> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gritlands.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Combat Basics: How to Fight and Level Up in Gritlands
> Step through Gritlands' combat ladder — from Roger's cellar rats to the Drains — and learn which weapons to carry and exactly when to use them.
Combat in Gritlands doesn't drop you into the deep end. Instead, the game walks you up a ladder of increasingly real confrontations, letting you build skill, confidence, and the right gear before the stakes matter. Every rung teaches you something the next one will demand from you — so don't skip ahead.
## The Combat Rungs
Work your way through each stage in order. Each one prepares you for the next, and rushing past any of them shows when things get serious.
Your very first fight. Roger hands you a pipe wrench and points you at the rats under his cabin. There's no risk here — it's a hands-on lesson designed to get you comfortable with swinging before anything fights back properly.
Head to the training yard in Millside and practice on the dummies. This is where you lock in your timing and technique with zero danger — no enemies, no stakes, just repetition until movement feels natural.
Find the Backlot off a dodgy alley in Millside and take on the local toughs. These are your first real opponents, but the stakes are still low — if you get knocked down, you wake up nearby with nothing lost. Use this to test everything you learned on the dummies against someone who hits back.
The real thing. Live enemies, genuine risk, and loot worth fighting for. Once you're ready, the Drains are where combat ability turns into actual reward. Head to [The Drains](/gameplay/the-drains) when you're confident in your footing.
## Weapons
Every fighter in Gritlands leans on two broad weapon categories. Knowing the trade-offs between them shapes how you approach every encounter.
Wrenches, bats, and blades. Melee weapons are reliable, always ready, and never run out of anything. Your starting pipe wrench is melee — and it's more capable than it looks.
Unlocked as you progress deeper into the city. Firearms hit hard and at range, but they burn through ammo constantly — and ammo has to be crafted, bought, or found. Never carry a gun you can't feed.
Weapons come in tiers, and each tier is gated by your Combat skill level. You can't simply buy your way to the best gear — you have to earn the level that unlocks it. No weapon makes you untouchable, and skill and positioning will always matter more than what you're swinging.
Keep your starting pipe wrench even after you've upgraded to better gear. It's reliable, costs nothing to maintain, and plenty of veterans still carry Roger's wrench long after they could afford anything in the city. It's a good backup, and a reminder of where you started.