Here is some basic information about the mechanics in Etherbound

Core Mechanics

Health

- When your health bar reaches zero, you lose a life.  The first person to take all 3 lives of their opponent wins.

- You take health damage from a clean attack from an opponent or reduced damage from blocking an attack

Guard

- When your guard reaches its limit, your sword will fly out of your hand. This prevents you from attacking, deflecting, dashing, thrusting,  and thrust countering .

- When your guard is broken you will be killed in a single hit.

- Your guard will regenerate over time and will regenerate faster when you block.

- guard regenerates slower the lower your health is.

- Your guard fully replenishes when regaining your weapon.

- You can still guard break your opponent by stomping when guard broken yourself.

Stamina

- Stomping, Dashing, and Thrusting all consume stamina. You are unable to perform these moves without sufficient stamina.

- Stamina recharges quickly over time.

Stocks

- Each player starts off with 4 lives

- The number of lives is shown by the number in the health bar

Combat System

Attacking

- 2 attacks performed at the same time clash

- When your opponent's guard is broken you will perform a jab attack

Deflecting

- Press the deflect key just before an attack hits you to negate all damage and deal guard damage to your opponent

- You cannot deflect a thrust but you can deflect a stomp

Blocking

- After holding down the deflect key for a short amount of time, the game will register your player as blocking

- When blocking,  you take reduce damage from normal attacks and thrusts

- When being attacked while blocking, your guard increases.

- Holding block makes guard regenerate faster

Thrusting

- To activate you need to double tap a direction very fast

- You cannot start a thrust midair, but you can jump during a thrust

- Deals tons of damage when done far away from your opponent but next to nothing when done from up close.

Thrust Counter

- Punish a thrust by dashing into your opponent's blade

- will deal substantial guard damage to your opponent

- Activate it right before the thrust hits you

Stomp & Flip

- Temporarily increases gravity

- Stomping on top of your opponent's head will cause them to take guard damage

- Holding a direction input when stomping on your opponents head will cause you to flip off.