Editorial: How Stats Work

Posted by Elbryan

This section is meant to be a generic overview of how Isengard (and mordor muds in general) see statistics. If you've already checked out the source code and can decipher it, I seriously doubt you'll learn anything here

The actual stat numbers you see (13, 24, 7, etc.) mean pretty much nothing. Isengard does not deal with the specific number for the most part, it deals with the adjustment the number translates into (the adjustment is commonly referred to as a "bonus"). A bonus from a stat can range from -4 to 4. While Isengard does, obviously, keep track of the actual numbers your stats are at, whenever it goes through a algorithm that is changed by a statistic's value, it determines what that stat's bonus is and then uses that number.

Statistic Bonus 1 -4 2-4 -3 5-6 -2 7 -1 8-12 0 13-16 +1 17-20 +2 21-24 +3 25 +4

What each Stat does

Strength affects three major things, and it is the only stat that breaks away from the bonus system. For every point of strength you have, you are able to carry 10 more lbs (all characters can carry 20 lbs naturally). Barbarians however, have an additional 10 lbs per level carry weight.

Secondly, for every strength bonus, your damage changes by 1 point. Isengard "rolls the dice" of the weapon you are using to determine the base damage you do when you attack, then adjusts that number according to your strength. For instance, say you have a weapon that does 3-12 damage (which is 3d4 - 3 4-sided dice) and you have a 17 strength. Isengard will roll the damage the weapon does (say it's 10 this time), then add your strength bonus (which is 1). So the damage you do is 11. If you had had a 5 strength, the damage you would do would be 8 (10 base damage + -2 strength bonus = 8).

Thirdly, your strength affects your THAC0. What is a THAC0? you might ask. If you've played D&D, you know. THAC0 stands for To Hit Armor Class 0. It's usually a number from 1-20. When you try to hit something, the game "rolls" a 20 sided die. To figure out if you hit, the game runs the numbers into the following algorithm:

The <= means less than or equal to. So, in other words, the lower the THAC0, the better chance you have of hitting. Each strength bonus you have lowers your THAC0 by 1. So if you had a natural THAC0 of 15, and a strength bonus of 2, your adjusted THAC0 would be 13. There are other things that affect THAC0, as well, such as the + on the weapon you are using, and the + on the item you are holding, as well as bless.

Dexterity affects a few different things. First, the better your dexterity, the better you hide, and the better you can avoid traps.

Secondly, your dexterity has a rather large effect on your AC. For every dexterity bonus you have, your AC is adjusted by 5. This might seem like an awful lot to you, but I'm talking about a different measurement of AC. Isengard doesn't keep track of an AC from -6 to 11. Instead, it thinks in terms of -60 to 110. Every 10 points on it's scale is 1 point on what we see. Your AC is truly measured in the way Isengard sees it, but when it's taken into consideration when dealing with THAC0, the number you see is used. To try to simplify it, here's an example. Say a piece of mithril lamella armor lowers your AC by 23 "Isengard units". In our terms, this would lower it 2.3 AC. Why can't you see the .3? Because the whole number is all that matters to us players. A 4.1 AC is the exact same as a 4.9 AC as far as chance of hitting is concerned - it's a 4 AC (note that Isengard always rounds down the AC). So each dexterity bonus causes a change in your AC by a value of 5 "Isengard units", or .5 of what we see. Note: Monk AC is not affected at all by dexterity, nor armor, even if they can wear it.

Constitution affects one major thing, one minor thing, and one hidden thing. First, when you are poisoned, the higher your con, the less hp you lose each time the poison takes effect. Secondly, the higher your con bonus, the more hp you tick for. Also, every time you log on, a hidden statistic, Luck, is determined for your character. Luck affects nearly everything you do to a small degree, and con affects your luck. Luck is such a small thing, however, that there's no real point in covering it.

Intelligence has many different effects, and all are important. First, it affects whether or not your spell will succeed. Obviously, a higher intelligence will give your spells more chance, and a lower one will reduce your chances. Your level is the other major factor in determining spell success.

Perhaps most importantly, intelligence plays a large part in determining how effective and how long lasting your spells are. Every intelligence bonus allows your spells to be stronger and longer lasting.

Thirdly, your intelligence bonus affects how quickly your magical realms go up. A person with a high intelligence will get more benefit to their realms from casting a spell than somebody with a low intelligence. This is a somewhat minor factor in determing your realms, the major is what class you are. (Ed. Note: As pointed out by God, realms and proficiencies are determined entirely by xp. For example, if two players, one with and 8 int and one with 21 int both cast a waterbolt spell on the same monster and both spells do the same damage, (i.e. the 21 int person got a bad roll and the 8 int person got a good one) they'll get the same amount added to their realms.)

Yet another affect intelligence has is how well you can cast healing spells. While this would seem to get into the second one, healing spells are calculated quite differently than others, and intelligence's affect is worthy of notice. For every intelligence bonus, the amount you heal is changed by 1 (to a minimum of 1 for vigor, 2 for mend-wounds).

How Int affets stuns: stuns last 2-12 seconds + 2 seconds per int bonus. Which means a player with 21 int casts 8-18 second stuns. Items like pipe weed last for 2-12 seconds, which the exception of when a mage uses them, in which case they last 4-14, regardless of int.

Lastly, if you have an 18 intelligence or higher and are neither mage or alchemist, you will tick for 3/5 mp instead of the usual 2/4.

Piety has two very well known effects, and one that most likely will surprise you (I know it did me). First, the effect everybody knows about - your piety bonus determines how fast you tick. The higher your piety, the faster you regain hp/mp.

Secondly, piety affects your healing spells in the exact same way as intelligence - for every piety bonus, the amount you heal is changed by 1.

Also, your r-m is affected by (INT + PTY) * 2 = %resistance. So if you have 25 int and pty, you'll by 100% r-m!

Now for the most surprising effect piety has - it is factor in how well you search. The higher your piety, the better you search.

(Note by Kimi - In a group, the person with lowest piety will also normally be the first to be attacked by an aggressive monster.)