System Guidelines

The guidelines for our Combat System are here. These are a work in progress.

## Stats

Your Character has a number of stats, determined by their equipment first and foremost.

* **Health:** Health is a measure of how much damage your character can take before being defeated.
* **Damage Resistance (DR):**DR is divided into a number of Damage Types. For each point of DR you possess, you negate 1 point of Damage from the relevant Damage Type.
* **Accuracy:** Accuracy determines how good you are at hitting things. The higher your Accuracy, the higher your chances to hit will be.
* **Evasion:** Evasion determines how good you are at dodging or negating damage. The higher your Evasion, the harder you are to actually be hit.
* **Equipment:** What Equipment you are currently wearing.
* **Effects:** Any ongoing effects that are currently active.

All these stats are provided by the Equipment you wear. Additionally, any weapons you have will possess two stats of their own:

* **Damage:** This determines the base damage of your weapon, as well as the damage type.
* **Armor Penetration (AP):** AP is what allows weapons to bypass armor. For each point of AP your weapon possesses, you ignore 1 point of DR. AP does not have a type, it negates all forms of DR equally.
* **Special Abilities:** Any special abilities your weapon has will be listed here. This includes any bonuses to other stats, such as Accuracy or Evasion.

An example would be as such:

* **Health:** 2,000/2,000
* **Accuracy:** 250
* **Evasion:** 100
* **Damage Resistance:** Piercing 250 / Blunt 250 / Thermal 0 / Electromagnetic 0 / Arcane 100 / Divine 100
* **Equipment:** Steel Helmet [Equipped], Steel Plate [Equipped], Steel Greaves [Equipped], Steel Boots [Equipped]
* **Effects: N/A**
* **Weapons:** Steel Longsword [Equipped] (250 Piercing Damage, 50 AP, 150 Accuracy), Shield [Equipped] (100 Blunt Damage, 0 AP, 150 Piercing DR, 150 Blunt DR)
* **Accessories:** N/A
* **Items:** N/A

**IMPORTANT:** If an item would modify your stats beyond your "base" stats, such as a +25% bonus, **please list the final total in brackets next to the stat.** As an example:

* **Accuracy:** 250 (500)
* **Effects:** +100% Accuracy

This would indicate that you have a +100% Bonus to Accuracy, possibly from a skill or item.

### Stat Buffs

Any "buff" to a stat will be percentage-based, and all stat buffs are additive, not multiplicative.

For example, if you gained 25% Accuracy, it would be listed as +25% Accuracy. If you had a second buff that increased Accuracy by 25%, you would now have +50% Accuracy.

In the case of a buff affecting multiple stats, in particular DR, each stat is tracked separately. If you had a buff that increased all DR by 25%, and a second buff that increased Piercing DR by 25%, then you would have a +50% to Piercing DR, and +25% to all other forms of DR.

In the case of Equipment providing flat, permanent bonuses, such as a Weapon giving Accuracy or DR, the bonus is applied before percentage-based buffs.

For example, if you had 100 Accuracy, and you had a weapon that gave +100 Accuracy, you would now have 200 Accuracy. If you had a +25% Accuracy buff, you would now have 250 Accuracy.

## Equipment

This is a heavily equipment-focused system. In fact, outside of a few skills, it is **entirely** equipment focused!

You have a number of slots to use equipment:

* Head
* Body
* Legs
* Feet
* 2 Accessory Slots
* 2 Weapon Slots

Equipment will provide a number of benefits. In the case of the Head, Body, Legs, and Feet slot, they will be listed with the following format:
**Name of Equipment**

* **Equipment Slot:** Where the item may be equipped.
* **Upgrade Slots:** How many slots are available for upgrades.
* **Health:** How much Health the item provides.
* **DR:** How much DR, separated by type, the item provides.
* **Accuracy:** How much Accuracy the item provides.
* **Evasion:** How much Evasion the item provides.
* **Special Abilities:** Any special abilities are listed here.

For Accessories, the following format is used:

**Name of Accessory**

* **Accessory Slots:** How many Accessory Slots this requires.
* **Upgrade Slots:** How many slots are available for upgrades.
* **Effect:** What effect the Accessory grants.

For Weapons, the following format is used:

**Name of Weapon**

* **Weapon Slots:** How many Weapon Slots the weapon requires.
* **Upgrade Slots:** How many slots are available for upgrades.
* **Damage:** How much Damage the weapon deals, alongside type.
* **AP:** How much AP this weapon deals.
* **Special Abilities:** Any special abilities are listed here, including stat buffs.

In the case of weapons with multiple different forms of attack, each form of attack will have its own stats listed, and the option to switch attack modes will be listed in Special Abilities.

### Upgrading Equipment

Pieces of equipment, including weapons and accessories, may have Upgrades installed into them. Much like equipment, upgrades may be equipped or unequipped to improve or modify an item. However, Upgrades may not be changed during a battle.

As Upgrades can take on many forms, simply list them as part of the item like so:

* **Upgrade (Name):** The effect the upgrade has.

