a discussion of armor mechanics

[Grotug]

You have 8 arrows of wounding remaining.
You miss the 4 headed Hdyra (8X). You have 0 arrows remaining.

I wonder if arrows could, instead of having a 0 or 1 sort of on or off way of operating, they could do varying amounts of damage depending on the monster's armor? It's no fun to miss a lot. It's more fun to hit a lot and do little damage than to miss a lot and sometimes hit and do good damage.

I always thought the way armor worked in Angband was a bit odd and not the best way to handle the mechanic. What do others think? Do you like how armor works in Angband? Do people like the full damage or no damage mechanic?

I think I posted about this several years ago. Back then I talked about the 90's game Warcraft 2's handling of armor.

In that game armor absorbs basic damage but has no protection against piercing damage. Mages thus never had an issue dealing damage to heavily armored ships, since all theirs spells dealt 100% piercing damage, but the ballista's trebuchet missile would have much of its damage absorbed since it was a purely basic damage dealing weapon. Archers' arrows dealt 2/3 piercing damage and 1/3 basic damage. Footman and knights dealt 2/3 basic damage and 1/3 piercing damage. I think it's a pretty good system for armor, spells, swords and arrows.

[whartung]

Originally Posted by Grotug

You have 8 arrows of wounding remaining.
You miss the 4 headed Hdyra (8X). You have 0 arrows remaining.

Honestly, after 8 shots not doing anything, you'd think that would be a signal that these aren't worth using against that creature and another tact should be tried.

I don't know if 8 shots of 5 damage are more "fun" than 7 misses and one shot of 40. Especially if I'm used to hitting with 40 in the first place.

I think implementing such a system would be long, invasive, and fraught with balance standouts that would need to be wormed out over 100's of play sessions.

In the end, I also don't know if anyone would notice the impact of such a system.

[Pete Mack]

Yeah, Hydras have surprisingly high AC, way more than deagons at similar level.