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Weapon Balance

Revision as of 17:22, 30 August 2026 by Jimmie (talk | contribs) (Created page with "==Weapon Balance== Historically, we never had a proper formula for balancing weapons. Damage values were largely adjusted through trial and error, which left room for guesswork and made it difficult to maintain a consistent balance between different weapons, materials, and weapon types. == Weapon Rebalance Logic == === 1. Fair Average Damage === '''DAMAGE''' = 4 + (Materials x 0.5) + (Weight x 0.75) We used this formula to tie a weapon's baseline power directly to i...")
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Weapon Balance

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Historically, we never had a proper formula for balancing weapons. Damage values were largely adjusted through trial and error, which left room for guesswork and made it difficult to maintain a consistent balance between different weapons, materials, and weapon types.

Weapon Rebalance Logic

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1. Fair Average Damage

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DAMAGE = 4 + (Materials x 0.5) + (Weight x 0.75)

We used this formula to tie a weapon's baseline power directly to its resource cost and speed, preserving overall server DPS and the classic game feel.

2. Weight and Swing Speed

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Weight Swing Speed
0 ultra fast
1 extremely fast
2 very fast
3 fast
4 quite fast
5 normal speed
6 below normal speed
7 a bit slow
8 slow
9 very slow
10 extremely slow
11 ultra slow
12+ stupidly slow

3. Playstyle Identities

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Instead of leaving weapons as simple reskins, we applied a percentage-based Spread (variance) around that average to give each weapon a distinct playstyle.

The spread formula calculates the minimum and maximum damage around the Average Damage (derived from the base formula) using a specific percentage modifier for each weapon class or style:

  • Min. Damage: (Average x (1 - Spread))
  • Max. Damage: (Average x (1 + Spread))

Example (Long Sword: 15 Ingots, 9 Weight and Spread 45%):

  • Base Average: 4 + (15 x 0.5) + (9 x 0.75) = 18.25
  • Min Damage: (18.25 x (1 - 0.45)) = 10
  • Max Damage: (18.25 x (1 + 0.45)) = 26
  • Final Damage = 10, 26

4. Spread Percentage

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Based on the old server values, we found some consistency on how weapons played:

  • Maces: 30% (0.30) -> Consistent, heavy hits.
  • Swords: 45% (0.45) -> Balanced variance.
  • Axes/Polearms: 60% (0.60) -> High volatility.

However, since there is a high number of weapons, we adjusted a few to make sure all players have ample options on how they will play and which weapon they will pick.

Blade Weapons

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Weapon Resources Weight Wield Spread
Katana 9 5 One-Handed 30%
Cutlass 11 6 One-Handed 45%
Battle Axe 12 7 One-Handed 60%
Axe 12 6 Two-Handed 60%
Scimitar 13 7 One-Handed 45%
Thin Sword 14 7 One-Handed 65%
Bardiche 14 9 Two-Handed 60%
Long Sword 15 8 One-Handed 45%
Two Handed Axe 15 8 Two-Handed 60%
Broadsword 16 9 One-Handed 35%
Great Sword 16 9 One-Handed 65%
Double Axe 16 8 Two-Handed 60%
Executioner's Axe 16 9 Two-Handed 65%
Large Battle Axe 17 9 Two-Handed 45%
Halberd 18 11 Two-Handed 60%

Blunt Weapons

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Weapon Resources Weight Wield Spread
Hammer Pick 12 7 Two-Handed 30%
Mace 14 7 One-Handed 30%
War Hammer 14 7 Two-Handed 30%
Maul 16 8 One-Handed 30%
War Axe 17 10 One-Handed 30%
War Mace 18 9 One-Handed 60%
Club 5 4 One-Handed 30%
Quarterstaff 8 4 Two-Handed 30%
Gnarled Staff 9 5 Two-Handed 40%
Fine Staff 10 6 Two-Handed 60%

Piercing Weapons

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Weapon Resources Weight Wield Spread
Dagger 3 3 One-Handed 40%
Short Spear 6 5 One-Handed 50%
War Fork 5 4 One-Handed 30%
Pitchfork 7 5 Two-Handed 65%
Kryss 7 4 One-Handed 40%
Spear 9 5 Two-Handed 65%

Archery

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Weapon Resources Weight Wield Spread
Bow 10 5 Two-Handed 40%
Crossbow 10 8 Two-Handed 50%
Heavy Crossbow 12 10 Two-Handed 60%

4.1. Why Spread?

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When two weapons share the same Average Damage (DPS), they deal the exact same total amount of damage over a long fight. Manipulating variance (spread) simply redistributes how that damage is delivered per hit, creating strategic trade-offs rather than power imbalances.

