Mordhau is a hit online medieval slasher from developers Triternion that pits players in epic battles and sieges. The game is mostly played in the first person and features some of the best first-person melee combat, but a third-person option is available for those with a preference.
Each time players spawn in the game, they are able to choose from a selection of default mercenaries or from ones they have made themselves. Each of these mercenaries comes with a loadout that consists of perks, weapons, armor, and lastly supportive items. Each loadout can cost up to 48 points, and when it comes to perks in Mordhau, players can choose as many as they want if they are willing to miss out on the best armor and weapons. These perks have various costs depending on their strength.
7 Ranger - 3 Loadout Points & Huntsman - 3 Loadout Points
For players who prefer to head into combat armed with a bow or crossbow, the Ranger and Huntsman perks are a no-brainer. Ranger makes the player move faster while aiming and players with the Huntsman perk will deal bonus damage with their bow, crossbow, or other throwables if they hit the head or torso of other players currently wielding a bow or crossbow.
The fact that each of these perks only costs 3 loadout points means they are easy to pick up and slot into almost any ranged build. With faster mobility players are able to reposition and avoid damage, and the bonus damage from Huntsman is nothing to scoff at. The most important thing as an archer or crossbowman is to have excellent aim, which experience with other games can help with.
6 Second Wind - 6 Loadout Points
Managing stamina in Mordhau is key to success, and for players expecting long drawn-out melee bouts, the Second Wind perk is the perfect option. Second Wind causes each successful melee attack to restore 3 stamina, which with fast attacks can rapidly get players ready for more action.
Second Wind can be paired with other stamina-based perks such as Acrobat, which halves the stamina used for jumping. Used in combination, players will hardly ever find themselves low on stamina.
5 Cat - 3 Loadout Points
Certain Mordhau maps have more vantage points than others due to cliffs or high-up buildings such as castles and falling from these heights can be a death sentence for players. The Cat perk, however, reduces fall damage by an incredible 90%, allowing players to survive most drops.
While this doesn't make players immune to the biggest drops in Mordhau, it is perfect for those who enjoy scrambling over the map in search of quick assassinations or brawls. Cat can work great with the Acrobat perks, which makes jumping easier.
4 Rat - 6 Loadout Points
Mordhau is by no means a stealth game, but that does not mean that players are barred from sneaking their way around, and this is where the Rat perk comes in handy. Rat gives players 10% faster movement speed while crouched and also makes their footsteps 75% quieter.
To get the most out of the Rat perk, players should equip lighter armor that naturally makes less noise, and then their footsteps will be virtually inaudible, allowing them to sneak up on foes.
3 Stun - 3 Loadout Points
Stun is a perk that relies more on the fallacy of other players, as opposed to the skill of the player who has equipped it, and with lots of new players in the game, it is arguably stronger than ever.
If an enemy attempts to block the attack of a player with Stun while they are out of stamina, then on top of being disarmed they will also be briefly stunned, making for an easy kill or plenty of damage at the very least.
2 Bloodlust - 6 Loadout Points
Bloodlust is a great perk in Mordhau for players who want to get in and then get out before finding the next foe to take down. Upon killing an enemy, Bloodlust instantly begins HP regeneration, although this will stop if the player takes damage or if they parry an incoming blow.
Seeing as it costs 6 loadout points it is one of the more expensive perks, but if players can sacrifice some armor or weapons, then it pairs great with the Rush perk, as players can kill, get out quickly, and then regen before finding their next foe.
1 Rush - 6 Loadout Points
The Rush perk in Mordhau does exactly what it says on the tin, causing the player to instantly start sprinting after killing an enemy. While it might not be the best perk for newer players simply looking to get their first kills, Rush has insane potential for skilled players who are able to kite effectively when facing multiple enemies at once.
As players will usually be low on stamina after taking down an opponent, they would not normally be able to move fast without Rush, and this is particularly true for players wearing the heaviest armor in the game. Exhilarating moments like those created by Rush are exactly what help Mordhau be ranked among the best medieval combat games.
Mordhau is available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.