Post by Trippy Hare on Sept 25, 2006 9:40:54 GMT -5
Get ready, Private, it's time to go over the Material Rating! We'll cover everything that has to do with the Material Rating, which includes weapons and armor. For instructional purposes, any weapons and armor mentioned in this training regimen will be plain...that is, no special extra properties, no unusually high Material Rating number, nothing out of the ordinary.
Material Ratings
Material Rating, or MR, is the durability/malleability rating of every piece of armor, weaponry, and equipment in Eshathar. The softer something is/easier it is to bend and shape, the lower its MR. Which means that the tougher/harder something is, the higher its MR. Ranged weapon ammunition, like arrows, darts, and bolts, also have an Impact MR (IMR), which represents the force that ammo exerts when it hits its target. For example, a blowgun dart would not have a great deal of force on impact, so its IMR is 4. Whereas an armor-piercing bolt has a much greater impact, so its IMR is 9.
MR and your Strength attribute are closely tied together, as your Strength determines the MR or armor you can wear, as well as the MR of any weapon you carry. If you have a Strength of 5, you can wear armor with an MR of 5, and wield a weapon with an MR of 5. You cannot wear any armor with greater than 5 MR, nor can you carry or use any weapon with an MR greater than 5. Since I know your just dyin' to know what sort of armor you can wear, here's a handy guide to Armor MR's. Remember, this is only a generalization, and only applies to basic Armor. Check the Armory for specific MR ratings on equipment, as new armor or weapons will be added periodically. Without further ado:
As you can imagine, the MR of the armor you wear determines how much damage it can absorb or prevent. Another important factor in how much damage you do, or is dealt to you, is the MR of the weapon used. Again, this table only applies to basic weapons, and is not meant to be an exact representation. Also, the material a weapon is made from will determine its MR, not where the weapon is listed in this table. All weapons in the Armory will have a specified MR, even if the material they are made of is not specified. Use your imagination, this is a game after all. Anyway, here's a quick guide to weapon MR's:
Of course, thrown/ranged weapons follow a different rule. The material it is made from doesn't matter for ranged weapons, only the type of weapon used. Armor-piercing arrows can be made of the same wood as normal arrows, but will have a significantly higher MR. This doesn't mean you can tie a bunch of arrows together to make some armor, the MR of ranged weaponry is on impact, as discussed above (IMR).
Impact MR does NOT determine how much damage the listed item can do, only what level armor it can penetrate through. A bolt may penetrate Brass armor and only do 3 damage, while a thrown Claymore may only penetrate bone or leather armor, but do 60 damage. The damage done by impact weapons is determined by the Strength of the character using them, and is completely independent of the IMR.
Armor Basics
As mentioned earlier, you can only wear armor with an MR equal to, or less than, your Strength attribute, provided you don't have any bonuses from skills or from enchantments/abilities on the armor, itself. A piece of armor's MR also determines how much abuse it can take. If you hit a Steel (10) helmet with a Wooden Staff (2), it won't have much effect. If you hit the same helmet (10) with a Claymore (9), it's going to do considerable damage to that helmet. Of course, if you hit the same helmet (10) with the same wooden staff (2) repeatedly, it will eventually leave a sizable dent.
I don't expect you to keep track of every blow your armor takes. Just remember that armor is not invincible to everything with a lower MR. Armor will periodically need to be repaired if you want to continue using it. Repairs will always cost 1 Renown per MR for basic armor, 1 Glory per MR for enchanted, or otherwise enhanced, armor. So that steel helmet will cost 10 Renown to repair. In addition, Armor helps reduce the amount of damage you take, and if sufficiently high in MR compared to the weapon that strikes it, can even prevent it altogether. If your armor is 6 MR higher (or more) than the MR of the weapon striking it, only your armor is damaged. Again, this applies only to basic weapons striking basic armor. Also, if you successfully execute a Dodge, neither you nor your armor takes any damage.
