Twilight Heroes Game Manual

Skills

Heroes start out with at least one skill, and gain more as they advance in levels. Skills come in different types: passive, combat, noncombat, and buff.

Passive skills are always active—you don't have to do anything, and you continually gain the benefit.

Combat skills can only be used in combat, and generally help heroes inflict damage, hinder their opponent, or something similar. They require power points (PP) to use.

Noncombat skills can be used only when you're not in combat. They can do any number of things, such as heal your hero or temporarily improve one of your abilities. They require power points (PP) to use.

Buffs are also noncombat spells, but they can be cast on other players as well as yourself. They require power points (PP) to use.

Unimplemented Skills. Because the game is in early beta testing, there are a number of skills that still haven't been added to the game. There are some gaps in the skill tree which will eventually be filled in but for the moment are empty. Also, after level 16 there are no more level-based skills.

Skill Points

Skill points let players improve skills. Each skill starts at 0 and can have up to 10 skill points invested in it. Players earn skill points when they level up, and may obtain skill points by other methods.

(Not implemented yet ...) For buffs, only the skill points of the buff TARGET count. That is, if a player with 10 points invested in a buff casts it on you and you don't know the skill at all or don't have skill points invested, you will receive the skill at the base effectiveness. In other words, skill points represent the player's mastery of the skill -- no points, no mastery. On the reverse, if a player with 0 skill points casts a buff on you and you have 5 points invested, you receive the buff at the 5-point level. In this case, it doesn't matter how inexperienced the other player is, your mastery still carries through.

Skills by Class

Each class skill is listed below, along with its effect. (A few are in flux right now. Buffs don't register skill points at all yet.) Equations are given to explain how invested skill points will affect the ability. Equations have an X to denote a multiple of the number of current skill points invested. They also list a Max: line just to simplify what the value of a maxed-out skill would look like.

Damage spells with caps can have "hard caps" (absolute limit) or "soft caps" (point at which damage becomes lessened by some factor).

Elemental

1. Proper Grounding

Equation: +2 to each stat, then +1 to reflexes, intellect, and strength, in succession, per point.

Max: +5 STR, +5 INT, +6 REF

1. Throw Sparks
Equation: 4-7 + 2X + (level/2), hard capped at 15 + 3X Max: 24-27 + (level/2); hard capped at 45

2. Air Shield
Equation: defense increased by 5 + 3X; capped at 35; duration = (30 + X) Max: +35 defense; cast for 40 minute duration

3. Ice Bolt
Equation: 5-10 + ((2-3)*X) + level + [intellect factor]; soft capped at 30 + 3*X Max: 5-10 + ((2-3)*10) + level + [intellect factor]; soft capped at 60

4. Groundquake
Equation: Foe hit and foe dodge reduced by 5 + X; 20% + X% chance to stun Max: Foe hit and foe dodge reduced by 15, 30% chance to stun

5. Proper Hydration
Equation: Regenerate PP at a rate of round((X+2)/3) per turn; get a bonus point at 10 Max: Regenerate 5 PP/turn

6. Lightning Bolt
Equation: 2-8 + 2-8 + 3X + level + [intellect modifier]; soft cap at 60 + 3X Max: 34-46 + level + [intellect modifier]; soft cap at 90

7. Fire Shield
Equation: attacker takes 5 + 2X + round(level/5) fire damage upon successful hit; duration = 30 + X Max: attacker takes 25 + round(level/5); duration = 40 minutes

8. Stone Armor
Equation: defense = 10 + 2X + level; capped at 30 + 2X; duration = 30 + X fire, ice, and elec resist = 5% + (X/2)% Max: +50 defense, 10% fire, ice, elec resist; duration = 40 minutes

9. Tornado
Equation: damage = 4-8 + 3X; foe to-hit and dodge reduced by 10 + X Max: 34-38 damage; foe to-hit and dodge reduced by 20

10. Lifeblood Manipulation
Equation: heals 50 + 5X% of HP; costs 20 - round(X/2) PP Max: heals 100% of HP when cast; costs 15 PP

11. Metalmorph (not properly coded for skill points yet)
Equation: Cost = 20 - round(X/2) to convert metal 0-2 can convert titanium to cryonite and plasteel to cavorite 3-5 can convert cybertronium to illuminum 6-7 can convert tritanium to pentium 8-9 can convert polysteel to paladinum 10 can convert byzantium to malkamite Max: can convert all 6 metals, cost = 15 PP

