good ol' bullet hose! This gun is inaccurate as hell, and while it pierces through your armor like mad, it doesn't pack too hard a punch compared to other guns.

The strength of a MG is its massive ammo capacity; waiting for a reload to advance is not an option here.

The key to fighting a MG user is to work with cover, so it may take some luring but it's worth it.

It's a good idea to throw the rapid dodging out the window here, the inaccuracy will score a good handful of hits while you dash around, so either get some cover to work with or scare them into hiding with some returned fire



The equivalent of a sniper rifle, these two guns pack a hard punch from any range. One wrong move against an accurate gunner with one of these can end you in the blink of an eye.

Revolvers
I <3 my revolvers. Why? Simple: 2-3 hits and you're dead (4 if you're in dieties or in a mad hp set).

To stay alive against a revolver user, you want to fight in the most open space you can. Fighting in a restricted area may lead to you getting stuck in a tight corner or wind up diving into a wall or something, and believe me, those mistakes hurt tenfold compared to other guns.

Practicing your Dagger Dash is great for this, practice reducing the time between the end of a void and the start of your next dash. I find it best to press the first A/D before the void even finishes. The best way to practice this is to try to stay in place doing Dagger Dashes as rapidly as possible, it also helps you improve your void at the same time!

Ravens
These pistols couldn't hit water from a boat, but when they do hit, the target will bleed out of every oriface of their body.

Upwards to 30 damage per hit, Ravens are rivaled only by the level 57 SMG for short bursts.

These are fought like a combination of a Machine Gun and a Revolver. Keep up the movement you use to avoid a revolver, but you NEED to use cover to stay alive against these due to the spread of the rounds.



Time for shotguns; the most commonly used gun in GunZ, and for good reason.

We're all too familiar with the uses of a shotgun, they can 2 hit (or even 1 hit) kill you in the blink of an eye at point blank, and can spray a slur of buckshot on a crowd for decent damage from medium range.

Sword fights against a loaded shotgun are usually a losing fight regardless of the type of blade, use your gun before your blade.

To talk about this, we need to break this down into the styles of shotgunners.

The Classic Swapshotter
That guy running down the hallway swapping shotties as he fires can be a bit of a threat if you handle it wrong.

This kind of player can be fought by letting them waste their ammo, let them use up about half or more of their shells before any kind of aggressive movement to prevent taking a shot to the face.

How you handle this can take on a few forms, you can use the dagger dash a little but if you have a little range on them I'd suggest against it since you'll take a few hits. Blocking or block tapping can be very effective in minimizing the damage, but you still get hit so only do this when healthy. If you have cover at your disposal, it's a good idea to make use of it while you can.

Vertical movement is a big one here, having to aim both horizontally and vertically can throw off a shotgun user pretty quickly.

closing the distance once you find an opening is a pretty good idea, while a shotgun hurts more up close, they are also much more difficult to aim up close as your slight movements become more dramatic. With a kodachi, you can do those movements all day long

The Slash-Swap Lineman
The other white meat of shotgun users, a common sight is a shotgunner slash-shotting their shotgun in a left-right jumping strafe.

As always, close the distance as much as you can and make them waste ammo.

The trick here is one of rotation, use those voids to break up your movement patterns and try to run circles around them. While they may have a superior slash range if they use a katana, you can catch them in a blind spot through rapid dashing (plus too, the muzzle flash of the shotgun can also obscure their sight enough to make the dashing easier on you)

The Reload-Shotter
Screw waiting on ammo usage here. A skilled RS/RSS shotgun user can hit you with almost revolver-like damage at medium range.

Closing the distance is still ideal here, but you need to be much more cautious than usual.

At point blank range, you have a couple options. You can work with a snake trap when they go to shoot, or go into a BF strafe. The key is to keep yourself on the move and get as many of those rapid slashes in as you can to keep them from getting a solid grid on you, remember that at close range those little dashes are larger than they appear!

Ironic as it may sound, but the ground attack biased kodachi has a small advantage over rockets that other melee weapons do not.

If you find yourself in a situation where it's unavoidable to dodge a rocket at the ground, do a flip!

Kodachi flips actually make you take a small hop into the air, and in turn can take a chunk of the rocket damage away since you'll be further away from the epicenter of the blast than you would standing.

Also, with enough rocket smoke around, your dagger dashes are extremely hard to track, so that too can be used to your advantage


Melee combat for each weapon is unique, and can be handled differently depending on the play style of each player, so these methods are barely scratching the surface of melee fighting.



