Man special attack
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Files
/def/descriptor/special_attack.c /lib/descriptors/special_attack.h /std/autonomon.c
Description
Special attack descriptors are used by the /std/autonomon special attack mechanism; they describe a simplistic special combat maneuver that the character can perform. This document explains the significance of each of the fields in the descriptor; for information on how to specify the descriptor and so on, see the general information in 'man descriptors'.
Fields below which can be given as closures receive either standard arguments or damage arguments. Standard arguments are 1) the opponent, 2) the special attack descriptor, and 3) the character. Damage arguments are 1) the opponent, 2) the resolved limb target in use, which will be either integer limb target, possibly -1 (Null) for the entire body, or an array of integer limb targets, 3) the special attack descriptor, and 4) the character. All closures are expected to return a value that could be specified as a static value for the field.
Public Fields
Special_Attack_Name: A descriptive name for the special attack, used when it's necessary to address the special attack by name. Presently, this is mainly relevant to things like 'show attacks', 'perform <special attack>', and 'stop/start attacking with <special attack>', and is mainly used on special attacks defined at the race level.
Special_Attack_Actuation: An actuation, as defined in /lib/combat.h and /def/actuation, or an array of actuations. If supplied, these will be used for automatically determining the conditions necessary for the special attack to take place and constructing a message for it.
Special_Attack_Vector: An attack vector, as defined in /lib/combat.h and /def/vector. If supplied, this will be used as part of determining the message for the special attack and whether it can be defended against. If not supplied, the default vector for the damage type or damage combo lappropriate to Special_Attack_Type will be used.
Special_Attack_Skill: A single skill, an array of skills, or a mapping of skill to int/float weights. If supplied, this specifies the main skills which are used to determine whether the attack hits its target. If not supplied, the attack always hits and cannot be defended against. This should always be supplied!
Special_Attack_Speak: Text which the autonomon must speak in order for the special attack to take place.
Special_Attack_Language: The language in which the Special_Attack_Speak text must be spoken.
Special_Attack_Power: Used to specify the power level of the special attack in an abstract fashion. See /lib/descriptors/special_attack.h for the list of possible values for this field. ALWAYS USE THE MACROS! When this field is specified, damage and other effects will be apportioned based on the power level of the attack, adjusted according to the autonomon's special attack damage rating if a Special_Attack_Skill was specified, and so on. NOTE: All damage amounts (whether from Special_Attack_Power, Special_Attack_Damage, or Special_Attack_Modifier) are apportioned into special effects (pain, stunning, slowing, etc.) according to the tendency of the attack's damage types to cause each; for example, photonic damage tends to cause blinding, while sonic damage tends to cause stunning.
Special_Attack_Damage: A randomizable amount of damage caused by the special attack. This damage, along with any damage calculated for the the attack based on Special_Attack_Power, will be subject to normal attack-damage randomization, meaning it will vary between 10% and 100% of its capacity. May be a closure, which receives damage arguments. It is preferable to avoid using this field and rely on Special_Attack_Power.
Special_Attack_Modifier: A constant amount of damage caused by the special attack. Will not be subject to normal attack-damage randomization. May be a closure, which receives damage arguments. It is preferable to avoid using this field and rely on Special_Attack_Power.
Special_Attack_Type: The damage type caused by special attack. Defaults to ({ "magical" }). Basic values may be string or array; may also be a closure, which receives damage arguments.
Special_Attack_Target: The limb or limbs targeted by the special attack. Defaults to Special_Attack_Target_Hit_Limb; it is almost always appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on the default. The meaning of different possible values are:
-1: Divide damage proportionally among all the target's limbs.
-2: Hit one of the target's non-amputated limbs using random selection
weighted by relative limb size. This may also be given as the
macro Special_Attack_Target_Hit_Limb.
other integer: Assumed to be a limb type from limbs.h. Targets the
first non-amputated limb of the specified type, or the entire body
if none are available. Special_Attack_Flag_Limb_Target_Preset,
below, causes this to be interpreted as a limb index instead.
string: Interpreted as a limb name. Targets the first non-amputated
limb with the specified name, or the entire body if none is
available.
int array: Interpreted as an array of limb types. Each element will
result in a lookup of the first non-amputated limb of the given
type, and damage will be divided proportionally among those limbs
present. If none of the limb types in the array are available,
the entire body will be targeted.
string array: As int array, but interpreting the elements as limb names
rather than limb types.
closure: Will be called with standard arguments, and is expected to
return one of the values above.
