Patterns

Documentation Unreal Engine Player Combat Recipes

Recipes built on the demo: the three combat styles, a parry and a block, a counter, a shield bash, a dodge with two charges, an execution, a door and a chest, and a heavy that shrugs off hits.

Build on copies of the demo assets: a plugin update replaces the plugin's content, edits included. Turn on Show Plugin Content in the Content Browser's settings to see the Demo folder.

Three combat styles

A style plate at the end of the hallway switches the player's Combat Style and loadout and opens its arena.

Style	Loadout	Feel
`CombatStyle_UPC_OverShoulder` (the start)	Sword and shield	Faces the camera, attacks straight ahead, close shoulder camera.
`CombatStyle_UPC_Freeflow`	Bare fists	Strikes aimed by the stick, no lock-on; the right mouse button guards.
`CombatStyle_UPC_Soulslike`	Two swords	Faces where it moves, attacks where it faces, the target while locked.

For a fourth, duplicate the nearest style and change one fragment at a time; BP_UPC_StylePlate calls Set Style on the Combat component, then adds the new items.

The demo sword (Soulslike plate) parries a blow when Guard is pressed as it lands, and blocks while Guard is held. Item_UPC_Sword's Guard fragment (the item part that supplies a defense set) lends DefenseRuleSet_UPC_Sword, which holds two UPC Guard rules with the parry first:

Field	Parry	Block
Required Defender Tags	`UPC.State.Parrying`	`UPC.State.Blocking`
Arc Half Angle Degrees	45	60
Damage Multiplier	0	0
Blocked Attack Tags	`UPC.Attack.Unparryable`	`UPC.Attack.Unblockable`
Result Tag	`UPC.DamageResult.Parried`	`UPC.DamageResult.Blocked`
Cost Vital Tag	`UPC.Vital.Stance`	`UPC.Vital.Stance`
Cost Per Damage	0.5	1
Spend Remainder when Unaffordable	on	on

Guarding spends stance, the large pool that stuns its owner when it breaks. A parried 10-damage blow costs 5 stance, a blocked one 10, and no health. With 4 stance left, the parry spends those 4 (Spend Remainder when Unaffordable) and then declines the blow, which falls through to the responses below it: the 4 stance is spent and the blow is not parried; the next rule decides what it does.

Make a Defense Rule Set (UPC, Damage and Defense) with the two rules, parry first, and set it as your weapon's Guard fragment Defense Set.
In the weapon's graph, wire Guard into a raise node, the raise's Action Completed into a Hold node with Applied Tags UPC.State.Blocking, and Guard released out of both into a lowering node.
On the raise montage, add a UPC State Tag Window holding UPC.State.Parrying over the frames that parry.

AG_UPC_Sword does this with Interrupt transitions from idle and each light attack; AM_UPC_Sword_Parry parries for the raise's first half second (Defense).

AdvancedThe recoil and the counter window

A parried attacker recoils. The rule set's Outcome Effects send UPC.Event.ParryRecoil to the attacker, which GA_UPC_ParryRecoil answers; AbilitySet_UPC_Default and AbilitySet_UPC_Enemy grant it (Hit Reactions).
A counter window. A UPC Apply Gameplay Effect outcome applies GE_UPC_CounterWindow on a parry, holding UPC.State.CanCounter on the defender for a second. Put that tag in a transition's Required Tags for a move that only follows a parry.

A counter

In the Freeflow arena, Guard while a counter marker shows over an enemy's first or second punch plays a paired counter. Otherwise Guard plays Failed Guard Attempt, a guard animation that blocks nothing.

One tag chain ties the three assets together:

Asset	Holds	Says
`AM_UPC_Unarmed_Combo`, trace window	Extra Damage Tags `UPC.Attack.Counterable.A`	This punch is a counterable one, variant A.
`AM_UPC_Unarmed_Combo`, UPC Telegraph Window before it	Tags `UPC.Attack.Counterable`, Find The Attack Automatically on	Hold the trace window's tags on the enemy while it winds up, and show the marker (`TelegraphStyle_UPC_Default`).
`PairedActionSet_UPC_Unarmed`, row	Required Target Tags `UPC.Attack.Counterable.A`	Play `Paired_UPC_Unarmed_Counter_A`, the player as Defender; `.B` plays `_B`.