Finally, armor can be broken by a weapon that is significantly higher in MR, 6 or better. You will still take reduced damage, as some armor (even crappy armor) is better than none. In this case, whether your armor breaks depends on a 1d6 roll, with the difference in MR's added to the result of the die. If that total is 6 or higher, your armor is broken.
Broken armor counts as no armor at all, so repair broken armor right away. Enchanted armor, even with all its enhancements, will still be counted as non-existent if broken, and you will lose any enhancements on it. Broken armor costs 2 Renown per MR to repair for basic, 3 Glory per MR for enhanced.
Shields are a variety of armor, though they behave differently than body armor. Shields have an MR, and can break a weapon or get broken, and costs to repair them are the same as for armor. A character must have Strength equal to the shield's MR to carry it. But, unlike body armor, Shields do NOT reduce damage whatsoever. Shields allow a character to block, though characters with certain skills can block without shields. Blocking prevents ALL damage dealt, either directly or by a weapon's ability. You can carry a shield and wear armor. We'll get into shields a bit more next week, but for now, all you need to know is that they are like armor in almost every way.
Weapon Basics - melee
Melee weapons operate with the same MR rules outlined so far, and like armor, cost 1 Renown per MR to repair basic weapons, 1 Glory to repair enhanced weapons. You shouldn't repair weapons at every use, just keep in mind that they will, occasionally, need repairs.
The amount of damage a weapon does relies on your Strength attribute primarily, but also factors in its MR. If you are striking a target with armor 6 MR or more higher than your weapon's MR, you will only damage their armor, not their HP. In addition, your weapon has a possibility of breaking, following the same rules as outlined in the Armor Basics section. A broken weapon counts as no weapon, so its MR is not figured in to the total damage dealt, neither will a broken magical weapon add any bonuses whatsoever. Here's an example:
To simplify: high MR weapon against a low MR armor may break the armor. Broken armor confers no bonuses whatsoever, and does not reduce damage at all. High MR armor against a low MR weapon may break the weapon. Broken weapons do not deal any additional damage, and confer no bonuses whatsoever.
Weapon Basics - ranged
Unlike melee weapons, ranged weapons themselves (like a bow) have no MR. A character can carry any ranged weapon, regardless of Strength, unless otherwise specified. If there are any requirements to use a ranged weapon, it will be noted in the Armory information for that weapon. Ranged weapons require two parts to use: the weapon itself, like a bow or crossbow, and the ammunition to fire it, such as arrows or bolts. One without the other does not count as a weapon: however, any bonuses on a weapon will remain on the character. For example:
Unless otherwise specified, ranged weapons never run out of ammo once it is purchased. If you purchase a basic bow and basic arrows, you don't have to purchase any more ammo whatsoever. Basic ranged weapons can fire any specialty ammo of the same type (a basic Bow can fire Poison-Tipped Arrows) it normally fires, but unlike basic ammo, you will have to purchase specialty ammo as you use it, and you can run out of specialty ammo. Only one variety of ammo can be used by your char at a time, so if you buy 10 Poison-tipped Arrows, they overwrite your normal Arrows, and you must buy more normal Arrows when you run out of Poison-tipped Arrows.
Specialty ammo, like enhanced weapons and armor, has magical properties and bonuses on it, but these bonuses do not stack. Buying 5 Hot Arrows (+1 damage dealt) will not give you +5 damage dealt, only +1. Buying multiple varieties of Specialty ammo will only waste your funds, as any type of ammo overwrites any you may already have. For example:
Some ranged weapons can only fire certain types of specialty ammo. For these, you must continually buy the specified ammo, or else you cannot use the weapon. If you run out of ammo, the weapon cannot be used, though as in our first example, you keep the bonuses on it. Also, if an enhanced weapon fires specialty ammo, even if that ammo is all it is capable of firing, the bonuses on the ammo and on the weapon stack. For example:
Unlike melee weapons, whose MR factors into the damage they deal, ranged weapons depend entirely on Strength for their damage, the IMR of the ammo fired will not increase damage whatsoever, it will only penetrate thicker armor. Again, this applies only to basic ammo fired from a basic weapon, enhancements on either will affect damage dealt if specified to do so.