Special_Attack_Chance: The percentage chance that the special attack will be in the character's usable attack list in a given combat round. Must be a non-negative integer. See /lib/descriptors/special_attack.h for various sample value macros for this, such as Special_Attack_Chance_Occasional and Special_Attack_Chance_Somewhat_Frequent; it is strongly preferable to use one of these macros if one appropriate to your application is available, but using a literal integer value is acceptable if none of the macros do what you need.
Special_Attack_Message: The message associated with the special attack. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on the message that will be automatically generated by the _Vector, _Actuation, and _Type fields. Should be specified as a message array (as per 'man message'), in which any occurrence of the exact and entire string "%e" will be replaced with the opponent and "%l" will be replaced with the string name of the limb or limbs targeted. A degenerate form specified only using a string is supported for compatibility purposes, but is deprecated for use in new code. May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. to override, the actuation, vector, and damage type information will be used to automatically construct a message.
Special_Attack_Stun: A randomizable amount of stunning that can be inflicted by the special attack. The actual amount of stun calculated from this setting, if specified, will be 10% to 100% of the value given. Is handled as a stun specification to do_damage() and is subject to the rules applicable per that function (notably, that the secondary effects are aborted if the main damage portion of the attack has no effect). May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on stunning calculated from the _Power field's interaction with the _Type field.
Special_Attack_Blind: A randomizable amount of blinding that can be inflicted by the special attack. The actual amount of blinding calculated from this setting, if specified, will be 10% to 100% of the value given. Is handled as a blinding specification to do_damage() and is subject to the rules applicable per that function. May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on blinding calculated from the _Power field's interaction with the _Type field.
Special_Attack_Deafen: A randomizable amount of deafening that can be inflicted by the special attack. The actual amount of deafening calculated from this setting, if specified, will be 10% to 100% of the value given. Is handled as a deafening specification to do_damage() and is subject to the rules applicable per that function. May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on deafening calculated from the _Power field's interaction with the _Type field.
Special_Attack_Numb: A randomizable amount of numbing that can be inflicted by the special attack. The actual amount of numbing calculated from this setting, if specified, will be 10% to 100% of the value given. Is handled as a numbing specification to do_damage() and is subject to the rules applicable per that function. May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on numbing calculated from the _Power field's interaction with the _Type field.
Special_Attack_Slow: A randomizable amount of slowing that can be inflicted by the special attack. The actual amount of slowing calculated from this setting, if specified, will be 10% to 100% of the value given. Is handled as a slowing specification to do_damage() and is subject to the rules applicable per that function. May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on slowing calculated from the _Power field's interaction with the _Type field.
Special_Attack_Poison: A randomizable amount of poisoning that can be inflicted by the special attack. The actual amount of poisoning calculated from this setting, if specified, will be 10% to 100% of the value given. Is handled as a poisoning specification to do_damage() and is subject to the rules applicable per that function. May be a closure, which will be called with damage arguments. It is usually appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on poisoning calculated from the _Power field's interaction with the _Type field.
Special_Attack_Caust: A caust specification (c.f. 'man caust') associated with the special attack. If present, when the special attack occurs, the caust descriptor will be copied with deep_copy() and modified as follows: 1) the Caust_Damage will be set to half the damage calculated for the special attack (from Special_Attack_Damage and Special_Attack_Modifier), 2) the Caust_Type will be set the same as the Special_Attack_Type, 3) the Caust_Aggressor will be set to the character, and 3) the Caust_Target will be set to the limbs being hit by the special attack, with the flag Caust_Flag_Target_Preset turned on unless the entire body is being targeted. The modified copy of the caust descriptor will then be added to the opponent.
Special_Attack_Condition: A condition descriptor which will be evaluated on the character performing the special attack, or a closure which, if specified, will be called with standard arguments. If the condition descriptor evaluation or closure returns False, the special attack will not be used at that time. Generally, common condition macros from /lib/conditions.h are used for this setting.
