7th Dragon 2020-II Mechanics

Changes from 2020
=================
Damage:
-Striking weaknesses is no longer universally a 1.5x damage boost. Instead it is a varying number.
-Casual no longer directly affects damage.

Critical Hits:
-The critical hit damage multiplier for players is increased from 1.35x to 1.5x.

Accuracy and Evasion:
-Vastly lowered the amount of enemy skills that have the Cannot Miss flag.
-Accuracy multipliers for several player and enemy skills have been lowered across the board.

Ailment Infliction:
-Any ailments that are not D-Depth can no longer pierce immunities. (Resistances can still be pierced.)
-Ragweed Ammo has been converted to a normal infliction skill. (No longer ignores the target's ailment multipliers.)

Priority:
-Introduced new priority levels:
--4: Skills with this priority level attack before skills with priority levels of 2, but after skills with priority levels of 1. (Only 1 enemy skill has a priority level of 4.)
--5: Skills with this priority level attack at the end of the turn, not the start.

EX Gain:
-EX is no longer gained when using a non-attacking action while EX is active.

Preemptives and Surprise Attacks:
-Fixed a bug where the Surprise Hunt's surprise attack nullification did not work on random encounters.
-Bug introduced: Certain boss fights are not flagged as being boss fights, causing them to be treated like random encounters in terms of preemptives and surprise attacks.

AUTO Skills:
-Activation rates for beginning of the battle skills reduced from 35% to 25%.

Field Skill Effects:
-SP Bonus's multiplier lowered from 1.5 to 1.3.

Item Effects:
-Candy Bar: Item Reworked
--Old version: Restores 30 LIFE to one party member.
--New version: Revives all dead party members at 999 LIFE.
-Flag Bento:
--Now affects the entire party instead of one party member.
--Multiplier decreased from 0.8 to 0.85.

Weapon Effects:
-Moonflower: Infliction rate increased from 10% to 20%.
-Minesleeper: Infliction rate increased from 10% to 25%.

EXP Scaling:
-Multipliers heavily reduced.
-Bug introduced: Multipliers accidentally reset back to 1x if the average level of the enemies is 10 levels or higher.

Casual Mode:
-No longer applies a general multiplier to enemy LIFE or damage.
-Now applies a different set of stats to all enemies instead if playing on Casual.
-No longer boosts EXP or SP payouts.

Other Changes:
-Petrification now lasts indefinitely instead of for a set duration.
-Attacking a sleeping target now applies a 1.2x damage boost to the attack. Multihit attacks will have all hits be boosted by this.
-A dragon joining in on a random battle no longer drives away every non-dragon enemy. Now they'll assist the enemies unless there's no room for the dragon, at which point a certain number of random enemies are driven away to make room for the dragon.

Damage Formula
==============
Damage = [(Attacking Stat - Defending Stat) * Skill Power + Random Factor] * Buffs * Burn Factor * Damage Multipliers

If the attack deals 0 damage for any reason, 1 or 2 damage is dealt instead.

The stats are ATK vs DEF for physical attacks, and MAT vs MDF for magical attacks.
Skill power is the power of the skill. If using a basic attack from a class that is not a Gun Trickster, this will always be 1. A Gun Trickster has this set to 0.55 instead, though they deal 2 attacks at once.
Random Factor is equal to a random number from -4 to 3.
Buffs include all possible buffs and debuffs. Unlike in the DS title, the opposite type of buff will not cancel out the debuff, and vice versa. All buffs and debuffs stack with each other and are all multiplied together accordingly. Only 1 type of each buff can by on a party member at any given time (Multiple ATK buffs cannot be active at the same time) and buffs cannot be replaced by another buff, nor can their durations be refreshed. You must wait for the buff to run out before applying that category of buff again.
Burn Factor lowers damage dealt from Burned targets by a varying amount, and also increases the damage they take by a varying amount.
Damage Multipliers are weaknesses or resistances an enemy has to a certain damage type. If the damage multiplier is greater than 1, a "GOOD!" will be displayed below the damage number.
Using EX multiplies damage by 1.5.

Guarding
========
Guarding has a priority level of 3. Doing so reduces the damage of attacks by 50%.
If Guarding is boosted by EX, damage is reduced by 75% instead.
Guarding affects nothing else other than damage.

Healing
=======
If the healing comes from an item, it will heal for the listed amount.
If the healing comes from a skill, then the heal is equal to Base Heal + (MAT * 0.1).
EX multiplies healing by 2.

