Combat Mechanics

Combat

The current combat system is an action-point, turn-based system focused on strategy, resources, and taking advantage of the battlefield interface.

Combat elements go as follow:

Health and Armor

Character

Your health bar is represented by the Green circle around your player icon. Without any perks, your health is usually 100 points. If it reaches zero, it is game over (one life). Losing all health outside of single life mode will result in a penalty, which consists of losing items, lowering one level, and receiving exhaustion negative effect for a few days.

Your armor will depend on the type of clothing the player is wearing at the time of the battle. Armor protects the player from physical damage. The player can still get injuries if their armor goes below 50%. If the armor reaches 0 during a fight, the additional damage will be delivered to their health bar.

Pets

Pets’ health depend on their level and functions just like the player health does. The only exception is that pets are knocked out instead of getting killed in battle. When a pet life reaches zero, the pet will become unavailable for future battles until healed.

Health will decrease if the character or pets are attacked by the enemy, explosions, or by triggering traps during combat. Beware, it is not possible to recover lost health (players possessing witch scrolls may summon witches that heal the player).

Pets do not possess armor.

Allies (NPC)

During certain missions, other characters will assist the player during combat. These allies‘ health obey the same rules for health and armor.

Players on the online mode can assist each other during combat. This is called boosting, by the online community. Health and armor of boosting players depend on their current equipment and perks, just as the main character does.

Health bar

Armor bar

Action Points

Character

Action points will determine how you perform on the battlefield, from moving around to using weapons, once you consume them all the turn is over and you must wait for them to replenish on the next turn.

Starting action points

At the beginning of the battle, you will already have some points in you. These are your starting action points. Default starting action points are 2, but you can increase them with the aid of perks.

Restoration Action Points

This stat determines how much action points are gained per turn. They can be lowered by injuries or sickness. The default number of action points restored each turn is 1. This can be increased with the aid of perks.

Maximum Action Points

This stat determines the maximum action points your character can possess in battle. The default number of action points is 5 but, just as well, it can be further improved with the aid of perks.

The more action points, the more actions the player can do before finishing his turn. You could even win the fight without the enemy having a chance to make a move.

Pets

Pets’ action points obey different rules to that of the player. Pets can only perform one attack or ability and one or two moves per turn depending on the perks unlocked for them based on the pet level.

Pets do not recover action points per se. Abilities will go into cool down for a few turns until they can be used again. The only command available for pets every turn is the main attack and move.

Allies

Allies do not obey the action point structure. They will either move-attack, attack-move, move or just attack with whatever weapon they have with them at the moment, ignoring AP requirements.

action point

empty action point

The Map

The battlefield is the place where combat develops. It is a 49 square grid with obstacles, traps, animals or structures around. Depending on the location, the player may use them to his advantage or fall prey to the terrain, if careless.

Battlefield

EgregiousWrekr about to fight a band of evil radioactive boars

The environment may contain different scenery based on the location where the battle is taking place, like a city, building, forest or swamp.

High Points

Higher points mean a better field of view, but also an easy target for enemy attacks.

• Watchtowers. Towers can be found mostly in urban environments and enemy bases. When standing on a tower the player gains range for all their weapons (except melee) and the ability to shoot over obstacles. WARNING, standing on towers will also make the player vulnerable to enemy attacks. A few grenades or a rocket will bring these towers down.

• Hills. They offer the same benefit as watchtowers and just like them, they give no protection. These high points cannot be destroyed.

Cover points

Some objects on the field serve as an active cover point, standing on these spots will provide the player, pets or enemies, a bonus to dodging gunshots or arrows.

• Sandbags. These bags can usually be found on bandit bases. They provide cover against projectile attacks.

• Lamppost. In urban areas the map might contain lamp posts. Standing on these posts will provide a 50% chance of avoiding gunshots, arrows, or acid attacks, but will not provide cover against explosives.

• Pine trees. Pines offer protection against gunshots and other projectiles, but with each attack, the pines will deteriorate until breaking. A broken tree will turn into a blockage until it is fully destroyed.

No damage	Damaged	Critical damage	Broken

Blockages

Some objects on the field will block the path acting as blockades. Depending on their size, they can also function as passive protection for enemies or allies alike.

Bridges and holes: holes on the battlefield can be crossed with the well placed rudimentary bridges that lay on the path. These bridges can be destroyed to block enemy path but can also make you more vulnerable to attacks. Use them wisely.

• Dead or fallen trees
• Debries
• Stones: Giant boulders roam the wasteland. These monoliths can be used as a passive cover since you cannot stand on a rock square. However, their height and body make it a little harder for projectiles to hit their target.
• Stumps
• Manholes

• Boxes

Traps

Some traps can only be found when near enough to see them or if unlucky enough to activate them, while others are always visible. Try and make use of them in your favor.

Visible (Natural)

• Beehives: Normall sized bees. Beehives are common in the wasteland forests. They can be used against enemies. Try to shoot them from afar to avoid the bees targeting you and they will go for any nearby enemy. A bee attack will last for 3 turns.

• Bear nest: Found commonly in forest areas. Bear dens will not do anything unless attacked. Damaging the nest, will spawn an angry bear that will attack any enemy or ally on sight. Usually, these beasts will go first for bandits and other animals and then turn their attention to the player. Keep in mind that if the player is not well equipped, a fight with a bear can be dangerous, as the bear will gain rage from attacking other enemies leaving a 180 plus damage bear against the player.

• Poison mushroom: a giant radioactive mushroom with a poison gas attack. The mushroom will arm itself upon sensing movement near it and releasing a poisonous gas on a 3 by 3 area around it, on the next turn. The mushroom can rearm itself on the next turn after releasing its attack.

• Snake: A venomous viper, can only be seen if close enough to it. When stepping on its tile, the player will be poisoned for a few turns. They can be killed in a single hit of whatever the player has, even with his fists.

• Bear Trap: Immobilize anything for 1 turn. Can be taken down with any weaponry (visible when close).
• Poison Mushroom: Covers a radius of 3x3 around it with toxic spores. Deals damage over time. Armed by walking around its 3x3 radius or by shooting it. Takes 1 turn to charge.
• Explosive Barrel: You see the comically red barrel lying around the enemy. If you touch it, it will blow up. Deals around 40-80 (ish ?) damage with a 3x3 radius. Can be activated by any weaponry (haven't tried melee yet but why would you try to melee an explosive barrel in the first place?) or other explosion.
• Mine: Better version of the explosive barrel, but needs to be spotted (you have a spot radius of 3x3) first to be able to shoot it.
• Oil Spill: Reduces movement range by 1 when stepped on.
• Sewer Grate: Just like the bear nest, but is only triggered when movement is sensed. Red eyes will emerge below from the sewer grate. On the next turn, a "buffed" radioactive rat with 100 health, deals 4-12 and comes with Despair perk (+10 damage when alone), will spawn on grate (doesn't always happen).
• Acid Puddle: when stepped on, gives the acid effect which damages for 3 turns