Part 17

Master Dark and Darker's combat system. Learn about Armor Rating (AR), Astral Energy (AE), Attack (AT), Parry (PA), Ranged Combat, Damage Points (DP), Dodge (DV), and Effective Encumbrance (EEC).

This guide explains the core combat mechanics in Dark and Darker, detailing how various stats and values influence your effectiveness in battle.

Key Concepts:

• Armor Rating (AR): Absorbs damage. It's subtracted from incoming Hit Points (HP) to determine Damage Points (DP). Different hit zones (Head, Chest, Back, Belly, Left Arm, Right Arm, Left Leg, Right Leg) have their own AR, which can be increased by armor.
• Astral Energy (AE): The resource for magically gifted beings, measured in Astral Points (AsP). Calculation: (Courage + Intuition + Charisma) / 2 ± Character modification + Increase.
• Attack (AT): An offensive melee action to inflict damage. A test roll is usually made per combat round, influenced by the equipped melee weapon and its talent. Calculation: AT base value - 1/2 Effective Encumbrance + Weapon Talent value +/- weapon modifier.
• Parry (PA): A defensive skill used to ward off an opponent's attack with your weapon. The value depends on the equipped melee weapon and its talent. Calculation: Base Parry Value (BPV) - 1/2 Effective Encumbrance + Weapon Talent value +/- weapon modifier.
• Ranged Combat Value: Used for ranged attacks from a distance. Tests are rolled for this instead of Attack Value. Depends on the equipped ranged weapon and its talent. Calculation: Base Ranged Value (BRV) - Effective Encumbrance + Weapon talent value.
• Base Attack Value (BAV): Determines the chance of hitting in melee. Calculation: (Courage + Agility + Strength) / 5.
• Base Parry Value (BPV): Determines the chance of parrying with a weapon or shield. Calculation: (Intuition + Agility + Strength) / 5.
• Base Ranged Value (BRV): Determines the chance of hitting in ranged combat. Calculation: (Intuition + Dexterity + Strength) / 5.
• Damage Points (DP): The actual damage dealt in an attack. Calculation: Weapon Damage + possible Strength Bonus - opponent's Armor Rating.
• Dodge (DV): An alternative to parrying. If DV is higher than Parry Value, Dodge is rolled instead. Calculation: Base Parry Value (BPV) - full Encumbrance + Special Ability Dodge I-III.
• Effective Encumbrance (EEC): The effect of armor and inventory weight on Talents. Higher EC restricts actions like climbing, swimming, or fighting. EEC is subtracted from Talent Prowess (TP) before rolling tests. Negative EEC is treated as 0.
• Encumbrance (EC): Increases by one point for each 50% of weight over Carrying Capacity. Equipped armor counts as half weight. Each EC point provides a one-point Difficulty Decrease (DD) on Dodge and a 50% chance of a one-point penalty on other actions.