As Orin gains experience and levels up, the player can choose how to develop his attributes. More vitality, stronger Earth abilities or a larger mana pool are some of the possibilities. Attribute points combine with equipment and learned abilities to shape character progression in Luni, an isometric fantasy RPG.
Game Design #4: Attribute Points and Progression in Luni
Luni’s attribute points, equipment bonuses and elemental abilities shape character progression, alongside AP and SP in turn-based combat.
By Andrei4 min read
Five attributes for character progression
Leveling up grants points that can be distributed between Vitality, Strength, Intelligence, Agility and Willpower. Vitality increases maximum health, while the other four attributes also have a connection to the elements used in combat.
Strength supports Earth abilities and contributes to armor. Intelligence strengthens Fire abilities and influences their chance of a critical hit on direct impact. Agility supports Air abilities, contributes to the speed that determines turn order and increases dodge chance. Willpower strengthens Water abilities, including healing, and contributes to both maximum mana and mana regeneration in combat.
Allocating attribute points can therefore support survival, the sustained use of abilities or a particular element. The player can invest in a focused direction or spread points across several attributes, depending on the combinations they want to use.
Attributes and the four elements
General Coti offers an introduction during a conversation in Bran, the explorers’ town:
And remember: earth protects, water purifies, wind uplifts, and fire consumes. But in all things there must be balance.
His words reflect the elemental combat mechanics. Earth provides protection through temporary armor and damage reduction. Air helps accelerate actions and build bonuses that strengthen attacks. Fire offers area attacks that hit multiple enemies and melts their armor. Water provides healing, regeneration and the removal of harmful effects.
Strength, Agility, Intelligence and Willpower support the corresponding elemental abilities. Point allocation is therefore connected to the abilities the player wants to develop and the combinations used in battle. Dialogue and cutscenes introduce these ideas, while using the abilities lets the player discover the differences between them.
Action Points and Special Points in turn-based combat
Alongside health and mana, the character has Action Points, or AP, and Special Points, or SP. These have different roles and are separate from the points distributed between the five attributes.
AP provide the budget for actions during a turn. Action costs influence the combinations a character can perform before ending that turn, while mana matters for using abilities over the course of the battle. Choosing an action means considering both what can be done now and the resources needed to continue the fight.
SP are connected to special techniques. Building up and spending them adds another choice: when to use such a technique. Their operation and connection to the other combat mechanics will be explored in a separate article.
Character attributes and equipment bonuses
The left column in the attributes panel shows the character’s base attributes, including allocated points. The right column shows the total values with equipment bonuses included. These totals are the combined result, rather than the equipment bonuses alone. This distinction helps the player follow both the development achieved through allocated points and the contributions of equipped items.
A piece of equipment can reinforce an existing direction or support an attribute that has received fewer points. Progression continues through experience, but also through items found, crafted or upgraded during the adventure. Equipment choices and point allocation work together, and changing an item can alter the combination of attributes available for the next battles.
Allocating attribute points in the interface
In the attributes panel, the player can add points and undo additions to the current allocation before confirming it. The displayed values update as the allocation is prepared, and the remaining points stay visible. Confirming applies the choice, while canceling allows the player to start again.
These mechanics are introduced gradually, through simple examples and by using them in the game. The system is implemented, while the balance between attributes, equipment and abilities remains in testing. Future articles about combat will revisit the four elements, Action Points and special techniques with examples from the game.