Defensive strength
Defensive strength is a numerical value of a character's defenses. This number comprises of three main categories: parry defense, shield defense, and evade defense. A character's DS can also be enhanced by various spells, some of which merely add a flat DS bonus, while others may indirectly add to DS via Dodge ranks, such as the Mass Blur spell in the Wizard Base spell circle. Enchanted shields and armor provide a permanent bonus, as long as the item is being used.
Formulas to Determine a Character's Defensive Strength
To calculate a character's Defensive Strength, one adds the values from the three categories, listed above.
- Parry defense can be found in various topics, such as Two Weapon Combat where it lists the parry defense formulas for both primary hand and off-hand weapons.
- Shield defense calculations can be found on the Shield Use page.
- Evade defense is a function of the Dodge skill, and therefore the formula can be found there.
Environmental Conditions
Room lighting and fog conditions have been shown to affect DS. These bonuses/penalties are independent of the defender's stance. The environmental effects are outlined below:
| Condition | Effect | LM SENSE messaging |
|---|---|---|
| Average | +0 DS | pretty average lighting |
| Bright | -10 DS | extremely bright |
| Dark | +20 DS | rather dark |
| Foggy | +30 DS | pretty foggy |