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RPG MECHANICS V : ELEMENTAL AFFINITY
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LouisCyphre
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CloseRPG Mechanics V : Elemental Affinity
Ideal Questions
Ideal Questions
- Firstly, how many elements do you employ? Do you have any unusual elements, such as SMT's Expel and Death elements? Are your elements tied to the plot, or are they just facts of life?
Secondly, how do they modify damage? Is it classic -100% > 0% > 50% > 100% > 150%*, or is there a different dynamic, such as absorption being -300% or multiple levels of weakness? Or does elemental affinity imply something other than extra damage entirely, such as turn losses and gains?
Thirdly, who uses these elements? Is their a dedicated element caster, or are they divided up amongst the party? Do people specialize in a given element, and if so is it related to their personality? Do party members have elemental resistances of their own? Is there a way to maniplate elemental affinity?
Finally, how do you determine enemies' resistances? Is there a set of rules you follow, such as making animals wet has no effect but shorts out robots, or is there a rock-paper-scissors chain to resistance? Is it based on the player's party, or is it arbitrary? How do you determine what element of skills enemies employ - based on which party members can kill them and their resistances, or what?
This is part of a series of topics involving the detailed analysis of the numbers and mechanics of RPGs, what can be kept, and what should be discarded. - RPG Mechanics 4 : Boss Balancing and Strategy
- RPG Mechanics 3 : Random Encounter Design Theory
- RPG Mechanics 2 : Unique Action Command Theory
- RPG Mechanics 1 : HP to Damage Ratios, Other HP Related Discussion
This is a major *ahem* element in SnE's battles and balancing. I carry nine elements - your four basic ones, lightning, ice, and two IKO elements - plus physical attacks. As far plot goes, they're just there. No real rhyme or reason for it. They're there because most RPG players are familiar with their premise, meaning I can spend less time explaining it and more time elsewhere.
The % resist chain looks fairly normal until you hit a weakness - then shit goes down. Multiplying damage by 5 on a weakness is my way of forcing the player to give a damn about elements. Nothing special or fancy about it, yet it completely turns combat on its ass.
Elements are divvied up amongst six characters, with the MC being dual light/dark, another who's also dual element, and physical skills handed out liberally. Characters resist their element, and everyone other than the MC is weak to elements equal to the number of elements they carry. The result is that every element excluding light, dark, and physical has a character that's weak to it. Each character is eventually capable of increasing the party's resistance to their own element, and lowering enemies'. The strategy in party selection usually comes down to choosing what elements you wish to wield and which ones you want to block. There's other things to consider, such as status effects, buffs, debuffs, and healing, but that's a different RPG Mechanics thread.
Enemy resistances and skill sets are usually geared to kill the party member with their weakness. There's obviously more to it than that, but the goal is to prevent a given party member from being useless in a given fight - monsters that can blitz them can also be blitzed BY them.
How many elements do you employ?
Five - one for each of the alchemical elements (Earth, Wind, Water, Fire) and Physical damage. Too many elements get confusing - you can't remember which enemies are weak to what (unless it's too obvious, which can kill the point) or you have to carry around spells like "Earth" in FF7 which has about two weak enemies.
How do they modify damage?
-200% (absorb) - 0% (immune) - 25% (strong) - 100% (normal) - 400% (weak)
I like the "make elements a big deal" idea... most of the time they're just tacked on and the extra damage isn't noticable. With my system, this will make it important to keep elemental spells available for the right time when damage is crucial.
Who uses these elements?
This is where pre-battle strategy comes into play. In my game, I've designed it so you can equip each skill with an elemental attribute, status effect, or some other bonus. Equipping an offensive skill with an elemental attribute gives bonus damage and elemental alignment to an otherwise physical skill. If you want, you can give every character a two or three different elements to work with, at the cost of other possible skill bonuses. These elemental skills will do wonders in the right setting, but may make the skill absolutely useless in others.
There is also a character with a few naturally elemental skills, but they're a little bit weaker. I plan on making each party member weak to an element (not sure how to decide that yet) as well.
How do you determine enemy resistances?
I've designed it so that skills, especially elemental skills, are a little bit stronger than physical ones. I plan on making most monsters' resistances "normal" or "strong", with one elemental weakeness to pick out. I plan on making most monster parties have a slew of weaknesses and strengths, so that you have to hit the right guy with the right attack. You can equip a character with a spell of every element, but that means each spell will only be useful against one type of enemy, and as he is only one character, he cannot take out every monster himself.
Five - one for each of the alchemical elements (Earth, Wind, Water, Fire) and Physical damage. Too many elements get confusing - you can't remember which enemies are weak to what (unless it's too obvious, which can kill the point) or you have to carry around spells like "Earth" in FF7 which has about two weak enemies.
How do they modify damage?
-200% (absorb) - 0% (immune) - 25% (strong) - 100% (normal) - 400% (weak)
I like the "make elements a big deal" idea... most of the time they're just tacked on and the extra damage isn't noticable. With my system, this will make it important to keep elemental spells available for the right time when damage is crucial.
Who uses these elements?
This is where pre-battle strategy comes into play. In my game, I've designed it so you can equip each skill with an elemental attribute, status effect, or some other bonus. Equipping an offensive skill with an elemental attribute gives bonus damage and elemental alignment to an otherwise physical skill. If you want, you can give every character a two or three different elements to work with, at the cost of other possible skill bonuses. These elemental skills will do wonders in the right setting, but may make the skill absolutely useless in others.
