NewCombatSystem

If you are a combat tester head over to NewCombatSystemUpdates for the latest news.

Introduction
Hello, and welcome to Todd's Awesome Combat System (TACS for short). I am your guide, Todd. (How convenient!) To make a really long story short, I have endeavored over the past two(ish) years on and off (OK, mostly off) to replace the currently existing TF2005 combat system (referred to as "legacy" from now on) that has been in place for over 13 years. My goal was to make something that was First and foremost FUN, robust, complex, and not too complicated. Hopefully I have succeeded, if not, keep in mind that much of this system will likely remain something of a "work in progress" as it matures.

Stats
Dexterity is now Accuracy. Speed is now Agility. Hopefully that wasn't too confusing!

Mode Variable Stats
Characters are no longer limited to having the same stats in both modes. The best example of this is someone like Broadside. As a robot or plane, he is somewhat agile, but as a gigantic aircraft carrier, he should be incredibly slow and easy to hit. In the legacy combat system, we weren't able to make this distinction and ended up with a ridiculously agile aircraft carrier. In the new system Broadside can have different Agility stats for each of his modes.

Mode-Variable Stats:
 * Strength (STR)
 * Firepower (FRP)
 * Accuracy (ACC)
 * Agility (AGL)

Mode-Specific Stats remain the same:
 * Armor
 * Size
 * Velocity (VEL)

Core Stats
We now we need to differentiate between two types of stats: Mode stats change whenever you transform (see above), while Core stats are the same regardless of what mode you are in.

Core Stats:
 * Energon
 * Endurance (END)
 * Courage (COU)
 * Leadership (LDR)
 * Intelligence (INT)
 * Technical (TECH)

Energon
Energon functions a little differently in the new system. It can be thought of like a "stamina" or "weapon cost" statistic. Each turn, your energon will decrease or increase depending on what attack you are using. Particularly strong attacks will use lots of energon, weak or "freebie" global attacks will actually result in a net energon increase for that round. This way, players are forced to be smart and cycle their attacks appropriately. You will need to "save up" energon for a particularly heavy attack by using weaker attacks. Alternatively, you can use the !pass command to pass your turn and gain a small boost to your normal energon recharge.

Another advantage of this system is that no one will ever be stuck at zero energon and forced to do nothing. Instead, they can use global attacks and/or pass to recharge their energon.

The amount of energon you gain when you pass also depends on your defense level. The more you are actively defending yourself, the less energon you will receive.

Attacks
Attacks are one of the biggest (if not the biggest) changes in the new combat system. Attacks are now highly customizable and come with lots of fun new side-effects.

Attack Name
Attacks are now much more personal, so the names are as well. Typically characters will have 1 or 2 specific mid-level attacks, and 1 (or more if an EFC, less if a low-level FC) signature high-level attack. So, now instead of "Plasma" Hot Spot has "Fireball Cannon". And instead of "Special", Dirge has "Fear Jets". Note that now all basic melee & simple ranged attacks are covered under GLOBAL ATTACKS (see above).

Attack Type
These are mostly unchanged from the legacy system:
 * Melee
 * Ranged
 * Area-Melee
 * Area-Ranged
 * Velocity (formerly known as ram)

See !combatinfo attack-type for more information.

Damage Level
Damage levels roughly correlate to attack costs (CharGen Points) under the legacy system. So, in the old system, electricity cost 4 points -- or a "level 4" attack. In the new system, a "level 4" attack will do comparable damage -- but it can be any kind of attack, not just electricity! You could have a "level 4" laser, rocket, bomb, judo chop, sword, freeze ray, glue gun, or pretty much anything.

Damage Type
As discussed previously in the paragraph on Protection, attacks can now do different types of damage. So, you could have a level 4 Energy attack (big laser) or a level 7 Impact (dino-chomp) attack. Additionally, you can mix and match damage types, so something like a napalm attack could have both Fire and Explosive damage types.

See !combatinfo damage-type for a complete listing.

Effects
Attack effects are special add-ons that modify an attack. In the old system, an attack that stunned a target was it's own attack (called "special"). Well, now STUN is an add-on to any attack. So, you could have a "Level 2 Impact Stun", or any number of other combinations.

There are a lot of effects, but don't be too alarmed -- most are extremely rare and limited to specific specialized Feature Characters or TP Characters only. Also keep in mind that some effects actually penalize your attack (Inaccurate, Backfire, Overpowered, etc). When you are making your character, taking these kinds of penalties will allow you to "sell down" in order to get more points to spend elsewhere. For example, say you only have 4 points to spare. What you really want is a Level 5 Ranged Photon attack. Since this costs 5 points, you are out of luck. But if you throw on the "Overpowered" effect (cost -1) you can afford it... but knowing that you will have to live with whatever penalty "Overpowered" does to you.

See !combatinfo effect for a complete listing.

Scout
Scout is not a new ability, but in the new system it is much more useful. People with Scout can now use the !analyze command to gather "intel" on an enemy target. The scout uses this information to give themselves a damage boost on their next attack against that target. Alternatively, the scout can pass the information on to an ally and let them have the boost.

