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== Overview of Achaean Combat ==
== Overview of Achaean Combat ==
Note: This page is an overview only.


Achaean combat is extremely complex, and presents a steep learning curve to the new player. It is, however, very rewarding once you begin to master some of its concepts. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of dying to get there though. You'll be crushed time and time again before you figure out why and start to gain the knowledge that will make you capable of fighting back competently.
Achaean combat is extremely complex, and presents a steep learning curve to the new player. It is, however, very rewarding once you begin to master some of its concepts. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of dying to get there though. You'll be crushed time and time again before you figure out why and start to gain the knowledge that will make you capable of fighting back competently.
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Give-and-take also applies to how we deal with health and mana. Unlike in a AD&D-style game, where you may be wounded seriously and take a long time to become healed, in a fight in Achaea, your health and mana, as well as your various wounds, can be healed very quickly. Generally, unless your opponent is incompetent, your health and mana (health particularly) will swing drastically. You get damaged, you attempt to heal yourself as quickly as possible. You'll see this a lot in the log of a fight I have included at the end of this document.
Give-and-take also applies to how we deal with health and mana. Unlike in a AD&D-style game, where you may be wounded seriously and take a long time to become healed, in a fight in Achaea, your health and mana, as well as your various wounds, can be healed very quickly. Generally, unless your opponent is incompetent, your health and mana (health particularly) will swing drastically. You get damaged, you attempt to heal yourself as quickly as possible. You'll see this a lot in the log of a fight I have included at the end of this document.


== Balance and EQ ==
== Balance and EQ ==
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'''Willpower''' - Like Endurance, but measures long-term mental stamina. When you're out of Willpower, you won't be able to cast most spells, use most magical abilities, and so on.
'''Willpower''' - Like Endurance, but measures long-term mental stamina. When you're out of Willpower, you won't be able to cast most spells, use most magical abilities, and so on.


== Classes and Skills ==
== Some Classes and Skills ==
 
'''[[Devotion]]''': This skill is focused largely around alignment and holy shrines which those at the highest levels of this skill can erect. Once a shrine is erected, it can be strengthened or weakened by sacrifice (it is the sacrificer's choice which to do). The more powerful the shrine, the greater the number of locations around it that it holds sway over. Fighting-related abilities in Devotion include Hellsight, which regularly inflicts the recipient with various afflictions, the Rite of Demons, which attacks the health and mana of those standing in the shrine's influence who are also on the list of personal enemies of the person who performed the rite, to the Rite of Piety, which will keep those on your enemies list from leaving the shrine's influence easily. Paladins and Priests get this skill.
[[Groves]]: The ability to create and maintain a sacred forest grove, from which many abilities may be exercised. A Druid in his own Grove is very very dangerous. The combat-type abilities n Groves range from summoning a swarm of bees to assist you, to commanding thorny vines to flay and harm your opponent, to the ability to call a lightning strike down upon anyone in the same forest as you. Druids and Sylvans get this.
 
[[Metamorphosis]]: While Groves requires the Druid to be in his or her Grove to use the abilities, Metamorphosis allows them to imbue themselves with the spirit of animals from squirrels to a wyvern. Each animal that can be morphed into has a different selection of abilities to use. For instance, with an Icewyrm, you can freeze the ground (making it slippery and difficult to walk on unless you are levitating), or freeze your opponent. You could then morph into a gorilla and Pound your frozen opponent, doing immense damage. Or, perhaps you will morph into a jaguar, and claw your opponent, which requires no setting up, the way that pound does, but does considerably less damage. Druids and Sentinels get this.