5. Material Multipliers

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Material multipliers are applied to the weapon's average damage before the Spread Variance. This means the material of the weapon directly affects its overall damage potential before the final damage range is determined.

Metal Materials:

  • Copper: -20%
  • Iron: Base Damage (100%)
  • Bronze / Steel: +6%
  • Silver / Gold: +10%
  • Titanium / Terathane: +15%
  • Agapite / Shadow: +18%
  • Verite / Valorite: +20%
  • Stronghold / Verminard: +22%
  • Adamantine / Skargard: +24%
  • Blackrock / Bloodrock: +30%
  • Phoenix: +33%

Wood Materials:

  • Pine: Base Damage (100%)
  • Eucalyptus: +6%
  • Holly / Rose: +10%
  • Oak / Interleaved: +14%
  • Ironwood / Mahogany: +20%
  • Cherry: +22%
  • Composite / Imbued Cherry: +24%
  • Myst: +30%
  • White Oak: +33%

6. Additional Effects - (TO BE CHANGED)

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These bonuses are "hidden" from the player, but they further deepen combat and give weapons more character.

Assuming a superb quality weapon:

  • All Weapons: 5% Critical Hit Chance
  • Two Handed Weapons: +15% Damage Bonus
  • Katana, Cutlass, Battle Axe, Axe, Scimitar, Thin Sword, Bardiche, Long Sword, Two Handed Axe, Broadsword, Great Sword, Double Axe, Executioner's Axe, Large Battle Axe, Halberd: 13% Parry, 6% Damage
  • Hammer Pick, Mace, War Hammer, Maul, War Axe, War Mace, Club, Gnarled Staff, Fine Staff: 13% Parry, 8% Undead Damage
  • Quarterstaff: 23% Parry, 8% Undead Damage
  • Dagger: 5% Critical Hit Chance
  • Short Spear: 15% Critical Hit Chance, 22% Dragon Damage
  • War Fork: 22% Dragon Damage, 15% Parry
  • Pitchfork: 22% Dragon Damage, 15% Parry
  • Kryss: 13% Critical Hit Chance
  • Spear: 15% Critical Hit Chance, 22% Dragon Damage

7. Damage Bonus

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Each material has its own built-in damage bonus modifier. This modifier determines the additional damage provided by weapons made from that material and can be viewed using the Arms Lore skill.

  • Copper: 1% Damage Bonus
  • Iron: 10% Damage Bonus
  • Silver: 20% Damage Bonus, 60% Damage Against Undead
  • Gold: 6% Damage Bonus
  • Titanium: 30% Damage Bonus
  • Terathane: 30% Damage Bonus, 1% Critical Hit Chance, 150% Damage Against Shadows
  • Agapite: 30% Damage Bonus, 10% Purity (Damage against Low Karma)
  • Shadow: 30% Damage Bonus, 10% Tainting (Damage against High Karma)
  • Verite: 30% Damage Bonus, 15% Mana Vampire
  • Valorite: 30% Damage Bonus, 15% Stamina Vampire
  • Skargard: 20% Damage, 2% Critical Hit Chance, 20% Cold Damage, 4% Drain Stamina
  • Blackrock: 50% Damage, 3% Critical Hit Chance
  • Bronze: 18% Damage Bonus
  • Steel: 26% Damage Bonus, 2% Critical Hit Chance
  • Stronghold: 20% Damage Bonus, 15% Damage Against Evil (Above 3 Kills or -3000 Karma), +110% Damage Against Undead, +110% Damage Against Daemons
  • Verminard: 20% Damage Bonus, 15% Damage Against Good (3000+ Karma), +150% Damage Against Dragons
  • Adamantine: 40% Damage Bonus, 3% Critical Hit Chance
  • Bloodrock: 40% Damage Bonus, 10% Health Vampire, 3% Critical Hit Chance
  • Phoenix: 35% Damage Bonus, 35% Fire Damage
  • Pine: 1% Damage Bonus
  • Eucalyptus: 8% Damage Bonus
  • Holly: 14% Damage Bonus
  • Rose: 14% Damage Bonus
  • Oak: 20% Damage Bonus
  • Interleaved: 28% Damage Bonus
  • Ironwood: 30% Damage Bonus
  • Mahogany: 32% Damage Bonus
  • Cherry: 36% Damage Bonus
  • Composite: 40% Damage Bonus, 2% Critical Hit Chance
  • Imbued Cherry: 30% Damage Bonus, 3% Critical Hit Chance, +110% Damage Against Daemons, +110% Damage Against Dragons, +110% Damage Against Undead
  • Myst: 45% Damage Bonus, 3% Critical Hit Chance, 5% Energy Damage, 4% Drain Mana
  • White Oak: 45% Damage Bonus, 3% Critical Hit Chance, 5% Cold Damage, 4% Drain Stamina
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