Fighting is commonplace in Avalon and all professions have the potential play an aggressive role; some more overtly than others. The magical professions will tend to use equilibrium (mental concentration) to evoke their powers while the physical professions use balance - typically right or left side, depending on the ability used and which hand (or both) is used. HELP BALANCE documents the balance concept in greater detail. Command documentation for combat can be found under HELP COMBAT, including syntaxes and fight-text reduction.

When you make your physical strike attack, it will be carried out (providing not otherwise prevented) and you will become unbalanced. It will take a short time - a few seconds - to regain your balance, and then you will be able to strike again. There are dozens of factors determining precisely how long it takes to regain balance - many of which you are able to affect directly. It is important to bear two facts in mind: Avalon's combat system includes an intuition layer to reward those fighters of sufficient experience to "predict" balance regain times and thereby anticipate the moment its return is described.

Firstly: the info text "you have regained your balance" or "right-side ready" (the text varies, depending on your set up and abilities used) comes fractionally AFTER balance is actually available to you. Thus, if you had the luxury of perfect anticipation, you would be striking out slightly before it appeared your balance had returned - and in doing so accumulating quite an advantage over your opponent.

Secondly: if you get your timings wrong and attempt to strike out while still unbalanced - and particularly if you try this repeatedly, as if in a panic - then you risk unbalancing yourself further, requiring longer time to regain your balance, as the gamesystem simulates your panicked flailing. It is therefore important not to attempt a balance-using attack while unbalanced - and if in doubt, wait to be informed you have regained your balance - else you will quickly leave yourself at the mercy of a better coordinated foe.

See also: HELP COMBAT, HELP BLOODLUST, HELP PROTECTION, HELP DEATH, HELP KILL, and maybe HELP FIGHTERS or HELP RATING if you want to get competitive and challenge for high "fighter" rating vis-a-vis the most adept in the realm.