[[Telepathy]]: Telepathy is a skill used in two ways. Some abilities may be used simply on anyone who happens to be in the same room as you. hese include the ability to give such afflictions as paralysis, confusion (stops you regaining mental balance, also known as equilibrium, if it has been taken away unnaturally), to the powerful MIND BATTER, which stuns your opponent briefly, and gives stupidity, epilepsy, and dizziness to your opponent. The second way in which Telepathy is used is by getting a mind lock on your opponent. Doing this takes some time, but once you have it, you can use any ability you can do without one on your opponent, plus some more powerful ones that require a mind lock. Furthermore, while you maintain a mind lock, it does not matter where you are in relation to your opponent. Monks get this.
'''[[Domination]]''': This skill involves the Occultist traveling to the Chaos Plane to secure the services of various Chaos Entities. Once back on the prime material plane, he can summon the entities with whom he has made pacts. These entities will then send minions to assist you. This skill is very offensively oriented. Examples of entities include Hecate, the Mother of the Crones, who sends an old crone to occasionally wither the limbs of your opponent. Marduk will send a soulmaster entity to assist you. The soulmaster will burrow into the soul of your victim, and will allow you, every 4 seconds, to order your victim to do something. Buul, the Chaos Chirurgeon, will send a chimera to you, which serves as a flying steed, as well as an effective attacker. Each of the three chimera heads can attack with a different effect. Occultists get this.


[[Tekura]]: Tekura is a martial-arts skill involving punches, kicks, throws, blocks, and different stances. Each of the punching and kicking abilities attack one of six body parts on your opponent (head, torso, left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg). The throws all require that your opponent be fallen on the ground, which can be achieved using a sweep kick. Body parts can be individually damaged, and if damaged enough, the effects are quite severe. For instance, if you damage someone's head enough, they will get a concussion. A concussion gives amnesia every 1 or 2 seconds. Amnesia will cause the next command you enter to be ignored. Monks get this.
'''[[Groves]]''': The ability to create and maintain a sacred forest grove, from which many abilities may be exercised. A Druid in his own Grove is very very dangerous. The combat-type abilities n Groves range from summoning a swarm of bees to assist you, to commanding thorny vines to flay and harm your opponent, to the ability to call a lightning strike down upon anyone in the same forest as you. Druids and Sylvans get this.


[[Kaido]]: This skill, at the lower ends, is mainly defensive, containing defenses that will prevent nausea, allow you to dodge arrows, split your consciousness into two parts to aid in mana regeneration, as well as various other defensive abilities. The offensive part of Kaido involves building up Kai energy, which may then be unleashed on your opponent, doing such things as halving his health and mana, or breaking all his limbs simultaneously. Building up Kai energy works as such: Every time someone on your list of personal enemies performs an attack in the same room as you, you gain a bit of kai energy. How much depends on the strength of the attack. Kai energy slowly drains off, so you must be in the thick of combat for a period of time in order to build up enough to use one of the Kai attacks.  Monks get this.
'''[[Hypnosis]]''': This skill involves hypnotizing a target, implanting various 'suggestions' in the target's mind, and then implanting a prompt word in the target's mind. Whenever the target hears this prompt word, the suggestions (which really are afflictions like  claustrophobia, paranoia, vertigo, masochism, agoraphobia, etc), start kicking in every few seconds, continuing until the target figures out the prompt word and says it himself. Serpents get this.


[[Domination]]: This skill involves the Occultist traveling to the Chaos Plane to secure the services of various Chaos Entities. Once back on the prime material plane, he can summon the entities with whom he has made pacts. These entities will then send minions to assist you. This skill is very offensively oriented. Examples of entities include Hecate, the Mother of the Crones, who sends an old crone to occasionally wither the limbs of your opponent. Marduk will send a soulmaster entity to assist you. The soulmaster will burrow into the soul of your victim, and will allow you, every 4 seconds, to order your victim to do something. Buul, the Chaos Chirurgeon, will send a chimera to you, which serves as a flying steed, as well as an effective attacker. Each of the three chimera heads can attack with a different effect. Occultists get this.
'''[[Kaido]]''': This skill, at the lower ends, is mainly defensive, containing defenses that will prevent nausea, allow you to dodge arrows, split your consciousness into two parts to aid in mana regeneration, as well as various other defensive abilities. The offensive part of Kaido involves building up Kai energy, which may then be unleashed on your opponent, doing such things as halving his health and mana, or breaking all his limbs simultaneously. Building up Kai energy works as such: Every time someone on your list of personal enemies performs an attack in the same room as you, you gain a bit of kai energy. How much depends on the strength of the attack. Kai energy slowly drains off, so you must be in the thick of combat for a period of time in order to build up enough to use one of the Kai attacks. Monks get this.