12. Firestorm
Equation: 15-30 + 10X + 2*level + [intellect bonus]; no cap Max: 115-130 + 2*level + [intellect bonus]

13. None (water-themed skill; TBA)
Equation: Max:

14. The Fire Within
Equation: +10% + X% max PP; +X% spell damage Max: +20% max PP; +10% spell damage

15. None (earth-themed skill; TBA)
Equation: Max:

16. None (air-themed skill; TBA)
Equation: Max:

Naturalist

1. Kangaroo Punch

Equation: 4-6 + X damage

Max: 14-16 damage

1. Ant's Strength
Equation: 5 + X STR; 10 + X max HP; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: +15 STR; +20 HP; duration = 60 minutes

2. Charge of the Bovine
Equation: weapon damage multiplied by 1.5 + (X/10); to-hit increased by 10 + (level) + X, capped at 30 Max: weapon damage x 2.5; to-hit +30

3. Mantis Reflexes
Equation: 5 + X REF; 5 + X initiative; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: +15 REF; +15 initiative; duration = 60 minutes

4. Echolocation
Equation: 10% + X% item drop Max: 20% item drop

5. Memory of the Elephant
Equation: 5 + X INT; 10 + X max PP; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: +15 INT; +20 max PP; duration = 60 minutes

6. Armadillo Armor
Equation: damage absorption = 2 + X + round(level/6); duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: 12 + round(level/6); duration = 60 minutes

7. Snout of the Swine
Equation: 15% + X% chips; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: +25% chips; duration = 60 minutes

8. Starfish Regeneration
Equation: regenerate 2 + round(X/2) HP/turn; get a bonus point at 10 Max: regenerate 8 HP/turn

9. Talons of the Raptor
Equation: melee damage +3 + X + round(level/3); capped at 10 + X; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: melee damage +13 + round(level/3); capped at 20; duration = 60 minutes

10. Trample of the Rhino
Equation: weapon damage multiplied by 2.5 + (X/10); to-hit +10 + 2X + (level), capped at 50 Max: weapon damage x 3.5; to-hit +30 + (level), capped at 50

11. Summon Wolf (not properly coded for skill points yet)
Equation: wolf does 4-8 + X + floor(level/5) damage; duration = 30 + 6X Max: wolf does 14-18 + floor(level/5) damage if it hits; duration = 90 minutes

12. Nurture vs. Nature
Equation: sidekick bonus of 10% + X%; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: 20% sidekick bonus; 60 minute duration

13. Spines of the Echidna
Equation: attacker takes 5 + X damage; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: attacker takes 15 damage; duration = 60 minutes

14. Sinus of the Shark
Equation: +3% + X*0.3% chances of combat adventures; duration = 30 + 3X minutes Max: +6% chances of combat adventures; duration = 60 minutes

15. Summon Water Buffalo (not properly coded for skill points yet)
Equation: duration = 30 + 6X; damage is either: 6-(6+X) + X + floor(level/6) or 12-18 + 2X + floor(level/5) Max:duration = 90 minutes; buffalo does damage if it hits: 16-26 + floor(level/6) or 32-38 + floor(level/5)

16. Maul of the Cave Bear
Equation: weapon damage multiplied by 3 + (X/5); to-hit +15% + X% of current to-hit, minimum of 20 + X Max: weapon damage x 5; +25% increase to to-hit, minimum bonus of +30

Gadgeteer

1. Endurance

Equation: +3 + (X/2) HP; bonus point at 10

Max: +10 HP

1. Stun Gas
Equation: foe hit and foe offense reduced by 5 + (X/2); chance of stun 20% + X% Max: foe hit and offense reduced by 10; chance of stun 30%

2. Upgrade Armor
Equation: Choose from Resistance, Superabsorbance, or Motorized Resistance: 5% + X% resistance to fire, electric, and sonic damage Superabsorbance: 2 + (X/2) absorbance (with a bonus point at X = 10) Motorized: Reflexes +4 + (X/2) (with a bonus point at X = 10); Initiative 5 + X; Max: Resistance: +15% fire, electric, and sonic damage Superabsorbance: +8 absorbance Motorized: +10 reflexes; + 15 initiative

3. Basic Martial Arts
Equation: to-hit increased by 10 + X Max: to-hit increased by 20

4. First Aid
Equation: out of combat cures 10-20 + 3X HP; in combat, heals 6-10 + 2X; Max: 40-50 out of combat; 26-30 in combat

5. Supercomputer Skills (not properly coded for skill points yet)
Equation: (still working out the mechanics) Max:

6. Upgrade Weapons
Equation: Choose from Frickin' Sharp, Lethalized, or Self-Balancing Frickin' Sharp: to-hit 10 + 2X Lethalized: fire damage 1 + floor(X/2); electric damage 1 + ceil(X/2) Self-Balancing: @ 0-5 points: -X% chance of fumbles; @ 6-10 points: no fumbles; (X-5)*10% chance of a fumble becoming a critical Max: Frickin' Sharp: +30 to-hit Lethalized: +6 fire damage, +6 electric damage Self-Balancing: no fumbles, and 50% of would-be fumbles become critical hits