The Armory
What in the SAM hell is the Armory, you ask? The Armory is the Colosseum version of the Schematics board, in that it contains a list of all the weapons and armor allowed in the Colosseum. It also contains vital information, such as the MR, cost to purchase, and any benefits or bonuses that each piece of equipment may have. Machines that exist in the Schematics board are not automatically included in the Armory, and vice-versa. They may be included, at a moderator/admin's discretion, in either board.
Purchasing equipment is different than purchasing skills, repairing equipment, or leveling up attributes. Only by spending Wealth can you buy weapons, ammo, or armor. Selling weapons, ammo, or armor will earn you Wealth. Remember, a higher Wealth gives you more Glory in battle, so it may be worth saving Wealth instead of purchasing an expensive piece of equipment. The Armory lists the purchase price and sell price of all armors, weapons, and ammo within it. Basic ammo has a purchase price only, as you cannot sell basic ammo for Wealth, since it is unlimited. If you have five or less of any specialty ammo, it cannot be sold, either. Broken weapons and armor, regardless of their MR or any enhancements, can only be sold for 1 Wealth each.
The Armory is located in the Contributed Content section, along with the Grimoirum, Schematics, and Apothecary. To purchase a piece of equipment or ammunition, see the Rules thread in the Armory, or PM an admin or mod with the char's name, the piece of equipment or ammo they wish to purchase (as well as the quantity if it is specialty ammo), and how much Wealth they are spending. Spending more Wealth than is required (also known as "leaving a tip" ^_^) may earn a character Karma.
There's a lot to take in this week, Private. Study up, but do it quick. We're only halfway done, there's still four more weeks to go!
Material Ratings
Material Rating, or MR, is the durability/malleability rating of every piece of armor, weaponry, and equipment in Eshathar. The softer something is/easier it is to bend and shape, the lower its MR. Which means that the tougher/harder something is, the higher its MR. Ranged weapon ammunition, like arrows, darts, and bolts, also have an Impact MR (IMR), which represents the force that ammo exerts when it hits its target. For example, a blowgun dart would not have a great deal of force on impact, so its IMR is 4. Whereas an armor-piercing bolt has a much greater impact, so its IMR is 9.
MR and your Strength attribute are closely tied together, as your Strength determines the MR or armor you can wear, as well as the MR of any weapon you carry. If you have a Strength of 5, you can wear armor with an MR of 5, and wield a weapon with an MR of 5. You cannot wear any armor with greater than 5 MR, nor can you carry or use any weapon with an MR greater than 5. Since I know your just dyin' to know what sort of armor you can wear, here's a handy guide to Armor MR's. Remember, this is only a generalization, and only applies to basic Armor. Check the Armory for specific MR ratings on equipment, as new armor or weapons will be added periodically. Without further ado:
| Material Rating | Armor/Clothing Material |
| 1 | Cloth, Paper |
| 2 | Padded cloth, Wood |
| 3 | Leather, Treated wood |
| 4 | Bone, Hardened Leather |
| 5 | Studded Leather |
| 6 | Copper, Silver, Gold |
| 7 | Bronze |
| 8 | Brass |
| 9 | Iron |
| 10 | Steel |
As you can imagine, the MR of the armor you wear determines how much damage it can absorb or prevent. Another important factor in how much damage you do, or is dealt to you, is the MR of the weapon used. Again, this table only applies to basic weapons, and is not meant to be an exact representation. Also, the material a weapon is made from will determine its MR, not where the weapon is listed in this table. All weapons in the Armory will have a specified MR, even if the material they are made of is not specified. Use your imagination, this is a game after all. Anyway, here's a quick guide to weapon MR's:
| Material Rating | Weapon Material |
| 1 | Garrote, Cloth Gag |
| 2 | Light Wooden Staff, Wood Short Sword |
| 3 | Hardened Wood staff, Nunchaku |
| 4 | Bone knife, Punch Dagger |
| 5 | Club, Bludgeon |
| 6 | Sickle Sword, Short Sword, Gladius |
| 7 | Bastard Sword, Wakazashi, Mace |
| 8 | Morning Star, Flail, 1-handed Axe |
| 9 | Halberd, Poleaxe, Claymore |
| 10 | Katana, Ram-do, Crescent Sword, Scimitar |
Of course, thrown/ranged weapons follow a different rule. The material it is made from doesn't matter for ranged weapons, only the type of weapon used. Armor-piercing arrows can be made of the same wood as normal arrows, but will have a significantly higher MR. This doesn't mean you can tie a bunch of arrows together to make some armor, the MR of ranged weaponry is on impact, as discussed above (IMR).
