Tears of Metal: Combat Guide
Feel like some enemies just don't take damage? That grey bar isn't bugged — it's armor. Here's how the damage system actually works.
The two health bars
Tears of Metal runs a two-bar system: the red bar is main health, thegrey bar is armor/block health. Understanding which enemy has which pool is half the fight:
- Giants (1–3) — huge main-health pools.
- Shield Captains (1–3) — huge armor/block pools. This is the "damage sponge" everyone complains about.
- Berserkers — bring the Rage mechanic (see below).
Armor-breaking combos
The game never highlights it, but every weapon has a combo that breaks armor. The wording varies ("pierce armor and shield", "more damage to blocking"), but they all do the same thing: massively increased damage to the grey bar.
- Wallace, 1st sword — B-L-L combo: the third hit pierces armor and shields.
- Wallace, 2nd sword — B-L-L-L combo: same effect on a 4-hit chain.
- Ruadh's mallet — L-H-H: armor-breaking, and since Heavy hits deal Heavy damage (which already does extra armor damage), this combo shreds.
- Known gap: Brienne's first shield reportedly has no armor-breaking combo — likely a developer oversight.
Heavy damage & failsafes
Armor-breaking combos can be hard to pull off — especially after a stagger, since combos that start from block (B-L-L…) can't be performed while block health is depleted. The failsafes:
- Heavy attacks innately deal extra damage to armor/block.
- Items exist that further boost armor damage — less effective than true armor-breaking combos, but they save runs.
- Strike damage (light attacks) and Heavy damage (heavy attacks) scale separately with items and character level — your armor-breaking combo gets stronger as your run does.
Act 2: the Rage mechanic
From Act 2 onward, some mini-bosses and regular captains have Rage — a bar that works like armor. The same rules apply:
- Treat Rage exactly like a grey armor bar.
- Armor-breaking combos deplete Rage faster than regular attacks.
- A raging Act 2 Berserker is the game's real difficulty check — bring your armor-breaker.
Advanced tips
- Parrying bosses fills their stun meter faster than attacking — learn the parry windows (see the Beginner's Guide).
- Wallace's "Stun on Parry" unlock benefits every hero — grab it early.
- Block-breaking attacks don't damage your main HP — when in doubt, block through it and eat the stagger instead of the hit.
FAQ
Why does the grey bar never move?
You're hitting armor with non-armor-breaking attacks. Use your weapon's armor-breaking combo or heavy attacks.
Which hero is best against Shield Captains?
Anyone with a fast armor-breaking combo — Wallace's B-L-L and Ruadh's L-H-H are the community standouts.
Does heavy damage always beat armor?
Heavy attacks do bonus armor damage, but dedicated armor-breaking combos are stronger.
What's the deal with Rage?
It's an armor-like bar on Act 2+ Berserkers — armor-breaking combos drain it fastest.
Related:Beginner's Guide ·Wallace's Secret Weapon ·Achievements Guide