How to stab and dodge in Half Sword

The core gameplay loop of Half Sword revolves around the art of dodges and stabs, and mastering the two techniques can be pretty tricky.

Executing the moves isn’t the difficult thing. There are dedicated controls for performing the stab and dodge. However, mastering the moves is what will help you win more rounds against harder opponents.

How to stab in Half Sword

Here are the key controls related to the stab.

• Use your mouse to aim the weapon tip towards the target.
• Press Alt to enter the correct stance.
• Pull the mouse back, as this creates range. Having range is necessary for your stab to have force.
• Move the mouse forward to land the stab. This movement should be as clean as possible.

For stabs, there are two primary ways to get the job done. You can either go for longer thrusts, but they’re far less effective. Instead, you should aim for quicker and shorter jabs. While they do less damage per hit, your chances of landing the strikes go up.

There are some key things to remember as well.

• Your mouse movement should be swift and clean. If the motion is too small, your stabs won’t cause any damage.
• Taking the half sword grip is significantly better.
• Don’t rush landing a stab. You’ll want to wait for the correct opportunity to appear.

With practice, you’ll soon become perfect with your stabs.

How to dodge in Half Sword

Unlike stabs, dodges are based on animation. You have to press and hold the Shift button to make your character move forcibly towards a chosen direction. This is effectively how dodge works in Half Sword. By shifting your body parts towards a side, you aim for the incoming attack to miss.

There is no instant dodge button in Half Sword. You have to combine the Shift and direction buttons to perform a dodge. While dodges are effective, you don’t want to spam them. Focus on the incoming attack, and try to predict the opponent’s move. Doing so will allow you to skip past their attack (if you manage to time your dodge in the correct direction).

The post How to stab and dodge in Half Sword appeared first on Destructoid.

The Future Stars Academy Evolution allows you to get two superstars for your Ultimate Team squad in FC 26.

The evolution can be done twice, and both chances are available for free. There are certain restrictions that determine which items can be used. You can completely change the look and feel of these cards with dedicated position, roles, and playstyle upgrades.

Let’s look at how you can make the most of these evolutions in Ultimate Team.

All FC 26 Future Stars Academy Evolution requirements

The Future Stars Academy allows you to evolve two cards. We can already complete the full range of evolutions once, and the second opportunity should arrive soon as part of a new objective set.

The requirements are simple: they must be born on or after Jan. 30, 2004, and their overall rating must not be above 84.

All FC 26 Future Stars Academy Evolution upgrades

Once you’ve put a card of your choice through the Future Stars Academy Contract Evolution, you can put it through one of the three following upgrades. Your decision will be based on the position of your Academy card (attackers, defenders, and midfielders).

Future Stars Academy Debut Attackers

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +40|86
• Sprint Speed: +40|82
• Strength: +40|75
• Volleys: +40|80
• Composure: +40|78

Level 2 upgrades

• Balance: +40|80
• Long Shots: +40|80
• Reactions: +40|78
• Shot Power: +40|82
• Vision: +40|78

Level 3 upgrades

• Aggression: +40|75
• Ball control: +40|82
• Positioning: +40|84
• Short Passing: +40|82
• Free Kick: +40|78

Level 4 upgrades

• Acceleration: +40|82
• Heading Acc.: +40|76
• Long Passing: +40|76
• Penalties: +40|80
• Stamina: +40|80

Level 5 upgrades

• Agility: +40|80
• Curve: +40|78
• Dribbling: +40|82
• Finishing: +40|84
• Jumping: +40|75

Level 1 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 5 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Future Stars Academy Debut Midfielders

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +40|86
• Acceleration: +20|80
• Agility: +40|82
• Reactions: +40|80
• Sprint Speed: +20|80
• Vision: +20|81

Level 2 upgrades

• Defending: +20|75
• Acceleration: +20|80
• Aggression: +40|75
• Balance: +40|82
• Curve: +40|80
• Sprint Speed: +20|80

Level 3 upgrades

• Ball control: +40|82
• Dribbling: +40|82
• Short Passing: +40|83
• Free Kick: +40|80
• Stamina: +40|82
• Vision: +20|81

Level 4 upgrades

• Shooting: +20|75
• Crossing: +40|82
• Jumping: +40|75
• Long Passing: +40|83
• Strength: +40|75
• Composure: +40

Level 1 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

• Win 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Future Stars Academy Debut Defenders

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +40|86
• Acceleration: +40|75
• Def. Aware: +40|83
• Sprint Speed: +40|75
• Stand Tackle: +40|84
• Stamina: +40|75

Level 2 upgrades

• Aggression: +40|83
• Agility: +40|73
• Curve: +40|70
• Dribbling: +40|74
• Long Shots: +40|65
• Strength: +40|81

Level 3 upgrades

• Balance: +40|73
• Interceptions: +40|83
• Long Passing: +40|78
• Reactions: +40|83
• Short Passing: +40|79
• Composure: +40

Level 4 upgrades

• Ball control: +40|72
• Heading Acc.: 40|80
• Jumping: +40|83
• Shot Power: +40|75
• Slide Tackle: +40|84
• Vision: +40|65

Level 1 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

• Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

• Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

• Win 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Once done, the next set of upgrades allows you to improve the cards based on their positional speciality.