[[Necromancy]]: A morbid combination of offensive and defensive abilities, the higher abilities are dependent on life essence, which is gained by tearing the hearts from dead players and eating them. Abilities range from the standard occultist attack, decay, which does simple damage, to Gravehands, an ability that summons skeletal hands to help hold your opponent in place, to Vengeance, which will cause bone spears to appear in the air after you die, exploding into shrapnel and doing large amounts of damage to everyone in the room. Perhaps my favourite ability in Necromancy, sheerly for its morbid nature, is
'''[[Metamorphosis]]''': While Groves requires the Druid to be in his or her Grove to use the abilities, Metamorphosis allows them to imbue themselves with the spirit of animals from squirrels to a wyvern. Each animal that can be morphed into has a different selection of abilities to use. For instance, with an Icewyrm, you can freeze the ground (making it slippery and difficult to walk on unless you are levitating), or freeze your opponent. You could then morph into a gorilla and Pound your frozen opponent, doing immense damage. Or, perhaps you will morph into a jaguar, and claw your opponent, which requires no setting up, the way that pound does, but does considerably less damage. Druids and Sentinels get this.


[[Vivisect]]. Once you have broken or withered all four limbs on your opponent, this ability allows you to kill him in one blow by ripping out his sternum and pinning him to the ground with it. As a nice bonus, the body of the victim stays there for awhile, with a description something like, "The corpse of Frodo is here, impaled by a narrow bone. A note on it reads, 'This is the end of those who would trifle with Sauron.'" Apostates and Infernals get this.
'''[[Necromancy]]''': A morbid combination of offensive and defensive abilities, the higher abilities are dependent on life essence, which is gained by tearing the hearts from dead players and eating them. Abilities range from the standard occultist attack, decay, which does simple damage, to Gravehands, an ability that summons skeletal hands to help hold your opponent in place, to Vengeance, which will cause bone spears to appear in the air after you die, exploding into shrapnel and doing large amounts of damage to everyone in the room. Perhaps my favourite ability in Necromancy, sheerly for its morbid nature, is Vivisect. Once you have broken or withered all four limbs on your opponent, this ability allows you to kill him in one blow by ripping out his sternum and pinning him to the ground with it. As a nice bonus, the body of the victim stays there for awhile, with a description something like, "The corpse of Frodo is here, impaled by a narrow bone. A note on it reads, 'This is the end of those who would trifle with Sauron.'" Apostates and Infernals get this.


[[Tarot]]: Each of the Major Arcana tarot cards are represented as abilities in this skill, which contains the ability to inscribe the images on blank cards, using magical ink, and then charge and throw them at people. Imagine Gambit of the X-men, but with the cards doing more than just exploding. Examples of abilities in Tarot are Aeon, which causes a 1 second lag on all of your opponents commands, to Moon, which causes mental afflictions, to Justice, which will cause any damage done by your opponent to also be reflected back onto him. Occultists get this.
'''[[Tekura]]''': Tekura is a martial-arts skill involving punches, kicks, throws, blocks, and different stances. Each of the punching and kicking abilities attack one of six body parts on your opponent (head, torso, left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg). The throws all require that your opponent be fallen on the ground, which can be achieved using a sweep kick. Body parts can be individually damaged, and if damaged enough, the effects are quite severe. For instance, if you damage someone's head enough, they will get a concussion. A concussion gives amnesia every 1 or 2 seconds. Amnesia will cause the next command you enter to be ignored. Monks get this.


[[Devotion]]: This skill is focused largely around alignment and holy shrines which those at the highest levels of this skill can erect. Once a shrine is erected, it can be strengthened or weakened by sacrifice (it is the sacrificer's choice which to do). The more powerful the shrine, the greater the number of locations around it that it holds sway over. Fighting-related abilities in Devotion include Hellsight, which regularly inflicts the recipient with various afflictions, the Rite of Demons, which attacks the health and mana of those standing in the shrine's influence who are also on the list of personal enemies of the person who performed the rite, to the Rite of Piety, which will keep those on your enemies list from leaving the shrine's influence easily. Paladins and Priests get this skill.
'''[[Tarot]]''': Each of the Major Arcana tarot cards are represented as abilities in this skill, which contains the ability to inscribe the images on blank cards, using magical ink, and then charge and throw them at people. Imagine Gambit of the X-men, but with the cards doing more than just exploding. Examples of abilities in Tarot are Aeon, which causes a 1 second lag on all of your opponents commands, to Moon, which causes mental afflictions, to Justice, which will cause any damage done by your opponent to also be reflected back onto him. Occultists get this.


