Introduction to damage and protection

As with all games where a successful attack results in dwindling health, there is within the codified logic of Conqueror’s Blade a system that determines how damage is applied. Given all the weapons and player attributes in play, the system at heart is quite complex. However, with just an overview of the various damage types and the elements that govern how damage is worked out, it could make all the difference in your future closed beta battles.

Health: In order to survive any attack a player needs a resources of health, represented by Health Points (HP). The more HP a player has, the more damage can be absorbed, until, of course HP reaches zero and the player is returned to limbo. As you might expect, the amount of damage sustained will largely depend on the weapon being used.

Weapon type: There are three dominant types of attack in Conqueror’s Blade, determined by the type of weapon or ammunition. These are piercing attacks (delivered via a sharp point such as a spear or arrow), slashing or cutting attacks (such as from a edged blade) and blunt attacks from the hilt or butt of a weapon (or from a shield). Other types of attack include fire, bleeding and poison, which usually deliver damage over a period of time.

Damage: The damage from each type of attack is calculated differently, depending on the attributes and skills of the attacker, the weapon being used and the armor attributes of the defender. For melee attacks the relative speed between the attacker and defender - such as from a mounted charge - is an additional factor, while for ranged attacks attenuation is important - the proportion of energy in a projectile that’s lost over distance.

Armor type: Broadly there are three types of armor in Conqueror’s Blade, light, medium and heavy, which roughly equates to padded or leather armor, chainmail armor and plate armor. Historically there was a wide variety of armor types and mixes that were effective in many different situations, but broadly speaking link mail tended to be effective against piercing weapons (arrows often being an exception) and plate armor was a counter to heavy bladed weapons.     

Damage over time: While not a consideration for individual attacks, damage over time (DoT) is an important element of any combat encounter. Usually the more damaging a single attack is, the more limited its future use might be, either by extending the delay between attacks, or imposing some kind of stamina, agility or equipment cost. For example, a two-handed and/or heavy-bladed  weapon will usually have a greater reach and incur more damage per attack than a one-handed and/or piercing weapon, often at a cost to attack frequency by way of stamina requirements.

Skills and Abilities: Currently each weapon type (class) can have up to three abilities assigned. These abilities are specific to the weapon, but might not necessarily generate the same type of damage for which the weapon is typically associated. For example a spear is a piercing weapon, but there are skills that allow it to generate blunt damage, which, for example, would make it more effective against a heavily-armored opponent.