Special Combat Skills

SPEED STRIKE

This devastating technique tends to be used exclusively by Barbarians and Thieves, but is available to any class that wishes to obtain the proper skill levels to use it.  It allows its user to attack a single creature multiple times in a very short interval of time.  Here is an example of it being used:

@)speedstrike gargoyle

Your body begins to move much faster than normal as you execute The Speed Strike!

You swing a RatFlail at a Gargoyle!
Attack Power: 67 - Defense Power: 35 +
Modifiers: 0 + 1d50: 19 = 51
A strike for 13 hit points of damage!

You swing a RatFlail at a Gargoyle!
Attack Power: 67 - Defense Power: 35 +
Modifiers: 0 + 1d50: 27 = 59
You gain 5 experience point(s).
A strike for 4 hit points of damage!

a Gargoyle falls dead!
 Your muscles ache slightly as you complete your carefully executed strike!

In this example, a character was able to successfully execute the Speed Strike maneuver on a Gargoyle for two successful strikes.

Barbarians and Thieves have a natural advantage to using this skill due to their combat prowess.  Further practice in the Speed skill will allow one a better chance to successfully activate the Speed Strike skill, and will eventually increase the number of strikes for a Barbarian or a Thief.  The base number of strikes for a successful activation of The Speed Strike is two.  This will never increase for classes other than Barbarians and Thieves. 

This next example is an example of a failed attempt to execute the Speed Strike technique.  Every new training session in Speed will cause The Speed Strike to activate +2% of the time (Ex. Having 10 Speed sessions will increase your chances of activating the Speed Strike by 20%).

@)speedstrike gargoyle

You attempt to execute the speed strike, but you just are not fast enough!

The main strength of this skill is its ability to deliver multiple strikes in a very short period of time.  After the strike is properly executed, the user will have a "recovery time" before he or she is able to perform any other actions.  This "recovery time" is lessened by continued advancement in the Speed skill.

 

SHADOW WALKING

This skill has been around in the Thief world from the beginning.  It allows its skilled user to slip unnoticed into the shadows around him or her, thus concealing his or her presence from those around in the room.  This includes monsters.  A skilled user of this skill will be completely hidden from a player or a monster's attacks, thus providing an extra layer of security when things don't go as expected.

To activate the Shadow Walking skill, simply type: shadowwalk at the prompt.  Here is an example of a failed attempt to activate the skill:

@)
shadowwalk
You fail to become one with the shadows.

To raise the chances of activating this skill, one can continue to improve their Speed skill.  Each time you improve your Speed training, you improve your chances of successfully hiding in the shadows by 2%.  A successful attempt to Shadow Walk would look like this:

shadowwalk
You quietly move into the shadows.

The second ability of the Shadow Walking skill allows the user to move quietly from room to room in a cardinal direction.  A user will find it impossible to move through a door using this skill, and will reveal their location upon trying to do so!  To activate this ability, enter the following at the prompt:

shadowwalk [cardinal direction] 

Due to the intense amount of concentration required to remain hidden in the shadows while moving, there is a chance that the user will fail to move as quickly and nimbly as needed to remain hidden.  In this case, their presence will be revealed as they move.  Consider the following case:

shadowwalk north
You fail to remain hidden in the shadows as you move!
You move north.
(A Testing Room)

A user skilled in the Stealth ability will find their ability to remain hidden while moving greatly improved, as in the following case:

shadowwalk north
You continue to remain hidden in the shadows as you move.
You move north.
(A Testing Room)

A user may also find a significant amount of time is required for moving from room to room using this skill.  This time can be negated by further improving one's Stealth skill.