7. Metal Detector
Equation: +15% + X% item drop Max: +25% item drop

8. Advanced Martial Arts
Equation: offense increases by 10 + 3X + level power Max: +30 + level offensive power

9. (none - skill TBA)
Equation: Max:

10. Improved Tinkering
Equation: Different improvements for all Upgrade Armor and Upgrade Weapons effects Extends the duration of all gadgeteer buffs/skills by 10 + X minutes Max: improves upgrade armor and weapons; all gadgeteer buffs/skills get +20 minutes

11. Electric Net
Equation: deals 4-8 + 2X + sqrt(level) damage; reduces foe dodge by your level * (.5 + (X/10)) Max: deals 24-28 damage + sqrt(level) damage; reduces foe dodge by 1.5 * your level

12. Catalyze (not properly coded for skill points yet)
Equation: Time bonus with increasing X? 0-2 can convert titanium to tritanium and plasteel to polysteel 3-5 can convert cybertronium to byzantium 6-7 can convert cryonite to pentium 8-9 can convert cavorite to paladinum 10 can convert illuminum to malkamite Max: Can convert all metals

13. Shock Grenade
Equation: damage = 5 - 15 + 3X + (level/2); foe to-hit and offense reduced by 20 + 2X Max: damage = 35-45 + (level/2); reduces foe to-hit and offense by 40

14. Stealth
Equation: +3% + X*0.3% chances of noncombat adventures Max: +6% chances of noncombat adventures

15. Sniper
Equation: Ranged damage +5 + 2X Initiative +10 +2X Max: Ranged damage +25; Initiative +30

16. Battle Armor
Equation: Defense increases by 30 + level*(X+1) Max: Defense = +30 + 11*level

Psion

1. Mind Poke

Equation: 3-6 + X psychic damage; capped at 10 + X

Max: 13-16 psychic damage; capped at 20

1. Aura: Vim
Equation: to-hit and dodge = 10 + X; Max: to-hit and dodge = +20

2. Knit Flesh
Equation: heals 2-4 + 2-4 + ((2-4)*(X/2)) Will also remove one or two negative effects (stitches, concussed?) Max: 4-8 + 10-20

3. Telekinesis
Equation: 4-8 + X + (level/2) + [intellect bonus]; hard cap at 20 + 2X Max: 14-18 + (level/2) + [intellect bonus]; hard cap at 40

4. Aura: Mystery
Equation: spell damage increased by 2X + (level/2); might need a cap?; combat spell cost -1 Max: spell damage increased by 20 + (level/2); might need a cap?; combat spell cost -1

5. Premonition
Equation: initiative increases by 5 + 2X + (level/5) Max: initiative increases by 25 + (level/5)

6. Mind Jab
Equation: 8-16 + 3X + level + [intellect modifier]; soft cap at 30 + 3X Max: 38-46 + level + [intellect modifier]; soft cap at 60

7. Wind Warrior (not properly coded for skill points yet)
Equation: does 3-5 + X + round(level/3) if it hits Max: does 13-15 + round(level/3) if it hits

8. Aura: Keen Observation
Equation: XP gain increased by 1% + (X/2)%; +20% + X% chips drop Max: +6% XP gain; +30% chips drop

9. Knit Bone
Equation: heals 10-20 + 10-20 + 3X HP Removes several negative effects (stitches, concussed, still bleeding) Max: heals 50-70 HP

10. Meditation
Equation: grants 10 + 2X minutes to bedtime each rollover Max: grants +30 minutes to bedtime

11. Electronic Understanding
Equation: Electronic robots take 50% + 5X% damage from Mind Jab and Psionic Blast; Positronic robots take 10% + X% damage from Mind Jab and Psionic Blast Max: Mind Jab and Psionic Blast will do 100% damage to electronic robots, and 20% damage to positronic robots

12. Aura: Vigor
Equation: regenerate 2 + round(X/3) HP/turn; +20% + X% max HP Max: regenerate 5 HP/turn; +30% maximum HP

13. Psionic Blast
Equation: 15-30 + 8X + level*3 + [intellect modifier]; no cap Max: 95-110 + level*3 + [intellect modifier]

14. (none -- skill TBA)
Equation: Max:

15. Biofeedback
Equation: Starting at 0: Fire and ice resist = 5% + X% Starting at 5: Add sonic resist = 5% + X% Starting at 10: Add psychic resist = 5% + X% Max: Fire, ice, sonic, and psychic resist +15%

16. Aura: Mental Magnetism
Equation: plus or minus (3% + X*0.3%) chances of noncombats Max: +/- 6% chances of noncombats