Fighting wolves

[JACKROX_12234]

Wolves a way to hard to fight in hand to hand combat, I was a 100 % condition in Voyager when i came across a wolf I couldn't avoid it so I got ready and he charged. Once he was on me I selected the hunting knife and started to click as fast as I could. The bar would fill a tiny bit then go  empty over and over again, then I died.... I suggest to hinterlands that they make fighting wolves easier because i  real life all you have to do is stab the wolf while he is attacking you and he will run away. Any suggestions in the meantime?

[Hackfleisch]

I think I fought a few off with a hunting knife before. I currently use a hatchet (also on voyageur) and a few days ago I got attacked by 3 wolves in a row out on the train tracks, and I got off ok. I always carry bandages and old man's beard or antiseptic around so that helped. Even tracked one of them till he died and found the other 2 later after I was done cooking him. I found that getting into a fight with a wolf is a risk worth taking if you're desperate for meat (on voyageur at least), long as you got first aid on hand.

[WanderingPalm]

39 minutes ago, JACKROX_12234 said:

Wolves a way to hard to fight in hand to hand combat, I was a 100 % condition in Voyager when i came across a wolf I couldn't avoid it so I got ready and he charged. Once he was on me I selected the hunting knife and started to click as fast as I could. The bar would fill a tiny bit then go  empty over and over again, then I died.... I suggest to hinterlands that they make fighting wolves easier because i  real life all you have to do is stab the wolf while he is attacking you and he will run away. Any suggestions in the meantime?

Firstly, the community has determined the hatchet is the best weapon to use. Second, you may actually be clicking too fast. There are a couple of threads on this topic already (I suggest searching the How to Play subforum), but the main point is that the struggle mechanic is not about clicking as fast as possible--doing so actually hinders your progress. It's a rhythmic clicking that's needed, instead. The threads actually go into what rate is best, but you can also just experiment in your next struggles with what speed of clicking fills up the bar faster.

Granted, the game does a terrible job of telling you what to do during those fights, and everyone instinctively clicks as fast as possible.

[Mroz4k]

Please, guys. This is obvious, OP didnt die because they used a knife, knife is very good weapon to use.

OP, the reason why you died is because you were fighting that wolf while being exhausted. 
What weapon you use or how fast you click are both things that dont matter that much - what matters absolutedly the most is how tired you are when you are facing the wolf. If you are on top of your game and have 90% or more rested status, when you click the button the bar will fill up a lot, and the wolf will soon let you go - on Voyageur, which is a pretty easy difficulty, he will let you go after a few bites at most. 

Chosing a hatchet (or a knife, knife is almost as good as hatchet) will make it even faster - and hatchet will almost always create massive bleeding so the wolf will run away and bleed out somewhere. 
Now, another good thing to know is that some clothes will decrease the amount of damage you take from bites, mostly items crafted from leather. But really, THE MOST IMPORTANT thing when considering wolf struggles is how tired your character is. If he is very tired, the wolf will be biting you for a while, and the bar will fill up very slowly. Chosing a hatchet is still the best choice, but one needs to remember to keep their strenght up when going through wolf infested areas.

Also, pretty sure that you had access to some rocks, right? Since Faithful Cartographer update, the wolves investigate noises. So, you can throw a rock away, and the wolf will go in that direction to investigate it. Throw another, and another, and another - and you can navigate the wolf around without challenging it.

[WanderingPalm]

3 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

OP, the reason why you died is because you were fighting that wolf while being exhausted. 
What weapon you use or how fast you click are both things that dont matter that much - what matters absolutedly the most is how tired you are when you are facing the wolf. If you are on top of your game and have 90% or more rested status, when you click the button the bar will fill up a lot, and the wolf will soon let you go - on Voyageur, which is a pretty easy difficulty, he will let you go after a few bites at most. 
...
But really, THE MOST IMPORTANT thing when considering wolf struggles is how tired your character is. If he is very tired, the wolf will be biting you for a while, and the bar will fill up very slowly. Chosing a hatchet is still the best choice, but one needs to remember to keep their strenght up when going through wolf infested areas.
 

Oh dang, really? I'm surprised no one has noticed a correlation before! I just came back to post the thread I mentioned, but I clearly need to test fighting at different exhaustion levels. Well, here's the thread anyway:

Mroz4k, was there a thread I missed in which exhaustion was discussed as it relates to wolf struggles, or did you just learn this from your own experience?

[Timber Wolf]

4 minutes ago, WanderingPalm said:

I'm surprised no one has noticed a correlation before!

I noticed it.

