Status effects are used for temporary status alterations.
Status Effect Types #
Status effect types are used to organize status effects by separating them into different types.
You’ll mainly use them to filter status effects in the editor and change status effects on combatants based on type. This e.g. allows to easily remove all negative status effects by having them all be under the same status effect type.
Status effect types are set up in Status > Status Effect Types.
Status Effects #
Status effects are usually used for adding temporary status changes to a combatant that only last for a few turns or a short time.
You can use status effects for things like:
- status bonuses (positive and negative)
- damage/healing over time
- changing attack/defence modifiers (e.g. fire enchantment for attacks)
- marking a combatant for a certain state (e.g. a hidden effect used in move AI detections as a condition)
- custom systems
Status effects are set up in Status > Status Effects.
Basics #
Here are some basic features and settings of status effects.
You can also define if a status effect will be saved with save games or not.
User Snapshot #
Status effects can optionally create a copy of the user (combatant) that applied the effect to the target.
This allows the effect to keep using the same status of the user, regardless of how the user’s status might change after the effect is applied.
Stacking #
Status effects can optionally be added multiple times, stacking the effect.
Hit Chance #
Optionally use a chance check to determine if a status effect will be added to the target.
E.g. using a formula, you can take resistances (e.g. in form of status values) into account.
Effect States #
Status effects can prevent a combatant using certain actions.
E.g. you can block the base attack, all abilities/items, only defined abilities/items or ability/item types or using battle commands like defend or escape.
Status effects can also be used to reflect damage back to an attacker or cause a combatant to attack their allies instead of enemies.
Ending Effects #
Status effects can automatically end in multiple ways.
End After Turns #
The status effect will end after a defined number of turns – either at the start or end of a combatant’s turn. I.e. this is based on a combatant’s individual turn state.
Ending after turns also allows using a chance, e.g. having a 50% chance to actually end after 3 turns.
End After Battle Turns #
The status effect will end after a defined number of battle turns – either at the start or end of a battle turn. I.e. this is based on the overall battle’s turn.
Ending after battle turns also allows using a chance, e.g. having a 50% chance to actually end after 3 battle turns.
End After Time #
The status effect will end after a defined time (in seconds).
You can also define if the time is running in battles and/or the field.
End After Phase #
The status effect will end after a defined number of phases – either at the start or end of the phase. This is only used in the Phase battle system.
Ending after phases also allows using a chance, e.g. having a 50% chance to actually end after 3 phases.
End After Action #
The status effect will end after a defined number of actions (of the effect’s target) – either at the start or end of the action.
Ending after actions also allows using a chance, e.g. having a 50% chance to actually end after 3 actions.
End After Selected As Target #
The status effect will end after the target was selected as a target of an action for a defined number of times. This happens when a combatant finishes selecting an action and target and the action is registered with the battle system.
You can limit this to only use actions that are used by the user of the effect (i.e. the combatant who applied the effect to the target) or to actions of allies or enemies of the effect’s target.
End After Status Value Change #
The status effect will end after a status value was changed for a defined number of times.
You can also check the change value to consider using the status change, e.g. only using negative changes (damage).
End After Custom #
The status effect will end after the Custom Status Effect schematic node has been used a defined number of times.
The status effect is identified by a defined key – only nodes using a matching key will reduce the duration.
End After Others #
Additionally, status effects can end after:
- battle end
- being hit by an attack
- death
- any or a defined ability or ability type being used on the combatant
- any or a defined item or item type being used on the combatant
Animations #
Status effects can also change the animations of a combatant while they’re applied.
You can define multiple animation settings for overall use and overrides during battle (e.g. to play different movement animations in battle). Learn more about animations in this documentation.
E.g. a poison effect can play a different idle animation, showing a weakened posture.
Status Changes #
The main use for status effects is to cause status changes on a combatant – e.g. regenerating health every turn or reducing health every 3 seconds.
There are different status changes available, as well as different setups for when they’re used (e.g. turn or time based). Additionally, status changes can switch user and target, so the caster of the effect can regain health while the target of the effect can take damage.
Change Types #
The Change Type of a status change defines the status change that will occur. The following types of status changes are available:
- Absorb Status Value
Absorb changes to a status value dealt by abilities/items with Use Absorb Effect enabled. - Action Bar
Changes the action bar.
In Turn Based Battles and Phase Battles, this will change the actions per turn of the combatant.
