Hinder
Hindering an opponent is a key figure within combat. Preventing the opponent's ability to react, to attack, or simply to engage can turn the tables in the favour of either side, given the timing and success of the action. Players who use hinder based attacks can choose to halve their damage in favour of placing disadvantages on all the target's actions for the next cycle.
Protect
Protecting a companion comes in many forms; from covering them with your shield, your body, or through intervening in an assault against them. Players who use protect based actions instead turn the attack upon themselves, taking the damage another player would have taken. Protecting halves the incoming damage that the player would take as they defend their allies. Note: Ultra Protect allows a player to protect up to three allies, and decreases the incoming damage by one third (1/3).
Taunt
Taunting pulls the attention of the creature towards the player, in the hopes that it will focus on the defender. Taunters must make a Mastery Check against the DC of the target to see if they draw its attention towards themselves, using the Mastery that they are attempting to taunt with.
Taunter's give up their natural defensive state of remaining anonymous within the crowd, and pull the full attention of the creature towards them - possibly incurring more dangerous attacks from enemy creatures.
Ranged Weapons
There lie many benefits with keeping range between yourself and your target; including, but not limited to the ability to stay out of its reach. Ranged weapons, including any weapons that could conceivably be thrown, have a range of two (2) tiles.
Recover
Recovering oneself is an important concept in combat; whether it be to recover one's health, or the energy that is consumed by simply being involved. Players may take the recover action in order to try and increase either of these two stats, using the standard rolling system (1d20).
Revive
Bringing one's friends back to life is an important task - sometimes more so than defending oneself. Revive can be used as a bonus action, but all other actions on that turn are done with disadvantage, and make the target Vulnerable.
Vulnerable
Making oneself Vulnerable is never ideal, but sometimes risks must be taken in order to succeed. Vulnerable targets cannot be protected by other players, and become the forefront of an enemies attention if there are no successful taunts. Vulnerability does not incur increased damage, unless a critical attack is made - at which point the attack does three times (3x) the final roll damage.
Weakness
Regardless of the player's choice on pain limiter, eventually the effects of lost health catch up. Once a player reaches 25% health points, all actions are made at disadvantage as they struggle to maintain control of themselves.
Energy System
Energy is the main source of a player's power - and as such is the most important thing for a player to consider outside of their health. Each player begins with a base one hundred (100) energy (EN), as standard. For every rank in armour, players receive +10 energy (EN); a max rank (S Rank) player would therefore have one hundred-sixty (160) energy (EN).
There are numerous ways in which a player can use their energy, and while some actions may cost a debatable amount of consumption, the below are the common outlined consumptions.
Basic Action: Any action that is considered a standard action, such as a normal attack, recover or rush consume no energy.
Mastery Action: Any action which requires the user to activate their mastery (such as Mastery Checks), consumes five (5) energy (EN).
Combative Action: Any action which attempts to attack, hinder, or otherwise effect an enemy or companion in combat (such as a normal attack, a defensive action, or a supportive action), consumes ten (10) energy (EN).
Special Action: Any action which classifies as a special action (special attacks and/or actions) are more difficult, more consuming abilities. While these come with natural side effects (Vulnerability, etc.), they also consume higher amounts of energy. Each Special Action consumes fifteen (15) energy.
Combination Assault: Combination assaults are taxing, wearing a user down more heavily due to the increased output. As such, these actions can quickly tear away at a user's energy faster than anything else. Combination Assaults consume thirty (30) energy.
Creative Actions/Questionable Consumption: Certain actions may be outside the norm, and require a more thorough review of the consumption of energy that a user is expected to see. These will be dealt with on a case-by-case performance, and actioned accordingly.
Once a player runs out of energy, they are able to use any Basic Action, or free action while they wait for the energy to recover. Players cannot have their energy drained beneath zero (0), regardless of any effects in place.
Combination Assault
Players who have spent time with their masteries, or through sheer luck, have come to realise that they can combine the powers of two masteries for a more impressive reaction. Any player may take the risk of combining two masteries together for a combined result, as outlined below.
