.: Help for weapon-combat skill

The weapon-combat skill governs your proficiency
with all melee weapons: swords, axes, maces, daggers, and more.
Higher ranks improve your hit chance, damage output, and ability
to dual-wield effectively.

Weapon-combat improves through use. Every successful melee attack
with a weapon has a chance to advance this skill.

This skill also affects your parry defense when wielding a weapon.

Weapon attacks, parries, and weapon-based special moves spend Stamina. Carried
load raises the Stamina price, while weapon-combat skill
lowers it. Voluntary special moves require full payment. Autoattacks and a
winning parry remain possible when short, but resolve without this skill.

━━━ Reach and Grappling ━━━

Melee weapons have a reach that affects how well they perform in
close-quarters grapples. Long weapons (swords, axes, staves) are
penalised when you're locked in a clinch or ground grapple; there
isn't room to swing them freely. Short weapons (daggers) remain
fully effective. See help grapple and
help reach for details.

See also: help skills, help equip,
  help grapple, help reach,
  help stamina, help special