Andor's Trail

I had been playing the game for a while, and something has always struck me as odd. There are only two ways to defend yourself: Either through blocking, or through damage resistance. There are no parries, dodges, ripostes, counters, or sidesteps.

That is pretty fine, as implementing all of those above suggestions would mean a massive overhaul of the combat system.

However, I don't understand how block chance really works. If block chance is actually blocking something, with a shield, a sword, armour, I get how it works. But when you get a skill called dodge, which adds to block chance, it doesn't really make so much sense.

I have always focused on damage resistance, as you might know. What struck me as odd, again, was that a tough leather shirt could offer damage resistance, while a full suit of plate armor could not. If block chance is merely the chance to evade the blows, then surely a suit of armor makes it difficult to dodge or block, and would rather help you take the blow without much damage being dealt to you. A suit of armor, therefore, should add to damage resistance rather than block chance.


I would, therefore, propose that all armor add to damage resistance rather than block chance. As for leather armor, they should add to block chance instead of damage resistance. And, going completely unarmored and therefore unencumbered should lower move cost and maybe add to a dodge chance.

A light weapon, like a rapier, would probably add to riposte chance. A large weapon, like a broadsword, should add to one's block chance, as with a large weapon it is more difficult to find openings. A very light weapon, like a dagger, might add to dodge chance and sidestep chance. And maybe a balanced weapon could add to the chance of countering a blow, giving you a chance for revenge every time the enemy hits you.

I know that going for the whole deal of block chance, damage resistance, riposte chance, dodge chance, and counter chance would probably make the game way too complicated, but I think that, at the very least, a suit of armor should offer greater damage resistance than a leather shirt.

A blow that is slowed down by leather armor, thus doing less damage (and therefore represented by DR), may well not get through metal armor at all (therefore represented by higher BC). That can make sense. But I would agree that DR is not consistently represented, but rather used to spice up the occasional piece of armor as a special effect. It would be good to think that through in a more systematic manner.

Great arguments and completely agree.

Edit: if only dodge, parry and shield block are implemented, so we split up block chance, there is already a load of options that make much more sense than the current inconsistent and oversimplified defense mechanisms.