NWN Secret World Wiki/coresystemmechanics

# Gameplay Changes

## Overview

Many aspects of Neverwinter Nights are hard coded and aligned with an older version of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D).

We wanted to eliminate D&D as a system and incorporate our own rules to enable faster gameplay, fewer random outcomes, and more tactical encounters.

Randomly dying from a death spell isn't fun. Rolling a one on a Saving Throw can ruin the momentum of an adventure. There is no skill involved in luck. Much has changed. While names remain the same, their functionality is different.

## Ability Scores

* *Strength*
	+ Increases your melee accuracy, melee damage, melee splash damage, and carry weight.
* *Dexterity*
	+ Increases your Armour Class, which determines whether or not enemies hit you with their attacks. Dexterity affects your attack bonus with ranged weapons. It also affects your Reflex Saving Throw and, if you have a class with the Finesse ability, your accuracy with light weapons.
* *Constitution*
	+ Affects your Hit Points and Fortitude Saving Throw.
* *Wisdom*
	+ Increases ability durations by 4% per Wisdom Modifier. It also affects your Will Saving Throw.
* *Intelligence*
	+ Increases ability damage by 1% per Intelligence Modifier. It also affects the number of skill points you receive.
* *Charisma*
	+ Increases ability size by 5% per Charisma Modifier.

## Saving Throws

Saving Throws now work as a percent reduction to effects and durations.

DCs have been removed entirely.

For example, an ability may require a Reflex Saving Throw. It normally deals 100 damage. The target or player has 30 Reflex, which is a 30% reduction. The ability would hit them for 70 damage.

Another ability may stun a target for 6 seconds and require a Fortitude Saving Throw. If the target has a Fortitude of 20, that is a 20% reduction in duration. 6.0 - (6.0 \* 0.2) = 4.8 seconds of stun duration.

Various items, abilities, and class passives may affect the Saving Throws of targets. It is also possible for a Saving Throw to be reduced so much that incoming effects are increased.

## Weapons

Weapons are categorized into four categories:

* Light
* Medium
* Heavy
* Ranged

Classes gain proficiency and mastery over a single weapon to varying degrees. Be sure to read the class abilities to see what weapons you want to get benefits for.

- Light

Light weapons include daggers, short swords, scimitars, rapiers, and similar. All light weapons benefit from the Agility Training passive, allowing you to use your Dexterity modifier instead of Strength for Attack rolls.

Gain bonus damage equal to your Strength modifier.

* *Damage:* 8
* *Critical Range:* 20
* *Critical Damage:* x2

- Medium

Medium weapons include longswords, bastard swords, battle axes, and similar.

Gain bonus damage equal to your Strength modifier.

* *Damage:* 12
* *Critical Range:* 20
* *Critical Damage:* x2

- Heavy

Heavy weapons include all two-handed melee weapons. Heavy weapons roll with twice as many properties as one-handed weapons to compensate for a missing shield item.

Gain bonus damage equal to 1.5x your Strength modifier.

* *Damage:* 16
* *Critical Range:* 20
* *Critical Damage:* x2

- Ranged

Ranged weapons include rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Some class abilities require a ranged weapon equipped.

* *Damage:* 32
	+ *Shotgun Damage:* 8\*
* *Critical Range:* 19 to 20
* *Critical Damage:* x2\* = Shotguns deal damage in a cone when enemies are within a certain range.

## Armour and Shields

Armour can be found in the following categories:

* *Cloth Armour*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 0
	+ Max Dexterity Bonus: No Limit
* *Light Armour*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 3
	+ Max Dexterity Bonus: 6
* *Medium Armour*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 5
	+ Max Dexterity Bonus: 4
* *Heavy Armour*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 8
	+ Max Dexterity Bonus: 1

Shields can be found in the following categories:

* *Light Shield*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 1
* *Medium Shield*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 2
* *Heavy Shield*
	+ Armour Class Bonus: 4

## Skills

* *Concentration*
	+ Arcane Spell Failure no longer exists.
	+ Concentration affects the duration of your abilities.
	+ Every five points in Concentration grants a 1% increase to the duration of all abilities.
	+ This duration bonus is not reflected in ability descriptions.
* *Discipline*
	+ Discipline determines your ability to resist various combat manoeuvres and effects.
	+ Every 10 points in Discipline grants a 1% reduction to the duration and damage of abilities that require Fortitude Saving Throws.
	+ This bonus is not reflected in ability descriptions.
	+ Discipline is used to resist knockdown attempts by enemies. Your total Discipline and roll must be equal to or greater than the Attack roll of the attacker.
* *Hide*
	+ As vanilla Neverwinter Nights.
* *Listen*
	+ As vanilla Neverwinter Nights.
* *Move Silently*
	+ As vanilla Neverwinter Nights.
* *Spellcraft*
	+ Spellcraft determines your ability to recognize abilities being used against you and increases your defence against them.
	+ Every five points in Spellcraft increases your Saving Throws against enemy abilities.
	+ This Saving Throw bonus is not reflected in your character window.
* *Spot*
	+ As vanilla Neverwinter Nights.
* *Anima*
	+ Increases your Anima resource pool. Used by class abilities.
* *Stamina*
	+ Increases your Stamina resource pool. Used by class abilities.
* *Tumble*
	+ Tumble allows you to break away from melee combat without taking a bonus attack from enemies. Higher ranks increase the chance of safely breaking away.
	+ Tumble also helps resist certain abilities. Every 10 points in Tumble grants a 1% reduction to the duration and damage of abilities that require Reflex Saving Throws.
	+ This bonus is not reflected in ability descriptions.

## Active Effect Icons

Most of the active-effect icons in Neverwinter Nights are blurry or unhelpful. With many having similar shapes and mild variations between them, we wanted to update the icons to be more modern and offer more clarity.

While not all icons have been replaced, many of the ones only veterans could read at-a-glance were changed to enable a better user experience for new players.

A general guide to remember; Red is bad, blue is good.

* Icons with warm hues represent decreases or impairments.
* Icons with cool colours are increases and buffs.