Stats, Armor, Dodging, and Blocking

[Ephemeral Ozymandias]

▰▰▰ Stat System:
Stats are the measurements of physical aptitude for shinobi. While Shinobi Revolution prioritizes narrative and is not a stats-centered roleplay, there are combat situations where physical stats are required to determine what the RPC in question is capable of. Stats are gained primarily through martial arts training as one point is granted upon mastery of the third stage of a taijutsu or bukijutsu style and a second point is granted upon mastery of the sixth stage of a style. Bloodlines that have style stages always offer the same stat increases as styles. What stats you allocate your stat points into are at your discretion. However, it should be noted that no matter how many styles you master as a non-taijutsu and bukijutsu class shinobi that your stats will never be able to match those who dedicate themselves to those classes without at least the additional capabilities of nature chakra. Stats work on the same ranking structure of all techniques from E to S+ and cannot be used to lower or increase techniques outside of those ranks. If a stat is lowered then the minimum is -12 and cannot be reduced beyond this. If your stat cap is 4 then a technique that grants stat bonuses can temporarily increase your cap to 6 and the same applies from 6 to 8. However, if your stat cap is 8 then techniques cannot exceed that but you do gain access to special effects in the technique rather than the stat increase.

The maximum amount of points that can be allocated to a stat if you are of the ninjutsu, genjutsu, scholar, performer, and puppeteer classes is 4. Meaning that if you master 8 styles then you maximally have 4 points in all stats. If you are of the medical, tamer, worker, bloodline, and jack classes then the maximum allocation for a stat is 6. Meaning that if you master 12 styles then you have maximally 6 points in all stats. If you are of the taijutsu or bukijutsu class then you are naturally more physically impressive and can allocate 8 points to each stat. This means that if you master 16 styles then you can have 8 points in all stats. The class you have with the higher stat allocation becomes your cap. For example, if you are ninjutsu and taijutsu class then your cap is 8 rather than 4. The physical stats that characters have inside of combat and outside of combat are the same unless stats are temporarily increased by techniques.

▰▰▰ Stats and Rank Effects:
Stats do not influence spiritual techniques, are half applied to complex techniques, and are fully applied to simple techniques. These rank boosts do not stack and instead override the previous increase. The chart below is the stats and rank increase information for strength, speed, and agility:
▱▰▱2 Stats is 1 Rank
▱▰▱4 Stats is 2 Ranks
▱▰▱6 Stats is 3 Ranks
▱▰▱8 Stats is 4 Ranks
▱▰▱10 Stats is 5 Ranks
▱▰▱12 Stats is 6 Ranks

Note: Taijutsu and bukijutsu specialists who use the Eight Celestial Gates and the Reiken no Michi styles are capable of exceeding the 8 point stat limit but only while the gates and virtue states are active. However, the maximum stat increase ever possible is 12 which is 6 ranks. Reference those styles for more statistical details.

▰▰▰ Odd-Numbered Stats:
While the even numbers of stats amount to various ranked increases/decreases the odd numbers do not affect technique rank. Instead, the rank effect is reflected in the nearest even number below the odd number such as a 1 rank increase/decrease for 3 stat points. What the odd numbers do instead is empower complex techniques by allowing the prevention of weapon breakage for bukijutsu and the prevention of status for taijutsu in collisions with spiritual techniques. These effects carry into the even-numbered stats above them as well. The chart below shows what rank of spiritual technique each stat effects in collision.
▱▰▱1 Stat is E Rank
▱▰▱3 Stats is D Rank
▱▰▱5 Stats is C Rank
▱▰▱7 Stats is B Rank
▱▰▱9 Stats is A Rank
▱▰▱11 Stats is S-S+ Rank

Note: A minimum of 5 chakra and stamina is required to be paid for a technique.