There is also a character with a few naturally elemental skills, but they're a little bit weaker. I plan on making each party member weak to an element (not sure how to decide that yet) as well.
How do you determine enemy resistances?
I've designed it so that skills, especially elemental skills, are a little bit stronger than physical ones. I plan on making most monsters' resistances "normal" or "strong", with one elemental weakeness to pick out. I plan on making most monster parties have a slew of weaknesses and strengths, so that you have to hit the right guy with the right attack. You can equip a character with a spell of every element, but that means each spell will only be useful against one type of enemy, and as he is only one character, he cannot take out every monster himself.
Three or six, depending on the scale of the game. Elements have a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, in sets of three.
A -> B -> C -> A
D -> E -> F -> D
With six, A is super effective against B, while D is effective against B. If that makes sense. So in turn, A would do zero damage against C, but would do 50% damage against F.
This stems from my belief that Mega Man games are better served with two cycles, and would be even more interesting if they had two weaknesses to break up the linearity and also to make the first playthrough more accessible to those who aren't pure ownage with the megabuster.
A -> B -> C -> A
D -> E -> F -> D
With six, A is super effective against B, while D is effective against B. If that makes sense. So in turn, A would do zero damage against C, but would do 50% damage against F.
This stems from my belief that Mega Man games are better served with two cycles, and would be even more interesting if they had two weaknesses to break up the linearity and also to make the first playthrough more accessible to those who aren't pure ownage with the megabuster.
Anaryu
8848
Firstly, how many elements do you employ?
6: Intense (Red), Vibrant (Orange), Radiant (Yellow), Harmony (Green), Serene (Blue), Pure (Purple), *Enlightenment (Violet)
* Enlightenment is a secret special one that isn't really used normally so I'm not counting it as a common one)
The colors and names and abilities are based on the major colors of the rainbow and the chakra areas of the body:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/chakra-symbols.html
Secondly, how do they modify damage?
They don't affect damage, they modify results. (Examples from a Tactical game)
Intensity usually increase magnitude of things, for example increasing the blast radius of a special skill and lower cast time.
Vibrancy deals with the power, for example increasing direct damage/healing effects of skills.
Radiance deals with activation, like healing sickness and increasing health at a lower level than fixing wounds (increased regeneration of stamina, etc)
Harmony deals directly with healing, wounds closing faster, minor empathy, more in tune with nature, etc.
Serenity deals with mental calm, increased magical regeneration and the like.
Purity deals with spiritual fullness, cast skills faster and farther.
Enlightenment deals with an understanding of balance, it gives no particular bonuses.
Thirdly, who uses these elements?
Each person has a strongest affinity, basically based on their character and personality. A very calm and calculation person or a kind old man might have a strong Serentiy affinity. A fiery young fighter might have a Vibrant or Intense affinity.
While characters can have multiple affinities it's tied more to their own self, and many can use skills/affinities from all the branches.
The affinities are used to manipulate "raye" energy (like mana or chakra) so "mages" of this universe are simply training on how to manage the multiple different raye energies, even if they don't have an affinity with them. (Their own affinities would be their most numerous skills and easiest to learn though.)
Finally, how do you determine enemies' resistances?
There are no resistances or strengths to or against the various affinities. It's based more on how you use the bonuses or focus them.
Since all effects are always positive it's best to apply the ones you need to yourself, while ensuring your enemies are flooded with affinities that won't help them as much. (Purity for casting time and range on a fighter, or Harmony on a weak bat or character who dies so quickly they can't regenerate health, etc.)
6: Intense (Red), Vibrant (Orange), Radiant (Yellow), Harmony (Green), Serene (Blue), Pure (Purple), *Enlightenment (Violet)
* Enlightenment is a secret special one that isn't really used normally so I'm not counting it as a common one)
The colors and names and abilities are based on the major colors of the rainbow and the chakra areas of the body:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/chakra-symbols.html
Secondly, how do they modify damage?
They don't affect damage, they modify results. (Examples from a Tactical game)
Intensity usually increase magnitude of things, for example increasing the blast radius of a special skill and lower cast time.
Vibrancy deals with the power, for example increasing direct damage/healing effects of skills.
Radiance deals with activation, like healing sickness and increasing health at a lower level than fixing wounds (increased regeneration of stamina, etc)
Harmony deals directly with healing, wounds closing faster, minor empathy, more in tune with nature, etc.
Serenity deals with mental calm, increased magical regeneration and the like.
Purity deals with spiritual fullness, cast skills faster and farther.
Enlightenment deals with an understanding of balance, it gives no particular bonuses.
Thirdly, who uses these elements?
Each person has a strongest affinity, basically based on their character and personality. A very calm and calculation person or a kind old man might have a strong Serentiy affinity. A fiery young fighter might have a Vibrant or Intense affinity.
While characters can have multiple affinities it's tied more to their own self, and many can use skills/affinities from all the branches.
The affinities are used to manipulate "raye" energy (like mana or chakra) so "mages" of this universe are simply training on how to manage the multiple different raye energies, even if they don't have an affinity with them. (Their own affinities would be their most numerous skills and easiest to learn though.)
Finally, how do you determine enemies' resistances?
There are no resistances or strengths to or against the various affinities. It's based more on how you use the bonuses or focus them.
Since all effects are always positive it's best to apply the ones you need to yourself, while ensuring your enemies are flooded with affinities that won't help them as much. (Purity for casting time and range on a fighter, or Harmony on a weak bat or character who dies so quickly they can't regenerate health, etc.)
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