Outward 2 Beta: How the New Off-Hand Combat Mechanics and Skills Work

The Outward 2 beta is now available on Steam, following its recent reveal at the PC Gaming Show. As players step back into the unforgiving wilderness of Aurai, they are finding that the sequel makes significant changes to core combat and progression systems. Survival is as demanding as ever, but combat options are more flexible right from the start.

The New Off-Hand Combat System

In the original Outward, skills like Kick and Shield Bash required players to slot them into their quickslots and manage cooldowns. In the Outward 2 beta, these options have been converted into baseline character mechanics mapped to the off-hand attack button.

If you attack with your off-hand while holding no weapon or shield in that slot, your character will perform a kick. Community playtesters report that this kick functions similarly to the first game, dealing high stagger damage that helps break enemy poise.

Equipping a shield automatically changes this off-hand attack into a shield bash. This shift frees up active skill slots and quickbar space, allowing adventurers to focus their active skills on magic or specialized weapon arts.

Finding Early Skill Trainers

Progression in Outward 2 still relies heavily on finding specialized trainers rather than leveling up traditionally. Players have identified an Engineer trainer located in the starting town. However, this trainer does not offer early combat or weapon-specific skills.

For players who manage to acquire early-game armaments like the Boar Spear or full plate armor, finding corresponding weapon skills requires exploring outside the safety of the town. According to community reports, weapon-specific trainers are scattered throughout the wilderness. Tracking them down is a priority for anyone looking to build a specialized martial character.

Character Creation and Customization

The beta also showcases a revamped character creator. Players have noted a higher level of detail and customization options than before, with some testing the limits of the system to recreate iconic fantasy archetypes like Gandalf.

The playtest shows that developer Nine Dots Studio is aiming to preserve the consequence-driven, open-world survival aspects of the original game while modernizing the interface and combat responsiveness.