Combat mechanics (Origins)

See Also: Combat, Spells, Talents

Combat mechanics are comprised of the technical details relevant to combat.

Armor
A numerical value that is commonly a property of armor and shields and serves to reduce the amount of damage sustained from a successful attack.

Armor Penetration
A numerical value that is commonly a property of weapons and is used to determine the amount of armor an attack is capable of negating.

Attack
A numerical value derived most often from the Strength and/or Dexterity attributes that is used to determine whether a physical attack succeeds in impacting, though not necessarily damaging, an enemy.

Attack Speed
The rate at which physical melee (not ranged) attacks can be performed by a creature is determined by several factors, but influenced the most by the base weapon type being used.

Damage
A numerical value derived from base weapon damage, the weapon's appropriate attributes, and any relevant effects. Melee Damage is strongly influenced by a character's Strength stat (or Cunning if a Rogue has selected Lethality). Magic Damage is strongly influenced by a character's Magic stat.

Defense
A property of armor and shields that determines the likelihood that the wearer will be hit by a physical attack.

Freezing
See Also: Resistance Checks

Certain spells, namely Winter's Grasp, Cone of Cold, and Blizzard, can temporarily incapacitate a target if effective.

Resistance Check


 * Freezing is resisted by a successful physical resistance check vs. the caster's spellpower.

Duration


 * Freeze duration is determined by the base freeze duration modified by target rank.

Elemental Resistance
See Also: Resistances

Elemental resistance is shorthand for the four resistances for the primal elemental magics. Elemental Resistance determines the character's ability to withstand various elemental effects, specifically primal magic (fire, ice, stone, lightning, nature). A high elemental resistance (fire, ice, stone, lightning, or nature resistance) allows a character to limit the damage of the elemental attack. Examples include: withstanding Flame Blast, Winter's Grasp, Stonefist, Shock, etc.

Health
Heath is the amount of total damage a character/enemy can take before falling unconscious. The red meter outlining the left side of the character portrait tracks this statistic (percentage left vs. total). Health is increased by constitution, 5 health points per 1 level constitution.

Knockdown
A combat effect generated by many talents that incapacitates a target for a short duration.

Resistance Check


 * Knockdowns are resisted by a successful physical resistance check vs. the caster's "attack attribute". This is considered to be either the caster's spellpower or strength modifier, depending on whether the ability used is a spell or a talent, respectively.

Pseudocode - Duration Duration (s) = (0.0 &lt;= [Random Decimal Value] &lt; 1.0)

Mental Resistance
See Also: Resistance Checks

Mental Resistance determines the character's ability to withstand various special effects, specifically combat (Bard songs) or magic effects which affect the mind of the character. A high mental resistance allows a character to either completely shrug off the effect, or take a limited negative buff instead. Examples: withstanding Captivating Song, Blood Control, Horror, etc.

Mental Resistance is different from Spell Resistance

Missile Deflection
A property most often seen on shields that allows for a chance to nullify an incoming ranged, physical attack.

Pseudocode - Deflection Check CheckSuccess = (0.0 &lt;= [Random Decimal Value] &lt; 1.0) &lt;= ([Total Missile Deflection] / 100.0)

Movement Speed
The speed at which a creature is able to move.

Physical Resistance
See Also: Resistance Checks

Physical Resistance determines the character's ability to withstand various special effects, specifically combat or magic effects which affect the body of the character. A high physical resistance allows a character to either completely shrug off the effect, or take a limited negative buff instead. Examples include: Withstanding Knockdown, Earthquake, Paralyze.

Ranged Attack Aim Speed
The rate at which physical, ranged attacks can be performed.

Regeneration
Stamina and mana regenerate at different rates depending on attributes and whether the creature is engaged in combat.

Health Regeneration
-

Stamina Regeneration
-

Mana Regeneration
-

Resistance Checks
Physical and mental combat effects have a chance to be resisted by a target as modified by various factors.

Pseudocode - Resistance Check ResistanceChance = [Target Resistance Score] - [Caster Attacking Attribute] + ([Target Rank] * [Target Rank Modifier]) + ([Target Level] * 5    - ((Difference Between [Target Level] and [Caster Level]) * 5.0) If ResistanceChance &gt;= [Target Maximum Resistance Chance]     ResistanceChance = [Target Maximum Resistance Chance] CheckSuccess = (0.0 &lt;= [Random Decimal Value] &lt; 100.0) &lt;= ResistanceChance
 * Maximum Resistance Chance: 100.0 (usually)

Shattering
When frozen or petrified by a spell a target can possibly be shattered by a critical hit (or by the effect of specific other spells), effectively killing it instantly.

Pseudocode - Shatter Check If [Target] is not a Boss or Plot Character and (not a Party Member unless (Difficulty &gt;= Hard)) If [Target] is a Special Rank If Difficulty = Easy ShatterChance = 0.3 ElseIf Difficulty = Normal ShatterChance = 0.2 ElseIf Difficulty = Hard ShatterChance = 0.1 ElseIf Difficulty = Nightmare ShatterChance = 0.05 Else ShatterChance = 1.0 CheckSuccess = (0.0 &lt;= [Random Decimal Value] &lt; 1.0) &lt;= ShatterChance

Spell Resistance
Spell Resistance determines the percentage chance to completely ignore a magical spell attack. Non-spell elemental attacks ignore this attribute as they are not spells.

Spell Resistance is different from Mental Resistance