Combat System
Combat System: Overview
Our custom combat system works through layered bonuses that stack up sequentially to calculate the final damage. The basic flow follows this order:
- Base Damage: A random value rolled between the weapon's minimum and maximum damage.
- Hit Location Modifier: An extra +10 bonus for headshots or +2 for chest hits.
- Strength (STR) Bonus: Characters with low Strength (< 30) suffer a penalty, while high values grant scaling bonuses.
- Mount Bonus: Dodge and damage bonuses calculated by your Dexterity and Creature Lore skill regarding your mount.
- Skills: Modifiers from Tactics, Anatomy, and the specific weapon skill (Swordsmanship, Macefighting, etc.).
- Material and Weapon Effects: Modifiers originating from the forged material and specific weapon rules.
Damage Calculation & Scaling
The combat system uses a strict mathematical foundation that ties a weapon's baseline power directly to its resource cost and speed.
1. Average Damage
The core of our combat mechanics relies on a universal formula that determines the baseline power (Average Damage) of every weapon:
Average Damage = 4 + (Materials × 0.5) + (Weight × 0.75)
This formula ensures that heavier, more resource-intensive weapons inherently hit harder, scaling logically alongside crafting costs.
2. Material Multipliers
Before the final damage spread is calculated, the weapon's material multiplier is applied to its Average Damage. This means the chosen metal or wood directly scales the weapon's overall damage potential before the final damage range is determined.
Metal Materials
| Metal | Damage Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Copper | -20% |
| Iron | Base (100%) |
| Bronze | +6% |
| Hardened Bronze | +TBD% |
| Steel | +6% |
| Silver | +10% |
| Gold | +10% |
| Titanium | +15% |
| Terathane | +15% |
| Agapite | +18% |
| Shadow | +18% |
| Verite | +20% |
| Valorite | +20% |
| Stronghold | +22% |
| Verminard | +22% |
| Elementium | +TBD% |
| Adamantine | +24% |
| Skargard | +24% |
| Mytheril | +TBD% |
| Blackrock | +30% |
| Bloodrock | +30% |
| Phoenix | +33% |
Wood Materials
| Wood | Damage Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Pine | Base (100%) |
| Eucalyptus | +6% |
| Holly | +10% |
| Rose | +10% |
| Oak | +14% |
| Interleaved | +18% |
| Ironwood | +22% |
| Mahogany | +22% |
| Cherry | +25% |
| Composite | +30% |
| Imbued Cherry | +28% |
| Myst | +31% |
| White Oak | +33% |
3. Weight & Swing Speed
A weapon's weight dictates not only its damage output but also its swing speed tier. The heavier the weapon, the slower it swings, requiring strategic timing in combat.
| Weight | Swing Speed Tier |
|---|---|
| 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 |
4. Playstyle Identities (Damage Spread)
Every weapon applies a percentage-based Spread (Variance) around the calculated Average Damage to give it a distinct combat identity.
When two weapons share the same Average Damage (DPS), they deal the exact same total amount of damage over a long fight. Manipulating variance redistributes how that damage is delivered per hit, creating strategic trade-offs (consistent chip damage vs. volatile burst damage).
The minimum and maximum damage range is calculated as:
- Min. Damage: Average Damage × (1 - Spread)
- Max. Damage: Average Damage × (1 + Spread)
Example (Long Sword: 15 Ingots, 9 Weight, 45% Spread):
- Base Average: 4 + (15 × 0.5) + (9 × 0.75) = 18.25
- Min Damage: 18.25 × (1 - 0.45) = 10
- Max Damage: 18.25 × (1 + 0.45) = 26
- Final Damage Range: 10 to 26
Base Spread Guidelines
- Maces (30% Spread): Consistent, reliable, heavy hits. Very low variance.
- Swords (45% Spread): Balanced variance. Good mix of reliability and burst.
- Axes & Polearms (60%+ Spread): High volatility. Risky, but capable of devastating critical spikes.