If the Upgrade modifies the base stats of an item, please make the appropriate changes.

### Renaming Equipment and Cosmetic Changes

Equipment can be renamed if you want! Any purely-cosmetic changes to equipment are free to use.

If you want to make a cosmetic change such as renaming, make sure that the information posted in your character's Inventory (on your userpage) and in your stats in battle has the original item name in brackets, like such:

**Name of Weapon (Original Item Name)**

For example, if you wanted to rename a Hammer to "Doomhammer," you would list it as such:

**Doomhammer (Hammer)**

Then, list the stats as normal.

## Damage and Damage Types

All weapons deal a flat amount of Damage, which is included in their stats. This damage may, of course, be modified by special abilities, skills, and the like.

To determine Damage for a hit, follow this guide:

1. Figure out what Damage Type the weapon is.
2. Subtract the weapon's AP from the relevant DR.
3. Subtract the final DR from the weapon's Damage stat.
4. Subtract the final Damage from your target's Health.

As an example, if you have a weapon that deals 100 Piercing damage with 50 AP, and you hit an opponent who had 125 Piercing DR, you would first subtract your AP from their DR, resulting in their final Piercing DR equalling 75. Then, you'd subtract their final DR from your Damage, resulting in 25 Damage, which would then be subtracted from their Health.

### Damage Types

The different Damage Types are currently grouped into three broad categories: Kinetic, Energy, and Magic.

**Kinetic** deals with physical force, such as shockwaves or objects physically striking one another. It is divided into two subcategories:

* **Piercing:** Piercing Damage governs any form of "pointed" or "edged" attack, or anything that relies primarily on some form of penetration. Examples include spears, swords, arrows and bullets.
* **Blunt:** Blunt Damage governs anything that forgoes some form of edge or point. Additionally, it will typically cover any form of "force" attack. Examples include hammers, shieldbashes, cannonballs, most thrown objects, and shockwaves, such as those generated by most explosives.

**Energy** deals with any form of damage caused via energy absorption or loss, such as through heat or electricity. It is divided into two subcategories:

* **Thermal:** Thermal Damage governs any and all forms of heat-related damage, such as fire and ice. Examples include flaming weapons, some lasers, extreme cold, and certain explosives, such as thermobaric bombs.
* **Electromagnetic:** Electromagnetic Damage governs most forms of damage that are unrelated to heat, such as electricity. Examples include lightning and radiation.

**Magic** deals with any form of damage governed by means that generally defy modern science. It is divided into two subcategories:

* **Arcane:** Arcane Damage governs any form of magical damage caused by a user's own magic. This could be virtually anything, from elemental attacks to teleportation, as long as it is not ultimately granted by some other entity. An example would be sorcery.
* **Divine:** Divine Damage governs any form of magical damage caused by magic granted by another being, such as a spirit or god. An example would be clerical magic.

Damage Resistance is listed as such:

* **DR:** Piercing X / Blunt X / Thermal X / Electromagnetic X / Arcane X / Divine X

...where X is the amount of DR the item provides. If DR for a Damage Type is 0, it may be listed as 0 or simply excluded from the list. As an example, having 25 DR for all Damage Types except Blunt may be listed as either of the following options:

* **DR:** Piercing 25 / Blunt 0 / Thermal 25 / Electromagnetic 25 / Arcane 25 / Divine 25
* **DR:** Piercing 25 / Thermal 25 / Electromagnetic 25 / Arcane 25 / Divine 25

## Accuracy, Evasion, and To Hit

Accuracy and Evasion both govern the chance you have to hit, with Accuracy being offense and Evasion being defense.

When you attack an enemy, look at your Accuracy and your target's Evasion. Add them together. Then, use a random number generator (we recommend random.org) to generate a number between 1 and the sum of your Accuracy and the target Evasion. If the number is **equal to or less than** your Accuracy, then your attack hits. Otherwise, it misses.

**Example:** Your Accuracy is 100, and your opponent's Evasion is 125.

You make an attack, and as such add your Accuracy and your opponent's Evasion together. You have 100 Accuracy, and your opponent has 125 Evasion, so you add 100 and 125 to get 225.

Then, you go to your random number generator, and generate a number between 1 and 225. If you get a result that is equal to or less than your Accuracy, in this case 100, your attack hits.

You generate your number, and get an 87. Since this is less than your 100 Accuracy, your attack hits.

## Turns, Turn Order, and Actions per Turn

Battles are divided into a number of Turns. At the beginning of every Turn, certain effects, such as from skills and equipment, may trigger. At the end of every turn, everything resolves simultaneously.

To determine who goes first, use whatever method you wish, as long as all participants agree. Randomization of a list or flipping a coin is recommended.

### Actions per Turn

Every turn, you have a total of 5 Actions you may take. Each Action may be an attack, using a skill, or any number of system-related things that you have access to.

Some things might cost more than 1 Action. For example, if you have a skill that takes 2 Actions to use, you will still have 3 other Actions you can take on your turn.