The enemy's role has Sync with Current, taking over the punch at the Sync UPC Paired Sync Marker. In AG_UPC_Unarmed, Guard leaves idle and every punch on two Interrupt transitions:

Transition	Priority	Gate	Leads to
The counter	10	Paired Action Available with the set	Play Paired Action, Source Paired Action Sets
The fallback	0	Blocked Tags `UPC.State.ActionRunning`	Failed Guard Attempt

Step by step: Paired Actions.

A shield bash

With sword and shield drawn (Over Shoulder plate), hold Guard, let go, and press it again within a quarter second: the shield bashes for 100 stance and no health.

Node in `AG_UPC_Shield`	Payload	Leads on
Guard Hold	Hold, Applied Tags `UPC.State.Blocking`	Guard released: Guard Lower
Guard Lower	Delay, Delay Seconds 0.25	Guard pressed: Shield Bash; Action Completed: idle
Shield Bash	Play Montage `AM_UPC_Shield_Bash`	Action Completed: idle

Whose moves. Item_UPC_Shield has Main Weapon off, so with both drawn the sword's AG_UPC_Sword gives every move.
Where the guard comes from. AG_UPC_Sword folds AG_UPC_Shield in as a sub graph. Its Entry Required Tags UPC.Equipment.Shielded, the tag the drawn shield puts on the character, adds the shield's moves only while the shield is out; Priority Bias 20 lets its Guard win over the sword's.
The block. The shield's own Guard fragment lends DefenseRuleSet_UPC_Shield, a block on UPC.State.Blocking.
The bash. It deals Damage_UPC_Shield, its stance under Additional Vital Damage.

A dodge with two charges

Two dodges in a row, then a wait; each spends stamina.

In your weapon's graph, add a node Dodge playing AM_UPC_DodgeBack, which holds UPC.State.Intangible from 0.17 to 0.95 seconds; a melee trace with the default Pass Through Tags passes through it.
Under its Gates, add Cooldown: Cooldown Tag UPC.Cooldown.Ability.Dodge, Seconds 3, Charges 2.
Under Costs, add Vital: Vital Tag UPC.Vital.Stamina, Amount 25.
Wire idle and each attack to Dodge on UPC.Input.Dodge, Timing Interrupt from the attacks.
Map an Input Action to UPC.Input.Dodge in the item's Input Mappings, with that action in the item's Input Mapping Context (Inputs an item brings); the demo's IA_UPC_Dash sits on Space and the left shoulder.

Each charge returns 3 seconds after its use; AG_UPC_Sword's dash uses the same gate tag and a stamina cost. Gates, Costs and Cooldowns adds a fallback move and a HUD countdown. Online, a long fast dodge needs UPC.State.Dashing in its State Tag Window as well, beside UPC.State.Intangible (see Multiplayer).

This dodge is a move in the action graph, so it cannot break out of an interaction, which shuts the graph; that takes a dodge granted as an ability of its own (Let a dodge break out).

An execution

The hallway's paired stations loop Paired_UPC_Sword_Execute_A, Paired_UPC_Sword_Execute_B (one against two, with an authored camera) and Paired_UPC_Unarmed_Execute_A; on the ring marked (you), E plays one. The Soulslike arena's boss dies to Paired_UPC_Sword_Execute_A, which anchors on the Victim and turns it toward the Attacker, so the stunned boss holds its place while the player slides in, and a Disarm event on the Victim at the first slash knocks its baton to the ground. In a fight, the unarmed demo executes a stunned enemy:

The stun. A demo enemy's Stance row sends UPC.Event.GuardBreak as it empties (Depleted Gameplay Event); GA_UPC_Stun, Server Initiated in AbilitySet_UPC_Enemy, answers and holds UPC.State.Staggered.
The gate. PairedActionSet_UPC_UnarmedExecute's row requires that tag in Required Target Tags and picks the victim with Primary Picker Current Target.
The press. UPC.Input.Execute (IA_UPC_Execute on the demo weapons) leads to a Play Paired Action node sourcing the set.

