09. Combat System

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On Eternity's End, combat is dictated by what can be mostly called a form of statistic freeform. That is, combat is handled in freeform, rather than by stats. But there are in fact health bars, and magic bars that one needs to keep an eye on when fighting.

These are hearts. All characters start with three hearts or . They can obtain more by purchasing Heart Containers, or obtaining them through events, contests, dungeons, or plot moments. They can also be bought for 1000 rupees, or 10 gold coins obtained through quests and dungeons. A character's heart count can be increased up to a maximum of twenty or...

In the event that a character's heart count runs out, they aren't dead, but are in fact unconscious. In they event they are knocked out, don't worry. Just give it 10 turns in a thread with at least two other people, and they'll get back up with three hearts. Damage should be considered in accord with a type of wound. If for example, your character took 1 heart of damage, maybe make it a cut on the arm or something, with say 1/4 being a light nip. If they take 5 hearts, maybe they take a very deep wound or something. Just be sensible and go by your best judgment.

Health is not recovered naturally. In order to recover health, you must use magic to heal yourself, certain events like acquiring a heart container, or potions. If you have the Critical Wound status effect, only acquiring a heart container will restore your hearts, as the status effect must be cured first. Your heart count even carries over from thread to thread. So ending the thread won't heal your character either.

You can inflict damage on another's heart count with your weaponry. Weaponry have various levels but they all start at level 0. These weapons inflict damage. You can get them upgraded by purchasing upgrades in the shopping section via an IC thread. When upgrading, it will go to level 1 which does damage, level 2 which does damage. And then there is level 3 at which point it branches. It can gain a special effect and special damage against a certain element type, along with an ability that is either weak but low cost, but devastating but high cost. So the weapon will continue to do damage, but will gain an extra heart against characters or monsters aligned with a specific element. OR you can forego all of that, sacrifice the special effects, and just get a straight damage boost, in which case the weapon does damage per swing. You can do unarmed damage, which does damage. Gorons however, are unique in that they can do damage.

If you go elements however, the damage bonuses work like so.

Fire > Earth > Air > Water > Fire

In the event of Twili, as they default to Shadow...

Light > Shadow > Light

The above actually applies to blessings as well.

For dual weapons, you have to upgrade both weapons, meaning the prices will be doubled. However, that means more damage, and if you go with special effects, can get different effects on both weapons.

Alternatively, you can use magic. Magic is acquired for quite a hefty price, but gives you new techniques that might push things in your favor when you need it to. Magic spells take up MP, and can only be replenished by potions or an increase in MP, unless you are Hylian and have the correct racial ability. Magic is something that cannot be spammed constantly unless you are a sufficiently powerful Hylian or Twili, and must be used carefully. For a list of known spells (there is a Master List, but it is not viewable), check the Compendium.

As you can see, there is no half or quarter or any sort of fraction for MP points. You either have a full magic point or you don't. This can make casting spells costly. Like hearts, you initially start with three magic points or . Like hearts, you can increase these through the same circumstances as hearts up to a maximum of twenty MP or...

Blessings are expensive, be sure to check prices!

Blessings are not the only way to use magic though. The art of magic is a long and hard study, and many mages prefer to use their magic using a tome as a conduit. By using a tome as a conduit, mage users can harness a certain element and use it as a regular weapon, and even upgrade the tome to increase its attack power. Magic Tomes used as weapons can only use Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, Shadow, or Aether elements. Only one element per Tome. Tomes can be upgraded like any weapon, and they even have the advantages of range, and that there is always a constant element, meaning they can constantly exploit a weakness. Not only this, but because they are using the tome, there is no MP cost to use it. The disadvantage is... well if a guy comes at you with a sword, do you really expect that book to take the hit?

One can also make use of Healing Staves. By using these staves, one can heal very, very small amounts of health over a long period of time. They are by no means a replacement for potions, and definitely not for healing spells. Their small amount of health restoration really doesn't make them useful for in combat treatments. Though in theory, one could use a staff to act as a conduit for offensive magic, just like tomes, if they wanted to be like Gandalf.

