Slash vs. stab

[Mr. Jay]

I have yet to see Tom make a quick tip on this.

How to control the stabs from happening? I've seen many experts (Superhand, chopper) to have clean slashes instead of stabs.

Tom if you read this I am have a suggestion for your next quick tip. Thanks.

[Chopper]

In the most simplistic term the way to get a slash is to move very quickly at a zombie and at the same time as you stab you make some kind of aggressive movement on the right stick. It's why when you see me stabbing often I'm already looking at the next zombie before I've even killed the first one.

I made an attempt once at a guide, by the time though that I had listed 6 different animations and what can and can't happen I got a bit over it. It's something that is very difficult to quantify in words although it's possible, for me it's just instinct now.

If you run at a zombie head on for instance there are like 6 different things that may happen. Is the zombie 1 or 2 hits? Can you do a 180 circle, this leads to 2 slashes almost every time.

Sorry I'm going to keep editing this with brain flashes, maybe we can make a guide out of all the responses.

Distance is a key aspect, too far away and you lunge or do the stab.

Slashing and not getting hit as well, leading to a very quick 2 stab kill is all about getting as close as possible and timing your knife to hit as they go to hit you, most of the time your knife action blocks their animation and you can get a second in quickly. It's getting the combination right of sprinting in, knifing and moving the directional aim. The direction is key, it forces the slash most of the time. Overexaggerate it in practise on something like Kino.

If you are looking away as the knife starts to move it is almost forced to slash to keep up with where you are looking.

[shirtlesservice]

Distance is a key aspect, too far away and you lunge or do the stab.

Chopper is correct here, from my experiance, distance is by far the most important factor in the type of knife you do. I find that if you move very close to the zombie then make a jump back the moment after you knife, it will almost guarentee a slash, and a no hit if it his taking more than one knife to kill already. If the zombies are just a one hit still, get close to them, and while you knife continue to move foward. This will also almost guarentee a slash. Practice in NML, and you will catch on pretty quick ;)

[Mr. Jay]

Ive only been playing for a few months and knifing has not been a part of my repertoire. I find knifing to be a big part of NML and I at times get screwed from stabbing.

[shirtlesservice]

Ive only been playing for a few months and knifing has not been a part of my repertoire. I find knifing to be a big part of NML and I at times get screwed from stabbing.

Thats why, for me atleast, it is the best place to practice ;)

[Superhands]

Yeah get up nice and close and you won't lunge, aka stab. Also as Chopper said, turning as you do it helps.

[Tom852]

The real question is imho how to get the feel to slash in a way that you do not pick up drops.

[Alter72]

I look the slightest bit off the zombie and knife so I get a slash, when the animation starts look at the zombie, VOILA!