Critical Hits
=============
Critical hits only occur on basic attacks for the most part. Skills can only deal critical hits if the skill allows them to do so, and have their own set multipliers for dealing bonus damage.
For all classes and most enemies, this is set to 5%. This can be boosted through buffs and equipment. All Critical Hit rate boosts are added together.
Basic attacks from players will have their damage multiplied by 1.5 if it is a critical hit.
Basic attacks from enemies will have their damage multiplied by 1.25 if it is a critical hit.

Accuracy and Evasion
====================
Accuracy = (Unit Accuracy * Skill Accuracy * Blind Factor) - Evasion

If the target is in the jumping state, then all attacks will miss.
If the attack is flagged as being unable to miss, it will always land, unless the target is in the jumping state.
If the attack is boosted by EX, then it can never miss, unless the target is in the jumping state.

Unit Accuracy is the innate accuracy of the attacker in question. For all classes and most enemies, this is set to 100%. Though some enemies have their innate accuracy set to a lower amount for story purposes.
Skill Accuracy is the accuracy multiplier on the skill.
Blind Factor lowers the accuracy on Blinded targets by a varying amount.
Evasion is subtracted from the accuracy at the very end of calculations. All evasion boosts from buffs and equipment are added together.

If the final result is equal to or greater than 100, then the attack will always land. Otherwise it is rolled for a chance out of 100.
Accuracy cannot be lower than 1%, so no attack is guaranteed to miss unless they were aimed at a jumping target.

Ailment Infliction
==================
Infliction Rate = Skill Infliction Rate * Buffs * Ailment Multipliers

Jab, Mach Punch, Otoshi Mae Joto, Skyhigh Meteor, and a Destroyer under the effects of Depth Charge will always inflict D-Depth unless the target already has their D-Depth counter set to 3.
If the target's Ailment Multiplier is set to 0, then they are considered immune to the ailment and cannot be inflicted with it no matter what, unless the ailment in question is D-Depth.
If Feedback or Shutdown is used on a Hacked Target, the skill always inflicts their ailment, as long as the target's ailment multiplier is not set to 0.
If the user is under the Superstar status and casts Berserk Pitch or Glory Note, the skill will always inflict their ailment, as long as the target's ailment multiplier is not set to 0.
EX multiplies the Infliction Rate by 2.

Skill Infliction Rate is the base infliction rate on the skill, or weapon if you are using a basic attack with an ailment weapon.
If you have a Hacker who is equipped with the Vajara or Veda, then +5% or 10% is added onto the base Hack success rate, respectively.
Buffs are ailment resistance multipliers, and are multiplied together.
Ailment Multipliers are the multipliers on the target on how susceptible or resistant to the specific ailment being inflicted. For classes, this is always set to 1.
If the Infliction Rate is equal to or greater than 100, then the ailment will always land. Otherwise it is rolled for a chance out of 100.

Infliction works in a few steps.

If the ailment is attached to an attack, the attack must land, otherwise the infliction attempt will not even be rolled for.
If the attack landed or the ailment was not attached to an attack, then the infliction rate calculations are run. If the infliction fails, no further steps are taken. Otherwise the ailment will land if the unit is an enemy. If the unit is a player, there is one final step.
If the ailment was calculated to land on a player unit, then the game will check for any equipment they are wearing that protects against said ailment. Another chance out of 100 roll occurs here to see if the equipment protects you or not. If your equipment does not save you, then the ailment lands. If your equipment saved you from being inflicted, the ailment is nullified, and the words "Equip Resist" will pop up above your party member's UI.

Priority
========
Some skills have priority levels, allowing them to go faster than normal. If 2 or more units are using skills with the same priority levels, then the normal speed calculations take place within that priority bracket to determine who goes first.

The priority brackets are as follows, with the levels higher on the list having more priority than the levels below it:

6:
-Ricochet (Attacks)
1:
-Manafloat
-Attack ♪ Beat
-Defense Beat ♪ Beat
-Follow Me (Party members under this effect also have a priority level of 1)
-Speed ♪ Beat (Party members under this effect also have a priority level of 1)
-Cure ♪ Beat
4:
-Does not apply to any player skills
2:
-Renki First Aid
-Woodwind Duet
-Ready to Run
-Knee Break
-Hiding
-Bush Trap
-Assassain's React
-Counter Stance
-Fang Breaker
-Claw Smasher
-Breath Render
-Parry Shield
-Fiend Shifter
-Death's Door (Levels 3 and above only)
-Too Hot to Touch
-Recover (Levels 3 and above only)
-Zero at the Bone
-Attack Booster
-Defense Booster
-TROY: Fire
-TROY: Ice
-Firewall
-Icebreaker
-A-Skill Caller
-Hack All
-Luck Booster
-TROY: Cure
3:
-Using the Guard Command
-Shadowless
-luvshock.exe
-poisnjam.exe
-noiztank.exe
-noiztank.max
No Priority:
-All other skills
5:
-Sunset Kata
-Nanomachine 119

Exhaust Mechanics
=================
When using Exhaust (EX), a number of benefits are gained.