Blade Weapons
| 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
| Weapon | Resources | Weight | Wield | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Shepherd's Crook | 12 | 8 | Two-Handed | 50% |
| 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% |
Piercing Weapons
| Weapon | Resources | Weight | Wield | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dagger | 3 | 3 | One-Handed | 40% |
| War Fork | 5 | 4 | One-Handed | 30% |
| Short Spear | 6 | 5 | One-Handed | 50% |
| Kryss | 7 | 4 | One-Handed | 40% |
| Pitchfork | 7 | 5 | Two-Handed | 65% |
| Spear | 9 | 5 | Two-Handed | 65% |
Archery
| Weapon | Resources | Weight | Wield | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow | 10 | 5 | Two-Handed | 40% |
| Crossbow | 10 | 8 | Two-Handed | 50% |
| Heavy Crossbow | 12 | 10 | Two-Handed | 60% |
Unarmed Combat
| Weapon | Resources | Weight | Wield | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claws | 7 | 3 | One-Handed | 40% |
---
Weapon Fundamentals
Item Identification (Arms Lore)
Important: None of the material, quality, or innate combat effects will apply if the gear is not identified. A character must successfully use the Arms Lore skill (or an Item Identification method) to reveal the item's properties. If a weapon or armor lacks the "identified" attribute, it will behave purely as a basic piece of equipment, granting zero bonus damage, extra defense, or special procs.
Innate Weapon Effects
Regardless of the material they are forged from, certain weapon types possess innate baseline bonuses that reflect their combat style and shape.
- Staves (Quarter Staff, Black Staff, Gnarled Staff, Shepherd's Crook): +10% Weapon Parry (Block) chance.
- Forks (War Fork, Pitchfork): +15% Weapon Parry (Block) chance.
- Dagger: +5% Critical Hit chance.
- Fencing Weapons (General Fencing): +9% Critical Hit chance.
- Kryss: +13% Critical Hit chance.
- Spears (Spear, Short Spear): +15% Critical Hit chance.
Crafting Quality Bonuses
A weapon's crafted Quality directly enhances its combat capabilities. As the craftsmanship tier increases (from Regular to Exceptional), weapons gain scaling bonuses across the board.
| Tier | Quality Title | Damage Bonus | Critical Hit Bonus | Maces & Blunts | Spears & Forks | Swords & Blades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Regular | +0 | +0% | +10% Parry, +5% Anti-Undead | +15% Anti-Dragon | +10% Parry |
| 1 | Fine | +2 | +1% | +11% Parry, +6% Anti-Undead | +17% Anti-Dragon | +11% Parry |
| 2 | Superior | +4 | +3% | +12% Parry, +7% Anti-Undead | +19% Anti-Dragon | +12% Parry |
| 3 | Superb | +6 | +5% | +13% Parry, +8% Anti-Undead | +22% Anti-Dragon | +13% Parry |
| 4 | Exceptional | +8 | +7% | +15% Parry, +10% Anti-Undead | +25% Anti-Dragon | +15% Parry |
---
Material Properties
Metals, alloys, and woods have unique properties that alter how both offensive tools and defensive gear work.
Metals & Alloys
| Material | Damage Bonus | Weapon Effects | Armor Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | +1 | -25% Durability | -25% Weight, -20% Durability |
| Iron | +10 | -15% Durability | +5% Defense |
| Bronze | +18 | -10% Durability | +10% Defense |
| Hardened Bronze | +22 | +110% Anti-Elemental, +15% Unarmed Bonus, +1% Critical Hit | +20% Defense, +80% Elemental Res |
| Silver | +20 | +80% Anti-Undead, -20% Durability | +20% Defense, -20% Weight, +15% Energy Res, Fire Vulnerability |
| Gold | +10 | +15% Energy Damage, -30% Durability | -30% Weight, +30% Fire Res, Energy Vulnerability |
| Steel | +26 | +2% Critical Hit, Extra Damage if 2-Handed | +25% Defense, +25% Durability |
| Titanium | +30 | +5 Extra Damage for 1-Handed, +40% Durability | +35% Defense, -15% Weight, +40% Durability |
| Terathane | +30 | +150% Anti-Shadow, +1% Critical Hit | +40% Defense, +65% Shadow Res |
| Agapite | +30 | +10% Purity | Divine Intervention |
| Shadow | +30 | +10% Tainting | Unholy Intervention |
| Verite | +30 | +15% Mana Vampire | Mana Regeneration |
| Valorite | +30 | +15% Stamina Vampire | Stamina Regeneration |
| Skargard | +20 | +2% Critical Hit, +20% Cold Damage, +4 Stamina Drain | +50% Phasing (Invisibility), +30% Fire Res |
| Blackrock | +50 | +3% Critical Hit | +100% Defense, Various Elemental Resistances (45%) |