All FC 26 Future Stars Academy First XI Evolution upgrades

Future Stars Academy RW/LW XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Crossing: +15|85
• Long Passing: +10|80
• Short Passing: +10|84
• Free Kick: +10|80
• Vision: +10|84

Level 2 upgrades

• Physical: +10|80
• Acceleration: +15|92
• Balance: +15|88
• Reactions: +10|87
• Sprint Speed: +15|92
• Composure: +10|87

Level 3 upgrades

• Agility: +15|90
• Ball control: +10|90
• Curve: +15|82
• Dribbling: +15|90
• Penalties: +10|82

Level 4 upgrades

• Finishing: +10|87
• Long Shots: +15|86
• Positioning: +15|87
• Shot Power: +10|86
• Volleys: +10|84

Future Stars Academy LM/RM XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Ball control: +15|87
• Dribbling: +15|88
• Reactions: +10|87
• Stamina: +15

Level 2 upgrades

• Balance: +15|88
• Crossing: +15|89
• Long Passing: +15|88
• Penalties: +10|84
• Strength: +10|81
• Vision: +15|89

Level 3 upgrades

• Aggression: +10|81
• Agility: +15|89
• Curve: +15|89
• Free Kick: +10|86
• Shot Power: +10|86
• Volleys: +10|85

Level 4 upgrades

• Pace :+10|90
• Finishing: +10|85
• Long Shots: +10|85
• Positioning: +10|85
• Short Passing: +15|88
• Composure: +10|87

Future Stars Academy CM/CDM XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Heading Acc.: +15|88
• Jumping: +10|88
• Slide Tackle: +15|89

Level 2 upgrades

• Passing: +8|84
• Aggression: +10|83
• Agility: +10|88
• Composure: +10|85

Level 3 upgrades

• Def. Aware: +15|90
• Reactions: +10|88
• Stand Tackle: +15|88
• Strength: +10|85

Level 4 upgrades

• Pace: +8|84
• Shooting: +10|82
• Balance: +10|86
• Interceptions: +15|90
• Stamina: +15|90

Future Stars Academy CB XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Slide Tackle: +15|88
• Stand Tackle: +15|90
• Stamina: +10|87

Level 2 upgrades

• Acceleration: +10|85
• Aggression: +10|87
• Interceptions: +15|88
• Jumping: +10|87
• Long Passing: +10|85

Level 3 upgrades

• Def. Aware: +15|90
• Reactions: +15|86
• Short Passing: +10|86
• Strength: +10

Level 4 upgrades

• Heading Acc.: +15|88
• Short Passing: +5|86
• Sprint Speed: +10|87
• Vision: +10|85
• Composure: +10|86

Future Stars Academy ST XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Finishing: +15|90
• Positioning: +10|91
• Volleys: +10|83

Level 2 upgrades

• Aggression: +15|80
• Agility: +10|88
• Jumping: +15|85
• Stamina: +15|85
• Composure: +15|87

Level 3 upgrades

• Pace: +10|90
• Passing: +8|82
• Ball control: +10|85
• Reactions: +10|86
• Strength: +15|83

Level 4 upgrades

• Balance: +10|87
• Dribbling: +10|89
• Long Shots: +10|88
• Penalties: +10|90
• Shot Power: +15

Future Stars Academy CM/CAM XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Shooting: +10|86
• Short Passing: +15|92
• Vision: +10|90

Level 2 upgrades

• Aggression:+10|78
• Agility: +15|88
• Jumping: +10|79
• Stamina: +15|85
• Composure: +15

Level 3 upgrades

• Pace: +8|86
• Ball control: +10|87
• Curve: +10|85
• Reactions: +10|88
• Strength: +10|78

Level 4 upgrades

• Balance: +15|88
• Crossing: +10|90
• Dribbling: +15|88
• Long Passing: +15|90
• Free Kick: +10|88

Future Stars Academy LB/RB XI

Level 1 upgrades

• Overall: +2|88
• Crossing: +15|90
• Long Passing: +15|89
• Short Passing: +15|87
• Sprint Speed: +15|90
• Vision: +15|86

Level 2 upgrades

• Agility: +15|88
• Balance: +15|88
• Ball control: +15|86
• Curve: +15|89
• Dribbling: +15|86
• Reactions: +15|86

Level 3 upgrades

• Heading Acc: +10|84
• Interceptions: +15|86
• Def. Aware: +15|86
• Slide Tackle: +15|86
• Stand Tackle: +15|86
• Composure: +15|86

Level 4 upgrades

• Acceleration: +15|92
• Aggression: +15|85
• Jumping: +10|84
• Stamina: +15|87
• Strength: +15|84

All First XI evolutions require you to play five matches and win five matches, spread across the four different tasks.

Best players for the Future Stars Academy Contract Evolution

Here are some of the best players to consider for the Academy evolution.

• Patrick Dorgu TOTW
• Lennart Karl TOTW
• Lewis Miley TOTW
• Senny Mayulu TOTW
• Gavi TOTW
• Lucas Bergvall TOTW
• Vicky Lopez
• Yan Diomande
• Wolff Ultimate Scream

You’ll have to put all the cards through multiple Roles and Playstyle+ evolutions, which will depend on your personal preferences. Before that, don’t forget to put your chosen cards in the Future Stars Club Legend Academy Evolutions to take them all the way up to 90 overall.

The post Best players for FC 26 Future Stars Academy Evolution appeared first on Destructoid.