====== Combat Mechanics ======

Anytime a sword is swung, an arrow is shot or a spell is cast a series of rolls are made to determine whether the action is successful and whether damage is caused. Most rolls involve the [[dominions-random-number|Dominions Random Number]] or DRN. To fully understand Combat Mechanics start by reading up on how the DRN is calculated.

All offensive abilities in the game basically functions in the same way:
  - First a roll is made to see whether the attack hits.
  - If the attack hits a [[damage roll]] is made
===== Rolling to Hit =====


==== Attack rolls ====
For melee attacks the attacker makes an [[attack roll]] at the same time as the defender makes a [[defence roll]]. These are compared. If the attack roll (with modifiers) is greater than the defence roll, it hits. If not, it misses.

{{template>attackroll}} 
  * Various effects can increase or decrease the [[melee-roll#Attack modifiers|attack]] and [[melee-roll#defense modifiers|defense modifiers]] skills of units.
  * Defenders with long weapons can [[repel]] attackers, preventing the attack from happening.
  * [[defensive effects order|Defensive abilities]] (such as [[ethereal|etherealness]]), spells (such as ??Astral Shield?? or ??Fire Shield??) and items (such as ??Vine Shield??) can prevent an attacker from attacking or punish the attacker.

==== Ranged Combat & Spellcasting ====

Ranged combat and [[combat-magic|spellcasting]] are different from melee combat in that they do not use defence values. Instead, a [[precision roll]] is used to determine which square a missile or spell hits.

{{template>precisionroll}}
  * Shields can [[precision roll|prevent]] ranged weapons from striking true.
  * Every point of [[precision roll|precision]] above 10 counts for double.
  * Spells with 100 precision (??Soul Slay??) always hit the target square.
  * Spells (e.g. ??Eagle Eyes??), blesses and items (e.g. ??Eye of Aiming??) can buff precision.
  * Various effects can debuff (??Darkness??) or halve [[precision roll|precision]] (??Storm??). 
  * Some effects can protect units against ranged weapons (??Arrow Fend??). Others will destroy missiles during flight (??Storm??)
  * Some spells and effects require a [[magic resistance]] check before having any effect.

==== Special attacks ====
  * Units with [[trample]] can crush other units beneath their feet.

===== Rolling to Damage =====

Once a hit is scored, another roll is made to determine how much damage is done.

==== Physical damage ====
  * For basic physical attacks this involves the attacker's [[damage roll]] minus the defender's protection roll.
  * [[armor-piercing|Armor Piercing]] attacks halve the defender's [[Protection]]. [[armor-negating|Armor Negating]] attacks ignore Protection entirely.
  * [[Physical damage types]] affect the final result. 
  * Melee attacks [[hit location|hit]] and damage a particular part of the body which can give [[afflictions]] and affect the [[damage roll]]
  * Some weapons give a [[charge bonus]], striking especially hard on first contact.
  * Large damage roll can [[shield destruction|shatter]] or [[shield destruction|destroy shields]].

==== Special Damage =====

Some types of [[damage type|damage]] have special attributes. 
  * [[damage type#fire damage|Fire damage]] can make a unit may catch fire,
  * [[damage type#shock damage|Shock damage]] can stun a target making it unable to perform actions.
  * [[damage type#cold damage|Cold damage]] may freeze a unit, leading to additional [[damage roll#fatigue damage|fatigue damage]].
  * [[Poison damage]] deals damage over time.
  * [[damage type#acid damage|Acid damage]] can cause weapons and armor to rust.
  * If a unit suffers from [[bleeding|profuse bleeding]] it quickly dies unless the bleeding stops.
  * Some units can [[damage tags#Life Drain damage|drain the life]] of their opponents, replenishing their own hit points and reinvigorating them. Other units cause [[damage roll#fatigue damage|fatigue damage]] putting their opponents to sleep.
  * Some attacks cause [[damage tags#paralysis damage|paralysis]].

==== Preventing damage ====
  * High [[Protection]] can protect against many types of damage.
  * [[Physical resistance]] can halve the damage from physical sources.
  * [[elemental resistance|Elemental Resistances]] can prevent damage from elemental effects. [[elemental resistance|Elemental Vulnerabilities]] can increase damage.
  * [[Defensive effects order|Defensive spells and effects]] like ??Twist Fate??, ??Mossbody?? and ??Mistform?? can prevent or decrease damage taken.

^  Combat Mechanics                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |||
| **Rolling to hit**      | //[[attack roll|Melee attacks]]//                     | [[:Attack Roll]] • [[:Fatigue]] • [[:Multiple Attacks]] • [[:Repel]] • [[:Trample]] • [[:Area of Effect]] • [[:Melee Attack Penalties]]                                                                                |
| :::                     | //[[precision roll|Ranged attacks & Spellcasting]]//  | [[:Precision]] • [[:Air Shield]] • [[:Area of Effect]] • [[:Storm]] • [[:Ranged Attack Penalties]]                                                                                                                     |
| **[[:Damage]]**         | //[[:Physical]]//                                     | [[damage type#Blunt damage|Blunt]] • [[damage type#slashing damage|Slashing]] • [[damage type#piercing damage|Piercing]] • [[damage type#untyped damage|Untyped]]                                                      |
| :::                     | //[[:Elemental]]//                                    | [[damage type#fire damage|Fire]] • [[damage type#shock damage|Shock]] • [[damage type#cold damage|Cold]] • [[damage type#poison damage|Poison]] • [[damage type#acid damage|Acid]] • [[damage type#salt damage|Salt]]  |
| :::                     | //[[:Damage Tags]]//                                  | [[:Armor Piercing]] • [[:Armor Negating]] • [[:Magic]] • [[:Fatigue Damage]] • [[:Life Drain]] • [[:Paralysis]] • [[:Soul Slaying]] • [[:Ignores Shield]] • [[:Charge Bonus]]                                          |
| [[:Damage Prevention]]  | //Basic//                                             | [[:Protection]] • [[:Defence Roll|Defence]] • [[Shield|Shields]]                                                                                                                                                       |
| :::                     | //[[Resistances]]//                                   | [[:Physical Resistance]] • [[Elemental Resistance]] • [[Magic Resistance]]                                                                                                                                             |
| :::                     | //Other//                                             | [[:Protective Force]] • [[:Mistform]] • [[:Mossbody]] • [[:Mirror Image]] • [[:Luck]] • [[:Ethereal]] • [[Defensive effects order]] • [[awe]]                                                                          |

{{tag>Combat-Mechanics}}