[[Venom]]: This skill involves the secreting of various venoms from glands that Serpents possess. The venoms range widely in their effects. Camus, for instance, simply does damage, while Darkshade causes allergies to natural light, and Slike gives anorexia to someone, preventing you from eating or drinking anything. As a Serpentlord gets higher in this skill, he will gain the ability to milk his venoms into vials. People with the envenom ability in the weaponry skill can then take these vials and put venoms on their weapons. Each time a weapon strikes someone, the last venom put on will come off the weapon and afflict the person who was struck with the weapon. Serpents get this.
'''[[Telepathy]]''': Telepathy is a skill used in two ways. Some abilities may be used simply on anyone who happens to be in the same room as you. hese include the ability to give such afflictions as paralysis, confusion (stops you regaining mental balance, also known as equilibrium, if it has been taken away unnaturally), to the powerful MIND BATTER, which stuns your opponent briefly, and gives stupidity, epilepsy, and dizziness to your opponent. The second way in which Telepathy is used is by getting a mind lock on your opponent. Doing this takes some time, but once you have it, you can use any ability you can do without one on your opponent, plus some more powerful ones that require a mind lock. Furthermore, while you maintain a mind lock, it does not matter where you are in relation to your opponent. Monks get this.


[[Hypnosis]]: This skill involves hypnotizing a target, implanting various 'suggestions' in the target's mind, and then implanting a prompt word in the target's mind. Whenever the target hears this prompt word, the suggestions (which really are afflictions like  claustrophobia, paranoia, vertigo, masochism, agoraphobia, etc), start kicking in every few seconds, continuing until the target figures out the prompt word and says it himself. Serpents get this.
'''[[Venom]]''': This skill involves the secreting of various venoms from glands that Serpents possess. The venoms range widely in their effects. Camus, for instance, simply does damage, while Darkshade causes allergies to natural light, and Slike gives anorexia to someone, preventing you from eating or drinking anything. As a Serpentlord gets higher in this skill, he will gain the ability to milk his venoms into vials. People with the envenom ability in the weaponry skill can then take these vials and put venoms on their weapons. Each time a weapon strikes someone, the last venom put on will come off the weapon and afflict the person who was struck with the weapon. Serpents get this.


Those, then, are some class-specific skills. However, some other skills also play a large part in combat. For instance, Tattoos, which everyone gets.
Those, then, are some class-specific skills. However, some other skills also play a large part in combat. For instance, Tattoos, which everyone gets.


[[Tattoos]]: Tattoos involves the ability to Tattoo yourself or others with a variety of magical tattoos. Some provide defenses when activated, and some provide offense. For instance, the Boar tattoo (designed in honour of Sarapis' beloved Black Boar) will regularly replenish some health. The Tentacle tattoo will cause a tentacle of Shimite to shoot out of the ground, dragging a flying target down to earth. The Shield tattoo will erect a magical shield around you, which will stop many physical attacks. A counter to that is the Hammer tattoo, which destroys a shield. The Web tattoo will cover a target in sticky webs, holding him fast until he has writhed out.
'''[[Tattoos]]''': Tattoos involves the ability to Tattoo yourself or others with a variety of magical tattoos. Some provide defenses when activated, and some provide offense. For instance, the Boar tattoo (designed in honour of Sarapis' beloved Black Boar) will regularly replenish some health. The Tentacle tattoo will cause a tentacle of Shimite to shoot out of the ground, dragging a flying target down to earth. The Shield tattoo will erect a magical shield around you, which will stop many physical attacks. A counter to that is the Hammer tattoo, which destroys a shield. The Web tattoo will cover a target in sticky webs, holding him fast until he has writhed out.


