how does blackguard melee healing work?

[Pete Mack]

I can see it happening, but it's only a couple points at most. That isn't useful yet. How do I get more?

[sffp]

Near as I can tell, each time you successfully cast
Leap into battle (pac)
Whirlwind (pae)
Stun Foe (pba)

You get a small number of HP restored
Note, each time you get hit, you get SP restored

I haven't worked out the exact/formula/mechanics
May depend on race/stats etc.

[wobbly]

Took a look and while I don't find DM's coding style particularly readable I did find this:

/* Spend X% of SP get X/2% of lost HP. E.g., at 50% HP get X/4% */
/* Gain stays low at msp<10 because MP gains are generous at msp<10 */
/* sp_ratio is max sp to spent sp, doubled to suit target rate. */

[Pete Mack]

Ok, the first two comments make enough sense, though I'm not convinced that the second is an improvement, given the weakness of an early BG.
Interesting that the goal should be low MSP, consistent with fail rate.

[DavidMedley]

while I don't find DM's coding style particularly readable

Sorry... Closest thing I did to coding in C was C++ in 1995. I do try, though.

[DavidMedley]

The reasoning behind the percentage approach has faded in my memory. If I had just settled on "Losing 100 HP gives X SP, and spending 1 SP gives Y HP" it may have been better. One thing I do remember: I wanted to give extra healing the more hurt you were, to reward a more risky or aggressive style. This is very noticeable in the gameplay if you are counting on your spells to heal you.

"Gain stays low at msp<10 because MP gains are generous at msp<10" -- I gave extra SP to characters with less than 10 max SP so they would have a chance to use the early spells like Seek Battle. This comment is merely trying to explain why the HP gains when those SP are used are muted. You get the same healing in the end. e.g., if you lose 50% of your HP, then cast a spell with all the SP you got, you end up at 62.5% HP no matter how many max SP you have.

"the goal should be low MSP, consistent with fail rate" I don't think you really benefit from low MSP. There's a bit of a trade-off: with more MSP you get to cast more spells, but you need to cast more spells to earn the same amount of healing.

[DavidMedley]

each time you successfully cast ... You get a small number of HP restored

Every spell provides healing

[Pete Mack]

Feature request:
With "venom" spell, allow a second casting to refresh the spell. It's the natural progression of "grim purpose" as a healing spell with no side effects.

[DavidMedley]

What does it do now?

[Pete Mack]

No idea. There's no message, so I don't know whether venom is extended, or it's a no op.
Edit: correction. It appears to be cumulative. There does need to be a message, however.

What does it do now?

[DavidMedley]

OK, that seems easy enough to fix.

[wobbly]

Sorry... Closest thing I did to coding in C was C++ in 1995. I do try, though.

Don't sweat it. I'm in a similar position, so could just as easily be my own comprehension.

[Pete Mack]

@David--
I got confused at one point when you used shift operator in an expression with no explanations. Your C looks plenty natural: terse, and spare.

[DavidMedley]

I get confused by my own use of the shift operator