Only because kodachi users have an insane edge over dagger users, I'll cover this first.

Put simply, fighting a dagger user is essentially finding that one golden opening where you can put them into a smattering of voids and shadow slashes as they are unable to block them.

Of course, fighting a dagger user isn't simply point click slash. The user defines the dagger.

Advantages:
-Can Void them to thy kingdom come
-Can match their dashing movement
-Hit harder and faster
-No blocking means you can unleash your fastest attacks

Disadvantages
-Daggers have a longer range than Kodachis (ironic, no?)
-Dagger lunges deal damage, so you need to avoid them altogether
-A skilled D-styler can put on a clinic running a circle around you

The Newbie
OK this is the scenario where it's point click slash. A new dagger user will generally keep jamming slash as soon as they're somewhat close, in some cases do non-stop lunging.

Newbies of the slash variant are fought with a snake trap or just break out into BF/DBF, just remember that a dagger has more range than a kodachi.

The E-Lunge
An E-Lunge is a way to tell if a Dagger user knows what they're doing or not, they'll lunge and keep on sliding across the floor at the same time, so they have extended range and won't stop if they miss.

You'll want to dodge an E-Lunge altogether, don't try to counterattack them as they'll be moving too quick. Use the lull between their lunge and recover to set yourself up for the next attack.

Dash+Lunge
Sometimes a messed up E-Lunge, in this case it's best to dash as soon as the animation starts, and void step cancel the dash when you are about 1.5-2 character widths away from where you started, then quickly get to their back and start throwing voids while you have the opening.

Dagger Strafe
This can be either good or bad, depending on the skill of the user.

If they're good they may be able to keep you out of melee range the whole time, in this case it's usually best to dash forward with a flip. Whether you let your character actually flip or not is up to you, but either way it generally breaks the strafe since they'll want to avoid the flip, and should give you an opening to start a new attack

BF Trap equivalent
Turtling doesn't hurt, trust me, if you're in this situation blocking/block tapping until they recoil isn't a bad idea.

When you get them to recoil, just switch to your gun then back to your blade to get rid of the massive and take advantage of the opening for some voids or shadow slashes, or if you want to use the massive, wait a brief moment and then throw it at an unusual angle (you know, in case they know how to ghost evade).




The most common weapon used ingame. They're lighter than kodachis, hit hard, have the longest range, and are pretty much used for the mess of K-Style moves out there.

Advantages
-Kodachis can match their every move, and do more
-Katanas are usually only used in air combat, and leave an opening between slashes
-Kodachis work great both on the ground and the air
-Kodachis can outmaneuver a katana

Disadvantages
-Katanas have double the range of a Kodachi
-Katanas hit hard
-TBF timing is easier with a Katana

Once again we've got a few different types of katana users, but not as diverse as the dagger. You can match their every move and do this stuff back to them, but remember that a katana can hit from further away.

Classic BF Strafe
Pretty common, it's how BF was born and raised, and always will be.

Depending on how tight of a line the user creates, you can gauge their timing and as soon as they get a slash out, make your move and hit them between slashes.

Those shadow slashes come in handy here, lead off with a void as a kind of "just in case" slash so if they break free you can make a dash out of the way.

Slash-Swap
Fought just like the above, depending on their weapon how you move to evade it you can check out in the ranged section.

There's no block here, so you can get in their face with a handful of voids, shadow slashes, or BF without risking a massive without needing to time your attacks as much.

DBF/TBF Wall
Usually not as much movement or strafing here, but you can get stunlocked if you're not careful.

Best way to fight this is usually to either "tap" them from just out of range with voids then lead off into your own BF.

Alternatively, if they get a little too into it, you can try to maneuver yourself around to their back and get a pair of shadow slashes in. Move quick though, if someone can do TBF chances are they're pretty quick on the recover from experience.

The Turtle.
Kodachis have an almost comical edge against turtles.

When someone goes to massive, whether you are hit by it or not, you can get 3 shadow slashes in, or a couple voids, before they finish the massive. This means that you can use a void to force someone into a massive, then hit them while they use it (Or finish them off in many cases)

Using this in conjunction with a ghost evade (or a Ghost Block if you're quick and practice tapping [See NOTaKitten's TBF guide for tapping]) during the attacks can make you seem unstoppable, just be warned after awhile you might fall victim to the gang-bang effect in a crowd if you turn the tables too hard too much

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The credit for this guide goes to TheComet/TheCometCE