Elements
The DinoRPG mechanics is based on an elemental cycle. All enemies and Dinoz have an elemental strength, and the weaknesses follow according to the cycle. An element is strong against the two elements that follow it in the cycle, and weak against the two that precede it. So, for example, Fire is very strong against Wood and strong against Water, but is very weak against Air and weak against Lightning.
Each time a Dinoz reaches a new level, it will receive an increase by one (1) in an element. This element is chosen by lottery, and the probability of getting a specific element depends on the Dinoz breed. The increase in the element brings an increase in the associated assault strength and also in the Dinoz' defenses. It also gives the Dinoz master (you) the chance to choose a skill to learn or unlock within that element.
Skills
There are 6 types of skills:
- Attack (A) - This skill can replace an attack.
- Collect (C) - enables to collect ingredients in different places - see Ingredients page
- Event (E) - This skill can trigger before each attack.
- Passive (P) - works all the time, are permanent bonuses given to your Dinoz. They usually improve your Dinoz' stats (Health points, Speed, etc) but can also let your Dinoz hit flying and/or immaterial enemies, as well as improving your Dinoz' chances of attacking with multi-attacks.
- Special (S) - each has particular effect. They are very varied and can be activated almost anytime. Some of them are activated during battle, others when you level up, and some are passively in effect always. Some of the special skills affect your Dinoz' social skills (increase health while resting, lead a larger group, heal itself or someone else after battle, etc), some of the skills affect your Dinoz' carrying strength (allows more items to be brought to battle), some of them affect its learning abilities (gain more experience), and that is just a few of the skills. There are many variations in what the special skills can do, which is why they didn't really fit in any of the other skill types.
- Unique (U) - affect the whole user account rather than the individual Dinoz. They really are unique and can only be taken once per account.
Each events and attack skill has a trigger, a priority (which is due to its power) and cost.
When the attack turn arrives, the Dinoz' events skills are sorted by decreasing priority (and power) and then each in turn
is given a chance to trigger until one succeeds. After that, in the same way the attack is made.
If no attack skills trigger, the attack is carried out as an assault.
This method ensures that learning weaker (i.e. less powerful) attack skills does not decrease the probability of using more powerful attack skills.
Attack skills can be triggered together with Event Skills since the event skill will be triggered before the attack skill has replaced the regular assault.
In addition, an item can be consumed before an event skill, so it is possible to have three special events with each assault.
It is possible to deactivated unwanted attack and event skills by getting the Strategy in 130 lessons.
All Dinoz have 5 skill trees, one for each element:
Besides, there are Double Skills. They are unique in that they require a skill each from two different elements to be unlocked.
Some races have starting Ratial Skills
Each dinoz race have Invocation, a special god skill, which is more powerfull than all others and can be activated once per battle.
You can also increase your dino powers by Spheres which give additional skills.
Endurance
Each dinoz has a blue energy bar, located next to their health bar. The bar represents the dinoz energy and is half full at the start of a combat. As with the health bar, the maximum value depends on the endurance of the dinoz. A dinoz' endurance varies depending upon skills learned. Bonuses can also increase endurance.
Every skill has an associated energy cost. Every time a skill is used, the energy bar will decrease. Once the bar is empty, the dinoz misses a turn. Some extremely powerful skills require a lot more energy than others.
The energy bar gradually refills during the combat, this is called recovery. The rate at which a dinoz recovers will also vary depending on the skills it has learnt.
A dinoz must wait until it has recovered entirely before it is able to use a skill.
Assaults
A Dinoz has an assault strength as well as a defense strength for each element depending upon his elemental make-up. These attributes are displayed in the Details tab of your Dinoz's page.
When a Dinoz attacks, the default behaviour is to assault. The assault strength is a combination of the element level times five (*5) and any skills that modify the assault strength. The damage is determined by the assault strength and the defense level of the target for the element.
The assault may at times be replaced by an attack using one of the attack skills the Dinoz knows.