▰▰▰ Temporary Stat Boosts:
A temporary stat boost usually comes from a technique and is able to increase you beyond your class stat cap before reverting back to your cap after the boost is used. If your stat cap is 4 then a technique that grants stat bonuses can temporarily increase your cap up to 6 and the same applies from 6 up to 8. However, if your stat cap is 8 then techniques cannot boost you beyond that cap unless there are special circumstances such as the eight celestial gates, forbidden seals, and Reiken no Michi. If a stat-boosting technique is not able to increase your stats any further then you gain access to the following special effects based on the stat that would have been increased. Each effect can only occur four times per battle. If the technique would increase strength then you gain 1 extra tier to physical trauma on contact. If speed would be increased then you are fast enough to perform one extra offensive action in the post you are obtaining the boost in. If agility would be increased then you can use your agility stat to dodge one spiritual attack. If endurance would be increased then your body temporarily gains the effect of medium armor against a single attack. These benefits may accompany others if the technique offers more buffs.

▰▰▰ Stats and Overwhelming Simple/Complex:
If overwhelming is applied to taijutsu and bukijutsu techniques then the overwhelming only counts for simple and complex techniques. This also means that overwhelming simple and complex techniques do not apply to spiritual at all and vice versa. If taijutsu collides with a same rank hostile spiritual technique then they both neutralize but the taijutsu user's body is still subject to damage and status effects. In the case of bukijutsu, the weapon will be destroyed even if the same rank bukijutsu and spiritual technique neutralize. Refer to this post for more overwhelming information.

▰▰▰ Statistical Attributes:
Note: The aesthetic descriptions of the stats below are compared to real-world situations to give you a general idea of what reaching certain statistical milestones mean but the rules of collisions and the statistical use of the system take priority over these descriptions.
▱▰▱Strength: Determines how hard simple and complex techniques hit. 4 points in strength is considered exceptionally strong and is the maximum that most shinobi can attain. With 4 points in strength you can bench press 300 lbs. However, with 6 points in strength you can bench press a whopping 600 lbs. At 8-10 points in this stat your strength is considered Herculean with the ability to accomplish feats like uprooting trees. 12 stat points in strength is particularly powerful as a physical strike at this level allows you to compress the air surrounding the user's limb (s) and fire it like a cannon at 10 feet per body rank for example. 2 points in strength increases the rank of simple techniques by 1, 4 points increases them by 2 ranks, 6 points increases them by 3 ranks, 8 points increases them by 4 ranks, 10 points increases them by 5 ranks, and 12 points increases them by 6 ranks.
▱▰▱Speed: Measures how fast you move and how difficult it is to dodge your attacks. At 4 points in speed you can move up to 20 miles per hour. At 6 points in speed you can run at 40 miles per hour. With 8-10 points in speed, you can move in a blink and seemingly disappear and reappear. At 12 points in speed, you can move at such a great speed that you can simulate the movements of a body flicker but not match or exceed it and only in the same area. 2 points in speed increases the rank of simple techniques to dodge by 1, 4 points increase them to dodge by 2 ranks, 6 points increase them to dodge by 3 ranks, 8 points increase them to dodge by 4 ranks, 10 points increase them to dodge by 5 ranks, and 12 points increase them to dodge by 6 ranks.
▱▰▱Agility: Indicates how effectively you can dodge simple and complex attacks. With 4 points in agility you could easily dodge a fast-moving projectile. With 6 points in agility, you are reflexive enough to evade a vehicle moving at 100 miles per hour. 8-10 points of agility would give you the ability to dodge bullets as a real-world example. 12 points in agility is so incredible that it would allow you to dodge objects that break the sound barrier. 2 points in agility decrease the rank to dodge simple techniques by 1, 4 points decrease them to dodge by 2 ranks, 6 points decrease them to dodge by 3 ranks, 8 points decrease them to dodge by 4 ranks, 10 points decrease them to dodge by 5 ranks, and 12 points decrease them to dodge by 6 ranks.
▱▰▱Endurance: A measure of your body's resiliency to damage from simple and complex techniques, trauma, defensive stamina efficiency, and status effects. With 4 points in endurance, you could tank most melee weapons used by non-shinobi with no damage. With 6 points in endurance, you could tank the force of a vehicle. At 8-10 points of endurance would give you the ability to survive explosions unscathed as a real-world example. 12 points in endurance allows for the physical ability to avoid taking damage from area-destroying explosive ballistic weaponry. 1 point in endurance reduces physical trauma by 1 tier (no matter what there is always a minimum of the first tier), 2 points reduces the rank of damage taken from simple and complex techniques by 1, 3 points reduces the stamina cost of defensive simple/complex techniques by 5 at a minimum of 5. 4 endurance reduces damage by 2 ranks. 5 endurance reduces stamina cost for defensive techniques by 10. 6 endurance reduces damage rank by 3. 7 endurance reduces trauma by 1 tier. 8 endurance reduces damage by 4 ranks. 9 endurance reduces the stamina cost of defensive techniques by 15. Also, exceptionally high endurance like 10 points decreases the tier of up to two status effects that afflict the user (except physical trauma) by 1 for a minimum of 1 tier while 12 points decrease them by 2 tiers for a minimum of 1 tier while 11 endurance reduces exclusively trauma by another tier.  