In Active Time Battles, this will change the timebar of the combatant. - Animation
Plays an animation type on the combatant. - Block Status Value
Absorb changes to a status value dealt by abilities/items with Use Absorb Effect enabled. - Move Range
Changes the grid move range. - Next Action
Perform a battle action (e.g. attack or ability). - Schematic
Start a schematic (user is Machine Object, target the Starting Object). - Status Effect
Changes status effects. - Status Value
Changes a status value. - Variable
Changes variables.
Use On #
The Use On Settings of a status change define when the status change is used. The following types are available:
- Apply
When the status effect is applied. - Remove
When the status effect is removed. - Turn Start
At the start of every turn (while applied). - Turn End
At the end of every turn (while applied). - Time
Every defined seconds. - Action Start
When the target starts an action (while applied). - Action End
When the target ends an action (while applied). - Selected As Target
When the effect’s target was selected as a target of an action.
Can be limited to actions of the effect’s user, allies or enemies of the target. - Battle Turn Start
At the start of every battle turn (while applied). - Battle Turn End
At the end of every battle turn (while applied). - Phase Start
At the start of a phase (Phase battles only). - Phase End
At the end of a phase (Phase battles only). - Status Value Change
When a defined status value of the target was changed.
The change value can be checked, e.g. only using negative changes. - Custom
When a schematic uses a Custom Status Effect node with a matching key on the combatant.
Chance/Conditions #
If a status change is used can optionally depend on a chance check (e.g. 50% chance) and on conditions that are checked on either the user or target of the effect.
Conditions can e.g. check the status of a combatant, variables or game states – or even if a defined quest or quest type is currently active.
Applied Duration Checks #
Additionally, you can limit status changes to only occur if the status effect passes a check on it’s applied duration.
The applied duration is independent of the actual duration setup of the effect, e.g. you can check for applied time while the effect itself has a turn duration.
The following duration checks are available:
- Turns
Checks the number of applied turns (increases on turn start). - Battle Turns
Checks the number of applied battle turns (increases on battle turn start). - Time
Checks the time the effect is applied. - Actions
Checks the number of actions the effect is applied (any action).
Other Changes #
Beside status changes, status effects can add other status-related changes that are used as long as the status effect is applied.
Equipment Slot Changes #
Status effects can add additional equipment slots and block/remove equipment slots.
Status Bonuses #
Optionally use a custom bonus setup or add status bonus templates to the status effect.
Status bonuses can give bonuses to chances, status values, attack/defence modifiers and change status effects.
Learn more about status bonuses in this documentation.
Random Status Bonuses #
Add random status bonuses to the instance of the status effect. Random bonuses offer mostly the same functionality as status bonuses, but allow defining a minimum and maximum value for the individual status bonuses.
Learn more about random status bonuses in this documentation.
Effect Modifiers #
Status effects can change the combatant’s attack/defence modifiers used by status value changes (abilities/items that allow effect modifiers).
Attack modifier changes can change the used attribute of abilities and items, e.g. adding a Fire element enchantment to the base attack.
Defence modifier changes can change the attribute of a combatant, e.g. changing Race or Size modifiers to influence damage calculations.
Auto Apply #
Status effects can automatically be added to combatants when defined status conditions are valid.
E.g. adding a critical state effect when health is 20% or lower.
Auto Remove #
Status effects can automatically be removed from combatants when defined status conditions are valid.
E.g. remove a critical state effect when health is above 20%.
UI #
You usually want to display the status effects of a combatant in a UI in some form, e.g. in a HUD or status menu.
Status effects can also be set to be hidden from the player, i.e. they’ll not show up in any status effect listings in the UI. Use this to e.g. hide certain internal states or effects from the player.
Status Effect UI #
Displaying a list of status effects usually uses a UI setup of a status effect. The actual setup depends on the used UI module, e.g. the Unity UI module will use a prefab for this.
See the documentation on HUD status effects for details.
Information Overrides #
Status effects can override the default flying text and console texts.
Setup Examples #
Here are some examples for setting up different kinds of status effects.
Poison #
This status effect reduces health by 10% at the start of each turn and lasts for 5 turns.
End Settings #
- End After
Select Turn Start.
The effect will and at the start of a combatant’s turn, after doing damage one last time. - Duration
Set to 5 (Value). - On Recast
Select Reset.
