The Combat System

Please note that the Combat System is a work in progress. You cannot currently battle in combat, but this feature will be coming to the group soon!
The Combat System will be in place when Hunting/Gathering, Quests, and actual opponents have been made for you all to rip apart.

Contents:
1. What is a Battle?
2. The Combat system
        2.a. Standard Battles
        2.b. Quest Battles
        2.c. Boss Battles
        2.d. Riders and Warriors
3. Magic and Abilities
        3.a. Battle Stance
        3.b. Tactics
4. How stats affect the battle
5. Items
       5.a. Battle Items and Held Items
       5.b. Combat Gear

1. What is a Battle?

A Battle is an encounter between two or more parties. Battles can occur as a random event while hunting, gathering, fishing, exploring, expanding your territory or completing quests. These battles are often quick and rough, but sometimes can result in great injury.

There are three main types of battles which you may find your Tark’ee in:
-      Standard Battles – occur randomly, often by fairly easy to defeat creatures. Though sometimes something stronger will rise to protect itself or its territory. The player doesn’t need to initiate standard battles for them to occur.
-       Quest Battles – some battles are a required part of a quest line. Some quests may require you to battle many weak enemies, or to defeat a larger opponent which is threatening a town.
-       Boss Battles – these battles are the most drawn out. These often affect more than one group of Tark’ee belonging to more than one player. As many people can partake in Boss Battles, and it may take a few days, or even weeks (!), to bring these powerful enemies down. The rewards are distributed among the participants.

Each of these battles may come with a difficulty rating. These ratings tell you roughly what level your party should be in order to comfortably defeat the enemy. Fighting below your rating will yield lesser rewards. Fighting above your rating will yield greater rewards, but also significantly greater risk.
Regardless of the battle type you engage in, more effort put into the battle by the player (artwork or literature) increases the chance of a successful battle. Your Tark’ee will still gain the standard Experience Rewards in addition to any combat rewards you may receive. All experience relating to the battle is awarded after the combat has ended.

2. The Combat System

You will find more information on the Stats System in Section 4 of this guide.
Stats are crucial to the success of your battles.

2.a. Standard Battles
Standard battles are initiated often during hunting, gathering, fishing, exploring, etc. These types of battles are common and play out automatically in your daily activity within the group. You, as the player, do not initiate Standard Battles, but they happen randomly.
Your ‘Stance’ (See Section 3.a.) will affect the frequency in which Standard battles play out.
Your ‘Tactics’ (See Section 3.b.) will affect what your Tark’ee will attempt to do when battle is initiated.

Standard battles are common and yield mostly Experience rewards to the Tark’ee involved. It is possible to be hurt during a Standard Battle, so make sure to keep an eye out for your Tark’ee health status before doing another action.

Rarely, it is possibly to receive bonus materials, Silver and other items from a Standard Battle encounter.


2.b. Quest Battles
Quest Battles work differently from Standard Battles in that the individual quest requirements affect how it will play out.
Read the individual quests carefully to determine what YOU have to do in order to complete the quest battle.
Some require just an exploration, in which a series of Standard Battles will play out with no extra input from you as the player. Others will require you to actively partake in the battle, be it through one or more pieces of art or literature.

If you are required to create a piece of artwork or literature depicting your Tark’ee battling monsters or creatures, you need to read the exact specifications. Some are vague, others have a minimal effort required in order to pass the battle successfully.
Please check out the Quest Information page.


2.c. Boss Battles
Boss Battles are very difficult battles which can be initiated in a number of ways:
- A group event
- Random event
- Unlockable, group quests
- Tournaments

All Boss Battles are group-wide battles in which every player, and every Tark’ee can partake in. Every Tark’ee that joins the battle will get a share of the reward relative to how much they helped to take down these brutal opponents.
Unlike the other combat options, Boss Battles are purely art and literature based. As a player, you need to depict your Tark’ee engaging with the Boss in open combat.

Note: It is impossible for a single player to take down a Boss.

Boss creatures, monsters and mobs are able to injure your Tark’ee so badly that they will fall unconscious. As always, make sure to check your Tark’ee profiles after you have engaged in combat so you may find and treat ailments. Unconscious Tark’ee are unable to partake in activities or combat.

Though this risk is very high, the rewards can be greater. Different rank Bosses will yield rewards relative to their difficulty. It is not advised for you to engage Boss Creatures with lower level Tark’ee.