[Ephemeral Ozymandias]

▰▰▰ Armor System:

• No hitting through or around armor unless a technique does so automatically.
• Cannot escape from armor while it is being broken unless the technique specifically mentions that application. E.g., You can't use substitution to avoid being hit if the technique's already broken your armor.
• Armor doesn't affect attacks that don't hit directly. As such, it won't stop you from falling in a pit or being drowned, but it will protect against a rolling boulder or a jet of water.
• Be aware that certain materials can be manipulated by certain Jutsu.
• Armor functions as passive physical defense at its rank and is treated as simple when interacting with other techniques. This allows armor to be passively increased in its defensive capacity through the endurance stat. Armor can also be treated as a complex defense through the use of a personal attribute.
• The durability of the armor and shield is only dependent on tanking a hit without any defensive action. Therefore if you wore medium armor but performed an A-ranked hard physical block to negate the attack, the attack would bounce off of your action, and your armor would be fine.
• Armor cannot protect you forever and will degrade after each successful hit. An S-ranked armor hit with an S-ranked attack with become and A-ranked armor. Lower rank techniques can degrade armor if they equal the same resource as the armor's rank, so two B-rank attacks can degrade A-rank armor. Getting hit with a rank higher than the rank of the armor will cause both destroy the armor and force the wearer to be injured with the difference. This degradation can be repaired out of combat.
• Armor which has endured the critical amount it can handle can either pop off instantly or be taken off in whatever roleplay flavor you desire. The durability of the armor is negated upon it becoming destroyed, regardless if still wearing said armor.
• Stats reduced by armor can be replaced through the stat increases granted by learning multiple tai and buki styles.
• Shields do not affect the durability of the armor.
• Armor defending against attacks does not negate the tiered status effects those attacks inflict unless using custom abilities to do so. A ninjutsu specialist's A-rank raiton attack may be defended by your A-rank armor, but tier three paralysis will affect you.

▰▰▰ Armor Types:

• Very Light Armor: Absorbs the damage from E-ranked attacks. All clothing unless specified otherwise is treated as this tier armor. The force of a D-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this armor. The armor is considered destroyed if the collision would reasonably break the armor, (sword cutting through one’s armor, a bow arrow, etc).
• Light Armor: Able to absorb the damage from C-ranked attacks. The force of a B-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this armor. This armor can be worn under clothing. The armor is considered destroyed if the collision would reasonably break the armor, (sword cutting through one’s armor, a bow arrow, etc).
• Medium Armor: Able to absorb the damage from B-ranked attacks. The force of an A-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this armor. This armor cannot be worn under clothing. The user’s speed and agility stats are both decreased by 2 points. The armor is considered destroyed if the collision would reasonably break the armor, (sword cutting through one’s armor, a bow arrow, etc).
• Heavy Armor: Able to absorb the damage from A-ranked attacks. The force of an S-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this armor. This armor cannot be worn under clothing. The user’s speed and agility stats are both decreased by 4 points, and the user’s strength is reduced by 2 points. The armor is considered destroyed if the collision would reasonably break the armor, (sword cutting through one’s armor, a bow arrow, etc).