| Impact Material Rating | Ranged Weapon/Ammunition |
| 1 | Playing Card |
| 2 | Thrown non-weapon objects: jars, rocks |
| 3 | Thrown utensils: forks, pans |
| 4 | Thrown nonranged weaponry: swords, shields |
| 5 | Throwing knives, shuriken |
| 6 | Javelins, Shot-put |
| 7 | Flechettes, darts |
| 8 | Arrows, crossbow bolts |
| 9 | Armor-piercing arrow |
| 10 | Armor-piercing bolt |
Impact MR does NOT determine how much damage the listed item can do, only what level armor it can penetrate through. A bolt may penetrate Brass armor and only do 3 damage, while a thrown Claymore may only penetrate bone or leather armor, but do 60 damage. The damage done by impact weapons is determined by the Strength of the character using them, and is completely independent of the IMR.
Armor Basics
As mentioned earlier, you can only wear armor with an MR equal to, or less than, your Strength attribute, provided you don't have any bonuses from skills or from enchantments/abilities on the armor, itself. A piece of armor's MR also determines how much abuse it can take. If you hit a Steel (10) helmet with a Wooden Staff (2), it won't have much effect. If you hit the same helmet (10) with a Claymore (9), it's going to do considerable damage to that helmet. Of course, if you hit the same helmet (10) with the same wooden staff (2) repeatedly, it will eventually leave a sizable dent.
I don't expect you to keep track of every blow your armor takes. Just remember that armor is not invincible to everything with a lower MR. Armor will periodically need to be repaired if you want to continue using it. Repairs will always cost 1 Renown per MR for basic armor, 1 Glory per MR for enchanted, or otherwise enhanced, armor. So that steel helmet will cost 10 Renown to repair. In addition, Armor helps reduce the amount of damage you take, and if sufficiently high in MR compared to the weapon that strikes it, can even prevent it altogether. If your armor is 6 MR higher (or more) than the MR of the weapon striking it, only your armor is damaged. Again, this applies only to basic weapons striking basic armor. Also, if you successfully execute a Dodge, neither you nor your armor takes any damage.
Finally, armor can be broken by a weapon that is significantly higher in MR, 6 or better. You will still take reduced damage, as some armor (even crappy armor) is better than none. In this case, whether your armor breaks depends on a 1d6 roll, with the difference in MR's added to the result of the die. If that total is 6 or higher, your armor is broken.
Broken armor counts as no armor at all, so repair broken armor right away. Enchanted armor, even with all its enhancements, will still be counted as non-existent if broken, and you will lose any enhancements on it. Broken armor costs 2 Renown per MR to repair for basic, 3 Glory per MR for enhanced.
