This time around, Bethesda seems to have really kicked up the combat with Starfield. Boost packs have added a new layer of verticality to combat, and the sheer diversity among weapons is extensive. Players who aren’t actively involved in every enemy engagement will certainly meet their demise. This poses an important question that we are here to answer: Can you block and dodge attacks in Starfield? And if so, how?
Blocking and Dodging in Starfield
First, yes, it is entirely to block and dodge(sort of) attacks in Starfield. In the case of blocking, this can only be done with a melee weapon equipped. By holding down the left trigger, your character will be able to use their melee weapon to reduce incoming damage. Furthermore, this can throw enemies off balance if your poise is good enough.
Dodging is also totally viable, though not in the traditional sense of the word. Rather than an actual dodge key-bind, you can utilize boost packs to soar around most opponents’ attacks. Likewise, players can unlock the ability to do a combat slide via the gymnastics skill tree. While useful, the combat slide is not going to be reliable for avoiding damage, so use it wisely.
If you are planning on building a melee-centric character, both of these skills are vital to your success. Enemies can rapidly swarm your vicinity, so your life depends on how good you are at blocking and dodging in Starfield. Perhaps, if this doesn’t sound all that appealing to you, sticking to a long-range-centered build is a better idea. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter too much how you design your character, as you can always change it in your next playthrough. This is thanks to Todd Howard, who confirmed that there is a new game plus available after finishing the campaign.
