Overlay (System)

The system is an amalgamation of the different perspectives of what players think an adventurer's life should be. The various expectations of would-be heroes is reviewed, and spun to fit a logic that can be applied to Terradios once a champion has been chosen. A shared vision, known to the candidates as the game, was then created to accustom potential paladins to the culture.

## Divine Rite Online

During a coding class, one of the projectors acted up and displayed an invitation- or as they knew as an advertisement- to compete for the title of Champion and save the world. The instructions to do so were vague at best, with only to utter the phrase of '*May data bless my path*' given. It was treated as an inside joke. It was only when a lone, bored student who was in the middle of his essays said the joke aloud that his expectations were realized. A program came to life in his screen with the same invitation repeated to him. That student's understanding of what that concept meant paved the way for the first evolution of that simulation.

The simulation was then circulated through word of mouth as a 'secret game' installed in the IP network. Players would need to be alone to reduce noise, open their devices, connect to the internet and utter a phrase into microphone in order to open the program's client. In reality, this did not do anything. Data simply let the would-be heroes to believe what they desired. The incantation was merely a prayer to allow the deity strength and connect a player's dreams into a piece of his domain. These instances were dubbed as player avatars.

The first instances of players were rough, as existing and new concepts were at odds. Data had to reorganize everything on the spot, reviewing what the players believe and want from this simulation. To his surprise, the players did not seem to mind the abrupt stops or sudden changes to the system too much. His sudden appearances to warn them of modules and elements still under development were not received too negatively as well. He was even awarded a new epithet: **Beta Fish**.

Once the players realize that the game is listening to their feedbacks and is responding live through this entity, he was awarded another: **Dev-san**. The constant well-wishes to his health and to take breaks surprised the deity, as it was unusual for patrons to worry for their god. Though confusing, it motivated him to continue this pursuit.

When drops were introduced, he was dubbed not an epithet, but a new concept altogether. He was being referred to as one of the **RNG** gods. The idea of him invading other deities' territories prevented Data from leaving his domain for more research. He only relied on the players' intel.

It was when the simulation got too popular that Data struggled to keep his strength. The would-be champions were making a lot of changes in his domain that he was having trouble allowing them to persist. Such champions who once praised his dedication came barelling with complaints about lost equipment or progress. He found that it caused him more distress than he expected. In those days, he would simply run away to observe other players. He would hear other would-be champions defending him, or even speculate what his true name was, as if they could ever know.

There was a point where he found that the prayers no longer sustain this trial of character and strategy. Data decided to conserve what strength he had collected. His final act was to announce that the logs will be reviewed, and that the 'game' will be shut down. Then, the deity simply read the transcripts, and recalled all he observed, until one player stood out from his memories.

## Stats

Stats are the numeric representation of a player's ability.

Stat points are gained through gaining levels to invest in making their avatars stronger. These points can be invested in either:

 Magic
 Dexterity
 Agility
 Constitution

## Skills

Skills are the many advantages players can have over their opponents. There are multiple skill trees for avatars to learn, with the main categories being **Martial**, **Spellcraft**, **Weapon**, **Survival** (common) and **Creation** (advanced). Each major category has sub-categories that further advance character builds.

Players choose a primary skill tree among the three offensive categories upon joining, and gain skill points upon levelling to invest in these categories. Players may also choose to diversify their builds by choosing another main category to learn, but each point outside the primary costs more skill points, except for **Survival**.

Skills can be further enhanced by levelling them up using skill points, up to level 10. Advancing the skill tree requires the avatar to level the prerequisite skill to level 5 at minimum. Some skills do not have prerequisites and only require the skill category to be unlocked.

## Levels

Levels are the numeric representation to gauge an avatar's experience. Some quests, maps, skills and equipment require avatars to be a certain level before they become available to the player.

Each level grants 1 skill and stat point for the player to spend. Every 5th level, the player is granted an additional 2 stat points, and every 10th level, the player is granted an additional 1 skill point.

**Divine Rite Online**'s level cap is 500, providing players a total of 700 stat points and 550 skill points.

## Weapon Proficiency

Weapon proficiencies are gained by using a weapon during combat. Each successful kill grants the avatar proficiency based on how much damage the equipped weapon is responsible for. Wielding a low proficiency weapon reduces damage (melee) or accuracy (ranged), regardless of the avatar's stats or levels. Proficiencies are graded using **F** (lowest) to **S** (highest), with separate exp required to gain the next grade.

Some skills require the avatar to be wielding a weapon category in order to be cast successfully, some equipment cannot be worn without a prerequisite weapon grade, and some quests require to be equal or higher than a specific weapon exp in order to be accepted.

