autoattacks

Autoattacks, or basic attacks, are the most fundamental form of damage in many games, including role-playing games and multiplayer online battle arenas. They are the attacks performed by a character's weapon without spending a spell slot or ability. The timing of autoattacks is governed by an attack cadence driven by the character’s attack speed, base cooldowns, and any bonuses from items or buffs. Autoattacks can be melee or ranged, and their range is determined by the weapon and the game’s rules. Movement and animation can influence the effective timing, with some games allowing animation canceling, attack resets, or weaving techniques to improve DPS.

Autoattacks interact with several systems. On-hit effects can trigger additional damage, lifesteal may heal the attacker, and critical strikes may deal amplified damage. Defensive stats such as armor or magical resistance reduce autoattack damage, while penetration and buffs can improve it. In many games, weapon quality, character level, and attack speed bonuses from gear determine the base damage of autoattacks. Some games also tie autoattacks to procs or special effects that activate on hit.

Players often optimize autoattacks through tactics like last-hitting minions for resources or currencies, or weaving abilities between basic attacks to maximize damage while staying mobile. The exact role of autoattacks varies by genre: in MOBA and many RPG contexts they are a primary damage source, while in others they serve to support more powerful abilities. Designers balance autoattacks with defenses and abilities to create varied pacing and strategy.