The NPCs have the same stats and formulas as the player. One level makes a big difference: they have more hitpoints, do more damage, and are generally harder to hit. But it’s still doable if you know what you’re doing.
As the hero, you start the game with 5 points in every stat, and you get 5 statpoints for customizing your character. Per level-up, you currently get 1 statpoint. But 1 statpoint makes a difference.
Items that have an impact on stats, have their positive and negative effects, so there are trade-offs that help building a character. There are items that support different types of character builds. We'll talk about items in a future update.
Stats are also used for saving throws against different effects. For instance, a high dexterity lowers your chance of falling down when walking over ice, and strength gives you a saving throw against being caught in a wall of ice (you can break through).
It doesn't take a genius to see that this guy's speed stat will be low. And that his armor will absorb a lot of damage. And to wield such an axe, he must be very strong. Other than the lack of speed, what will his weak spots be?
Level
- is a multiplier for your hitpoint bonus from constitution
- is a multiplier for your mana bonus from intelligence
Primary stats
Strength
- gives damage bonuses to attacks with melee weapons
- defines how much weight you can carry
- defines what items you can lift
- defines how far you can throw items, depending on their weight
- gives you a bonus to intimidation
Dexterity
- gives damage bonuses to attacks with ranged weapons
- gives you a higher chance of successfully picking locks and picking pockets
- affects the "ideal range" of ranged weapons
- lower chance of triggering traps, higher chance of disarming traps
- better at repairing
Intelligence
- determines your amount of mana
- gives bonuses to magic (depending on the spell: damage, range, width of a cone, duration, how easy or hard the saving throw is...)
- gives you a bonus to reasoning
- helps you figure out NPC stats and resistances
- helps you to identify unknown items
- gives bonuses to mind resistance
Constitution
- determines your amount of hitpoints
- gives you higher resistance against poison
- gives you a bonus to charming
Speed
- determines the distance you can walk with one action point
- defines how good you are at dodging or evading attacks (defense rating)
- gives bonuses to initiative
- spend less action points when changing equipment or using items in combat
Perception
- determines how much chance you have of successfully hitting an enemy (offense rating)
- defines your sight and hearing which helps your enemy awareness (e.g. on the mini map)
- helps with discovering traps and finding treasures and secrets
This fire demon is a formidable foe. He has a very high resistance to fire. So high even, that fire damage actually heals him. He can create lava surfaces from a distance. Even though his speed stat is pretty low, he is known to sometimes fly over the battlefield. When he runs out of mana, he has to come close to drive his claws through his enemies, dealing piercing damage, or uses his tail to sweep multiple enemies in one attack, dealing crushing damage with a chance of knockdown.
Secondary stats
Offense and defense
These are determined by your primary stat perception and speed. They can be boosted by magical equipment. When you attack someone, your offense rating is compared to your enemy’s defense rating. This determines how much chance you have of actually hitting him.
Damage
This stat is determined by your weapon or your spell, and gets a bonus from one of your primary stats. This can be boosted by well-made or magical equipment.
Critical chance and critical damage
These stats are determined by your weapon. They can be boosted by well-made or magical equipment.
Armor
When a hit is successful, armor absorbs part of the damage that was dealt. For instance, if you’re hit with 8 damage and you have armor 3, you only take 5 damage. If your armor rating is very high, it is possible to completely absorb all the damage that is dealt by a weak enemy. This stat is determined by your equipment and can be boosted with well-made or magical items.
Blocking chance
This is determined by the shield you are wearing, if you are wearing a shield. When a hit is successful, the shield gives you a chance of actually fully blocking the attack. Different shields obviously have different blocking chances.
Hitpoints
This stat is determined by your constitution stat, and can be boosted with magical items. Hitpoints do not regenerate automatically, and can only be regained by healing, eating or resting.
Mana
This stat is determined by your intelligence stat, and can be boosted with magical items. Magic spells cost mana. Mana does not automatically regenerate and can only be regained by drinking potions, eating certain types of food, or resting.
Sight and hearing
These secondary stats are determined by your perception stat. They can be boosted by special or magical equipment. They define how far you can see (we have a shroud, and fog of war system), and how well your hearing is (so you can hear and even identify an NPC without being able to see him).
Initiative
This stat is determined by your speed stat, and can be boosted with special or magical items. It gives you bonuses when combat starts and initiative is rolled.
Persuasion
This is determined by equipment bonuses only. Persuasion gives you bonuses when trying to intimidate, charm or reason with your party members or NPCs.
Walk speed
This stat is determined by your speed stat, and can be boosted with special or magical items. It determines how far you can walk with one action point in turn-based combat.
Luck
This stat can only be boosted with magical items. It’s the X factor of the game...
Poison resistance
Determined by your constitution stat. Poison resistance will absorb the damage poison would do every turn.
Fire, Water, Earth and Air resistances
Determined by magical items you are wearing. These absorb elemental damage.
Mind resistance
Determined by your intelligence stat, and magical items you are wearing. This helps against mind attacks (for instance fear).
Piercing, Slashing, Crushing resistances
Determined by the equipment you are wearing. These resistances absorb damage from physical attacks.