## Classes

There are no class restrictions in the game. What players can and can't learn is based on their previous skill trees and weapon proficiencies, and thus, players refer to their skillsets as builds.

## Instinct

Instinct is what players would refer to as Area of Effect (AoE) circles. They are the indicators on where big attacks would hit, where traps are set, and some hints on how to complete trials or quests.

While this is built in with the system and every player has access to this information, some skills can be learned to expand upon it. Such as, the **Survival** skill tree offers the ability to predict how much damage players within the AoE will take if hit.

## Death and Recovery

When an avatar's health drops to 0, two separate countdowns occur.

#### Death Timer

During the Dying condition, a countdown occurs of the character's **Max HP** dropping 1 HP per 2 seconds. A bell toll marks when death has taken 25%, 50% and 75% of the avatar's health each, in order to signal for aid from other players in the area. Being hit while in this condition takes the avatar to the next bell toll. It is possible to leave this condition prematurely via signing out or choosing to retreat. Doing either is considered as a death, and will transport the avatar back to the last visited Hub.

This acts as both a time-out for players in order to rest, as well as keeping the avatar in the field for a chance for other players to assist and continue the fight.

The Max HP drop is not permanent, and is returned instantly once assisted out of the condition, or if the Death timer reaches 0 and the avatar is transported back into the last main Hub visited.

The Death timer becomes largely ignored once reaching a certain Max HP as it will be higher than the Recovery timer, unless hit too much.

#### Recovery Timer

Recovery is a fixed number that counts down to when an avatar may leave the Dying condition and continue along their current location. The default count down is 400 seconds. Players can choose to invest some of their points to permanently lower their own Recovery timer in the **Survival** category, or be able to recover another's much faster during assist in the **Support** sub-category.

Assisting a dying player requires the healer to either pour mana, use a potion, or remain stationary and bandage the character to hasten the countdown. These options allows flexibility on what resource a player is able to lend while in the heat of combat.

## Equipment

Players have the ability to equip their avatars various sets of equipment. Each character has possible 7 equipment slots for **Head**, **Body**, **Legs**, **Main Arm**, **Sub Arm** and two **Accessory** slots. Sub-arms are only available for shields and sub-weapons (if dual wield), otherwise it is taken up by the Main Arm slot and considers the held weapon as wielded with both hands.

Some equipment sets grant bonuses if equipped together. Sets can vary in size, such simply two linked accessories to full body armor.

All weapons, shields and armor are considered equipment and are gathered in a seperate inventory from other items. Equipment can be obtained from town or player blacksmiths, or as a reward for quests and achievements.

## Items

Acquirable objects throughout the journey through crafting, trading, buying or looting.

#### Food Items

These are consumables that vary in effect once eaten. Food items can be made by any avatar using a stove in Guild kitchens and characters' houses, and campfires. They can also be bought in inns, bars and merchants.

Food items' buffs vary depending on their quality from **F** (lowest) to **S** (highest). Each food item also begins spoilage after 5 minutes of being dropped, placed in a platter to be shared, or placed in a stall to be sold. A spoiled food item will always be F quality, regardless of its previous grade. It takes 48 hours for a food item to spoil if left unattended.

#### Potions

Potions follow a similar mechanic to Food Items, but do not spoil if **B** or above quality and can only be made by town or player alchemists.

Beneficial potions come in the variations of Healing Elixir (red), Stamina Drought (green), Mana Drought (blue), and Panacea (honey). There are also miscellaneous chemicals that are come in the variety of Poison (purple), Rot (black), and Catalyst (white).

Cocktails are also in this category despite being sold as Food Items, and can have mixed effects depending on the skill and preferences of its creator.

#### Materials

Mats are common items necessary for crafting and smithing. Other items can be broken down to be created as materials.

#### Drops

These are items obtained from hunting and killing monsters. Each drop is specific to the monster it came from. Monster drops are either turned into materials, sold in shops, or used in cooking or crafting.

## Inventory

The inventory is a weightless subspace for keeping all of the avatar's belongings with them through their journey. While the inventory does not emcumber the avatar, it has a limited capacity. The default limit is 100 slots, with duplicate items stacking into 1 slot until they also reach 100. This slot capacity can be expanded by equipping a **Backpack** accessory.

When the amount of items in the inventory exceed the limit, the player is prompted to drop items until it is no longer the case. This is also the case if a player unequips the Backpack accessory while using over 100 slots. Dropped items are free for other players to grab, so it is recommended for players to empty their pockets in a private zone when organizing their inventory. Dropped items disappear after 10 minutes in a private zone, or 3 minutes in a public area.

Food items will pause their spoil timer when inside the inventory, but resume once dropped or placed.