Damage

Nodeka's battle system is dynamic and highly involved–there is a lot of back-end math that resolves to actual numbers. Many factors lead into the actual damage dealt, beyond things like strength and +dam modifiers. Dexterity, speed, weapon dice, resistances, racials, current affects, and handedness, all play into the calculation.

Sliding Scale

One such factor is a character's +hit stat. From "help damage sliding scale:"

Damage sliding scale:

Damage done in battle is based off of many factors. The factor that determines
how the damage sliding scale moves is based on an attacker's ability to hit a 
target. The concept of the damage sliding scale is very simple:

   Damage related:
   ---------------
   When a target is only marginally hit the damage done to the target is 
   decreased. When a target is solidly hit the damage done to the target is 
   generally constant. When a target is very accurately hit the damage done 
   to the target is increased.

   Damage avoidance related:
   -------------------------
   The more accurate an attack the more difficult it is to avoid. Therefore, 
   extremely accurate attacks are very difficult to parry or dodge. Likewise, 
   the less accurate an attack the less difficult it is to avoid. Extremely 
   inaccurate attacks are easier to parry or dodge.

Due to this damage sliding scale the damage done from an attack slides back
and forth, both increasing and decreasing based on the accuracy of the hit. 

This sliding scale ensures that targets that are barely hit or perfectly hit,
take damage accordingly.

With the damage sliding scale mechanism in mind deciding how to improve 
combat effectiveness is no longer a clear-cut decision. Many times increasing
hit modifiers will affect the damage done to a target, in such a great manner, 
it will override the usefulness of increasing one's ability to damage the 
target directly through increased damage modifiers.

Damage Chart

While in combat, you will see that the game does not give you an exact amount of damage. You'll see output such as "tickling:," "pummeling," or "battering." The table below will indicate the range of damage you have done to an opponent.

Output	Damage Range
tickle	1-5
graze	6-10
scratch	11-20
bruise	21-30
sting	31-40
wound	41-50
shend	51-75
scathe	76-100
pummel	101-125
batter	126-150
splinter	151-200
disfigure	201-250
fracture	251-300
lacerate	301-400
RUPTURE	401-500
MUTILATE	501-750
DEHISCE	750-1000
MAIM	1001-1250
DISMEMBER	1251-1500
SUNDER	1501-1750
CREMATE	1751-2000
EVISCERATE	2001-2500
RAVAGE	2501-3000
IMMOLATE	3001-3500
LIQUIFYING	3501-4000
VAPORIZE	4001-4500
ATOMIZE	4501-5000
OBLITERATE	5001-6000
ETHERIALIZE	6001-7000
ERADICATING	7001+

Examples

The two examples below serve as an example of damage-details such as attack types and specific wording will not be addressed. For more details on combat, check out the article.

Example #1: Uncompressed Attacks (advanced)

An expanded mode to combat can be seen by using the output compress my attacks and output compress enemy attacks toggles. In this example to the right, you see combat output with uncompressed attacks. You'll see a variety of things:

• A morgal's shield doing grazes (9) damage
• A warrior native attack doing shending (56) damage
• A tempalus blade doing MAIMS (1005) damage
• A left bludgeon doing MAIMS (1165) damage
• Another tempalus blade hitting for MAIMS (1090)
• Another left bludgeon hitting for DEHISCES (993)
• A blow from wings of Ontonai doing SUNDER (1648) damage
• A charge for DISMEMBERING (1405)
• Another tempalus blade hitting for MAIMS (1090)
• Another left bludgeon hitting for MAIMS (1104)
• Another tempalus blade hitting for DISMSMBERS (1311)
• Another left bludgeon hitting for MAIMS (1107)
• A last tempalus blade hitting for ERADICATES (8777)

...this single round hit for 21,085 damage, while the warrior native hit for 56 damage.

Example #2: Compressed Attacks (simple)

In this example round of combat, you'll see two lines only:

• A beam of light hitting for ERADICATES (7981) damage onto a native shaman
• 12 attacks hitting for SUNDERING (1602), indicating a total (in brackets to the left) of 19,224 damage.

This opening round of combat shows a leading off prevent, holy light, that initiated combat, and a round immediately follows it. The output for combat is compressed, so you don't see individual weapon attacks, misses, parries, racials, or other information, just an overview.