Combat 101

Combat in DragonRealms is richly detailed and immersive, with many options and a lot of tactical possibilities that might not seem obvious at first glance. This basic guide should be helpful in getting started. More detailed information is available on the combat page as well.

Overview

In more simplistic roleplaying games (both tabletop and online) combat is just an exchange of attacks every few seconds, each determined by a simple die roll. If you can make your opponent's hit points drop faster than your own, you win the fight. DragonRealms changes that.

While there is some luck involved, combat in DragonRealms often requires you to outmaneuver or wear out a foe.

You decide your offensive tactics -- you can feint and jab at your opponent, or make a daring lunge that may be very effective but will leave you wide open.

You decide your defensive tactics -- evade attacks, parry them with your weapon, block them with a shield, or even hang back from your opponent while pelting him with stones, arrows and magic.

Even if you have lots of stamina you'll need to fight wisely to conserve your energy, or you'll find yourself slowing down and eventually collapsing from fatigue.

Every maneuver you make in combat affects your balance, and the outcome of your next maneuver. With practice, you can develop a set of tactics that work well for your character and your chosen weapon(s) -- although you may have to employ different tactics against different types of enemies.

Player vs. Player Combat (PvP)

DragonRealms has been designed as a cooperative game. The major conflict is between your character and the evil creatures that threaten his world -- not between your character and other players' characters.

If you and another player want to spar or duel, or otherwise get into a competitive situation, that's acceptable. You can type CHALLENGE HELP for a structured way to initiate such a combat, or you can simply attack each other. (Note that most towns in the game frown upon killing in the streets; even if you agree to a duel. See justice for more info.)

However, initiating combat against an unsuspecting victim is not acceptable behavior, and may be in violation of the Rules of Conduct. Simutronics reserves the right to judge which behavior is disruptive or abusive. Generally, if you're preying on innocents or trying to disrupt someone else's fun, you're in violation.

Engagement

File:Engagement.jpg

Engagement Example

Blue (1) is engaged at melee range with Red (2).

Red (2) is engaged at melee range with Blue (1).

Green (3) is engaged at pole weapon range with Blue (1), and is flanking him. Green will have an advantage over Blue because he need not worry about defense; meanwhile Blue will have to defend against two opponents.

When you walk into an area, you cannot immediately start swinging a sword at any creatures you may find there. You start off a little distance away. Engagement represents that distance from, and attention toward, an opponent.

Flanking

A combatant engages only one opponent at a time, but several combatants can engage the same opponent. The defending skill determines how you are affected by such engagements.

The second opponent to engage you is flanking you (more difficult to defend against than the opponent you face), while the third, fourth, and so on are surrounding you (even more difficult to defend against).

Engagement Ranges

There are three distinct engagement ranges: missile weapon range (farthest), pole weapon range (middle), and melee range (closest). At melee range, there is also the possibility of grappling.

When you first enter an outdoor or wide open area, you are considered to be at missile weapon range from every other person or creature you can see. Indoors or in a cramped space, engagements begin at pole weapon range.

Missile Weapon Range

At missile weapon range, you may attack only with a missile weapon (such as a bow or sling). Most spells also work at missile weapon range, though some spells are more accurate or effective at closer ranges.

Pole Weapon Range

At pole weapon range, attacks may be made with a missile weapon or a polearm (such as a spear or pike). Pole weapon range is approximately 8-16 feet.

If advancing toward a creature, you can attempt a melee attack while still at pole weapon range. To do so is considered to be rushing forward in a desperate charge however, and will affect your balance and fatigue more than a normal attack.

Melee Range

At melee range, attacks may be made unarmed or with any weapon. Melee range is approximately 2-6 feet.

There is no penalty to attack with a polearm or missile weapons at melee range. However, it's more difficult to defend yourself -- and the main advantage of such weapons is in attacking while out of your opponent's reach in the first place.

Grappling

When grappling, you are in direct physical contact with your opponent. There are special brawling moves available while grappled, though some weapons and moves cannot be used at all while this close with your opponent.

Engagement Maneuvers

ADVANCE <opponent>

This verb starts you moving toward your intended foe, continuing until you reach melee range.

RETREAT

This verb starts you moving back, away from combat, one engagement range at a time. Opponents engaged to you will attempt to hinder your retreat. If you are advancing, you can use this verb once to stop advancing, a second time to begin retreating.

