Celtic Minstrel
58fbf3b287
- Monster radiate abilities can now specify a spell pattern to use - Fix some abilities being incorrectly shown in the editor's ability details dialog (for example, radiate abilities were shown as "Summon aid") - Add the recently-added monster missile types to the options offered in the editor - Fix chance of activating not being editable for the martyr's shield ability - Show the monster summoned for summoning abilities (finally!) - Show the subcategory for unusual abilities (one of active, passive death) - Fix the displayed percentage chance for summon abilities (the permille was shown instead) - Fix incorrect action point display in the editor for the two recently-added monster missiles - Fix crash when editing a missile ability - Fix abilities page not showing the newly-added or recently-edited ability after exiting the detail/option dialog - Fix pick monster button for summoning abilities being off by one
217 lines
10 KiB
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217 lines
10 KiB
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<h1>Appendix 5 - Monster Abilities</h1>
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<p>When adding a new monster ability, you may have noticed that there are fourteen custom
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options to choose from at the end of the list. These options don't fill in the ability
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parameters with a template; they just present you immediately with the full ability
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dialog. You can also get there by editing an existing ability.</p>
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<p>This appendix covers all the options you can get in the ability editing dialog.</p>
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<p>Note: If you add a custom ability and want to cancel it, you have to click Delete,
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rather than Cancel. Clicking Cancel will cause the ability to be added with default values
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(generally all zeroes).</p>
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<h2>The Basics</h2>
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<p>When editing any monster ability, you'll see four informational fields.</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Monster</b> - This is here to remind you what the monster is you're editing an
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ability for.</li<
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<li><b>Display name</b> - Shows the ability's name as it will be shown in-game, for
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example when casting Scry Monster.</li>
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<li><b>Ability Type</b> - The type of ability. This was set when you added the ability and
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cannot be changed. (If you want to change it, you'll have to add a new ability and delete
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the old one.)</li>
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<li><b>Action Points</b> - Shows the number of action points the ability consumes when the
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monster activates it. This is usually based on the type and subtype, but sometimes you can
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set it directly.</li>
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<li><b>Subtype</b> - Most abilities allow you to choose a subtype. Click Choose to select
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from a list. The options depend on the ability type.</li>
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<li><b>Delete</b> - You can delete the ability by clicking this button.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>Missile Abilities</h2>
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<p>Monsters will not use most missile abilities when adjacent to their target. Missile
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abilities offer the following "subtypes":</p>
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<ul>
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<li>Darts</li>
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<li>Bow and Arrows</li>
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<li>Spears</li>
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<li>Rocks or Stones</li>
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<li>Razordisks</li>
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<li>Spines - can be used while adjacent</li>
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<li>Knives</li>
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<li>Crossbow and Bolts</li>
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<li>Rocks or Boulders - uses an extra action point compared to stones</li>
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<li>Rapid Bow and Arrows - uses one less action point than regular bow</li>
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</ul>
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<p>In addition, you can set the following properties:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Missile Graphic</b> - Click Choose to select your missile graphic from the
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list.</li>
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<li><b>Dice, Sides</b> - This works the same as the monster's regular attacks.</li>
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<li><b>Range</b> - The maximum range at which the ability can function, in tiles.</li>
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<li><b>Chance</b> - The per mille chance (ie, out of 1000) that the monster chooses to use
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this ability.</li>
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<li><b>Skill</b> - This is similar to the monster's skill level, affecting their chance of
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hitting.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>General Abilities</h2>
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<p>General abilities cover several categories with a variety of effects. Some of these are
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obvious, others less so. Even when ranged, monsters will also use most of these abilities
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while adjacent to their target. The following is a list of all ability types classified as
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general, using the terminology from the Add Ability page:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Damage</b> - Deals direct damage. Ability strength indicates the number of dice;
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the number of sides is determined by the subtype (ray/gaze - d6, breath - d8, touch/spit -
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d10).</li>
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<li><b>Damage (full attack)</b> - Like damage, but takes 4 action points when used as a
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breath weapon ability. If used as a touch attack, it's identical to damage. You get this
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type by selecting a simple breath weapon (fire, ice, electricity, or darkness).</li>
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<li><b>Status Effect</b> - Afflicts the target with some status effect. Ability strength
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is the amount inflicted.</li>
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<li><b>Field</b> - Places fields around the target. Ability strength indicates the size of
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the affected area; press Choose to select one. Note that the open square will not damage
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the target itself.</li>
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<li><b>Petrification</b> - Turns target to stone. Ability strength affects the chance of
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resisting.</li>
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<li><b>SP drain</b> - Drains spell points. Ability strength is the percentage of spell
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points drained.</li>
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<li><b>XP drain</b> - Drains experience. Draining experience does not affect your level,
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but you'll need to regain the experience before you can gain a level. Ability strength is
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the amount drained.</li>
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<li><b>Death</b> - Kills the target by dealing a very large amount of damage. Ability
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strength indicates the number of d10's to roll (it's multiplied by 10, so a strength of 1
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means 10d10).</li>
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<li><b>Steal food/gold</b> - Drains your food or gold. Ability strength is the maximum