| Bloodrock | +40 | +3% Critical Hit, +10% HP Vampire | +60% Defense, Health Regeneration, Various Resistances (45%) |
| Mytheril | +30 | Extra Damage if 1-Handed | Reduced Weight |
| Stronghold | +20 | +110% Anti-Daemon / Undead, +15% Anti-Evil | +50% Defense, Holy Retribution, +80% Daemon Res |
| Verminard | +20 | +150% Anti-Dragon / Giant, +15% Anti-Good | +50% Defense, Dark Vengeance, +80% Dragon Res |
| Elementium | +35 | +30% Unarmed Bonus, +2% Critical Hit | +50% Defense, All Elemental Resistances (45%) |
| Adamantine | +40 | +3% Critical Hit, Extra Damage if 2-Handed | +60% Defense, +60% Durability, +30% Energy Res |
| Phoenix | +35 | +35% Fire Damage, -20% Durability | +30% Defense, +80% Rebirth |
| Enriched Titanium | +35 | Spell Drain based on weapon weight | +100% Defense, Spell Absorb |
Woods
| Wood | Damage Bonus | Special Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Pine | +1% | - |
| Eucalyptus | +8% | - |
| Holly | +14% | - |
| Rose | +14% | - |
| Oak | +20% | - |
| Interleaved | +28% | - |
| Ironwood | +30% | - |
| Imbued Cherry | +30% | +3% Critical Hit, 110% Slaying (Daemon/Undead/Dragon) |
| Mahogany | +32% | - |
| Cherry | +36% | - |
| Composite | +40% | +2% Critical Hit |
| Myst | +45% | +3% Critical Hit, +4% Mana Drain, +5% Energy Damage |
| White Oak | +45% | +3% Critical Hit, +5% Cold Damage, +4% Stamina Drain |
Advanced Weapon Synergies
The Advanced Combat system applies specific bonuses when weapons are forged from designated materials. Some weapons also carry innate effects regardless of the material used.
Swords and Blades
| Weapon | Synergy Materials | Synergy Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Katana | Verite, Valorite, Skargard, Bloodrock, Entit | -5 Damage |
| Cutlass | Verminard, Shadow | +10 Damage |
| Scimitar | Terathane | +20 Anti-Beast |
| Thin Sword | Verite, Valorite, Skargard, Bloodrock, Entit | +10 Damage |
| Longsword | Mytheril | +5 Damage |
| Titanium | +2 Damage | |
| Broadsword | Steel | +7 Damage |
| Adamantine | +12 Damage | |
| Great Sword | Terathane, Agapite, Stronghold, Elementium | +10 Anti-Evil, Greater Jewel Socket |
Axes and Polearms
| Weapon | Innate Effects | Synergy Materials | Synergy Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Axe | Greater Jewel Socket | Terathane, Hardened Bronze | +20 Anti-Beast, +20 Anti-Elemental |
| Executioner's Axe | - | Steel, Shadow, Verminard, Adamantine | +10 Anti-Dragon, Anti-Good, Anti-Giant |
| Large Battle Axe | Greater Jewel Socket | Steel, Shadow, Verminard, Adamantine | +10 Anti-Good |
| Halberd | Greater Jewel Socket | Steel, Adamantine, Blackrock | +10 Damage |
| Bardiche | - | Steel, Agapite, Stronghold, Adamantine | +15 Anti-Evil, Anti-Daemon, Anti-Undead |
| Two-Handed Axe | - | Mytheril | +5 Damage |
| Titanium | +2 Damage | ||
| War Axe | Greater Jewel Socket, +25 Armor Ignore | - | - |
Maces and Blunt Weapons
| Weapon | Innate Effects | Synergy Materials | Synergy Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maul | Greater Jewel Socket | Verite, Valorite, Skargard, Bloodrock, Entit | +15 Armor Ignore, +10 Damage |
| Mace | +15 Armor Ignore | Mytheril | +5 Damage |
| Titanium | +2 Damage | ||
| War Mace | +15 Armor Ignore | Terathane, Agapite, Stronghold, Elementium, Blackrock | +10 Anti-Evil, Greater Jewel Socket |
| Hammer Pick | +25 Armor Ignore | Steel | +3 Damage |
| Adamantine | +5 Damage | ||
| War Hammer | +25 Armor Ignore | Steel, Shadow, Verminard, Adamantine, Hardened Bronze | +10 Anti-Good, Greater Jewel Socket |
Piercing Weapons
| Weapon | Innate Effects | Synergy Materials | Synergy Effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| War Fork | +15% Critical Hit | - | - |
| Kryss | - | Verite, Valorite, Skargard, Bloodrock, Entit | +10 Damage |
| Pitchfork | - | Steel, Agapite, Stronghold, Adamantine | +20 Anti-Evil, Anti-Daemon, Anti-Undead |
| Spear / Short Spear | - | Steel, Shadow, Verminard, Adamantine | +10 Anti-Dragon, Anti-Good, Anti-Giant |
Conduits (Staves, Clubs, and Bows)
Certain wood types resonate with specific Tinkering Jewels, creating a Conduit that enhances the jewel's effect when socketed into compatible weapons.
