Chapter 53 — Precision vs Force

53 — Precision vs Force

Combat uses three stat dimensions. Each drives distinct mechanics so that a high-instinct duelist plays differently from a high-vigor bruiser or a high-will stoic. Default stats (vigor=5, instinct=5, will=3) produce identical outcomes to prior versions — the system is backward compatible.

Three Dimensions

Dimension	Logical Role	Default Mapping	What It Drives
Instinct	precision	instinct	Hit chance, counter reaction, intercept, reposition
Vigor	attack	vigor	Damage, guard breakthrough, brace resistance, displacement hold
Will	resolve	will	Guard quality, morale resistance, flee thresholds, composure

All stat reads go through CombatStatMapping so pack authors can rename stats without touching formulas:

// Default
{ attack: 'vigor', precision: 'instinct', resolve: 'will' }

// Ronin starter
{ attack: 'discipline', precision: 'perception', resolve: 'composure' }

// Pirate starter
{ attack: 'brawn', precision: 'cunning', resolve: 'sea-legs' }

Per-Mechanic Stat Table

Mechanic	Stat(s)	Formula	File
Hit chance	precision	50 + precision * 4	combat-core
Damage	attack	max(1, floor(attack * 1.5))	combat-core
Guard reduction	resolve	min(0.75, 0.5 + max(0, (resolve-3)*0.03))	combat-core
Guard counter	precision + resolve	25 + precision*2 + resolve*2	combat-core
Guard breakthrough	attack vs resolve	min(25, max(0, (attack - resolve - 2) * 5))	combat-core
Intercept chance	precision	20 + precision * 2	combat-core
Brace resistance	attack	min(90, 40 + attack * 6)	combat-tactics
Reposition chance	precision	40 + precision * 4	combat-tactics
Disengage chance	precision + resolve	30 + precision*3 + resolve*2	combat-core
Morale mitigation	resolve	max(0.3, 1 - (resolve-3)*0.1)	cognition-core
Flee threshold	resolve	max(10, 30 - (resolve-3)*3)	cognition-core

Guard Breakthrough

When a high-vigor attacker hits a guarded target, brute force can stagger through the defense. The formula uses a -2 offset so default stats produce 0% — breakthrough only activates when the attacker’s vigor significantly exceeds the defender’s resolve.

breakChance = min(25%, max(0%, (attackerVigor - defenderResolve - 2) * 5))

Attacker Vigor	Defender Resolve	Break Chance
5	3	0% (default)
7	3	10%
8	3	15%
10	3	25% (cap)
5	5	0%
10	7	5%

On breakthrough:

• Target gains OFF_BALANCE for 1 tick
• combat.guard.broken event fires (narrator priority: high)
• Guard was already consumed by the hit

This means a bruiser attacking a low-will guard has two effects: reduced damage (guard absorbs) plus a chance to stagger for the next round.

Guard Counter (Updated)

Counter chance now rewards both reaction speed and composure:

counterChance = 25 + precision*2 + resolve*2

Precision	Resolve	Counter %
5	3	41 (default)
8	3	47
3	7	45
8	7	55

A slow-but-composed entity (low instinct, high will) is less reactive than before. A fast reflexed entity (high instinct) gains counter advantage.

Brace Resistance

Braced entities resist OFF_BALANCE application. The stabilize chance now scales with vigor (physical force to hold ground):

stabilizeChance = min(90%, 40 + vigor * 6)

Vigor	Stabilize %
2	52
5	70 (default)
7	82
10	90 (cap)

Chokepoint bonus (+15%) stacks on top. Config override via braceStabilizeChance is preserved.

Hit Style

Each hit event carries a hitStyle field comparing the attacker’s vigor and instinct:

Condition	hitStyle
precision > attack	precise
attack > precision	forceful
equal	balanced

Narration modules can use this to differentiate descriptions (e.g. “delivers a precise strike” vs “lands a crushing blow”).

AI Dimension Awareness

The combat intent scorer adds dimension-aware contributions when stats exceed the default value of 5. At default stats, all bonuses are zero.

Scorer	Stat	Factor	Formula
Attack	attack > 5	vigor_advantage	min(5, (attack-5)*3)
Pressure	attack > 5	force_pressure	min(5, (attack-5)*2)
Reposition	precision > 5	precision_advantage	min(5, (precision-5)*3)
Brace	attack > 5	force_hold	min(5, (attack-5)*2)

The scoring context also tracks dominantDimension (force / precision / composure) based on whichever stat is highest.

Balance Guardrails

1. Default parity: vigor=5, instinct=5, will=3 produces identical outcomes to the pre-dimension system. No existing pack behavior changes.
2. Caps: Guard breakthrough maxes at 25%. Brace resistance maxes at 90%. AI dimension bonuses max at +5.
3. No new states: The system uses existing OFF_BALANCE and GUARDED. No new combat states or engagement states were added.
4. Offset buffers: Breakthrough uses a -2 offset. AI bonuses only activate above stat 5. These prevent edge-case activation at default values.

Pack Author Guidance

To create stat-differentiated enemies:

# Bruiser — high vigor, low instinct
entities:
  - id: ogre
    stats: { vigor: 8, instinct: 3, will: 3 }
    # AI prefers attack (vigor_advantage), brace (force_hold)
    # Hits hard but misses often, can break guard

# Duelist — high instinct, low vigor
  - id: fencer
    stats: { vigor: 3, instinct: 8, will: 3 }
    # AI prefers reposition (precision_advantage)
    # Hits often, counters reliably, low damage

# Stoic — high will, moderate vigor
  - id: sentinel
    stats: { vigor: 5, instinct: 5, will: 7 }
    # High guard quality, resists morale loss, hard to break
    # Guards reduce 56% damage (vs 50% default)

Stat differentiation is additive — you can combine it with pack biases, engagement states, and zone positioning for layered tactical identity.

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See Also

• Combat Overview — The six pillars and how they fit together
• Combat Tactics — How actions use the three stat dimensions
• Combat States — Guard counter and breakthrough state transitions
• Companion Interception — Precision and resolve in interception formula
• Build a Combat Pack — Choosing stat mappings for your world
• Tuning Philosophy — Why stat distributions matter more than constants