== Curing ==
== Curing ==
First of all, it's important for every class to be ''prepared'' when going into combat. In fact, it's important to be prepared at all times, as you never know when your nefarious enemy may strike unannounced. Being prepared means having a full set of healing equipment, a partial list of which I'll include below. I will give a brief description of the purpose of each piece of equipment (Note that with the addition of the Alchemist class a couple of years ago, there are alchemical recipes that will produce elements that provide alternate routes to curing the below.)
First of all, it's important for every class to be ''prepared'' when going into combat. In fact, it's important to be prepared at all times, as you never know when your nefarious enemy may strike unannounced. Being prepared means having a full set of healing equipment, a partial list of which I'll include below. I will give a brief description of the purpose of each piece of equipment (Note that with the addition of the Alchemist class a couple of years ago, there are alchemical recipes that will produce elements that provide alternate routes to curing the below.)


=== Elixirs, Salves and their Alchemical Equivalents ===
=== Elixirs, Salves and their Alchemical Equivalents ===
[[Health elixir]]: Heals health. Drink it. (Vitality)
[[Health elixir]]: Heals health. Drink it. (Vitality)


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[[Frost elixir]]: Acts as a defense to protect against some fire damage. (Endothermic)
[[Frost elixir]]: Acts as a defense to protect against some fire damage. (Endothermic)


=== Plants / Herbs and Mineral Equivalents ===  
=== Plants / Herbs and Mineral Equivalents ===  
Now, aside from salves and elixirs, there are a variety of plants and herbs that are necessary in combat. These can be kept in your Rift, which is kind of a magical storage space attached to you that can carry many, many plants and herbs easily. The ones necessary for combat are as follows. Explanations of the various afflictions will be included mostly in a later section. Note that most of these herbs, aside from the ones that are smoked, may be successfully eaten not more than once a second. They have no effect if eaten more often than that. For instance, if I eat a ginseng root, and immediately follow it with a lobelia seed, the lobelia seed will have no effect.
Now, aside from salves and elixirs, there are a variety of plants and herbs that are necessary in combat. These can be kept in your Rift, which is kind of a magical storage space attached to you that can carry many, many plants and herbs easily. The ones necessary for combat are as follows. Explanations of the various afflictions will be included mostly in a later section. Note that most of these herbs, aside from the ones that are smoked, may be successfully eaten not more than once a second. They have no effect if eaten more often than that. For instance, if I eat a ginseng root, and immediately follow it with a lobelia seed, the lobelia seed will have no effect.


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[[Bellwort]]: The bellwort flower will, when eaten, cure afflictions that might have unnaturally pacified you. Examples of this are pacifism, mercy, and the justice effect. (Cuprum)
[[Bellwort]]: The bellwort flower will, when eaten, cure afflictions that might have unnaturally pacified you. Examples of this are pacifism, mercy, and the justice effect. (Cuprum)


[[Slippery elm]]: The bark of the slippery elm tree may be smoked to cure a variety of strange afflictions, such as aeon, hellsight, and deadening. (Cinnabar)
[[elm|Slippery elm]]: The bark of the slippery elm tree may be smoked to cure a variety of strange afflictions, such as aeon, hellsight, and deadening. (Cinnabar)


[[Bloodroot]]: The bloodroot may be eaten to cure paralysis and slickness. (Magnesium)
[[Bloodroot]]: The bloodroot may be eaten to cure paralysis and slickness. (Magnesium)
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[[Echinacea]]: Gives the Thirdeye defense when eaten. This will append the location to all who aren't using artefacts to hide their presence on WHO and QUICKWHO. (Dolomite)
[[Echinacea]]: Gives the Thirdeye defense when eaten. This will append the location to all who aren't using artefacts to hide their presence on WHO and QUICKWHO. (Dolomite)


[[Prickly Pear]]: Enveolpes the eater in a bubble of air, preventing drowning while underwater. (Calcite)
[[pear|Prickly Pear]]: Enveolpes the eater in a bubble of air, preventing drowning while underwater. (Calcite)


== Tattoos ==
== Tattoos ==
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Mastering the use of locks and the defenses against them is key for some classes, and for fighting against those classes.  
Mastering the use of locks and the defenses against them is key for some classes, and for fighting against those classes.  


 
[[Category:Class combat]]
[[Category:Combat]]
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