[Mroz4k]

47 minutes ago, WanderingPalm said:

Mroz4k, was there a thread I missed in which exhaustion was discussed as it relates to wolf struggles, or did you just learn this from your own experience?

This is pretty commonly known fact if you searched through the forums, but yes, I did also learn this through experience. But credit goes to Timber Wolf who made the statistics for it (however, do note that those particular statistics are somewhat older, things might have changed a bit since Carthographer because now, the hatchet seems to be even more effective then before, but that may just be my personal experience) - however, exhaustion played a significant role in struggles since a long time ago. 

Pays to remember that TLD is trying to be realistical. So, it should not come as any suprise that a terribly tired person has a huge problem, struggling with a wolf.

49 minutes ago, Timber Wolf said:

I noticed it.

Keep up that amazing work!

[Timber Wolf]

7 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

however, do note that those particular statistics are somewhat older, things might have changed a bit since Carthographer because now, the hatchet seems to be even more effective then before

I'm glad you mentioned this.  I just added links at the top of the two posts I have with the struggle tests to make them easier to access.  You can find the newer tests here.

[Mroz4k]

16 minutes ago, Timber Wolf said:

I'm glad you mentioned this.  I just added links at the top of the two posts I have with the struggle tests to make them easier to access.  You can find the newer tests here.

Didnt even know there were newer ones, completedly missed that one. Thanks again!

 

[WanderingPalm]

8 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

This is pretty commonly known fact if you searched through the forums, but yes, I did also learn this through experience. But credit goes to Timber Wolf who made the statistics for it (however, do note that those particular statistics are somewhat older, things might have changed a bit since Carthographer because now, the hatchet seems to be even more effective then before, but that may just be my personal experience) - however, exhaustion played a significant role in struggles since a long time ago. 

Somehow in all of the searching, the only definitive advice I found was the one about rhythmic clicking to account for a choppy framerate, although now that I'm looking back through it all, it seems to be just one person repeatedly saying this. But then, I hadn't checked threads that were much older than the launch version and the Faithful Cartographer update since they frequently were no longer relevant. Well, shame on me for spreading misinformation or unverified information as fact! I should know better. Although I still hate the clicking-as-fast-as-you-can mechanic.

59 minutes ago, Timber Wolf said:

I noticed it.

 

4 minutes ago, Timber Wolf said:

I'm glad you mentioned this.  I just added links at the top of the two posts I have with the struggle tests.  You can find the newer tests here.

Holy snackcakes, yeah you did! Why in the blazes is this thread buried so far back in the forums? This is amazing information that should be pinned in the How to Play subforum! Any chance you're still doing these? Because I'd love to see the stats post-release. I'm curious if exhaustion still affects the condition lost during a struggle the same way, where it only seems to have an impact at fully fatigued. Or perhaps fatigue has an exponential effect? I'd also love to see a direct comparison of the struggles at different click speeds, including one at a slower speed or arhythmic.

In any case, you are a glorious person, Timber Wolf, and I salute you for all of the information that you have provided!

[Timber Wolf]

4 minutes ago, WanderingPalm said:

Any chance you're still doing these?

I've only just found time recently to play, so I haven't run any tests since the release.  I'm currently focused on a run with the Old Bear in the Broken Railroad, but when I get a chance I'll do another round of tests for fatigue. 

[TROY]

The whole rythmic clicking thing... I'm not so sure about that.  In my experience, especially with the knife, the faster you can click, the faster that beast is is running to his deathbed. Whenever you have a hatchet, and can afford the condition loss on it, use it. (I know, I'm a freak that my brain actually weighs the consequences of the hatchet condition loss against how much damage I'll take from the wolf) 

MrOz is correct about the fatigue being what killed you. Next time, stop immediately and start building a fire. Even an incipient stage fire will scare them off.  ALWAYS carry material to make a fire with you at all times. 

[Stormwolf1O1]

Aurora wolf photobomb.. 

[Samsonguy920]

Another thing to always check on after a fight is your clothing condition. Even if you come out shiny, good chance one of your pieces of clothes you were wearing gave its life for you.  First time I really noticed that was when I had a good outfit on, practically keeping warm in the wind, and then I got jumped by a wolf.  Didn't sprain anything or lose any blood so just continued on. Next thing I know I am getting risk of hypothermia. Say what?

So I check my inventory and discover I actually lost three articles.  I guess the wolf was being more critical of my fashion choices than wanting my sweet, tender flesh.

Becomes a good reason to carry a spare shirt and pants if you have the capacity and find yourself going against luck and stumbling upon a wolf around every corner.

[JAFO]

4 hours ago, WanderingPalm said:

now that I'm looking back through it all, it seems to be just one person repeatedly saying this.