Rolling: Players roll each mastery separate, and combine the two results before dividing the combined result in half for the overall result. As an example;
Critical Attack
2d100 (Advantage) (4, 97) + 25 + 25 + 25 = 516 (Crit!)
516 damage
Gain the Vulnerable state
Slash Weapons | Kyra Vashtana | Example
Critical Attack
2d100 (Advantage) (65, 96) + 25 + 25 + 25 = 513 (Crit!)
513 damage
Gain the Vulnerable state
Aeromancy | Kyra Vashtana | Example
On a natural one-hundred (100) roll, players may combine both rolls together without the need to divide the results as a show of the immense power that they are releasing. However, on a natural one (1) roll, players instead take the combination result of damage themselves, as the combined powers backfire and explode in the player's face instead. Note that the natural roll is not required on both rolls, however only the status effects of the natural roll will be applied to the final attack.
Elemental Abilities
Elements play a common occurrence in most mastery abilities, and general life in TerraSphere. It is not uncommon for such elements to have secondary effects and abilities, as outlined below.
Pyromancy/Fire: Flames burn, as is commonly known. These actions have a chance of applying further damage, either through conditional status or increased damage against foes that are susceptible to flame and fire. Critical attacks (natural 100), or attacks made against creatures that are considered susceptible, apply the Burn condition to a target.
Hydromancy/Water: Water, considered life giving in many instances, can also play a deadly and dangerous role in one's existence. These actions have a chance of applying further damage, either through conditional status or increased damage against foes that are susceptible to the flow of water. Critical attacks (natural 100), or attacks made against creatures that are considered susceptible, apply the Submerged condition to a target.
Geomancy/Stone: Nothing is considered strong than natural stone within the natural world. So much so, that most structures of any worth, whether it be armour worn by a person or a building meant to house people, can trace their designs back to the strength of stone. These actions have a chance of applying further damage, either through conditional status or increased damage against foes that are susceptible to the solid strike of stonework. Critical attacks (natural 100), or attacks made against creatures that are considered susceptible, apply the Earthen condition to a target.
Aeromancy/Air: They say that the whisper of a breeze is the note of a coming storm, and that a great storm will one day clear away all before it. In the world of TerraSphere, nothing could be more terrifying than the electrical essence brought forth through the arts of Aeromancy, or the storms on the horizon. These actions have a chance of applying further damage, either through conditional status or increased damage against foes that are susceptible to the eye of the storm. Critical attacks (natural 100), or attacks made against creatures that are considered susceptible, apply the Tempest condition to a target.
Aphotic Magics: Aphotic magics come in many forms, but normally contain those masteries which are considered naturally darker in nature. These abilities often find themselves corrupting or contaminating the actions of the caster, user, or those in front of it. These actions have a chance of applying further damage, either through conditional status or increased damage against foes that are susceptible to the corruptive nature. Critical attacks (natural 100), or attacks made against creatures that are considered susceptible, apply the Tainted condition to a target. Note: Dark Magics include; Dark Magic, Hemomancy, Illusion Magic, Shadow Arts, Animancy and Corrupt. These masteries can possibly be considered otherwise, depending on the player's usage.
Altruistic Magics: Altruistic magics are those which are viewed as being beneficial to those around them, whether it be the people, the plants, the animals or whatever being is the focus of the magics. While these can be known to damage essences that come from an aphotic nature, they are often seen as blessings in disguise. These actions have a chance of applying further damage, either through conditional status or increased damage against foes that are susceptible to the uncorruptive nature. Critical attacks (natural 100), or attacks made against creatures that are considered susceptible, apply the Hallowed condition to a target. Note: Astramancy, Divine Magic, Harmonic Magic, Nature Magic, Spirit Magic, Mend. These masteries can possibly be considered otherwise, depending on the player's usage.
Status Effects
Every creature, player and lifeform in TerraSphere may find themselves under the effects of a symptom known to players as a Status Effect. These effects have varying degrees of results on the individual, depending on the cause of the effect being applied.