Shields are a variety of armor, though they behave differently than body armor. Shields have an MR, and can break a weapon or get broken, and costs to repair them are the same as for armor. A character must have Strength equal to the shield's MR to carry it. But, unlike body armor, Shields do NOT reduce damage whatsoever. Shields allow a character to block, though characters with certain skills can block without shields. Blocking prevents ALL damage dealt, either directly or by a weapon's ability. You can carry a shield and wear armor. We'll get into shields a bit more next week, but for now, all you need to know is that they are like armor in almost every way.
Weapon Basics - melee
Melee weapons operate with the same MR rules outlined so far, and like armor, cost 1 Renown per MR to repair basic weapons, 1 Glory to repair enhanced weapons. You shouldn't repair weapons at every use, just keep in mind that they will, occasionally, need repairs.
The amount of damage a weapon does relies on your Strength attribute primarily, but also factors in its MR. If you are striking a target with armor 6 MR or more higher than your weapon's MR, you will only damage their armor, not their HP. In addition, your weapon has a possibility of breaking, following the same rules as outlined in the Armor Basics section. A broken weapon counts as no weapon, so its MR is not figured in to the total damage dealt, neither will a broken magical weapon add any bonuses whatsoever. Here's an example:
Billy is wearing Happy Pants (MR 9), and Joey is wearing a Happy Shirt (MR 3, +1 Renown every time wearer is hit). Billy hits joey with a Claymore (MR 9). Now, the Mod has to make an Armor Break roll, which is a 1d6. He rolls a 1. But since Billy's Claymore is 7 MR higher, and the break point is 6 MR, the Mod adds 1 to the roll (since 7MR difference - 6 MR break point = 1). The total is 2, so Joey's armor doesn't break. It would have cost him 9 Glory to repair if it had broken (3 Glory per MR for enhanced armor x 3 MR = 9), but only costs him 3 Glory to fix, since it did not break.
Now it's Joey's move, and he hits Billy with a Foam Rubber Sword (MR 2, Opponent is stunned if they take damage). Billy's armor is high enough that it soaks all the damage, and Joey's sword is low enough that it may break. The Mod rolls 1d6, and it comes up 5. But, Billy's armor is so high, the admin adds 3 to the roll (MR 9 - 6 MR breaking point = 3). The total is 8, which is more than the 6 needed on the roll, so now Joey's sword is broken. It will cost him 9 Glory to fix since it is enhanced. He loses the ability to Stun Billy if he had done any damage, as that ability was granted by his Foam Rubber Sword.
Now it's Joey's move, and he hits Billy with a Foam Rubber Sword (MR 2, Opponent is stunned if they take damage). Billy's armor is high enough that it soaks all the damage, and Joey's sword is low enough that it may break. The Mod rolls 1d6, and it comes up 5. But, Billy's armor is so high, the admin adds 3 to the roll (MR 9 - 6 MR breaking point = 3). The total is 8, which is more than the 6 needed on the roll, so now Joey's sword is broken. It will cost him 9 Glory to fix since it is enhanced. He loses the ability to Stun Billy if he had done any damage, as that ability was granted by his Foam Rubber Sword.
To simplify: high MR weapon against a low MR armor may break the armor. Broken armor confers no bonuses whatsoever, and does not reduce damage at all. High MR armor against a low MR weapon may break the weapon. Broken weapons do not deal any additional damage, and confer no bonuses whatsoever.
Weapon Basics - ranged
Unlike melee weapons, ranged weapons themselves (like a bow) have no MR. A character can carry any ranged weapon, regardless of Strength, unless otherwise specified. If there are any requirements to use a ranged weapon, it will be noted in the Armory information for that weapon. Ranged weapons require two parts to use: the weapon itself, like a bow or crossbow, and the ammunition to fire it, such as arrows or bolts. One without the other does not count as a weapon: however, any bonuses on a weapon will remain on the character. For example:
Billy has a Bow of Coolness (-1 to damage taken), but no arrows. He can't use the bow as a weapon, but he still takes 1 less damage thanks to the bonus on it.