2.d. Riders and Warriors
As part of the Tark’ee universe, it is possible for Tark’ee to have riders and companions. These both may affect the outcome of a battle through providing benefit or hindering the combat.
Every companion, or rider, will present benefits AND hindrances to your Tark’ee.
For example, a Tark’ee with a rider may have an increase to intelligence and strength, but have a decrease to dexterity, stamina and defence due to being weighted down.
Note: Not all Tark’ee can carry a Rider.

3. Magic and Abilities

As a Tark’ee levels up and gains experiences, they may find themselves with knowledge of abilities which were once hidden, or to learn new techniques. These abilities will change the dynamic of battle by providing your Tark’ee with different boons and advantages in combat.
Among the list of abilities a Tark’ee can learn are Stance and Tactics.
Stance affects your Tark’ee’s attitude towards opponents and how potential opponents will view your Tark’ee.
In a party, each Tark’ee can have a different Stance, but they must all share the same Tactic.

Magic and some abilities will be learned through study or experiences – these are rare though and not all Tark’ee can learn how to harness magic. Abilities are the physical alternative to magic, and can be learned by most Tark’ee.

3.a. Battle Stance
Your Stance will affect the frequency in which Standard battles play out, as well as affect your temporary stats. Stances must be learnt, and Tark’ee will start with different Stances available to them at low levels.

Before engaging in an activity, such as questing or hunting, you must choose a Stance for each Tark’ee that is partaking in the activity.

There are 4 Stances currently known:
Aggressive – An aggressive stance will increase the Strength stat, but lower the Defence. Your Tark’ee will have a significantly greater chance of combat.
Neutral – A neutral stance nets no benefit or gain. Your Tark’ee’s stats do not change for this combat series and encounters happen at a normal rate.
Playful – A playful stance will increase Dexterity, but lower Stamina. These Tark’ee have an increased chance of a random event occurring, but a decreased chance of combat.
Wary – A wary stance will increase the Defence stat, but lower the Stamina stat.

3.b. Tactic
Your ‘Tactics’ will affect what your Tark’ee will attempt to do when battle is initiated.
Tactics are Party dependent and the entire party will be using the same Tactics.

Before engaging in an activity, such as questing or hunting, you must choose a Tactic for your party, regardless of how many Tark’ee are in the party.

Kill It With Fire – Your party will ignore defence and put their all into the offensive.
Save Yourself – Your party will play to their own rules, attacking when they’re ready and defending themselves only.
One For All – Your party will be more conservative. Party members will attempt to fight the opponents while protecting one another where possible.
Throw A Blanket On It – Your party will attempt to retreat where possible, ending the combat and yielding no rewards.

4. How Stats Affect the Battle

Stats are a key part to how the battle with play out.
You can learn more about the individual stats here on the Abilities and Stats guide.

The stats relevant to combat are:
Health – how much damage your Tark’ee can take
Strength – how much base physical damage can be inflicted upon the enemy
Intelligence – capacity for magic and magical resistance
Dexterity – ability to dodge, or use ranged weaponry
Defence – physical toughness and how much damage they can stand before it affects their health

For example, a Tark’ee with a large Strength stat may find that they are able to defeat opponents quicker, but a Tark’ee with a low Defence stat will find themselves taking damage faster.

5. Items

Items are another way you may modify the ability of your Tark’ee. Items include one-use items which are consumed but give a buff during combat, such as a health potion, or which are wearable items which can be used to enhance performance, such as armour.
Other items may include weapons or talismans.

5.a. Battle Items and Held Items
Battle Items refers to any item which isn’t necessarily worn by your Tark’ee, but is usable in some way. These items include one-use items such as a throwing stone, or a potion which can be used only in a combat setting – such as a health potion (beneficial to you) or a potion of weakness (detrimental to your opponent).

Held Items are items which you give your Tark’ee to hold for random encounters. Your Tark’ee will use the item when it is appropriate to do so to ensure its survival, or the ease of opponent’s demise.

5.b. Combat Gear
Combat Gear refers to any item which is able to be worn or wielded by your Tark’ee or companion.
Generally, Combat Gear is limited to armour and weapons, but may include certain magical items – such as rings or necklaces - which provide your creatures with a boon to their success.

Skin by ClarityWind