Burn: The flames of a fire leave marks on almost everything they touch. Individuals and/or creatures under the effect of Burn may gain either of the two effects, depending on if the action was offensive or defensive in nature. Offensive: The target takes 10 Burn damage per Mastery Rank, until the effect is cleared and gains the Afeared status.
Defensive: The target is covered in protective flames, and any attacks against it cause 5 Burn damage per Mastery Rank in retaliation to the attacker, and gains the Afeared status.
Submerged: Water provides many forms in life, either giving life, or taking it. Individuals and/or creatures under the effect of Submerged may gain either of the two effects, depending on if the action was offensive or defensive in nature. Offensive: The target takes 1 Submerged damage per Mastery Rank, until the effect is cleared. For each turn that the status is not cleared, the base damage of this effect is doubled (i.e. on turn two (2) the base damage is 2 Submerged damage per Mastery Rank, turn three (3) would be 4 Submerged damage per Mastery Rank, etc.).
Defensive: The target is surrounded by a wall of water which slows, or inhibits attacks against it. Any incoming damage is halved as it is slowed by the protective layer around the target.
Earthen: Stone is considered the epitome of pure protection, the hardness of rock the forefront of all armour advancements. Individuals and/or creatures under the effect of Earthen may gain either of the two effects, depending on if the action was offensive or defensive in nature. Offensive: The target suffers from the effects of the assault breaking whatever armour(s) they may have, fracturing their defenses. Difficulty Challenges to attack the creature are halved until the end of the cycle.
Defensive: The target is surrounded by stone in order to protect itself, creating a natural layer of armour atop whatever else the target may be wearing. The target is immune to any attacks during this cycle, but cannot take actions of their own while encased.
Tempest: Winds, hail, lightning and the very essence of anger are the central imagery of the storms that strike fear into most mortal creatures. Individuals and/or creatures under the effect of Tempest may gain either of the two effects, depending on if the action was offensive or defensive in nature. Offensive: The target takes 4 Tempest damage per Mastery Rank as it is eviscerated by the winds, or electrical snaps of the assault, until the status is cleared. While the target is under the effects of Tempest, its ability to retaliate is limited, and all actions are made with disadvantage.
Defensive: The target is encased in the eye of the storm, protecting them from incoming attacks while still allowing them to strike out. Until the end of the cycle, all incoming damage is halved, while all outgoing damage applies the Tempest effect for one cycle.
Tainted: Aphotic magics effect the very soul of a target, as well as the caster, corrupting anything it touches while imbuing immense outbursts of power. Individuals and/or creatures under the effect of Tainted may gain either of the two effects, depending on if the action was offensive or defensive in nature. Offensive: The target takes a burst of 10 Tainted damage per Mastery Rank, and must make a Will save against a DC equal to the damage taken, or lose its turn for the following cycle.
Defensive: The target is surrounded by illusions, whispers, or other corruptive measures in order to protect itself. Any incoming attacks must pass a Will save against a DC equal to the Mastery Rank bonus that was used to protect the target (i.e. S Rank would be DC 25).
Hallowed: Altruistic magics are often seeing as protective abilities that are inherently good. However, these spells can sometimes have negative impacts, depending on the target that is on the receiving end of them. Individuals and/or creatures under the effect of Hallowed may gain either of the two effects, depending on if the action was offensive or defensive in nature. Offensive: The target must make a Reflex save against a DC equal to the Mastery Rank bonus that was used to assault the target (i.e. S Rank would be DC 25), or find itself paralysed in response to the assault, losing its ability to do anything until the end of the cycle.
Defensive: The target gains 5 health points per Mastery Rank, or +5 buff bonus per Mastery Rank at the choice of the defender/caster, until the end of the cycle.
Afeared: A creature under the effects of Afeared must make a Will save against a determined DC, or find itself unable to attack the target that has caused it to be afraid. Afeared targets are still free to act against those targets that have not caused the status effect, should any be in the vicinity.