**The maximum number of Actions you can take per turn is fixed and cannot be altered.** However, some effects may have a "maintenance" cost that requires a number of Actions per turn. In this case, if you have to pay the maintenance cost, you automatically spend that number of Actions.

At the end of your turn, all Damage and Healing effects resolve simultaneously. As an example, if you had 500 Health, and took 1,000 Damage, but healed 750 Health, this would happen simultaneously, resulting in a net 250 Damage. As a result, you would still be in the fight.

### Equipping, Unequipping, and Using Items

Sometimes, you will have the need to use an item, such as a Healing Potion, or to change equipment - most commonly, switching weapons.

Using an item takes 1 Action.

Switching weapons or accessories takes 1 Action per Weapon Slot or Accessory Slot the weapons use. If you have a Weapon or Accessory that takes 2 Slots to equip, it will take 2 Actions to switch to a different item - even if it only takes 1 Slot. If you only want to switch 1 Weapon Slot or 1 Accessory Slot, it only takes 1 Action.

Only Weapons and Accessories may be changed mid-battle. Additionally, you cannot change currently-equipped Upgrades on items mid-battle, though you can switch to another Weapon or Accessory with different upgrades.

If, by changing weapons or accessories, your stats change in such a way that it would affect your turn, **please list the stats you had prior to switching items alongside your new stats.**

**If an item is a consumable, it is single-use. Remove it from your character's inventory after the battle.** If a battle is rendered void, you may get the item back.

### Item Slots In Battle

You may only bring a limited number of items and equipment to a battle.

For equipment, you may bring 1 piece of equipment for each equipment slot: Head, Body, Legs, Feet.

For weapons, you have 4 Weapon Slots. Up to two of these slots may be used to actually equip weapons.

For accessories, you have 4 Accessory Slots. Up to two of these slots may be used to actually equip Accessories.

For items, you have 4 Item Slots with which to bring secondary items or consumables. Note that each and every individual item requires its own slot.

### Action Order and Turn Durations

**Action Order:** Any actions that cause effects of some description only begin when you use them. If you attack once, then use a skill that buffs your damage, the skill will not affect the attack you made before you used the skill.

**Duration of Abilities:** Any time a duration is mentioned, one "turn" lasts from the **beginning of the turn the effect began to the beginning of the next turn.** As a result, if you have an effect that lasts 2 turns, you would activate the skill. When your turn ends, your opponent will take their turn. Then, your turn begins. You still have 1 Turn left, and as such your effect still applies. Then, your turn ends and your opponent takes their turn - your effect is still active. When the second turn begins, your effect immediately ends and no longer applies. An example:

* **Turn 1:** You attack, then activate an ability that gives bonus damage and damage resistance for 2 Turns, then attack again. The ability only affects the attacks made after it was used. You then end your turn, and your opponent now acts Since your ability is active, your opponent has to deal with the extra damage resistance granted by it.
* **Turn 2:** You ability is still active, with 1 turn remaining, affecting your damage output. When you end your turn, your opponent acts. Your ability is still active, granting damage resistance. When your opponent ends their turn, the effect now ends.
* **Turn 3:** The effect ended when your opponent ended their turn, and your stats return to normal.

**Important:** If a duration ends, it is considered to end at the end of whichever turn directly preceeded your turn. As such, in the example described above, the ability ended immediately before Turn 3. Additionally, unless otherwise noted, you cannot use an ability while it is already active.

**Cooldowns:** Cooldowns operate identically to durations, however they begin on the **first turn after the duration ended** (in the example above, Turn 3). During a cooldown, you cannot use the ability again.

## Winning and Losing

Battles end when all participants on one team are reduced to 0 Health.

When a battle ends, all participants on the winning team gain 1,000 Currency, and all participants on the losing team gain 500 Currency.

This amount may be changed due to circumstances such as story missions or administrator decision.

### Currency, Purchasing, and Selling Items

**Currency** is used to purchase items. No matter what unit you choose to use, the value of one unit of Currency never changes.

You gain Currency in battles, and spend them at Shops.

When purchasing an item, you naturally lose an amount of Currency equal to the value of the item, and gain the item.

Items that were purchased at the store may be sold for 50% of their value, rounded to the nearest integer. Items not purchased in a store may not be sold.

## Additional Rules for Battles

1. Unless an administrator grants permission, only users with Battle Helper status are allowed to calculate the results of a battle.
2. A Battle Helper may not calculate their own battle unless all participants, as well as an administrator, agree to it.
3. Battles do not result in character death unless it is desired by the user, perhaps for story purposes.
4. Anything occuring within a battle only applies to that battle. This includes effects, stat modifiers, damage taken, and so and so on.
5. Do not intentionally "stall" or idle in a battle. If you have a reason for not editing, please inform administration and the participants of the battle.
6. If your stats are changed, the user calculating the battle is not obligated to edit your stats for you.
7. When calculating hit or miss, round Accuracy and Evasion to the nearest whole number, rounding 5 up.
8. When calculating damage dealt, only round the final result to the nearest whole number, rounding 5 up.