View source for Strategy:Combat knife

''(v.0.9.9.3)'' The combat knife is what all melee players should use before they get to [[The Chained Court]]. You have to start the game with [[fists], yes, but as soon as a knife appears (end of [[Phobos Base Entry]] for berserkers, probably dlvl2 for everything else) you sure as heck better equip it. 2d5 vs. 1d3 simply isn't a contest. Of course, once you get yourself a [[chainsaw]], there's little reason to keep using it as your primary source of damage. It has a little bit extra accuracy, too, in case you happen to need it.

Combat knives are required for the following achievements:
* Malicious Knives Cross (Everything has to die while equipped with either knives or fists, guess which one you should be using!)
* Strongman Silver/Gold (Same as above, though the Gold requires playing on HMP)

As mentioned in the [[Strategy:Fists|fists' strategy section]], the restrictions of these achievements are only that you have to be holding the knife whenever an enemy dies, meaning you can still freely use weapons for non-lethal means. However, since you can assemble a [[chainsword]] under these conditions, there's little reason to risk damaging enemies with anything but.

Combat knives' alternate fire, the throw, is only a practical ranged weapon in Angel of Berserk and knife-only games. In these cases, however, it is considered a reasonable use of your inventory to carry around extra knives for utility purposes. Destroying barrels when you can't use ranged weapons is best done with a thrown knife, for example, and it couldn't hurt to pitch a shot at a [[demon]] as it approaches (at least before you get a chainsaw). Some enemies tend to wander unless they take a hit, so this will help you lure them into a less open area. To a more radical extent, it is the sole exception of a ranged weapon (since the knife itself is considered melee) in the [[Unholy Cathedral]], and can be used there if you're well-prepared to spend some time doing so. [[User:Game Hunter|Game Hunter]] 18:51, 4 August 2011 (CEST)