HANGBACK

Use this verb if you want to try to automatically keep your distance from your opponents (if you're using a bow for instance).

GUARD <player>

With this verb, you can guard someone else if they are not yet engaged in melee. Any attackers who attempt to engage the person you guard will wind up facing you first. Type GUARD STOP to stop guarding someone.

FACE <opponent>

You can turn to engage an opponent who has already engaged you.

BLOCK <opponent>

When you are engaged by several opponents, this verb lets you specify which of them is flanking you (the rest are surrounding you) -- in other words, which one to pay the most defensive attention to. You'll probably want to BLOCK the most dangerous of them.

ASSESS

This verb will give you information about your combat engagements.

Balance

Balance is a measure of your position in combat. Every maneuver you and your opponents make may affect your balance. In general, good melee combat tactics involve maneuvering to increase your balance while decreasing your foe's, and then making a deadly strike.

Balance is also important to ranged combat and targeted magic -- a skilled foe can throw off your aim by keeping you off balance.

The BALANCE verb (as well as messages during combat) will tell you how well or how poorly balanced you are.

Attack

Many factors affect the outcome of any attack you or your opponent makes. These include, but are not limited to:

• Weapon Skill
• Balance
• Agility
• Fatigue
• Health
• Your previous maneuver
• Your opponent's previous maneuver
• Magical effects
• Fate (as predicted by a Moon Mage)

As maneuvers play a strong role in determining your balance and fatigue, choosing the right one is important. The combatant who does nothing but CHOP is going to tire quickly and be outmaneuvered by a wiser foe.

Generally, the more aggressive an attack, the more it leaves you open and/or throws off your balance.

Roundtime

Many actions in DragonRealms require a certain amount of time to perform, or Roundtime (RT).

Attack maneuvers all incur some amount of RT, which varies with the weapon, the maneuver you use, and your stats. For instance, a claymore is slower than a rapier, a lunge takes more time than a jab, and a burly Kaldar can swing an axe faster than an anemic Elothean. You also can't attack as quickly when you're tired.

Example Melee Attack Maneuvers

These are but a few examples of the many combat maneuvers available to you. A complete listing and information about the specific advantages and disadvantages of each are available in more detail on the combat maneuvers page.

ATTACK <target>

While lacking in creativity and neglecting many bonuses, the ATTACK maneuver will defaultly use whatever maneuver will regain balance while causing damage at the same time.

FEINT <target>

Not primarily intended to cause damage, but to gain a balance advantage over your opponent.

JAB <target>

A quick attack that does little damage, but you retain good defensive posture.

THRUST <target>

A strong, mostly offensive stabbing attack.

LUNGE <target>

A powerful offensive attack, but it leaves you open.

SLICE/SWING <target>

A standard slashing attack.

CHOP/BASH <target>

A more aggressive slashing or bashing attack.

DRAW <target>

Step back slightly and make a less aggressive attack, retaining your balance. (Alternate usage: DRAW <sheathed weapon>.)

SWEEP <target>

A low cross slash attack, going for the legs.

Ranged Attack Maneuvers

THROW <target>

Throws the weapon in your right hand at the target. Weapons may lodge in their victims, fall to the ground, or in special cases, return to the thrower's hand. Be prepared to lose anything your throw at a creature.

LOB <target>

An alternate option to throw that sacrifices damage but will never lodge in your victim.

HURL <target>

Another alternate option to throw that does bonus damage but will tend to lodge in your victim.

LOAD or LOAD <weapon> WITH <ammo>

A ranged weapon such as a bow, crossbow, or sling must be in your right hand. You'll need the appropriate kind of ammunition in your left hand or in a container you're wearing.

AIM <target>

With a loaded missile weapon at the ready, you can begin aiming at a target. The more time you spend aiming (up to a certain point) the more accurate your shot will be.

FIRE or SHOOT <target>

This should be self-explanatory.

Magical Attack Maneuvers

PREPARE/TARGET/CAST

Prepares your chosen combat spell, targets it if appropriate, and casts it at your opponent. Allows for the targetting of specific bodyparts with most targeted magic spells. Debilitation spells do not need to be targeted but can instead be cast directly at the opponent.