Each wood and jewel combination is associated with a specific weapon type. When the correct combination is used, the weapon's Conduit Multiplier increases the power of the jewel's effect.
Only the appropriate wood and jewel combination can activate a weapon's Conduit bonus.
| Weapon | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Club | +25% |
| Quarter Staff | +25% |
| Gnarled Staff | +35% |
| Black Staff | +50% |
| Bow | +50% |
| Crossbow | +75% |
| Heavy Crossbow | +100% |
| Wood | Tinkering Jewel | Conduit Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Eucalyptus | Emerald | Acid Damage |
| Holly | Star Sapphire | Energy Damage |
| Rose | Citrine | Fire Damage |
| Oak | Elemental Fury, Elemental Mayhem | Elemental Damage |
| Interleaved | Citrine, Emerald | Fire Damage, Acid Damage |
| Ironwood | Diamond | Additional Damage |
| Mahogany | TBA | TBA |
| Cherry | Ruby | Drain Life |
| Composite | Ruby, Diamond | Drain Life, Additional Damage |
| Imbued Cherry | Ruby | Drain Life |
| Myst | Amber, Amethyst | Spell Drain, Mana Drain |
| White Oak | Sapphire | Stamina Drain, Cold Damage |
Note: Tinkering skill also increases the jewel power based on your skill level: (100 + (<Tinkering Skill>/ 15))
---
Special Archery Ammunition
Archers don't rely on the weapon alone; they activate destructive modifiers depending on the base ammunition (<TAG.AMMO...>) used. When attacking actual players, however, bows suffer an innate 30% reduction to their base bonus for balancing purposes.
| Ammunition (Arrow/Bolt) | Additional Damage Bonus | Extra Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | +15 | - |
| Steel | +30 | - |
| Hardened Bronze | +15 | +40 Anti-Elemental Bonus |
| Silver | +15 | +20 Anti-Undead Bonus |
| Gold | +10 | +20 Energy Damage |
| Titanium | +15 | 15% chance to trigger a Double Shot |
| Terathane | +15 | +40 Anti-Monstrous Bonus, +40 Anti-Shadow Bonus |
| Stronghold | +15 | +40 Anti-Daemon Bonus, +40 Anti-Undead Bonus |
| Verminard | +15 | +40 Anti-Dragon Bonus, +40 Anti-Giant Bonus |
| Elementium | +15 | 20% chance to trigger Fire, Cold, Acid, and Energy attacks |
| Adamantine | +35 | - |
| Mytheril | +20 | 20% chance to trigger a Double Shot |
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Special Combat Effects
The system hosts multiple weapon-generated effects that impact active battles:
- Armor Penetration (Armor Ignore): A constant modifier that reduces the target's total Armor (AC) by a flat percentage on every strike before damage is calculated.
- Critical Hit (Armor Piercing): A chance-based proc (scaling with weapon stats, material, quality, and Anatomy) that partially bypasses armor and guarantees a minimum of 10 to 15 pure damage.
- Elemental Strikes (Fire, Cold, Acid, Energy): Magical or Elementium weapons (20% proc chance per element) deal direct elemental damage, mitigated by the target's specific elemental resistances.
- Double Shot: Specific ammunition triggers two consecutive hits instantly.
- Vampiric Drains (Mana/Stam/Life): Specific alloys restore the attacker's attributes based on the amount of damage dealt.
- Spelldrain (Dispel): A proc-based effect (primarily on Entit weapons, scaling with weight) that randomly strips one active magical buff from the target (e.g., Magic Reflection, Protection, Reactive Armor, Stat Modifiers).
- Reactive Defenses: Stronghold armors deal reactive damage to Evil attackers; Verminard armors deal reactive damage to Good attackers.
- Mounted Dodge: Grants a passive dodge chance based on Dexterity while on horseback. This bonus is halved if the rider is holding a shield.