This’ll reset the duration when poison is applied again. - End With Death
Enable this setting.
Change Settings > Status Changes #
Click on Add Status Change.
- Change Type
Select Status Value.
The Use On Settings define when the status change is used.
- Use On
Select Turn Start.
Damage is caused at the start of the combatant’s turn.
The Status Value settings define how the status value is changed.
- Status Value
Select HP (or whatever your health status value is called). - Change Value
Set to 10 (Value). - Operator
Select Sub. - Set In
Select Percent.
Regeneration #
This status effect increases health by 5% every 10 seconds and lasts for 60 seconds.
The overall setup is similar to a poison effect, just increasing health (and time-based instead of turns for this setup).
End Settings #
- End After
Select Time. - Duration
Set to 60 (Value). - On Recast
Select Reset. - End With Death
Enable this setting.
Change Settings > Status Changes #
Click on Add Status Change.
Click on Add Status Change.
- Change Type
Select Status Value.
The Use On Settings define when the status change is used.
- Use On
Select Time.
Damage is caused at the start of the combatant’s turn. - Use Every
Set to 10 (Value).
The status changes will happen every 10 seconds.
The Status Value settings define how the status value is changed.
- Status Value
Select HP (or whatever your health status value is called). - Change Value
Set to 5 (Value). - Operator
Select Add. - Set In
Select Percent.
Physical Boost #
This status effect increases ATK and DEF by 10 while it’s applied and lasts for 3 turns.
The overall setup is similar to a poison effect, but the status changes happen when applying the effect. Also, using Normal type status values will reset them to their previous value when removing the status effect (no setup needed for this).
End Settings #
- End After
Select Turn End.
The effect ends at the end of a combatant’s turn. - Duration
Set to 3 (Value). - User Extra Turn
Enable this setting.
This’ll add an extra turn when the user applies the effect to itself, otherwise the Turn End would already count for the same turn it was applied. - On Recast
Select Add.
Add the additional turns instead of resetting the turns. - End With Battle
Enable this setting.
The effect will end with the battle.
Change Settings > Status Changes #
Click on Add Status Change.
- Change Type
Select Status Value.
The Use On Settings define when the status change is used.
- Use On
Select Apply.
The change happens when the effect is applied.
The Status Value settings define how the status value is changed.
- Status Value
Select ATK (or whatever your attack-related status value is called). - Change Value
Set to 10 (Value). - Operator
Select Add. - Set In
Select Value.
Copy the ATK status change and change the following setting.
- Status Value
Select DEF (or whatever your defence-related status value is called).
Confused #
This status effect causes the combatant to use it’s base attack and attack allies. The effect ends when hit by a base attack.
Base Settings > Effect States #
- Auto Attack
Enable this setting. - Attack Allies
Enable this setting.
End Settings #
- End After
Select None.
This effect doesn’t end automatically after turns/time. - End On Attack
Enable this setting.
A base attack hitting the combatant will end the effect.
You can also add additional abilities/items or ability/item types that can end the effect when used on the combatant, e.g. adding all physical type abilities.
Blind #
This status effect reduces the combatant’s hit chances. The effec only ends when actively removed by something (e.g. an item or ability curing it).
This can be achieved in two ways – either reducing status values that are used in hit chance calculations, or giving a negative bonus on Hit Chance in the status bonus settings of the effect. We’ll use a negative bonus (otherwise the setup is like for the physical boost effect above).
End Settings #
- End After
Select None. - End With Battle
Disable this setting. - End On Attack
Disable this setting. - End On Death
Disable this setting.
Change Settings > Status Bonuses #
- Custom Bonus
Enable this setting.
This allows defining a status bonus right here – otherwise you can only use status bonus templates. - Hit Bonus
Set to -20.
This’ll reduce any calculated hit chance by 20, e.g. 70% hit chance would be 50%.
Enchant Fire #
This status effect will give a Fire attribute to status changes that use attack modifiers and allow replacing them (Use Effect Modifiers setting of the ability/item status changes, either using Replace or Add Replace).
Feel free to use an end after time/turns as you like – see the examples above for details.
Change Settings > Effect Modifier Settings #
Click on Add Attack Modifier.
- Attack Modifier
Select Element (or whatever other attack modifier you want to use). - Attribute
Select Fire (or whatever attribute of the modifier you want to use).
