Attack

Description
Attack can mean the following:
 * A combat attack is an attack performed with the wielded primary weapon. When skill descriptions say "in combat", it means performing a combat attack.
 * Attack skills are a sub-class of all Skills. They affect the next combat attack or are combat attacks by themselves (often with a damage or effect bonus).
 * "Physical attack" and "elemental attack" means physical damage and elemental damage respectively, when used in the context of "physical attack" or "elemental attack" in equipment descriptions.

Note: In general, the use of skills (with the exception of Attack skills) do not constitute attacks/combat, even if they deal damage to enemies.

Combat Attack
Combat attacks can be categorized into melee combat attacks and ranged combat attacks.

Melee
A melee combat attack is performed when the attacker holds a sword, an axe, some daggers, or a hammer; or if the attacker is a pet. A melee attacker is one who fights adjacent to their target.

Ranged
A ranged combat attack is performed when the attacker holds a bow, a staff or a wand. Note that a Ranged Attack is always considered ranged, even if the target is in melee range when the attack is preformed.

Attack Skill
Attack skills are a sub-type of all Skills. When activated, the character will initiate a special combat attack (which can be melee or ranged) with their current weapon.

Subtypes of attack skills require the attacker to be wielding a specific type of weapon (or having a living pet), otherwise the skill can't initiate or execute. Without the required weapon, the skill button will be greyed out with a red slash across it. For example, Poison Arrow is a Bow Attack and thus requires the attacker to wield a bow while using this skill.

The following shows the Attack skill sub-type tree, and which professions have skills of that type:
 * Attack (Monk)
 * Melee Attack (Warrior, Dervish)
 * Axe Attack (Warrior)
 * Hammer Attack (Warrior)
 * Sword Attack (Warrior)
 * Dagger Attack
 * Lead Attack (Assassin)
 * Off-Hand Attack (Assassin)
 * Dual Attack (Assassin)
 * Scythe Attack (Dervish)
 * Bow Attack (Ranger)
 * Pet Attack (Ranger)
 * Spear Attack (Paragon)

Hit and Damage
To land a successful attack, a few steps take place:
 * 1) An attack is considered attempted or being performed while the melee weapon, staff, or wand is being swung, or while the bow being drawn.
 * 2) Then an attack has to hit. There is a chance that an attack may miss and there are opponent skills (like Throw Dirt) that can increase the possibility of a miss.
 * 3) If the attack is successful in striking the target, there is still the possibility that the target can Evade or Block it. Some attacks cannot be blocked or evaded, or do more damage if they are. For example, Irresistible Blow will knock down a target that blocks it.
 * 4) Finally, if an attack actually lands on a target, damage is dealt. See Damage for how various factors affect the actual damage done.

Elemental/Physical Attack
Certain equipments have a "Armor +x (vs. elemental/physical attacks)" modifier. In this case the elemental/physical attacks refers to the damage type, not the action of attacking. Thus a spell such as Fireball, when it hits its target, is counted as an "elemental attack" from the perspective of the armor.