Getting a solid roblox melee combat system up and running is often the difference between a game that feels "clunky" and one that people actually want to play. It's one of those things that seems simple on paper—you click, the sword swings, and the bad guy takes damage—but anyone who's spent more than ten minutes in Studio knows it's a lot more complicated than that. If the timing is off by just a few milliseconds, or if the hitboxes don't align with the animations, the whole experience falls apart.
When we talk about "feel" in a game, we're usually talking about how the combat handles. You want your hits to have weight. You want the player to feel like they've actually connected with something. If you're just starting out or looking to revamp your current setup, there are a few key areas you need to focus on to get that polished, professional vibe.
Moving Beyond the Touched Event
If you've ever experimented with the Touched event for a sword, you probably realized pretty quickly that it's well, it's not great. The Touched event relies on the physics engine, and it's notoriously inconsistent. Sometimes it triggers twice; sometimes it doesn't trigger at all because the part moved too fast.
For a reliable roblox melee combat system, most developers have moved toward raycasting. Instead of waiting for the engine to tell you two parts collided, you programmatically draw lines (rays) from the weapon at specific intervals during the swing.
A popular way to handle this is by using a module like Raycast Hitbox V4. It's a community favorite because it allows you to attach "attachments" to your weapon model. As the weapon swings, the script draws rays between the current position of those attachments and their position in the previous frame. This creates a "sheet" of detection that is almost impossible to bypass, even if the player is lagging or the animation is lightning-fast.
The Importance of Animation and Timing
You can have the most accurate hit detection in the world, but if the animation looks like a wet noodle, the combat will feel terrible. Melee combat is all about the anticipation, the active frames, and the recovery.
Think about it like this: 1. Anticipation (Wind-up): The character pulls the sword back. This tells the player, "Hey, a hit is coming." 2. Active Frames: This is when the hitbox is actually turned on. This should match the fastest part of the swing. 3. Recovery (Cooldown): The character returns to an idle stance. This is where you prevent the player from spamming clicks and force them to think about their timing.
If your animations are too linear, they'll feel robotic. Use Easing Styles like "Back" or "Cubic" in the Roblox Animation Editor to give the movements more personality. A quick, snappy swing with a slightly longer wind-up usually feels much better than a slow, constant-speed movement.
Making Hits Feel "Meaty"
This is where a lot of developers drop the ball. If I hit an enemy and they just stand there while their health bar goes down, it's boring. You need feedback. In a great roblox melee combat system, the player should know they hit something without even looking at the UI.
First, let's talk about Hitstop. This is a tiny, fraction-of-a-second pause that happens when a weapon connects. It's a classic trick used in fighting games like Street Fighter. By freezing the animation for 0.05 seconds upon impact, you simulate the resistance of a blade cutting through something.
Second, you need Camera Shake. You don't want to make the player motion sick, but a subtle, sharp jolt of the camera during a heavy hit adds a massive amount of "oomph."
Lastly, don't ignore Sound and VFX. A "swoosh" sound for the air and a "thud" or "slash" sound for the impact are mandatory. If you can, layer your sounds. Use a high-pitched metal ring for a sword clashing and a low-frequency thump to give it weight. On the visual side, some blood particles or sparks (depending on your game's style) go a long way.
Handling the Server-Client Gap
Networking is the bane of every Roblox developer's existence. If you handle all the combat logic on the server, players with high ping will feel a delay between clicking and swinging. If you handle it all on the client, exploiters will have a field day hitting people from across the map.
The sweet spot for a roblox melee combat system is usually a hybrid approach. * The Client should play the animation and the sounds immediately. This makes the game feel responsive. * The Server should handle the actual hit detection and damage.
When the client clicks, they tell the server, "I'm swinging." The server then checks the distance between the player and the target. If the player is 500 studs away, the server says, "Nice try," and ignores the request. If they're close enough, the server runs its own raycasts to confirm the hit. This keeps things fair while keeping the gameplay smooth.
Building a Combo System
Nobody likes a game where you just click one button over and over. A basic combo system can make your combat much more engaging. Instead of one swing, give the player a three-hit string.
You can track this using a simple integer variable like ComboCount. * Click 1: Downward slash. * Click 2: Side slash. * Click 3: Heavy overhead smash that knocks the enemy back.
The trick is the reset window. If the player waits too long between clicks (say, more than half a second), the ComboCount resets to 1. This encourages players to stay in the rhythm of the fight. It also gives you an opening to add different "end-lag" to different moves. The final hit of a combo should be powerful but leave the player vulnerable if they miss.
Balancing Knockback and Stun
Finally, let's talk about the victim's perspective. If you're getting hit, you should be "stunned" for a brief moment. This prevents the "trade" meta where two players just stand there clicking until one dies.
Hitstun briefly disables the victim's ability to attack, giving the attacker a reward for landing the first blow. However, be careful not to make the stun too long, or it becomes a "stunlock" which is incredibly frustrating to play against.
Knockback is another great tool. Using LinearVelocity or ApplyImpulse on the victim's HumanoidRootPart can push them back. This resets the "neutral" game and forces the players to reposition. It also just looks cool to send a ragdolled enemy flying across the room with a final blow.
Wrapping Things Up
Creating a high-quality roblox melee combat system isn't about writing one perfect script; it's about layering different systems together. It's the combination of snappy animations, reliable raycasting, satisfying sound effects, and smart networking.
Start small. Get a single swing feeling "right" before you try to add 20 different weapons and magic abilities. If the core loop of clicking and hitting an enemy feels good, the rest of your game will fall into place much more easily. Just remember: if it feels "floaty," check your animations; if it feels "fake," check your sound effects; and if it feels "broken," it's probably time to ditch the Touched event for good.