Currently the formula is
- Code:
2/5 * encumbrance^2 / (20 - 3 * size_factor) * (27 - shield_skill) / 27
where encumbrance is 5, 15 or 25 for bucklers, kite shields and tower shields respectively, and the size factor varies from +4 for spriggans to -2 for the big boys.
I could think of alternate formula like
- Code:
2/5 * encumbrance^2 / (20 - 3 * size_factor) * enbumbrance^2 / (encumbrance + shield_skill)^2 * 10 / (10+ strength)
but what should a shield penalty formula try to achieve?
Without goals it's unclear whether a formula is "good".
My own ideas:
- Shield skill should have diminishing returns, with a characteristic point around where shield_skill = encumbrance for normal species
- species which are "good with shields" should actually be good with shields, meaning with a size_factor of -2 and 20 shield_skill, you should have less encumbrance than with a size_factor of 0 and 27 shield_skill
But as for how to weave strength into that. The big question for me is whether you'd want strength to change the characteristic skill level where the diminishing returns become prominent. Also most of the species which are "good with shields" are also very strong, whereas Spriggans are very weak, so putting strength into the encumbrance formula actually interacts with the two goals I listed above.
Strength could add to shield skill, such that for example having 2 more points of strength is equivalent to having 1 more point of shield_skill, at least for the purpose of encumbrance. Strength could be a separate multiplier for your shield encumbrance. Strength could also act as a multiplier for shield_skill itself. Or something else altogether could be best.