Guessing that I'm the one person you're referring to here. 

Let's just say that others, such as @RossBondReturns (who's known about it long before I learned it) and @Nervous Pete have confirmed the rhythmic clicking technique, and there are a couple of mentions of it in other places, such as Reddit and Steam, but it's not very well known simply because everyone's first instinct is to immediately click as fast as possible.

[Thrasador]

13 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Guessing that I'm the one person you're referring to here. 

Let's just say that others, such as @RossBondReturns (who's known about it long before I learned it) and @Nervous Pete have confirmed the rhythmic clicking technique, and there are a couple of mentions of it in other places, such as Reddit and Steam, but it's not very well known simply because everyone's first instinct is to immediately click as fast as possible.

@JAFOisn't known for spreading misinformation. If he says it either he is quite certain it's true from checking himself, or he's passing along information from a source he trusts well enough to mention it. 

Other than rhythmic clicking yourself, my preferred method is to use a controller via Steam and set the struggle button to "turbo" and max out the slider. Then I just hold down the struggle button and let the controller do super fast AND rhythmic clicking for me....

[CitrinePeridot]

25 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Guessing that I'm the one person you're referring to here. 

Let's just say that others, such as @RossBondReturns (who's known about it long before I learned it) and @Nervous Pete have confirmed the rhythmic clicking technique, and there are a couple of mentions of it in other places, such as Reddit and Steam, but it's not very well known simply because everyone's first instinct is to immediately click as fast as possible.

I'm just going to say for the record that I have to agree to the validity of this. When trying to remove the metal shard from my hand when I tried Story mode, it took a steady rhythm to remove it. Now, I don't know if we're addressing two things that act different, and everyone already knew that in regard to removing things, but I just wanted to share that. I started off in a "panic" clicking as fast as I could. Nope. Then, I noticed that when I clicked at a steady pace the bar went up. (Never had any fights with bears nor wolves. So, I'm not sure if this has anything to do with my level of/lack of knowledge.) 

[Mroz4k]

Timber Wolf and Drifter man are the TLD most renowned scientists - it pays well to take their word for most things game related as they both meticulously test game mechanics and provide us with lots of statistics on how things in game behave. But people who has sinked thousands of hours into the game are usually also full of information through experience. I dont think JAFO was wrong in his statement about clicking, the lag with clicking can be a real phenomenon, it is hard to say since i havent really tested it, and neither did Timber Wolf, seems like the Macro was made to make the clicking "synonymous" for all the tests, rather then trying to figure out if clicking in specific rhytm makes more difference then other one. In fact, I would guess that rhytmic clicking would work better, because everyone instinctively clicks as hard as they can - so it is probably true that clicking regularly with a steady pace would work better, as a reward for players who  kept their cool even under a pressure of a wolf. But still, it makes much less of a difference then the exhaustion. 

6 hours ago, TROY said:

Next time, stop immediately and start building a fire. Even an incipient stage fire will scare them off.  ALWAYS carry material to make a fire with you at all times. 

TROY is absolutedly correct. Even if you fail, the wolf will be stopped dead in its tracks if you start building fire. It is a bit weird mechanic but it works. Pressing number 4 wont stop them, however - you need to actually place the campfire on the ground and start "building it" for it to count as a fire and stop the wolf. This is useful trick to help with the wolves.

5 hours ago, Samsonguy920 said:

Another thing to always check on after a fight is your clothing condition.

Now, if you paid attention during the struggle, this is not exactly neccesary. Because as you struggle with the wolf, you should be keeping an eye on the right top corner of the screen - this is where the "affliction notifications" show up. During wolf struggle, several can appear: Sprained ankle/wrist, Blood loss, bruising, and torn clothes. Not all of them may appear. So, if you struggled with a wolf, and never got the "torn clothing" affliction displayed, it means your clothes have survived without any damage done to them. 
Just for information: Bruising affliction is one that does not cause bleeding, but it will damage your condition a little bit, on top of the wolf bites which periodically damage your condition. 
Fighting off wolves with hatchets in well rested status means they will drop almost immidiatedly, and in those encounters on Voyageur the wolves rarely damage your clothes.

I wonder if full/empty stomach makes a difference as well. I would almost guess it does - I only fight them while well fed so I am not sure if being hungry makes difference.

[Thrasador]

36 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

Just for information: Bruising affliction is one that does not cause bleeding, but it will damage your condition a little bit, on top of the wolf bites which periodically damage your condition. 
 

Lacerations also don't cause a bleeding wound to the degree that you need to bandage and use antiseptic either....

