v1.3

Summary

     Last week I rolled out version 1 of the buff/debuff system, which allowed me to create a variety of status effects for both players and enemies to use. However, the only stats that had any impact at that time were AGI (turn order was sorted by AGI) and Dodge. This week I spent some time figuring out what the stat system will look like, and how the stats impact the game. I also added in some placeholder animations, particle effects, and sound effects, and created some new status effect tools that allow me to make heal-over-time and damage-over-time effects. Read on for more details:

Revamped Stats

     The stat system is based on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition stat system. A stat score of 10 - 11 is considered average and conveys no benefits or penalties. A score above 11 provides a positive modifier, while a score below 10 imparts a negative modifier. Stats are soft-capped between 1 and 30, meaning a score below one does not increase the penalty and a score above 30 does not increase the bonus.

     Different stats impact different things. For example, when attacking with a melee weapon, the STR modifier comes into play. A character with a high STR will have an improved chance to hit and improved damage, while a character with very low STR will have a reduced chance to hit and reduced damage. 

INT impacts chance to hit with a spell attack and spell damage. 

AGI impacts chance to hit with a ranged weapon and ranged weapon damage. AGI modifier is added to defense,  making a character with high agility harder to hit, and a character with low agility easier to hit. Lastly, AGI mod is added to the character's initiative roll.

Stats and Modifiers

New System for Turn Order

     At the start of each round of combat, each character rolls for initiative. Their initiative for the round is a d20 (shorthand for a 20-sided die or a random number between 1 - 20) + AGI modifier. After all commands have been issued, characters take action in order of initiative, highest to lowest. I've added a temporary TurnOrder window at the top right of the screen.

Determining Hit or Miss

     The attacking character rolls a d20, then adds their BaseAttackBonus and the appropriate stat modifier (STR for melee, INT for spell, AGI for ranged). This number is compared to the defender's defense total, which is equal to: 5 (a static, base defense amount) + Defense Modifier + AGI modifier. If the attacker's total is greater than the defender's, the attack hits. Keep in mind any of the modifiers can be positive or negative. 

     Note: when the attacker rolls his d20, a (1 )is an automatic miss and a (20) is an automatic hit.  Also, if the hit is successful, a separate roll is made to determine if the hit is a critical or not.

Determining Damage

     Every attack has a min and a max damage. Total damage  = (random num between min and max) + appropriate modifier (In the case of a critical hit, an additional (random num between min and max) is added). The damage type of the attack is compared to the defender's strengths and weaknesses. If the defender is strong against the damage type, the total damage is cut in half. If the defender is weak against the damage type, the total damage is doubled. If the defender is attuned to the damage type, the defender gains health = to the amount of damage instead of losing health. 

(At the moment, Lord Demon is strong against physical and weak against ice, while silver imps are attuned to ice and strong against poison.)

Status Effects

     In the current system, status effects can temporarily raise or lower stats (buffs/debuffs) or they can impact hp (DamageOverTime/HealOverTime). At the start of a character's action, all status effects are processed. This includes handling any damage the effect does and reducing the number of turns it has remaining. At the end of a character's action, any status effects that are expired are removed. 

     I've added several different abilities with status effects to both enemies and players. (I've also begun experimenting with procs e.g. Saul currently adds a Poison status effect when he hits with his sword) Most detrimental status effects can be resisted. When a status effect is applied, if it is resistible, the defending character has a random chance to resist the effect based on their Magic Resistance (currently set at 10% for most characters, 60% for silver imps)

     So that's what I've been up to this week! I've got a lot of testing still to do to make sure everything is working as intended. I'll be on vacation next week, so it will probably be two weeks before the next update. If you play around with the current build, let me know if you see something that doesn't seem to be working right!