Damage in combat constantly diminishes

[Roccandil]

I've noticed that when my characters start fighting, they do top damage (say 90), and then as they continue to hit, the damage drops off little by little (90,90,89,89,88,88,etc.). My characters aren't wounded, so that's not the reason for doing less damage.

Is this a bug, or some kind of hidden "fatigue" feature?

[Shidan]

My first guess would be that the enemy's toughness is leveling up as you fight. Toughness grants a bit of damage resistance, so that would account for the slightly decreasing damage.

[Sol Lignum]

But PC attack and weapon mastery stats are also growing, shouldn't it compensate growing NPC toughness?

[Bluto]

Could just be the enemies toughness leveling faster.

[Zeal]

But PC attack and weapon mastery stats are also growing, shouldn't it compensate growing NPC toughness?

They do, but depending on how high the stats already are, will depend on the growth between you.
Where an npc having 10 toughness, taking 90 dmg from your attack, where you have 60 atk (or something akin), the toughness level of the npc is going to raise a few points each hit. Your attack is not going to raise hardly any at all, let alone entire points, especially since attack increase is based off the enemy defense skill. If they have 10 or so in defense, you're just not going to be getting any increase.

[Roccandil]

Makes sense, although I see this fighting Leviathans as well. I guess they're not tough enough.

[tkobo]

yes,it doesnt make much sense with the levs......They start out at like 70 tough,and it goes up every 3 or 4 hits.

In my opinion,toughness should go up after the battle,as part of the healing process,NOT during the battle.

[Zeal]

yes,it doesnt make much sense with the levs......They start out at like 70 tough,and it goes up every 3 or 4 hits.

In my opinion,toughness should go up after the battle,as part of the healing process,NOT during the battle.

All skills work this way. It wouldn't make sense for toughness to work differently, and making all skills only "level up" after a fight sorta takes away from the whole "get better as you're doing things" element that Kenshi presents.

The leviathans gaining toughness so quickly while it's already that high though is odd. Are you sure it's 3 or 4 hits? Since they have so much HP, i could see it increases several points during the course of their mincing, but 3-4 hits per toughness point seems a bit odd after 70..

[Shidan]

I'd guess that bleeding damage counts toward toughness experience, and levs tend to be bleeding REALLY fast during a fight.

[Zeal]

I'd guess that bleeding damage counts toward toughness experience, and levs tend to be bleeding REALLY fast during a fight.

Aaah, if it does, that would actually make sense why it goes up so quickly... That bleeding damage really does stack up.....

[tkobo]

Yea,the bleeding would explain it,but its still a bad design.

The thing is,you do get better using a sword while you use it,and also after using it,when you reflect on the usage....

BUT you dont get stronger when lifting weights,you actually get weaker ,as your "tearing muscle tissue",and the str increase comes from when said muscle heals back stronger than it was.This is the way toughness should work.

Theres clearly a difference in the process for both examples,and the games design making them work the same results in the oddness about toughness,and by the way str.

If its too much work,fine i can live with it,but that wont change how odd it is,and this will show in gameplay,as it does in the levs case.