Special_Attack_From: A field specifying where the special attack comes from, used by the code that automatically constructs special attack messages based on _Actuation, _Vector, _Type, and so on. Can be anything that would be valid as an element of a message array, such as this_object() in a character for a special attack originating from the character in general, "nowhere" for a special attack coming from nowhere, or ({ 'r', 0, "eyes" }) for a special attack coming from a character's eyes (please note: test your special attack and use ({ 's', 0, "eyes" }) if
needed to make the character's name show up). If an appropriate object
or limb can be found in the specification, the Attack_Weapon field of attack descriptors generated by the special attack will be set accordingly.
Special_Attack_Appearance: A descriptive field usable to override the appearance of the special attack calculated based on _Vector and _Type.
Special_Attack_Energy_Costs: An array of specifications for energy cost descriptors defining the energy costs to use the special attack. The default is as if ({({ Energy_Spiritual, 10 })}) were given.
Special_Attack_Placeholder: A presently unused field.
Special_Attack_Strike: A field accepting an int or float value affecting the accuracy of the special attack. See /lib/descriptors/special_attack.h for a list of sample values for this field. It is preferable to use one of these if any appropriate to your application is available, but it is acceptable to specify a literal value if none of the macros does what you want.
Special_Attack_Activity: The cost in activity points to perform the special attack. Defaults to 15 if the attack is being defined from an autonomon object, 0 otherwise. Must be a positive integer.
Special_Attack_Size: A field accepting an int value specifying the size of the special attack. It is more often than not appropriate to avoid using this field and rely on the default value for the vector used. See /lib/descriptors/special_attack.h for a list of sample values for this field; it is preferable to use one of these if any appropriate to your application is available, but it is acceptable to specify a literal value if none of the macros does what you want.
Special_Attack_Speech: The speech command (designated using one of the Speech_Command_X macros from the speech descriptor) using which the Special_Attack_Speak text is spoken; defaults to Speech_Command_Say.
Special_Attack_Flags: Specifies flag values from among these:
Special_Attack_Flag_Appearance_Plurality: When using the _Appearance field, specifies that your given _Appearance is plural. Specifying this flag then allows grammar related to the appearance of the special attack to be constructed correctly. Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Pluralize_Vector turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Bypass_Armour: Causes the special attack to ignore armour and related defenses. Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Bypass_Armour turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Untreatable: Causes wounds from the special attack to not flag affected limbs as treatable. Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Untreatable turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Inflict_Mental_Disorder: Causes the special attack, if successful, to cause a randomly selected mental disorder to the target. Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Inflict_Mental_Disorder turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Accidental: Causes the special attack to be treated as accidental. Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Accidental turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Definite_Article: Causes the appearance of the
special attack to be described using the definite article rather than
the indefinite ("the" rather than "a" or "an") if an article is used.
Special_Attack_Flag_From_Separate: In the case where the _Actuation in use is a direct manipulation of the vector (e.g. Vector_Spit, Vector_Release; anything with set_actuation_vector_manipulating(True)), the default behavior in the presence of a _From field is to have the _From as the subject of the actuation, i.e. the _From is doing the spitting or releasing or what-have-you. This flag suppresses this behavior, causing the character to still be performing the vector, described as being from the _From field.
Special_Attack_Flag_Pluralize_Vector: Causes the appearance of the special attack to be calculated using the plural case of the vector, e.g. "beams" rather than "beam", "arcs" rather than "arc". Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Pluralize_Vector turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Limb_Target_Preset: Causes an integer _Target value to be interpreted as an already-determined limb index on the target, rather than a limb type to be found.
Special_Attack_Flag_Disjoint_Limb_Selection: Causes the special attack to be able to hit non-adjacent limbs when striking multiple limbs on a target. Will cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have Attack_Flag_Disjoint_Limb_Selection turned on.
Special_Attack_Flag_Combine_Message: If specified, the _Message field is combined with the message content generated automatically rather than replacing it.
Special_Attack_Flag_Message_Elide_From: If specified, the _From field does not affect generated messages, meaning it is only used to find the Attack_Weapon value to use.
Special_Attack_Flag_Suppress_Result_Description: If specified, causes
the special attack to not have an attack result description ("connects
solidly", "barely connects" and so on) in its message content. Will
cause attack descriptors generated by the special attack to have
Attack_Flag_Suppress_Result_Description turned on.
See Also
descriptors(mechanisms), add_special_attack(lfun), set_special_attacks(lfun), query_special_attacks(lfun), remove_special_attack(lfun), message(lfun), caust(descriptors), damage_types(build)