Building one: An execution on a stunned enemy; a marker over the stunned enemy: Telegraphs.

A door and a chest

Actor	Options	What makes it work
`BP_UPC_Door`	Open on Interact, Kick on `UPC.Input.Interact.Secondary`	`AM_UPC_DoorOpen`, `AM_UPC_DoorKick`. A UPC Interaction Option Provider, it gives each character the spot on its side and the section that pulls or pushes.
`BP_UPC_Chest`	Open, and Break on the second key	`AM_UPC_ChestOpen`, `AM_UPC_ChestBreak`, from the spot tagged `CharacterPosition` (Spot Component Tag). A break throws the lid off as cosmetic pieces; the chest closes after 5 seconds.

Both follow the chest recipe. How the door answers each side: Answer per character.

A heavy that shrugs off hits

Poise is a small pool every hit drains; the hit that empties it flinches a demo character, cutting its attack short. Stance, the large pool, stuns when it breaks (Hit Reactions). Under hyper armor a swing takes half the poise damage: light hits land and it finishes, a heavy one still breaks it.

The window. In AM_UPC_Unarmed_Combo, the sixth punch (section 5, Punch 6 in AG_UPC_Unarmed) holds UPC.State.HyperArmor over its windup and swing through a UPC State Tag Window.
The bonus. DefenseRuleSet_UPC_Character opens with a UPC Scale Damage response that requires UPC.State.HyperArmor, with a Vital Damage Multipliers row: Vital Tag UPC.Vital.Poise, Multiplier 0.5.
The reaction. On a hit that empties poise (UPC.DamageResult.PoiseBroken) and was not blocked or parried, the set's Outcome Effects send UPC.Event.Reaction, which GA_UPC_HitReact answers, and a UPC Refill Vital fills the pool again.

On a character set up like the demo's, with a Poise row, DefenseRuleSet_UPC_Character and a flinch ability, your own heavy needs only the tag window; Hyper armor builds the rest from scratch.

Move	Where	How
Dash strike	Freeflow	A light attack at an enemy 4 to 8 m away: a Priority 5 transition with Target Distance Greater Than (>) 400 and Less Or Equal (<=) 800 into Strike Dash, whose montage carries a UPC Gap Closer Warp window.
Vault	Freeflow	Space vaults the target: Play Paired Action with `Paired_UPC_Unarmed_Vault`, Primary Picker Current Target; with no target, nothing.
A swing by distance	The bosses	`AG_UPC_TwoHanded` sends a light attack to one of three swings by Target Distance: under 150, 150 to 300, or farther. Its heavy is an unblockable stomp.
Warnings over swings	Every arena	`TelegraphStyle_UPC_Default`: a red cross over an unblockable swing, a blue counter marker, a yellow flare over the rest.
Enemies on action graphs	Every arena	`BT_UPC_Enemy` presses each `BP_UPC_Enemy`'s attacks through Queue Input Sequence (Getting Started).
Two swords	Soulslike	`Item_UPC_Sword` twice; its Hold Places list the main hand, then the off hand, and the first drawn gives the moves.
A weapon rack	Beside the door and chest	`BP_UPC_WeaponRack` is an item holder: a peg filtered on `UPC.Slot.Weapon.Sword` offers Take and Put Back.

Debug it

UPC.Debug.Actions 1        // Node and waiting press
UPC.Debug.Paired 1         // Paired move, role, partners
UPC.Debug.Vitals 1         // Health, stamina, stance
UPC.Debug.Targeting 1      // Target, and why

AdvancedTroubleshooting

The recipe reads wrong in play

No parry: the tag window misses the hit's frames, or the blow carries UPC.Attack.Unparryable. Health falling under UPC.Debug.Vitals 1 means no rule claimed the hit.
No counter: the enemy carries no UPC.Attack.Counterable.A or .B at the press; UPC.Debug.Paired.DrawSelection 1 draws each refusal.
A third dodge: no Cooldown gate, an empty Cooldown Tag (which turns it off), Seconds 0 or Charges above 2. The graph editor shows charges live in play.
No execution: the enemy lacks the tag the row or role requires, or no target is picked.