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amount to drain (a random number less than or equal is taken).</li>
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<li><b>Undead stat</b> - This is similar to status effect, but is also negated by the
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life-saving item ability.</li>
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<li><b>Weapon stat</b> - This is the same as status effect, except when used as a touch
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attack. In that case, it can only occur on attack 1, never on attacks 2 or 3. You could
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use this for a beast with a disease-ridden bite or an assassin with a poisoned blade.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>They offer the following "subtypes":</p>
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<ul>
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<li>Ray
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<li>Touch - no range, occurs as part of normal melee attack</li>
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<li>Gaze
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<li>Breath
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<li>Spit - can't be used while adjacent</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Note that a non-ranged attack could be made using Ray, Gaze, or Breath simply by
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limiting the range to 1, but this still differs from a Touch attack because the latter
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accompanies the plain damage of the monster's regular attack.</p>
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<p>In addition, you can set the following properties:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Missile Graphic</b> - Click Choose to select your missile graphic from the
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list.</li>
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<li><b>Range</b> - The maximum range at which the ability can function, in tiles.</li>
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<li><b>Chance</b> - The per mille chance (ie, out of 1000) that the monster chooses to use
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this ability.</li>
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<li><b>Strength</b> - This determines how powerful the ability is. Its exact effect
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depends on the ability type.</li>
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<li><b>Damage, Status, or Field Type</b> - Additional information for some ability types;
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the meaning is obvious. Click Choose to select one from a list.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>Radiate Field Abilities</h2>
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<p>Monsters that radiate fields are automatically immune to their own fields. Since
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radiate abilities are passive, they take no action points. A radiate ability provides no
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subtypes; the only editable parameters are as follows:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Field Type</b> - The type of field to radiate. You can pick anything, but keep in
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mind that when the radiation is activated, an area centred on the creature is filled with
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fields, so generally something like barriers or forcecages is a poor choice.</li>
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<li><b>Radiate Chance</b> - The percent chance each turn of the ability activating.</li>
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<li><b>Affected Area</b> - The area to effect. Click Choose to select one.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>Summoning Abilities</h2>
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<p>Since summon abilities are passive, they take no action points to activate. They do
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have the following subtypes:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Specific</b> - Always summons a specific type of creature that you choose.</li>
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<li><b>Strength</b> - Summons a creature based on its summon strength, just like the
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general summoning spells.</li>
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<li><b>Race</b> - Summons a creature based on its race. This form can potentially result
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in wildly different levels, so use it with caution.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>You can specify the following parameters for a summoning ability:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Monster, race, etc</b> - Specify what sort of creature to summon by clicking the
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Choose button.</li>
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<li><b>Max, min</b> - The number of monsters summoned will be a random number in this
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range.</li>
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<li><b>Duration</b> - You can specify how long the summoned monsters will remain.</li>
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<li><b>Chance</b> - The percent chance each turn of summoning.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2>Other Abilities</h2>
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<p>There are several other abilities that can be added to monsters. They don't have a
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dedicated "Custom Ability" option, but you can edit them after adding for some increased
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customization. (The special node abilities assume you'll want to do this and automatically
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open the edit window once you've saved the node.)</p>
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<ul>
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<li><b>Splits when hit</b> - You can specify the per mille chance of the monster splitting
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each time it is hit.</li>
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<li><b>Permanent martyr's shield</b> - You can specify the per mille chance of the
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martyr's shield activating each time the monster is hit.</li>
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<li><b>Absorb spells</b> - You can specify the per mille chance of spells being absorbed
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each time the monster is subject to them. Normally, the monster gains health proportional
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to the damage that would have been dealt; however, some non-damaging effects can also be
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absorbed, and in that case the monster gains a fixed amount of health that you specify
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here.</li>
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<li><b>Shoots webs</b> - This is a legacy support type, but you can nevertheless specify
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the range of the ability and the per mille chance of the monster deciding to use it. It
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differs from a general field ability in that the monster will use it even if adjacent to
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the target.</li>
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<li><b>Heat ray</b> - This is a legacy support type, but you can nevertheless specify the
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range, strength (in number of d6's), and per mille chance of the monster deciding to use
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it. It differs from a standard damage ray in that it costs only one action point. It does
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not allow you to customize the damage type; it always deals fire damage.</li>
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<li><b>Special action</b> - This calls a special node as part of the monster's action. You
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can specify how many action points it costs as well as the per mille chance of the monster
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deciding to use it. Of course, from here you can also edit the special node that is
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called.</li>
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<li><b>Death/hit special</b> - This calls a special node when the monster dies or when it
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is hit. It does not have any options (other than specifying which node to call). Of
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course, from here you can edit the special node that is called.</li>
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</ul>
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