Behind the Scenes: Tiger Beetle combat

I wouldn’t recommend this for most writers, not even LitRPG writers, but there are numbers behind the combat in Phantasm, and I do run through the combats most of the time. This is because I’m curious to see if the the system works, and to see if it needs tweaking.

Most of the action in recent combats has seen Kandis taking a backseat role, though, and since I’m only showing her point of view, a lot of stuff gets missed. So I thought it would be worth taking a look at one of the combats and showing what’s going on.

Tiger Beetle:

Threat: 13, Size: 5, HP: 910, STR: 7, AGL: 7, FIN: 5, Att: 91, Def: 91, Damage: 20, Armour:100

These are the basic stats I use. Size doesn’t actually enter into it, but I use it as a guide for the other stats - I like to average them around it. Most totals are Threat x Stat, which leads to a lot of 13x7=91 in this case.

Kandis: Hit (Dagger): 64, Parry: 69, Damage 30/60 (depending on dagger), Dodge: 36

Kyle: Hit: 140, Parry (Shield): 142, Damage: 180, Dodge: 80

Kyle has a fighter trait that doubles his weapon damage which is why its so high

Cloridan: Hit (Dagger): 192, Hit (Crossbow): 128, Parry: 197, Damage 30, Dodge 120

Cloridan is more experienced than the others so his skills are higher. Also note that the 5 point parry bonus shows up on his stats as well as Kandis’s.

First Round

Two beetles charge at the party, while two go for the illusion. It takes them a round to get into position.

The front two get hit by crossbow bolts. Kandis’ shot does not beat 91, and tings off. Cloridan hits and does (128+7) - 91 +80 -100. Thats Hit - Def + Damage - Armour. It adds up to not much. 24.

Second Round

Illusion beetles first: they generate an attack of 100 and 97, which is unresisted for a damage of 120 and 117. That adds up to 237, which is less than Kandis’s Illusion magic total (280) so the image is still there.

Bug1 engages Kyle. 91 does not beat 142, so it doesn’t do damage. Kyle retaliates doing

(140 + 8) - 91 + 180 - 100 = 137 damage. Felicity attacks, doesn’t do damage. If she was invisible, she’d hit at least, but she still wouldn’t get through the armour. Cloridan on the other hand has precision damage and is invisible. He does 192+7 - 0 (unopposed) + 30 - 100 = 129. He gets 50% extra from Precision damage, so that’s 194. And then he does it again, because he has two attacks. Bug1 is down to 361 HP. In response to that, I decided that it could fan its wings as a defensive manuver, knocking down Cloridan and Kandis, and causing them to loose an action.

Bug 2 pushes forward, ruining the defensive line.

Third Round.

Kandis and Cloridan get up - more urgently in Kandis’s case. She takes a hit for 51 damage from Bug 2.

Bug 4 finishes off the illusion, Bug 3 starts to join the fight.

Bug 1 and Kyle trade blows, Kyle does another 131 damage.

Fourth Round

Kandis casts [Improved Blind], greatly improving her chances. Bug 2 misses her. Cloridan does another double backstab into Bug 2 for another 380ish damage. Cloridan is a beast when invisible. Bug 3 rushes in and attack Kyle, but he can parry two. He does another hit for 136 damage

Round 5

I seem to have made an error here, but I can’t be bothered correcting it. I had Cloridan and Kyle finish off their targets at the same time - I think I wrote down a 340 instead of a 540 for Bug 2’s HP. Whatever. There are two down now, which Kyle is fine to take on. As it is, Kandis blinds one leaving it practically meat for Cloridan to work on. The fight is pretty clear-cut from then on.

I hope people enjoyed that, it was a bit of a pain to work it all out a second time.