▰▰▰ Shield Types:

• Small Shield: Able to absorb the damage from D-ranked attacks. The force of a C-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this shield.
• Medium Shield: Able to absorb the damage from C-ranked attacks. The force of a B-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this armor. The user requires 2 points in strength in order to wield this shield one handed.
• Large Shield: Able to absorb the damage from B-ranked attacks. The force of an A-ranked or stronger attack will penetrate through this armor. The user requires 4 points in strength in order to wield this shield one handed.  

[Ephemeral Ozymandias]

▰▰▰ Dodge and Block System:
So you got an attack being levied at you and your plan is to avoid it? Cool! There is a system for that, which will be very concisely and clearly noted below.

• Stats will only factor into simple and complex attacks. Specifically, your speed and strength are only counted for attacking with simple and complex techniques, and agility and endurance only count for dodging and deflecting simple and complex techniques.
  
• Endurance and the rank of your defensive action determine if you can block a simple or complex attack. Agility and the rank of your evasive action determine if you can dodge a simple or complex. This is the opposite of how strength determines the damage of an attack, and speed how fast it's coming at you.
  
• Take note that you must have a high enough basic combat or rank appropriate technique to pull off a dodge/evade a simple or complex attack, which includes parrying, running away, jumping, or otherwise avoiding an incoming attack, and the same applies to blocking/deflecting: rank appropriate techniques or high enough basic combat.
  
• When situations crop up where you either do not have a high enough Defensive or Evasive technique, even with agility and endurance involved, there is a special X ranked dodge technique. It is entirely it's own thing that is unaffected by any stats on the part of the one using it. That is to say, if a tai attack is levied at you and you can't block it or dodge it, and it's an A rank technique in speed, even if you have two ranks of agility, you have to take pay a ranked stamina or chakra in order to get out of the way of the attack. If that skill has a 2 point increase to speed, it requires an S rank amount of stamina or chakra to avoid. If it has a boost to strength, the cost to dodge does not change.
  
• When attempting to avoid ninjutsu, you HAVE to use the X ranked dodge to avoid being hit by the ninjutsu. Agility will not factor into dodging ninjutsu and any other spiritual techniques unless using the temporary stat boost effect for agility, and endurance. A general rule of thumb, is if an attack is not affected by stats, then stats cannot effect dodging it. Techniques involving dodging that are affected by stats do not have their affects boosted by agility against ninjutsu and spiritual.
  
  
• Examples:
  Dan uses their C Ranked Basic Combat Large Shuriken Throw technique. Dan has a 2 point increase to speed, making it as fast as a B ranked Technique. Kai uses their C ranked Katana basic combat strike to deflect the shuriken. Kai has a 2 point increase in agility, giving it a B ranked defensive modifier. Technique is successfully avoided by Kai for a C ranked cost.
  
  In the above example, Dan has a 2 point increase to strength, making it a B ranked attack where strength is concerned, and Kai does not have an increase in their endurance. Kai only has C ranked training in his katana, so he won't be able to use his katana basic combat strike to block the attack successfully, and it will carry through.
  
  Dan uses an A ranked basic combat Bow attack with a 2 point increase to speed, and Kai does not have the basic combat training or stats to avoid the attack, and has no applicable defensive techniques, so they would have to use the X ranked Dodge technique and pay the S rank to avoid being hit, because that is the rank of the technique's speed value. They also could just take the hit, if they were confident they could survive it, and there is nothing wrong with that.