Stealth Suite
Commands and abilities have been renamed to (hopefully) make their uses more obvious:
 * Invisibility is now CLOAK and uses the !cloak command
 * Stealth is now SNEAK and uses the !sneak command
 * Enhanced_Senses is now an active ability and can use the !detect command
 * Radar is still an active ability and can use the !radar command

Stealthed (Cloaked or Sneaking) characters can access the special Hidden Defense Level that will give them a chance for a "sneak attack" on an unsuspecting target. If they are discovered early by someone with Radar or Enhanced Senses, they will be stuck in the penalizing Off-Guard defense level.

Forcefields
Forcefields work entirely different in the new system. When you cast a forcefield on yourself (or someone else) any damage you take will be deducted from your Energon. Casting a forcefield does not affect your chance to evade incoming attacks, and you can still attack while casting the forcefield. But beware! If your forcefield takes a major hit it may blow out, resulting in your finding yourself without energon.

Defense Level
A new addition to the combat system. Adjusting your character's Defense Level (allowed one time per turn) gives your character a slight defensive bonus (better chance at dodging) at the expense of a slightly offensive penalty (less likely to hit). Some defense levels (such as Hidden) are usable only by certain characters and will give extra bonuses. Use the !defend command for a listing of the available defense levels.

Velocity Dodge
In certain situations characters will now get a "velocity boost" when dodging certain types of attacks. This serves to:
 * 1) Make alternate-modes more useful
 * 2) Make the combat system a bit more realistic
 * 3) Make room-specific movement abilities (swim, dive, space-walk, etc) more useful relative to their costs

You will receive a small dodge bonus to any Non-Ranged attack when:
 * You are in an alternate (vehicle/animal) mode and someone attempts to Melee you
 * It is very hard to punch a jet
 * You are in a Sky Room and have Flight in your current mode
 * You are in a Water Surface Room and have Swim in your current mode
 * You are in a Space Room and have Space-Walk in your current mode

You will receive a slightly larger dodge bonus to all attacks when:
 * You are in an Underwater Room and have Dive in your current mode
 * You are in a Space Room and have Space-Flight in your current mode
 * You are in an Interstellar Space Room and have FTL in your current mode

In all cases this boost is based off of velocity in your current mode and also relatively small, especially compared to defense levels.

Protection
Protection works like extra armor for specific types of attacks. For example, Hot Spot is especially resistant to fire and heat. So, he should take less damage than usual from fire-related attacks. In the new combat system this is done through Protection. Note that "protection" can also go the other way! If a character is highly susceptible to electrical-based attacks, this can be reflected by a negative protection value for electricity. In combat, protection values function as a modifier on a character's armor. So, if Hot Spot's armor is normally 4, if you are attacking him with a flamethrower it might be 5 or even 6. See also the section on Damage Types.

Protection/Weaknesses will eventually be available for purchase, in which case the costs will be scaled by popularity. For example, being resistant to Fire will cost more than being resistant to Water since there are many more Fire attacks out there in the world. Secondly, certain Damage Types like Impact, Energy, and Misc may be off limits to players.

If your character has any Protection or Weaknesses they will show up under your !profile and !systems commands.

Global Attacks
In the old system, individual characters were given "freebie" attacks like punch and kick. In the new system, every player has access to a number of "global" attacks that are meant to have their names customized. Note that 'Grab' replaces the special 'grasp' command, and that now there are standard global "laser" attacks since essentially every transformer has some kind of low-level ranged attack (typically a laser). The special 'ram' command has been replaced by the 'Charge' global attack.

You can use the !globals command for a listing of free/global attacks and !attackname to customize them.

Patch
This is a separate command that replaces Jury Rig. Suitable for "field medic" types to do minor repairs during combat. Characters with the REPAIR or HEAL abilities will be able to use this command on their respective species.

Crackshot
Especially accurate characters can now acquire the Crackshot ability, giving them access to the !aim command. This gives them an accuracy bonus against a specific target.

Inspire
Characters with especially high Leadership scores can use the !inspire command to give their allies a courage boost during combat. If this happens to raising someone over their Courage-Endurance limit, they will no longer be SCARED or suffer those accuracy penalties.

Resupply
Characters with this ability will be able to re-arm their allies, allowing them to use their Ammunition-Based Attacks.

Refuel
Characters with this ability will be able to refill their allies energon reserves out of their own tanks. Refuellers can choose how much energon to transfer, so be nice to Octane.

Weapon Objects
In the new system, you are not limited only to attacks listed on your character. Given they have permission (see the +help file for !control), characters can access attacks from the following sources:
 * Other Characters - If they have attacks with the CONTROL effect (think characters that are "wielded" like Megatron or have "mini base" modes like the Combiner Leaders)
 * Inventory Objects - Special MUSH objects can be designated as Independent Weapon Objects. You can use attacks from these objects while you are carrying them in your inventory. These objects could (depending on their control lock) be given to other players or dropped on the ground.
 * Typical weapons will use up their own energon when used.
 * Specialized "one off" weapons use ammunition instead of energon and therefore have only a limited number of charges.
 * Other specialized weapons (e.g. bombs) will self-destruct after being used
 * Room Objects - Special MUSH objects on the grid will have attacks you can use. Think of "base defenses", where any faction member can use their attacks during a combat turn. Like Independent Weapon Objects (above) they can run off of energon or ammunition.

Capture Points
Certain rooms on the grid will have Capture Points, viewable by the !cappoints command. Capture Points can be held by any character, and can potentially give them access to offensive, defensive, or damage bonuses. Some Capture Points have attacks linked to them; these will show up on !attacks if you are occupying a point and can be used similarly to a separate weapon object attack (above section).