Technical Specification · Encounters

Encounters

With our player and boss frameworks in hand and our combat timers established, it's time to enter the dungeon. There are a number of different ways boss fights are structured. We'll identify the most common and lay out the logical groundwork for each.

§ 09.01

About Gambits

"Gambits" is our nod to the Final Fantasy XII Gambit system. In short, it's a modular player AI mechanic that lets you choose a condition (e.g. HP < 50% or Status = Poison) and assign an action to take if the condition is met (e.g. Cast Heal or Drink Antidote). Gambits will primarily be used for handling yellow damage abilities (spells and special attacks) as well as movement and positioning AI. This is the heart of our player and boss AI. These will be defined per Encounter, as part of the simulation configuration.

Gambit Structure

Tank.HP < 40%

Condition

AND

NOT Casting

Guard

→

THEN

Cast [Flash Mend]

Action

§ 09.02

V0 — The Gear Check

Boss Archetype The Brute

Encounter Description

In MMO systems design, a Gear Check fight (also known colloquially as "The Tank and Spank") is the most straightforward, baseline stress test. There are no complex targeting mechanics, no advanced movement is required, and no environmental hazards. Its prime objective is to answer 3 questions:

Can the DPS deplete the Boss's HP within 180 seconds?

Can the Healer sustain the Tank's HP without running out of mana?

Can the Tank generate enough Threat to maintain Boss aggro and prevent a full party wipe?

Gambits

IF GCD <= 0 THEN Use [Heavy Strike]

Action: Triggers an instant physical strike dealing 1.5× normal swing damage. Locks Boss GCD for 1.5s.

Purpose: Ensure the Boss is consistently testing Tank mitigation and Healer reaction time with unpredictable damage spikes between standard white auto-attacks.

IF GCD <= 0 THEN Use [Mortal Strike]

Action: Triggers an instant physical strike dealing 1.4× normal swing damage.

Purpose: Standard high yellow damage attack.

TBD Movement / Position Gambit

IF Tank.HP < 80% AND NOT Casting THEN Cast [Greater Heal]

Purpose: Slow, efficient baseline heal.

IF Tank.HP < 40% AND NOT Casting THEN Cast [Flash Mend]

Purpose: The fast but expensive emergency heal.

IF GCD <= 0 AND NOT Casting THEN Use [Core Damage Ability]

Purpose: Trigger core damage ability — Sinister Strike for Melee DPS (2.0× swing damage), Auto Shot for Ranged Physical DPS (2.0× normal ranged damage), and Greater Fireball for Ranged Caster DPS (damage scaled by level).

TBD Movement / Position Gambit