Block in melee combat

Allows you to block as much as you want in melee combat! Just like in Fallout 3 and New Vegas!

The ESP and ESL versions have been packaged and uploaded together with the third-person stealth fix patch.

No more flinching at the delayed heavy attacks of the Mad Ghoul when trying to block, or the frustration of having to time your block!

What this module does is:

Instead of right-clicking to briefly block, use long-pressing the right-click to block. Release the right button to stop blocking.

Since holding block while in melee is an easy way to regenerate AP in melee with almost no impact, you will no longer regenerate AP while holding block. If you want to regenerate AP, hold down the block key only as long as necessary. If you don't want this balance addition, I (original author Ghostrider231, the same below) may make an alternative version that removes the balance addition.

This mod will not:

• Make blocked attacks only offset a certain percentage of damage. From my testing, every time I blocked an attack, I blocked 100% of the damage.
• Made human, synth and super mutant npc melee fighters behave like mire crabs. Did you know that Mirecrabs (and Behemoths) can block, but you can't?

Install:

• Extract zip contents to your data folder
• Enable the mod named "G231_HoldBlock.esp" using your plugin manager (such as MO2 or NMM)

uninstall:

• Use your plugin manager (such as MO2 or NMM) to uncheck the mod named "G231_HoldBlock.esp"
• Delete "G231_HoldBlock.esp" and "G231_HoldBlock - Main.ba2"

If you also use patch files, please follow the installation order:

Installed after third person behavior fixes, tactical reloading, and melee stealth movement fixes.

compatibility:

This will make changes to meleebehavior.hkx for both first and third person, so any mods that change the same file will conflict.

Any mods that make changes to LeftAttack and LeftAttackRelease in MeleeBehavior (for 3rd person and/or 1st person) will also conflict.

third person behavioral repair

Tactical reloading (only melee behavior files conflict)

Melee Stealth Movement Animation Hybrid Restoration

Recommended module combinations:

Block Overhaul

Block Attack Cause Damage

Notice about console module:

Since I don't have a console and a copy of these versions, I can't test the mod myself on the console versions.

This mod utilizes external assets and the entire purpose of this mod will be useless on PS4/PS5 as it relies on save files.

If you would like to upload this mod to bethesda.net (as a free console mod), you are free to do so, just be sure to credit me. If you do, please let me know so I can link it here.

How and why:

What?

Human, synth, and super mutant NPCs can still block as usual, but they don't know when to stop and will block indefinitely (unless another animation forces them to quit). So I went ahead and fixed it so that it simulates their original melee blocking behavior. This is accomplished by giving the player a scripted "cloak" effect that only affects humans, synths, and super mutants, which allows them to play the "block" animation event when they are blocked. Since the NPC's blocking animation only needs to last a few frames, this is the only elegant way I can do it. Additionally, unlike all previous games, player blocking does not slow down your movement, so the player moves less while maintaining a block. As for the resumption of blocking functionality, there is a convenient "blockstop" event that I can provide to ActionLeftRelease and it does work as expected.

As for the behavior file, my initial thought was to have the block animate MODE_LOOPING instead of MODE_SINGLE_FIRE, which doesn't exactly work. So I set the block animation's playback speed to zero, which freezes the animation, and this seems to work. I also set the starting frame to 0.3, just to show that your character is blocking.

Why?

Back in early 2016 I wasn't really into timed blocks and I was trying to find a mod that would allow m …