Unless otherwise specified, ranged weapons never run out of ammo once it is purchased. If you purchase a basic bow and basic arrows, you don't have to purchase any more ammo whatsoever. Basic ranged weapons can fire any specialty ammo of the same type (a basic Bow can fire Poison-Tipped Arrows) it normally fires, but unlike basic ammo, you will have to purchase specialty ammo as you use it, and you can run out of specialty ammo. Only one variety of ammo can be used by your char at a time, so if you buy 10 Poison-tipped Arrows, they overwrite your normal Arrows, and you must buy more normal Arrows when you run out of Poison-tipped Arrows.
Specialty ammo, like enhanced weapons and armor, has magical properties and bonuses on it, but these bonuses do not stack. Buying 5 Hot Arrows (+1 damage dealt) will not give you +5 damage dealt, only +1. Buying multiple varieties of Specialty ammo will only waste your funds, as any type of ammo overwrites any you may already have. For example:
Billy has 3 Hot Arrows (+1 damage dealt). He then buys a single Ninja Arrow (+1 to hit). He does not get both the +1 to hit and the +1 damage as bonuses. In fact, he loses all 3 Hot arrows. In addition, the +1 to hit only applies if Billy has a bow to fire them with. Since he does not, he does not get the +1 to hit.
Some ranged weapons can only fire certain types of specialty ammo. For these, you must continually buy the specified ammo, or else you cannot use the weapon. If you run out of ammo, the weapon cannot be used, though as in our first example, you keep the bonuses on it. Also, if an enhanced weapon fires specialty ammo, even if that ammo is all it is capable of firing, the bonuses on the ammo and on the weapon stack. For example:
Billy has a Rain Bow (+1 Renown on impact if it's raining), which can only fire Rain Arrows (7 IMR, +1 damage on impact if its raining). It happens to be raining in the Colosseum. Billy shoots at a squirrel and hits it. He gets +1 Renown from his bow and does an additional +1 damage from his arrow.
Unlike melee weapons, whose MR factors into the damage they deal, ranged weapons depend entirely on Strength for their damage, the IMR of the ammo fired will not increase damage whatsoever, it will only penetrate thicker armor. Again, this applies only to basic ammo fired from a basic weapon, enhancements on either will affect damage dealt if specified to do so.
The Armory
What in the SAM hell is the Armory, you ask? The Armory is the Colosseum version of the Schematics board, in that it contains a list of all the weapons and armor allowed in the Colosseum. It also contains vital information, such as the MR, cost to purchase, and any benefits or bonuses that each piece of equipment may have. Machines that exist in the Schematics board are not automatically included in the Armory, and vice-versa. They may be included, at a moderator/admin's discretion, in either board.
Purchasing equipment is different than purchasing skills, repairing equipment, or leveling up attributes. Only by spending Wealth can you buy weapons, ammo, or armor. Selling weapons, ammo, or armor will earn you Wealth. Remember, a higher Wealth gives you more Glory in battle, so it may be worth saving Wealth instead of purchasing an expensive piece of equipment. The Armory lists the purchase price and sell price of all armors, weapons, and ammo within it. Basic ammo has a purchase price only, as you cannot sell basic ammo for Wealth, since it is unlimited. If you have five or less of any specialty ammo, it cannot be sold, either. Broken weapons and armor, regardless of their MR or any enhancements, can only be sold for 1 Wealth each.
The Armory is located in the Contributed Content section, along with the Grimoirum, Schematics, and Apothecary. To purchase a piece of equipment or ammunition, see the Rules thread in the Armory, or PM an admin or mod with the char's name, the piece of equipment or ammo they wish to purchase (as well as the quantity if it is specialty ammo), and how much Wealth they are spending. Spending more Wealth than is required (also known as "leaving a tip" ^_^) may earn a character Karma.
There's a lot to take in this week, Private. Study up, but do it quick. We're only halfway done, there's still four more weeks to go!