Reading Guide

The doctrine flows from universal mechanics into specializations. Follow the outline for quick navigation:

  1. Combat Foundation
  2. Melee Combat
  3. Ranged Combat
  4. Magical Combat
  5. Defensive Systems & Resource Flow

1. Combat Foundation

All combat styles draw from the same character statistics and timing windows. Understanding these fundamentals is essential before drilling into specific archetypes.

Attribute Conversion

Attribute Primary Impact Formula
Strength Melee damage, weapon handling EffectiveStrength = Strength × WeaponScaling
Dexterity Stamina pool & ranged steadiness Stamina = 100 + (Dexterity × 2)
Intelligence Spell power, focus BaseSpellDamage = floor(Intelligence / 2)
Psyche Mana pool, resolve Mana = 100 + (Psyche × 2)

Action Economy

  • Readiness Cycle: Wind-up → Release → Recovery. Each stage can be interrupted by crowd control.
  • Charge Window: Actions charged for less than 1.0 s deal 0 damage; charging beyond the base time increases output linearly until the weapon or spell cap.
  • Global Cooldown: 0.6 s baseline between abilities, reduced by Dexterity down to 0.4 s.
  • Encumbrance: Worn mass adds directly to stamina costs using the Mass Stamina Factor (MSF) = 1.0 stamina per kg.

2. Melee Combat

Melee is the most timing-sensitive pillar. Players manage swing arcs, weapon mass, and guard directions to secure decisive damage.

Attack Resolution

  1. Wind-up: Sets the intended direction (Left, Right, Up, Down). Cancelling here refunds 80% of the stamina cost.
  2. Release: Damage snapshot occurs. Formula:
    MeleeDamage = floor(EffectiveStrength × (Blunt + DirectionalEdge) × ChargeMultiplier × SwingCompletion).
  3. Follow-through: Momentum carries the combatant; movement inputs are dampened by 30% until recovery completes.

Weapon Characteristics

  • Mass Budget: Total damage is split between Blunt (entire weapon) and Edge (head only). Heavy heads excel at piercing armor but drain stamina faster.
  • Directional Table: Each weapon defines which damage types trigger on each swing direction. Example: swords apply Slash on lateral strikes and Pierce on down strikes.
  • Heavy Attacks: Consume BaseCost + (Mass × 1.5 × MSF) stamina and apply Daze for 3 s if they land. Cooldown between heavy attempts: 3 s.

Guard, Parry, and Riposte

  • Directional Block: Correct guard → 0 damage, stamina refund of 1. Wrong guard → full damage and the defender loses the stamina spent.
  • Parry Window: 0.35 s before impact; success grants 1.0 s of immunity versus melee and opens Riposte.
  • Riposte State: Lasts 1.0 s; outgoing damage is reduced by 1.0 but swing and charge times are multiplied by 1.0 (no delay). Visually indicated so opponents can react.
  • Lockout: If a guard is raised but nothing strikes within 1.0 s, the defender enters a 1.0 s lockout before guarding again.

3. Ranged Combat

Ranged combat rewards positioning and rhythm. Bows, crossbows, thrown weapons, and siege adjuncts all funnel through shared ballistic principles.

Projectile Damage Model

All ranged weapons use a modified melee formula where Strength is replaced with a context-specific stat.

  • Bows: Damage = floor(DrawWeight × Pierce × ChargeMultiplier × FlightStability).
  • Crossbows: Same as bows but with lower DrawWeight and no hold penalty.
  • Thrown Weapons: Damage = floor(Strength × WeaponMass × ChargeMultiplier). Release timing adjusts horizontal spread.
  • Lances: Mounted specialty; Damage = (Blunt + Pierce) × Strength × MountSpeedFactor. Shields nullify the strike entirely.

Stance & Stability

  • Aim Cone: Base spread of 2.5° reduced by Dexterity (-0.02° per point) while stationary.
  • Movement Penalty: Moving while aiming increases spread by 50% and drains stamina at MSF × WeaponMass.
  • Hold Limit: Bows can be held for 1.2 s before the draw slips, reducing damage by 20% per extra second and increasing stamina drain.
  • Ballistic Drop: The simulator solves projectile arcs numerically; the web guide approximates drop with Drop (m) = (Distance²) / (DrawWeight × 35) for quick estimates.

Special Interactions

  • Shield Coverage: Non-directional; arrows and bolts deal 100% damage if the defender is blocking.
  • Ammo Crafting: Material hardness influences Pierce coefficient. Dense alloys increase armor penetration but weigh more, impacting travel time.
  • Saddle Steady: Mounted archers gain FlightStability × 1.1 if their mount maintains a canter or faster speed.

4. Magical Combat

Spellcasting expands on the systemic rules introduced on the Magic & Spells page. Combat calculations remain perfectly synchronized.

Casting During Conflict

  • Channel Vulnerability: Incoming melee hits during channel time apply Concentration Break, canceling the spell and refunding 50% of mana.
  • Mobility Tax: Moving while casting consumes stamina at MSF × EquippedMass, creating trade-offs with heavy armor.
  • Counter-Wards: Void-aligned zones reduce spell damage by 20% and negate Radiance chain effects.

Damage Recap

Final damage uses the shared formula:

SpellDamage = floor(floor(Intelligence / 2) × RangeMultiplier × ChannelModifier × EntropyBonus × StatusSynergy)

StatusSynergy equals 1.0 by default. Apply 1.25 if the target is Wet and the spell is lightning-aligned, 0.85 if the target has an active ward, and 0.70 if armor insulation counters the element.

Mana Drain & Recovery

  • Baseline Cost: 20 × Range × DamageTier × AoE × Entropy (see Magic page for multipliers).
  • Regeneration: ManaRegen = 5 + (Psyche × 0.25) per second outside combat; halved while flagged in combat.
  • Potion Cooldown: 60 s shared cooldown between mana and stamina elixirs to discourage spam.

5. Defensive Systems & Resource Flow

Defense blends all combat pillars. The simulator uses deterministic formulas so that preparation and skilled timing always trump randomness.

Stamina Budget

Action Cost Formula Notes
Light Attack Base 8 + (WeaponMass × MSF) Refund 3 stamina on perfect parry follow-up.
Block Base 6 + (ShieldMass × 0.5) Wrong direction doubles incoming damage.
Dodge 12 + (EquippedMass × 0.5) Invulnerable for 0.4 s; immunity reduced to 0.2 s if overweight.
Spell Channel 5 per second + (Movement × MSF) Consumes stamina only while moving; stationary channels rely solely on mana.

Damage Mitigation

  • Armor Interaction: Crafting choices determine resistances. Heavy armor favors blunt mitigation; medium armor balances slash/pierce; light armor enhances movement and magic resistance.
  • Shield Mechanics: Shields nullify melee and lance attacks when properly aligned but allow 100% ranged damage through.
  • Buff Windows: Defensive buffs snapshot at cast completion. Reapplying refreshes duration but does not stack magnitudes.
  • Breakpoints: Damage is floored to integers after mitigation. Crossing integer thresholds has outsized tactical value; use the simulator to test builds before engagements.