Damge is multiplied by 1.5.
Guarding reduces damage by 75%.
Healing from items and skills have their healing multiplied by 2.
Attacks can never miss on non-jumping targets.
Ailments have their success rates multiplied by 2.
Grants the user maximum speed, but does not actually change priority levels.
Escaping is guaranteed from fights that can be escaped from.
EX skills can only be used while EX is active.

EX also only lasts for the current phase. Using it on the normal turn phase will not transfer the effects of EX into the extra turn phase. Likewise, the effects of EX from one extra turn will not carry over into the next extra turn.

EX Gauge Gain
=============
What affects the EX Gauge:

-All effects stack with each other, aside from the amount of LIFE lost, in which case the appropriate effect is chosen to be added with the others.
-Multihit attacks will increase the EX gauge each time they land. All of the following conditions can occur multiple times in one multihit attack.
-When being targeted, taking a hit from an AOE target attack increases the EX gauge by 1%.
-When being targeted, infliction increases the EX gauge by 1%. (Counts even if blocked by accessory.) Stacks with being attacked.
-When being targeted, taking a hit from an attack attack increases the EX gauge by a varying amount depending on how much Life was lost in a single hit.
--Losing less than 25% max Life increases the EX gauge by 1%.
--Losing between 25% and 50% max Life increases the EX gauge by 2.5%.
--Losing between 50% and 75% max Life increases the EX gauge by 5%.
--Losing over 75% max Life increases the EX gauge by 10%.
-Skills increase EX by their own amount.
-Mind Boosters add 2.5% to the EX gauge when using attacks. This effect applies each time the EX gauge increases from an attack.

What doesn't affect the EX Gauge:

-Killing, dying, and winning a battle does not affect the EX gauge.
-Missing does not increase EX (Both from player and enemy attacks.) The attack must land in order for it to happen.
-Amount of damage by the player does not matter. Only if the attack lands or not.

Using EX will prevent EX from being gained for that turn.

Preemptives and Surprise Attacks
================================
Random Encounters:

You have a 5% chance to get a preemptive strike.
If this chance fails to activate, and you have a Trickster with Surprise Hunt is in the party, the skill will have a chance to activate and give you a preemptive strike that way.
If Surprise Hunt fails to activate, then you have a 2% chance to get hit by a surprise attack.
If a Trickster with Surprise Hunt at level 3 or above is in the party, then any surprise attacks are nullified.
If the enemy fails to get a surprise attack, the battle starts out on even footing.

Dragons:

Preemptive attacks only occur if you successfully walk into a dragon's back. Surprise Hunt's preemptive chance can never activate against Dragons.
If a dragon walks into your back, the battle will be a surprise attack. However, a Trickster with Surprise Hunt at level 3 or above will always nullify these surprise attcks.
If both the player and the dragon run face first into each other, the battle will always start off on even footing.

Certain Dragons can never be fought in a preemptive attack.

Bosses:

Battles will always start off on even footing. However certain boss fights are not flagged as being boss fights, causing them to be treated like random encounters regarding how preemptives and surprise attacks work.

AUTO Skills
===========
AUTO skills are passive effects that have a chance of activating at varying points in the battle. While multiple AUTO skills can activate within a given turn, they cannot occur within the same period of a turn. (i.e. Carnage Strike and Destroy on Sight cannot activate at the same time.) This chance is rolled for each AUTO skill, so taking all 3 beginning of the battle AUTO skills will not guarantee an AUTO skill activating for every battle. If multiple AUTO skills roll their activation rate successfully, then the game randomly picks one to take effect and prevents any others from activating.

Middle of the turn AUTO skills are an exception to this and can activate multiple times whenever the given condition for them to activate pops up and do not interfere with each other.

Before the battle begins:
-Surprise Hunt (Activation Rates vary.)

Beginning of the battle: 25% activation rate.
-Carnage Strike
-Destroy on Sight
-Quick Hack
-Colorful Stage
-True Pro
-Rocket Start

Middle of a turn: 15% activation rate.
-Reactor Cheer
-Auto Recover

End of the turn: 12% activation rate.
-Blade of Rage
-Stinger
-Cheetahman
-Otoshi Mae Joto
-Fantasy Zone
-Mana Spring
-Airsoft Training
-Overtime

Unlisted Field Skill Effects
============================
Stealth I: Reduces the encounter rate by 80% for 200 steps. 3 uses. (Lasts for approximately 28 seconds of straight walking.)
Stealth II: Nullifies encounters for 200 steps. 3 uses. (Lasts for approximately 28 seconds of straight walking.)
Stealth III: Nullifies encounters for 250 steps. 5 uses. (Lasts for approximately 35 seconds of straight walking.)

