History Main / ThreeStrikeCombo

* In ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'', all of the Monk's Primary attacks work like this, releasing a powerful blow on the third strike. They can be mixed up, using two strikes from one technique and the third from another, or any other combination.

* Melee-based classes in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' have three-weapons kill combos as the basis of their attack rotation. Each skill only does its full damage and applies its additional effects when used immediately after the previous skill in the combo (helpfully marked "Combo Action" in the tooltip). For some classes (Rogue/Ninja, tanks), effective combat relies on effectively weaving in non-combo skills while making sure to keep the combo going. Other classes (Lancer/Dragoon, Samurai) have complicated branching combos that must be used in the right order.

Often the most basic combo attack in the game being performed by simply pressing the attack button three times in a row. Sometimes the various hits that comprise the combo can be upgraded as the character [[LevelUp Levels Up]], or the combo can be extended to having four or more consecutive hits.

* ''Videogame/DevilMayCry:'' Dante's default combo with his Rebellion are 3 strokes. With certain tricks, he can perform an alternative combo with more strokes.

* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' is very fond of this: Xin Zhao has Three Talon Strike, which enhances his normal attacks to deal increased damage, the third of which knocks the target into the air. Riven's Broken Wings is three slashing leaps, the third of which deals extra damage and knocks back nearby enemies. Diana's passive makes every third attack deal bonus magic damage to her enemy and those nearby. Similar to Riven, Aatrox can use "The Darkin Blade" (his Q skill) up to three times, each time changing the skill's sweetspot (an area which will deal more damage and lift the opponent for a brief period of time). Every third basic attack Vayne makes on a single target will deal a percentage of the target's maximum health as true (armor-ignoring) damage. Similar to Vayne, Gnar's "Hyper" will make his basic attacks and offensive skills apply a mark, dealing a percentage of the target's maximum health as magic damage on the third mark and giving Gnar a small speed burst. Unlike Vayne, Gnar can apply Hyper stacks to every enemy he can instead of just one. Nami is unusual in that she can give one of these to someone else: the target of her spell has their next three attacks or damage spells deal bonus damage and slow their target.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'': the Gunslinger, a melee weapon for the Engineer in the form of [[ArtificialLimbs a robotic hand]]. One of its features is a guaranteed [[CriticalHit critical]] on the third hit.

** Codified for special moves in the form of [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Fei Long's]] Rekkaken (lit. Raging Fire/Conflagration Fist), a three-input special attack. A number of other attacks in later fighting games would follow several examples akin and/or different from this, where the FanNickname "Rekka" is often used to term these types of attacks that follow the original example more closely.

* Zero's basic saber attack in the ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' series, starting from X4 onwards, is a three-slash combo. Before that (in X2 and X3), he also had a three-part combo involving a double-shot from his buster cannons followed by a slash.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': About half the cast has a three point combo as their neutral attack. When possible, the combos are lifted straight out of the characters' original games. For instance, Mario's combo comes from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', and Snake's is from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''. Other moves can count as three-point combos, like [[Franchise/{{Kirby}} Meta Knight]]'s forward tilt, {{VideoGame/Bayonetta}}'s forward tilt and forward air, and [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts Sora]]'s forward tilt, neutral air, and forward air. Sora's forward tilt is unique in that the first hit is a strong hit if cancelled, but leads into the combo otherwise.

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': Your character typically starts with a three point combo, but it can be lengthened, shortened or otherwise altered depending on what Keyblade you have equipped and what skills you're using. In ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'', attack cards do different amounts of damage depending on which part of the combo you use them in, so when playing as Sora, it's best to group cards in the order of Strike->Thrust->Finish strength. Riku's attack cards are all identical, but it's still useful to keep track of the second hit of his combo: in [[SuperMode Dark Mode]], it inflicts a stun effect.

* ''VideoGame/LegoStarWars'': All lightsaber wielders and the Magnaguard use a three-point combo, with the third hit being flashier than the initial two. If the third hit is [[DifficultButAwesome timed perfectly]], it deals extra damage and [[UnblockableAttack hits through an opponent's block]].

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': About half the cast has a three point combo as their neutral attack. When possible, the combos are lifted straight out of the characters' original games. Mario uses his combo from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', and Snake uses his from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''. Other moves can count as three-point combos, like [[Franchise/{{Kirby}} Meta Knight]]'s forward tilt, {{VideoGame/Bayonetta}}'s forward tilt and forward air, and [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts Sora]]'s forward tilt, neutral air, and forward air. Uniquely for Sora, the first hit of his forward tilt is a strong hit if cancelled.

* ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' has either three punches or two punches and a kick, depending on how fast you press the buttons.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'': The basic right-left-kick combo might be the TropeCodifier for 3D games. Yah-Wah-Hoo!