TARGET <spell> AT <opponent>

A faster way to prepare and target your TM spell simultaneously.

Defense

When you are attacked, you have four lines of defense: Evasion, Parrying, Shield and Armor. Your first effort goes toward dodging the attack; if that fails you attempt to deflect it with your weapon and/or shield (the order depends on your skills and STANCE setting). If all else fails, your armor reduces the amount of damage you take.

All these means of defense happen without any input from you, whenever you are attacked. However, you can make defensive maneuvers as well as shifting your emphasis between different types of defense.

Evasion

The first line of defense is not to get hit at all. The following factors affect your chance of dodging a blow:

• Reflexes
• Evasion skill
• Encumbrance (how much weight you carry)
• Armor hindrance
• Fatigue
• Health
• Balance
• Stance (how much emphasis you put on evasion)
• Your previous maneuver
• Magical effects
• Fate

Parrying

The next line of defense is parrying (deflecting the attack with your weapon, if you have one in hand). You can wear a parry stick in order to still parry while brawling. These factors affect parrying:

• Parry skill
• Weapon skill
• Properties of your weapon
• Type of opponent's attack (ranged attacks are difficult to parry for example)
• Reflex
• Fatigue
• Health
• Balance
• Stance (how much emphasis you put on parrying)
• Your previous maneuver
• Magical effects
• Fate

Blocking

If you have not successfully dodged or parried the attack, your shield (if any) is your third line of defense. These factors affect your success with a shield:

• Shield skill
• Properties of your shield
• Reflex
• Fatigue
• Health
• Balance
• Stance (how much emphasis you put on blocking)
• Your previous maneuver
• Magical effects
• Fate

Armor

If the blow lands, your armor will absorb or deflect some of the damage. Depending on the weapon (or spell) and the type of attack used, the damage will be of varying types:

• Puncture
• Slice
• Impact
• Fire
• Cold
• Electrical

Different types of armor have different damage reduction properties. For example, plate mail effectively deters puncture wounds, is less effective against impact, and is quite vulnerable to electrical shock. It also is more difficult to maneuver in than leather.

It is important to have full body coverage in armor and to keep it in good condition by appraising it and having it repaired from time to time.

Defensive Maneuvers

PARRY

Rather than attacking, this verb readies you to better parry attacks in trade for a slight reduction to your shield and evasion. It's a good idea to use this if you're getting fatigued and need to recover a little before your next attack.

DODGE

Similar to PARRY, but readies you to evade attacks while reducing your chances to parry and block. A good option if you're using a weapon unsuitable for parrying (such as a bow).

Stance

Allows you to specify how much emphasis you place on parrying, evading, blocking and attacking.

STANCE by itself will show you your current settings. STANCE HELP will show extra information and usage.

Typing STANCE EVASION, STANCE PARRY, or STANCE SHIELD alone will set the specified type of defense to use 100% of your skill, while the other types will be set to 40%. You can fine-tune your defensive preferences by specifying an amount, but the total of the three types must not exceed 180%.

STANCE ATTACK <percentage> will let you make attacks at less than your full skill, if desired. This does not improve your defense, it just makes you fight clumsily. You might use it to lull an opponent, or to hold back and let the rest of your party get some hits in.

Tactics

Tactics is a combat lore skill that enables you to identify and exploit your opponent's weaknesses.

The following moves are non-damaging (and safe for empaths to use).

GRAPPLE <opponent>

Attempts to grab your foe and get in closer than melee range. (You'll need to be grappling in order to use some of the other brawling maneuvers.) RETREAT will attempt to disengage you from grappling.

TACKLE <opponent>

Similar to GRAPPLE, but drags your opponent to the ground. The downside is that you wind up on the ground yourself, whether or not you succeed.

SHOVE <opponent>

Can be used either to attempt to shove an opponent to the ground, or to shove a grappling opponent away from you (back to melee range).

CIRCLE <opponent>

Circle around your opponent defensively while looking for an opening by improving your own balance.

WEAVE <opponent>

Distracts your opponent and attempts to throw off their balance.

BOB

Improves fatigue and balance.

Analyze

While in combat you can ANALYZE your opponent in combat for a combination of maneuvers that will debuff your opponent when completed successfully and in order before your opponent is killed. Repeatedly using ANALYZe on the same opponent will maximize the effects of the completed combo.