Unlisted Item Effects
=====================
Candy Bar: Revives all dead party members at 999 LIFE.
Camo Tool: Reduces the encounter rate by 75% for 300 steps. (Lasts for approximately 42 seconds of straight walking.)
Optical Camo: Completely eliminates encounters for 500 steps. (Lasts for approximately 70 seconds of straight walking.)
Fried Bento: Multiplies one party member's ATK and MAT damage dealt by 1.2x for 5 turns.
Flag Bento: Multiplies all party members' ATK and MAT damage taken by 0.85x for 5 turns.
Navi Cake: Multiplies all party members' ATK and MAT damage dealt by 1.15x and ATK and MAT damage taken by 0.85x for 5 turns.
Fried Special: Multiplies one party member's ATK and MAT damage dealt by 1.3x for 3 turns.
Flag Special: Multiplies all party members' ATK and MAT damage taken by 0.8x for 4 turns.

Weapon Effects
==============
If the weapon inflicts an ailment, it has a chance to activate on ATK-based attacks. This includes skills. Does not activate on MAT-based attacks or any other skill types.

Knives:
-Scalpel: 10% chance to inflict Paralysis for 2 turns. Paralyzed targets have a 25% chance to not act.
-Venom Kukri: 25% chance to inflict Poison for 3 turns. The Poison ticks for 53 damage.
-Frostdagger: 10% chance to inflict Freeze for 3 turns. The Freeze ticks for 41 damage, and multiplies SPD by 0.1x.
-Lolly Dagger: 10% chance to inflict Sleep for 2 turns.
-Pescado: 35% chance to inflict Bleed for 3 turns. The Bleed ticks for 83/99/102 damage.
-Blazing Ifrit: 15% chance to inflict Burn for 3 turns. The Burn ticks for 9 damage, multiplies ATK and MAT damage dealt by 0.9x, and multiplies ATK and MAT damage taken by 1.05x.

Fists:
-Fists of Rage: 10% chance to inflict Paralysis for 4 turns. Paralyzed targets have a 50% chance to not act.

Claws:
-Burn Nail: 15% chance to inflict Burn for 3 turns. The Burn ticks for 9 damage, multiplies ATK and MAT damage dealt by 0.9x, and multiplies ATK and MAT damage taken by 1.05x.
-Ovine Hoof: 10% chance to inflict Sleep for 2 turns.
-Thunderclaw: 10% chance to inflict Paralysis for 2 turns. Paralyzed targets have a 25% chance to not act.
-Moonflower: 20% chance to inflict Curse for 3 turns. Cursed targets get 100% of the damage they deal reflected back at them.
-Insect Talon: 25% chance to cause Stun for 1 turn.
-Cerberus: 35% chance to inflict Bleed for 3 turns. The Bleed ticks for 43/51/52 damage.
-Subzero Claw: 10% chance to inflict Freeze for 3 turns. The Freeze ticks for 41 damage, and multiplies SPD by 0.1x.

Chakrams:
-Bloodgear: 45% chance to inflict Bleed for 3 turns. The Bleed ticks for 27/31/32 damage.
-Minesleeper: 10% chance to inflict Sleep for 2 turns.
-Giant Wheel: 15% chance to inflict Burn for 3 turns. The Burn ticks for 9 damage, multiplies ATK and MAT damage dealt by 0.9x, and multiplies ATK and MAT damage taken by 1.05x.
-Shadow Edge: 45% chance to inflict Bleed for 3 turns. The Bleed ticks for 43/51/52 damage.
-Vajra: +5% Hacking base success rate.
-Veda: +10% Hacking base success rate.

EXP Scaling
===========
If a given party member is underleveled, the game will attempt to give them more EXP at the end of a battle in an effort to catch them up.

How this scaling works is that it compares each party member with the average level of the encounter formation. If there's a big enough difference, the exp payout is boosted for the party members that apply for the boost.

BUG: The multiplier was intended to keep scaling past 10 levels, however the EXP multiplier resets back to 1 when the level difference reaches 10 or more.

2 levels or less: 1x
3-9: level difference 1.2x
10 levels or more: 1x

Casual Mode
===========
The difficulty can be chosen at the start of the game, between Standard Mode and Casual Mode. However the difficulty is permanent once chosen and cannot be changed in the middle of the game. All enemies have their stats changed in Casual Mode in order to make them easier to defeat.