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog''
** ''VideoGame/{{Sonic Advance|Trilogy}}'': Sonic and Knuckles had three-point combos.
** ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'': Each power formation had a three point combo that became increasingly flashy and destructive with each LevelUp. At mid strength they typically included some type of flamethrower, at max power they had some type of explosive.
* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'': each Kong had a three point combo. Donkey Kong could perform his combo with just two button presses, since the first hit was a double-attack, making it a curious example.
* In ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'', all weapons that aren't clubs or claws have three-hit melee combos.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': About half the cast has a three point combo as their neutral attack. When possible, the combos are lifted straight out of the characters' original games. Mario uses his combo from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', and Snake uses his from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''. This isn't always a neutral attack: Meta Knight's 3-point combo is his forward tilt, while {{VideoGame/Bayonetta}}'s forward tilt and forward air are 3-point combos. [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts Sora]] has his neutral attack, forward tilt, neutral air, and forward air be 3-point combos, but uniquely for him, only executing the first hit in the combo turns it into a strong hit.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': About half the cast has a three point combo achieved by pressing A three times. When possible, the combos are lifted straight out of the characters' original games. Mario uses his combo from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', and Snake uses his from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''.

* Melee-based classes in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' have three-weaponskill combos as the basis of their attack rotation. Each skill only does its full damage and applies its additional effects when used immediately after the previous skill in the combo (helpfully marked "Combo Action" in the tooltip). For some classes (Rogue/Ninja, tanks), effective combat relies on effectively weaving in non-combo skills while making sure to keep the combo going. Other classes (Lancer/Dragoon, Samurai) have complicated branching combos that must be used in the right order.

Three is a magic number, even when it comes to fighting. Often times in video games a character's most basic combo will consist of three attacks in rapid succession with the last hit dealing slightly more damage than the first two.

* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' is very fond of this: Xin Zhao has Three Talon Strike, which enhances his normal attacks to deal increased damage, the third of which knocks the target into the air. Riven's Broken Wings is three slashing leaps, the third of which deals extra damage and knocks back nearby enemies. Diana's passive makes every third attack deal bonus magic damage to her enemy and those nearby. Aatrox can have his third attack either heal him or deal bonus damage while hurting him. Every third attack Vayne makes on a target deals a percentage of the target's health as true (armor-ignoring) damage. Nami is unusual in that she can give one of these to someone else: the target of her spell has their next three attacks deal bonus damage and slow their target.
** A common variant is also for an attack to have some effect which intensifies each time until it reaches its maximum on the third. Orianna deals magic damage that increases for the second and third hit. Warwick deals bonus damage and heals himself for more with each attack to the third. Gangplank applies damaging and slowing poison that stacks up to three times. Volibear has both types - each attack up to the third increases his attack speed, but after that he can bite an enemy to deal damage based on how much health they're missing.
** There are also some spell based ones: after casting three spells, Sona's attack deals bonus damage and has an effect based on which spell she cast last. Varus' attacks apply up to three marks to an opponent that do nothing until he hits them with a spell, at which point they detonate to deal damage based on the enemy's maximum health and how many marks there were. Xerath's ultimate ability lets him fire three magical detonations. Ahri's ultimate lets her dash three times, dealing damage to enemies nearby.

* In the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series, the 3D installments have a 3-hit combo as the basic close quarters attack, consisting of 2 punches and a kick that will knock to the ground instantly any non-boss character.

* In ''VideoGame/TheWolfAndTheWaves'', your human form's only attack needs to hit a zombie three times to kill it.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes'': The Aeralfos enemies' primary physical attack consists of diving down at the Links to deliver three quick sword strikes turning the third into a spinning slash, before rising back into the air.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' had four different three point combos depending on which direction the control stick was being held. Left horizontal, Right horizontal, Vertical and Thrust.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' also gave three point combos to the Goron and Zora forms, but not the Deku form.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' replaced it with a four point combo that could be mixed and matched.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' abolished the combo system altogether by mapping the sword's movement to the Wii Motion Plus.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' brings the four point combo back for one-handed weapons, but removes the directional slash mechanic. It also has an eight point combo for spears and a two point combo for heavy weapons.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': Your character typically starts with a three point combo, but it can be lengthened, shortened or otherwise altered depending on what Keyblade you have equipped and what skills you're using.
** In ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'', attack cards do different amounts of damage depending on which part of the combo you use them in, so when playing as Sora, it's best to group cards in the order of Strike->Thrust->Finish strength. Riku's attack cards are all identical, but it's still useful to keep track of the second hit of his combo: in [[SuperMode Dark Mode]], it inflicts a stun effect.

* ''VideoGame/SpiralKnights'': Most swords have one. The final hit does more damage than the other two.

* Chain combo systems in {{Fighting Game}}s typically rely on a three-hit chain: Light-Medium-Heavy. This appears in countless fighters, including ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' (the first one, but not the two sequels, unless--to a degree--your name is [[VideoGame/FinalFight Guy]] or [[VideoGame/StreetFighterI Gen]]), [[VideoGame/CapcomVsWhatever nearly every fighter related to the]] ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'' series, ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', and ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}''.