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[[File:SevenMeleeAttack.jpg|300px|thumb|{{HeroIcon|Seven}} performing a heavy melee attack.]]{{Quotation|{{HeroIcon|Viscous}}|Who would have thought that punching strangers would feel so good?| 4 = Viscous_melee_kill_03.mp3
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'''Melee Attacks''' are a basic mechanic that can be performed by any [[Heroes|Hero]] to deal [[Melee Damage]] in close range. Melee damage increases with [[Boons]], [[Weapon Damage]], and certain [[Items]]. A player can counter a melee attack by parrying.

== Overview ==
Pressing the melee key (<code>Q</code> by default) triggers a light melee, and holding the key triggers a heavy melee. Light melees are instant, while heavy melees have a wind-up animation, but deal more damage.

Last hitting a Trooper with a melee attack will prevent its[[Souls | Soul]] Orb from appearing and give player the full amount of Souls they would have gotten if they shot the Trooper and its orb. Players can perform melee attacks to secure orbs, though they can only do so after a short delay when denying enemy Soul Orbs.

Melee attacks that hit a player climbing an object, such as a ledge or [[Ropes|rope]], will cause an 80% slowdown that ramps down to 20% over 2 seconds. Melee attacks that hit a player carrying the [[Soul Urn]] will force them to drop the urn.

Melee attacks are the only way to interact with the [[Sinner's Sacrifice]] and will cause {{NpcData|neutral_sinners_sacrifice|RetaliateDamage}} retaliation damage (regardless of whether a Light or Heavy melee was used).

Performing a melee attack will decrease the player's speed shortly after. The amount of speed decreased varies between heroes, and additionally varies depending on if a light or heavy melee is used. The speed decrease can be mitigated through items that give resistance to [[Movement Slow|movement slow]] effects, such as {{ItemIcon|Fleetfoot}} and {{ItemIcon|Enduring Speed}}.

Melee attacks will interrupt [[Reload Time|reloading]] when performed. Light melee attacks (with the exception of {{HeroIcon|Billy}}'s) instantly freeze the reload timer on use, while heavy melee attacks will instead freeze the reload timer once the attacking hero begins lunging. Reloading resumes once the melee animation has completed.

=== Heavy melee ===
Heavy melee attacks have a wind-up time, after which it makes the player move forward by a distance of approximately half a [[dash]] (can be increased with items), and using it against a ledge allows the player to [[Mantling|mantle]]. This can be used to cover distances without using [[Stamina]]. However, the player has reduced turn rate during the heavy melee animation. Heavy melees can be charged in the air.

The cooldown for a heavy melee is 1 second. Upon missing a heavy melee, the cooldown is increased to 1.3 seconds.

Claiming [[Powerup|Powerups]], the [[Rejuvenator]] or unsecured [[Souls|Soul]] bags can only be done with heavy melees.

Due to the wind-up and travel distance, a player can react to a heavy melee by parrying, making them riskier to use than light melees.

=== Melee damage ===
Each hero has a different value for light and heavy melees, as well as boon scaling. See [[Melee Damage]] for a list of all heroes' base melee damage and scaling.

Melee damage benefits from 50% of all [[Weapon Damage]] buffs.

== Parry ==
Parries (Default key: <code>F</code>) are a defensive move that is available to every Hero.

After performing a parry, a Hero briefly enters ''a parry state''. The parry animation lasts 1 second (but is interrupted earlier on a successful parry), during which any incoming melee attack will be parried for the first 0.75 seconds. During the ''parry state'', the player can fully absorb melee attacks and apply the following status effects to the melee attackers: stunning the attacker for 2.75 seconds (cannot be reduced by debuff resistance), preventing incoming melee damage, and making the attacker susceptible to increased damage in return (+25% to all damage sources, not just the individual who parried).

A successful parry has a brief 0.3 second window exiting the parry animation in which the player will not be able to perform anything, after which any action (including another parry) can be performed. Holding the parry key allows the player to parry multiple heroes. An unsuccessful parry has a cooldown of 4.5 seconds before another parry can be performed again.

[[Debuff Resist]] does not impact the duration of those status effects from being parried. However, {{ItemIcon|Unstoppable}} (and abilities that grant the same effect) does prevent being stunned by a successful parry. 

{{ItemIcon|Counterspell}} and {{ItemIcon|Rebuttal}} give additional effects to parries, with Rebuttal also decreasing parry cooldown to 2.75 seconds.

The player can parry [[Troopers]] (blocks damage and stuns them, but doesn't reset parry cooldown and doesn't end parry early) and [[Guardians]] (blocks damage and prevents them from attacking for a short period; parried Guardian will not attempt another melee attack for a short while). The player cannot normally parry [[Walker|Walkers]] or most abilities, with the exception of {{HeroIcon|Viscous}}' {{AbilityIcon|Puddle Punch}}.

Parrying does not interrupt movement momentum, allowing players to parry during a [[Dash]] or [[Jumping|Jump]]. A player can use this to jump in front of allies and protect them from incoming melees.

== Heavy Melee Cancel ==
{{Main|Heavy Melee Cancel}}
'''Heavy Melee Cancel''' is a technique that allows you to interrupt a Heavy Melee attack by using specific [[Active Items]] or [[Abilities]]. This is particularly useful for melee-focused builds, as it can bait enemies into wasting their [[Parry]].

[[File:Heavy_Melee_Cancel.mp4|center|800px]]<center>'''Baiting Heavy Melee by canceling it with {{ItemIcon|Fleetfoot}}.'''</center>

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