Knockback: Difference between revisions

* ''[[La-Mulana]]'' utilized significant knockback. Touch even the slightest enemy or brush up against a spike and Lemeza is sent sailing across the room at full velocity, with no ability to alter his trajectory until he lands.

* In the sidescrolling ''[[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]]'' titles, knockback always occured relative to the direction Mega Man was facing, regardless of the direction of attack. In the "classic" series, it also interrupted charged Mega Buster shots (starting in ''5'', ''4'''s Mega Buster was more stable), and in ''9'', Proto Man suffered double the knockback of Mega Man.

* In the ''[[Wonder Boy]]'' series (as well as its many ports), [[Mercy Invincibility]] only protected the player from further HP loss; it did not protect the player from being knocked back or juggled by repeated attacks.

** The rocks in the first game, which were the only non [[One-Hit Kill]] hazard, tripped Wonderboy when he ran into one, potentially bouncing him into an enemy or [[Bottomless Pit]].

* ''Myth'' 1 and 2 have a flinch mechanic that is fairly central to gameplay as it allows certain rock-paper-scissors balancing. For example, the fast but unarmored Berserks can often kill heavily armored Warriors by whaling on them fast enough that the Warrior can't get a swing in from all the flinching. However, the same Berserks have a tough time against archers, as being hit causes the Berserk to stop running while he flinches—making him an easier target. Those heavily-armored Warriors are less likely to take damage from arrows, and still less likely to take enough to flinch.

 

* [[World of Warcraft]] featured knockbacks by various NPC mobs and bosses from when the game was first released, but players didn't get access to them until Patch 3.0, the ''Wrath of the Lich King'' expansion, when a small handful of abilities were given to various classes that would knock NPCs or other players back. [[The AI Is a Cheating Bastard|NPCs don't take falling damage and can run up some sheer cliffs]] so Knockback abilities are generally underpowered against them, but in certain limited circumstances Knockback effects can be very, very powerful in [[PvP]].

** Humorously, they can get so annoying in dungeons (they disrupt positioning and can knock enemies into reinforcements) that several classes have the ability to turn off the knockback aspect of the spell through the use of a glyph (Mages, Druids, and Shaman, for those who care.)

* As an action MMO, ''[[Dragon Nest]]'' practically requires players to exploit the various forms of this trope as even [[Mook]]s can easily do the same. Resistance to this trope can be a [[Game Breaker]] especially in PVP.

* [[Star Wars: The Old Republic]] has it in various forms. From the simple 'interrupt' ability that interrupts abilities being cast or channeled (and preventing it from being cast again in a few seconds), then there are 'stun' and knock down abilities that is as good as it sounds (but also on very long cooldown), to knockback abilities that sends the enemies flying.

 

== [[Third-Person Shooter]] ==

* [[Hoshigami]] has an entire game mechanic centered around knocking enemies into a chain of allies to incur massive damage and have a chance at stealing an item, but unfortunately setting up such a chain leaves your party very vulnerable so it's only useful for eliminating the last enemy on a map.

 

* In ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'' when your character is hit by "impact" attacks (Explosive or telekinetic powers) he or she will stumble and move back a step or two. [[Justified Trope|This is completely logical given that they are being hit by a physical force]], but this effect is rather [[Egregious]] when your character is hit while ducking behind cover. In this case, when you are already crouched down on the ground, your character will ''stand up'' before they stumble and take a step back. This means your character is ''deliberately'' moving out of cover, since they take an independent action (standing up) before they are uncontrollably knocked back by the force, instead of simply falling down or stumbling where they were.

* [[The Elder Scrolls]]: Oblivion has an effect that may apply to [[Charged Attack|power attacks]] called "knockback". Mechanics-wise, this is more like [[Ragdoll Physics|"go completely limp"]] where you then have to struggle to your feet and hope the enemy doesn't pull one off again.

* [[Dungeons & Dragons]]:

** ''Player's Option - Combat and Tactics'' upgrade (sometimes known as "AD&D 2.5") has knockdown value given to all weapons. There's also Retreat - when creature A inflicts damage on creature B without retaliation in melee, A may opt to force B to move one step back (or if it's impossible, e.g. due to an obstacle, choose flank) - and then have choice whether to follow or allow disengage; but retreat doesn't provoke attack of opportunity, as it's resolved in the end phase. Those who cannot retreat (due to obstacles) are knocked down instead, with saving throw to avoid; and there are special cases (fighting on the stairs, climbing). It does not apply to the victims of 4+ greater HD or 2+ greater size category. But also may happen as a result of [[Critical Hit]]s to head or tail, as a [[Random Event]] and optionally as a called shot effect (instead of damage).

 

 

[[Category:Video Game Physics]]

[[Category:Video Game Tactical Index]]