However, it is possible to reduce damage down to a fraction of what it would normally be. By paying a certain price, one can go and buy a form of Armor. Whether it be a suit of armor, or a shield, or your ass (if a Goron), or something else, one can buy armor to protect themselves. However, you only get one. You cannot buy a suit of armor, followed by a shield to stack on the protection. Either the armor or your shield counts. The armor, when purchased, starts at level 0 and only reduces damage by . If you want (the eigth character is v) it to reduce more, you have to upgrade it like a weapon. You can upgrade it three times, each level adding an extra of protection. Using buffs as well, one can seriously reduce damage taken.

You cannot completely negate damage however. No matter how well protected you are, if you get hit, you will always take at least worth of damage, even if you've got 4 hearts worth of protection on that pansy's level 0 weapon, you will always take at least of damage. But you can use armor and those buffs to reduce what would normally be a devastating attack to that level.

As for the actual battle system, the way it works is that in PvP you get One Action per post. Whether you would like to use a regular attack or use an ability or spell or even use an item, that is up to you. Do take note for items though; potions cannot be used in the middle of a fight, you must wait for combat to end!

As for injuries, be realistic. you cannot dodge or negate everything. Even the best get hit, and we will be watching fights. Speaking of injuries, this brings us to the matter of death. For the most part, you need a player's consent to kill off their characters, this is a key rule that will never go away. However, there are two exceptions to this rule. The first is that the character potentially dying has done something monumentally dumb. If it's a blatant, incredible violation of common sense like diving into the dragon's mouth; they're dead. No questions asked.

The other, we'll call the Once More! system. When a character hits 0 hearts and has no way to regain them (like the Beorc's Mighty Wind ability), they are given two options. They can either concede defeat and retreat/fall unconscious, whatever. If they choose this, then so long as they didn't do something monumentally dumb, you still need consent. However, they can choose to give it another shot, and get back up with 3 hearts. However, there is a catch; if they hit 0 hearts again; they're dead. If you choose to give it another go, either end the fight ASAP or heal yourself as much as you can. Because for the remainder of that thread, if you hit 0 hearts, you will die. However, the Once More! option must be taken of the person's own volition. If the person in question was egged on or baited into choosing Once More!, the death can (and will) be overruled by staff.

Make sure to examine your situation and make your decision accordingly if you decide to choose Once More! as remember what Revolver Ocelot said; "There are no continues, my friend."

That said, don't worry too much about combat, it's entirely optional if you don't want to get involved in it, so relax.

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-Characters start with 3 hearts but can obtain a maximum of 20.
-Characters start with 3 magic points but can obtain a maximum of 20.
-Weapons start at level 0 and can be upgraded.
-You can get an ability that is costly but deadly, weak but spammable, or a straight damage buff.
-Elemental bonuses and weaknesses can be exploited.
-Magic is expensive and should be used carefully.
-Magic can be a weapon in the form of upgradeable tomes.
-Tomes have zero defense capabilities but usually carry an elemental edge.
-Healing Staves however, can be used for some slight healing.
-In theory you can use elemental offensive staves in place of tomes.
-Armor can be purchased at level 0 and can be upgraded.
-Damage can never be fully and utterly negated.
-You get one action per combat round.
-Be smart about injuries.
-When you reach 0 hearts and have nothing to revive you, you can either concede defeat and leave/fall unconscious or revive with 3 hearts at the risk of dying.

SUMMARY OF WEAPON DAMAGE, TOME DAMAGE, HEALTH REGAINED BY HEALING STAFF, AND ARMOR REDUCTION
Unarmed -
Unarmed (Goron) -
Level 0 Weapon -
Level 1 Weapon -
Level 2 Weapon -
Level 3 Weapon with ability - + Elemental Damage Bonus
Level 3 Weapon with no ability -
Level 0 Tome - Elemental Damage
Level 1 Tome - Elemental Damage
Level 2 Tome - Elemental Damage
Level 3 Tome with ability - Elemental Damage
Level 3 Tome with no ability - Elemental Damage
Level 0 Healing Staff -
Level 1 Healing Staff -
Level 2 Healing Staff -
Level 3 Healing Staff -
Level 0 Armor -
Level 1 Armor -
Level 2 Armor -
Level 3 Armor - [/ul][/font][/ul][/div][/blockquote]