Just bandage for blood loss....ASAP....and use old man's beard or antiseptic as soon as you are safe to lower/remove infection risk due to animal bites

Painkillers or rosehip tea for sprains are situational. If you get a sprained wrist or two, but don't plan on firing a weapon before bed....maybe it can wait. Same with ankles....if you aern't planning on running from that wolf or other wolves/bears, then maybe it can wait till bed. Two to four hours of sleep will cure all sprains...

Wrist sprains will also prevent you from throwing rocks...

And I believe any sprain prevents rope climbing....

[Samsonguy920]

1 hour ago, Mroz4k said:

Now, if you paid attention during the struggle, this is not exactly neccesary. Because as you struggle with the wolf, you should be keeping an eye on the right top corner of the screen - this is where the "affliction notifications" show up. During wolf struggle, several can appear: Sprained ankle/wrist, Blood loss, bruising, and torn clothes. Not all of them may appear. So, if you struggled with a wolf, and never got the "torn clothing" affliction displayed, it means your clothes have survived without any damage done to them. 

The trick is in paying attention while you have a wolf up in your face. Your main focus at the start is going to be on weapon selection and then the attack bar.  Even if you remember to check the damage report, it still pays to do your own checkover.  I never trust that everything will be apparent and neither should you. Just because you feel great after dealing with a carnivore doesn't mean there might not be some surprise waiting.

It's like pilot philosophy: You always do a walkaround before a flight.  Doing a manual check of your condition and supplies before continuing on can always be to your benefit.

[JAFO]

21 minutes ago, Samsonguy920 said:

Doing a manual check of your condition and supplies before continuing on can always be to your benefit.

Unless you tangled with an aurora wolf or bear.  In that case, get the hell out of Dodge first, then do the check & first aid. Because doing it the other way around will get you killed.

[Fuarian]

16 hours ago, JACKROX_12234 said:

Wolves a way to hard to fight in hand to hand combat, I was a 100 % condition in Voyager when i came across a wolf I couldn't avoid it so I got ready and he charged. Once he was on me I selected the hunting knife and started to click as fast as I could. The bar would fill a tiny bit then go  empty over and over again, then I died.... I suggest to hinterlands that they make fighting wolves easier because i  real life all you have to do is stab the wolf while he is attacking you and he will run away. Any suggestions in the meantime?

You may have been tired. Fatigue is underestimated when it comes to wolf fights. It's the biggest killer of them all. 

[Samsonguy920]

9 hours ago, JAFO said:

Unless you tangled with an aurora wolf or bear.  In that case, get the hell out of Dodge first, then do the check & first aid. Because doing it the other way around will get you killed.

Pretty sure even a hardened pilot would agree with that.

[WanderingPalm]

20 hours ago, JAFO said:

Guessing that I'm the one person you're referring to here. 

Let's just say that others, such as @RossBondReturns (who's known about it long before I learned it) and @Nervous Pete have confirmed the rhythmic clicking technique, and there are a couple of mentions of it in other places, such as Reddit and Steam, but it's not very well known simply because everyone's first instinct is to immediately click as fast as possible.

Jafo, I meant no offense in my comments, just that I should know better than to repeat the things I hear without double checking the info first. Because I was in fact wrong to say that speed is detrimental to the struggle --but that was how I had interpreted what you said. Misinformation by way of me misunderstanding the messenger. So that's not on you, Jafo.

So I'll hush up and just learn from what the rest of you say. And hope for more pretty charts from Timber Wolf. :3

[Thrasador]

2 hours ago, WanderingPalm said:

Jafo, I meant no offense in my comments, just that I should know better than to repeat the things I hear without double checking the info first. Because I was in fact wrong to say that speed is detrimental to the struggle --but that was how I had interpreted what you said. Misinformation by way of me misunderstanding the messenger. So that's not on you, Jafo.

So I'll hush up and just learn from what the rest of you say. And hope for more pretty charts from Timber Wolf. :3

I'm sure @JAFOdidn't really take much or any offence, tbh. He's a much better person than most, and I have seldom if ever seen him get upset or flustered by ANYONE....at least not in these forums. I don't know how often he gets upset in real life.

Now ME on the other hand, I'm a HUGE jerk and I hate almost everyone. Especially the rude. If there was no law and order or jail time for breaking laws, I would most likely kill and eat anyone rude who upsets me. Much like the fictional character Hannibal Lecter allegedly did in the movies. "Free range rude" he called them....

Not that I'm calling you rude @WanderingPalm, I know you meant no offense. I already told you that you seem to be a pleasant addition to the forums. Your statement that I quoted in this post is more evidence of my earlier determination about you....