Good way to increase assault strength is to increase elements strength. Every point to element give +5 to attack power of that element.
Strength- Martial Arts
Growth- Tenacity
- Colossus
Diamond Fangs - Wrath
- Fury
- Charge
- Burning Heart
- Warlord
- Ram
- Savagery
- Faroe Heritage
- Wide Jaw
- Giant
Perception- Underwater Karate - this skill also increase damage of Water skills, which is uncommon behaviour.
- Focus
- Kaos Path
- Shock
Specials
There are a collection of attributes your dinoz can have that are grouped under the heading "Specials" on your character sheet. These affect both offense and defense. Most Dinoz do not start with any special attributes and must learn them through skills.
Armor - An overall bonus to defense.
Evasion - The percent chance the dino can dodge an attack.
Multiple Attacks - The percent chance the dino get additional hits on their attack.
Counter attack - The percent chance the dino will do damage to the attacker when attacked. The strength of the counter attacks is based on the strength of the next assault the dinoz would do itself.
Related Skills
Shell: gives +1 Armor. Winks start off with this skill.- Carapace: gives +1 Armor
- Faroe Heritage: gives +1 Armor (+ adds 12 to Wood attacks)
- Basalt Armor: Double skill that gives +3 Armor
- Elusive: increases Evasion chance by 10%. Kabuki start off with this skill.
Dodge: increases Evasion chance by 10%- Double Hit: increases Multiple Attack chance by 20%
- Overload: Double skill that increases Multiple Attack chance by 15%
- Waïkikidô: increases Counter-Attack chance by 10% (+ adds 20
and decreases initiative by 5) - Vengeance: increases Counter-Attack chance by 5%
- Vendetta: Double skill that increases Counter-Attack chance by 20%
Defenses
Defenses against certain element reduce incoming damage. You can check your Dinoz' defenses by entering details tab.
Boosting defenses
- Absolute Zero +25
- Vigilance +5
- Endurance +2
- Forest Keeper +3 for group
- Gaia Path +3
- Elasticity +3
- Stealth +2
- Lonely Meditation +3
- Transcendental Meditation +6
- The only known item is Refrigerated Shield - +20.
Skills that add elements
- Additional elements increase ALL defenses implicitly.
- Incandescent Aura: +2
- Primary Teacher: +2, +2
- Brave: +6
- Master Swimmer: +5
- Wild Instinct: +2
- Corrosive Archangel: +2, +1
- Genesive Archangel: +2, +1
Defenses calculated in the following manner: ->Fire->Wood->Water->Lightning->Air->...
Defence_against_element = 0.5*(strength_of_preceding_elements) + 1*strength_of_this_element + 1.5*(strength_of_following_elements)
Initiative
Initiative determines how likely your Dinoz attack first, and if so how many attacks it can deliver before enemy will strike back. Every attack by default costs 10 initiative.
Skills to boost initiative
- Warm Blood: +4
- Hazard: +7
- Relax: +5
- Detonation: +15
Skills related to initiative
- Vines
- Self-Control
- Waïkikidô
- Liquid Stumbs
- Flood
Some strong skill attacks cost more then 10 initiative:
- Blowtorch Palm
- Ejector Palms (needs to be checked they cost 15 or 10+15)
Speed
Speed determines how often your Dinoz recovers to deliver next attack in a fight.
Skills to boost speed
- Brave: +15%
- Celerity: +15%
- Acrobat: +15%
- Lightning Attack
- Adrenaline
- Electrolysis
Other skills related to speed
- Giant
- Tai-chi
- Awakening
- Lonely Meditation
- Transcendental Meditation
- Hard Wind
- March
- Gel
Speed vs Initiative
Speed determines how often your Dinoz gets to attack in a fight, while initiative determines how likely it is to attack first. More speed means that your Dinoz might hit more than once before the enemy gets to do anything. You can increase your Dinoz speed by choosing certain skills, such as Celerity. Most of the speed improvements are found in the Lightning skills tree.