Minecraft wiki entry for Player_versus_Player, associated text: Now, this may sound like a weak statement, but hear this. Suppose someone attacks you, and there is no escape possible for you. You hate the player who is killing you and the fact that you aren't combat-savvy enough to fight back. If there is honestly no escape, try to hit an assailant. However, keep in mind that if they hit you with a sprint attack and a melee combo, which is characterized by an extremely quick-draining away of health and rapid FOV shaking, you will be unable to deal any damage at all. To stop this, make a point-blank bow shot to give yourself a chance to deal some damage. Thankfully for you, this combo effect is not achievable post-1.9.