bate-bate eng.2: dodging and status effects

two big mechanics have been added to the game in the past weeks, fighters being able to dodge enemy attacks and status effects that change the way they react to contacts. both of these aim to strenghten the core of the game, the chain of contacts between fighters in combat and create a bit more drama through unexpected reversals in the contact chain.

when a character dodges they avoid suffering the effetcts of an enemy's main move, but still get activated and get to act afterwards. this can happen either because the target has a lower level than their attacker, or because either the target has an evasion bonus or the attacker has a dexterity debuff.

dodging also introduces levels into the game. every fighter has a level now and I hope that dodges add a space in the battle for low level fighters to be useful. a low level fighter can dodge away from attacks and still manage to stand against a higher level enemy, but running the risk that an enemy attack will end up going through and potentially eliminate this much weaker target. this follows one of the design tenets I had in mind for the game, push your luck mechanics.

 

an enemy dodging and attack

 

 

as for the status effects, there are four statuses: immobility, confusion, disorientation and protection, they all play into the contact chain. immobility will make you suffer the effects of an enemy's main agressive move without getting activated (so the opposite of dodging, basically). confusion will make you use your main move on the wrong target, a supportive move on an enemy and an agressive move on an ally. disorientation will make you dodge away from a friendly contact. protection will prevent the next status you would otherwise obtain. like bonuses and debuffs, a status is removed as soon as it takes effect.

the moves that give and heal damage as well as bonuses and debuffs remain the backbone of the move set and the effects triggered by the contact chain, to make the fights move along and be functional, but I hope that dodging and status effects add interesting variety and unexpected moments of drama to the basic contact chain, making it more exciting.