Science behind a dead hobbit – Part 1 When do you die?

Fancy graphics, cookies and pies are all just a front for a lot of numbers and formulas in lotro. Hey, come back here. No need to run away and hide. It’s not algebra (ok, some of it is).

In part 1 we’ll cover the basics first before we dive deeper into the numbers, game balance, how to improve and other topics. For now we’ll take a little peek in the interaction between morale and damage. And when you run out of it.

When do you die or how not to?

The when is the easy part. If you’re morale is reaches 0, you’re dead. But there are plenty of ways to make sure you don’t get to 0. You can make it as complicated as you want, but in it’s simplest form you have 3 options when fighting a mob.

Mr. goblin has 100 morale and you have 100. And both of you do 10 damage per second. And you start hitting each other at the same time. Both will be dead and neither of you likes that. In the end, you want to kill the thing before he does your head in by either

1. Doing more damage to him then he does to you (damage class specialty)
2. He does less damage to you then you do to him (tanking class specialty)
3. You avoid taking damage or negate the damage he has done (crowd control or healing class)

Each class has all options available, just some are better at them then others. We’ll go over them in future episodes. Part 2 will discuss damage, Part 3 will talk about mitigations and armour and in part 4 we’ll visit other options such as healing and kiting. As we go over then we’ll slowly dive into the numbers and how to make sense out of it all.

Orcs trying to fill your jar of water

Instead of morale, damage and all kind of abstract numbers. Just think of the game trying to fill a jar of water.  If you jar overflows you get wet and you dont like that. The orc will try to fill your jar with water and you’re trying to avoid that. So how would you go about that?

• You get a larger jar then the orc. If both are filling the jar at the same speed. You will win and the orc dies. This would be getting more morale ingame.
• You get better at filler the orcs jar of water – Do more damage
• You reduce the size of the hole the orc can use – Reduce damage taken

But as you get better at one part you will get worse in the other parts. Trying to find a a balance between them will usually be the best. No point in having an immense jar and only a water droplet to work with. The orc will get bored, but will still win.

Breaking that balance made by the game

Almost all combat, in any game, is the game giving you a scenario to overcome. This might come with an extra handicap such as making an enemy to fight that does far more damage then you. Put a time-limit on the instance or reducing your room to move. It’s your challenge to overcome those handicaps. Understanding what creates this challenge is a good way to defeat it.

In the next part we’ll introduce other parts of combat and expand on them. And the wet orc will be back.