Crunching Numbers

A Guide to Vanguard Statistics

I. Overview

This guide should give you a basic understanding of the statistics important to the Adventuring sphere. The information here will in no way help you with Diplomacy or Crafting. Those spheres benefit from entirely separate sets of ability scores.

Please understand that this information comes from Beta 4 on December 30, 2006. Some things will change. Also note that I was unable to arrive at exact formulas for how each statistic works. When I contacted Sigil Games Online's AR "Jerrtih" Schleicher was only able to offer the following tips:
Some formulas have the attribute contribution increase as you gain in levels...Some formulas are “vs an even level opponent,” and so when you go up a level, it may require more points of that attribute to retain the same level of benefit against the “higher” even level opponent.

Jerrith's statements tell us that just because 4 points constitution give my sorcerer 1 hit point at level 10, that does not mean that the ratio will hold true at level 20. Furthermore, some statistics are only measured for their effectiveness against mobs of the same level when the statistic is maximized, so it's hard to really put a finger on an exact formula. Finally, some statistics may provide a greater mathematical benefit for certain classes. Tanks may be able to get more hit points from a constitution score of 50 than a healer with 50 constitution.

II. Terms

Clicking on the Character tab on the interface (the default key is C) brings up your character screen, which points to your Adventuring equipment by default. This is the screen will be discussing here. Specifically, we'll be focusing on the statistics that appear beneath the equipment on the screen below:

We're also going to need an understanding of terms that will come up as I explain what each of the statistics that appear in that block. Below are the concepts you need to understand

• Attribute Points (AP): points players can spend in the attribute of their choice. Players gain 20 AP per level beginning at level 10: 6 placed into each of the primary attributes (strength, constitution, dexterity, vitality, intelligence, wisdom), 0 or 4 placed automatically based on race, and 10 or 14 to place at his discretion within soft caps.
• Counter: to stop a spell. It can take the form of nullifying the spell, or it can even turn the spell into something beneficial to the group.
• Encumbered: a state reached when a player is carrying too much weight or wearing equipment with too high an expertise cost. Encumbered players move at roughly 1/10th of normal walking speed.
• Equipment Expertise (EE): a measure of a player's proficiency with the equipment she wears. Each piece of equipment uses a certain portion of the player's EE. A player who reaches too high of a percentage of EE used becomes encumbered.
• Evade: to completely dodge the damage from a melee hit. A successful evasion means the hit does not land on you.
• Hard Cap: the maximum value a player can have in an attribute at any level. The hard cap for an attribute is 18 times your character level starting at level 10.
• Mitigation: ignoring an amount of damage taken. A player with 5% mitigation would take 19 points of damage when a player with 0% mitigation would take 20 points of damage.
• Resist: to completely dodge the effects of a spell. A successful resist means that the spell does not land on you.
• Soft Cap: the maximum value a player can have in an attribute at a given level. This is based the player's race plus 5 points per level above 9.
• Weaknesses: temporary methods to exploit a mob and do added damage. Some spells and skills add a weakness while others take advantage of weaknesses.

III. Attributes

Strength (STR)
Melee Damage: Strength adds to the melee damage you deal before mitigation. The tool tip does not tell provide a numerical value to the damage added by STR. Regardless, you can assume that this is a prime statistic for melees and a good choice for tanks.

Carrying Capacity: STR also affects how much weight you can carry before becoming encumbered. My sorcerer in beta seemed to be able to carry 2 more weight for each 25 points of STR (no rounding). This benefit is too meager to make STR a consideration for a class that would not ordinarily spend attribute points in STR.

Constitution (CON)
Hit Points: Constitution adds to hit points. My sorcerer seemed to gain 1 hit point for every 4 CON (rounded down to a whole number) all the way to level 20. The other classes I played in beta got the same benefit, regardless of archetype. Hit points are always good for any class, but unless the ratio of hit points per CON increases greatly at higher levels, I cannot recommend it as a dump stat for hit points. A tank with 255 CON would have 63 hit points more than a tank with 50 CON if this formula holds true tot he level cap.

Resistances: Constitution also increases your resistance scores across the board. My sorcerer gained 1% resistance for each 10 points of CON (rounded down to a whole number). This is a better benefit for building CON, but see my section on resistances.

Dexterity (DEX)
Melee Critical Hits: Dexterity boosts melee critical hit bonus by a percentage based on dividing your DEX score by 5. The general consensus is that this percentage adds to your chance to land a melee critical hit but does not affect the damage dealt by the melee critical hit. You can be sure that melee characters will make this a prime attribute, and tanks might want to consider DEX for enhancing damage to keep aggro.

Evade/Resist: DEX also increases your chance to evade attacks and resist spells. Again, evade/resist has a fixed percentage that seemed to increase at the rate of 1% for every 50 DEX. The small gain from DEX in this area is not a good reason to focus on DEX for healers and casters even though evade/resist is very powerful.

Defend: DEX improves your chances of using defensive abilities such as Block, Parry and Dodge. The tool tip does not provide a numerical value for the amount DEX helps you here because it is most likely related to the chance to the skill will work and is measured by your maximum potential versus an opponent of an even level. This benefit of DEX will be most helpful to tanks because it can help mitigate damage.

Recognize/React: DEX can help your character recognize and react to enemy abilities. Like the defend aspect of DEX, this will be tied to skills measured on maximum potential versus a mob of an even level. This helps anticipate incoming melee special attacks, the full value of which is unclear at this point in beta.

Vitality (VIT)
Healing Effectiveness: Vitality increases healing effectiveness for the healer casting the spell. The tool tip does not reveal a numerical value for VIT in healing effectiveness, but healers will almost certainly want to take advantage of this statistic.

In-combat Regeneration: VIT boosts the your in-combat health regeneration by roughly 120% of your VIT score in my testing. Tanks might look at this attribute to make need need slightly less healing. Other classes may feel it is useful as well.

Energy Regeneration: VIT increases the rate at which energy regenerates. My testing during beta showed that the rate is 5.9% of your VIT score.

Unmounted Movement: VIT adds to your unmounted movement speed. My beta Shaman received a 1% movement speed increase for every 50 points in VIT (not rounded). This benefit is hardly any reason to dump points into VIT.

Intelligence (INT)
Spell Damage: Intelligence adds to the damage of all spells. The tool tip does not provide a numerical value for this benefit, but casters will certainly want to invest in this attribute.

Identify/Recognize: INT increases your chance to identify what spell a mob is casting and to recognize the tactics applicable to the battle. The tool tip does not provide a numerical value for this effect. The sooner a player can identify that a spell is being cast, the sooner she can attempt to counter it. This will help casters and healers. Recognizing tactics permits a player to take advantage of a mob's weaknesses. This helps all classes.

Detect/Perceive: INT raises your chance to detect opponents under stealth or invisibility and to perceive what opponents are doing during combat. This will be tied to skills measured on maximum potential versus a mob of an even level. Detecting stealthed or invisible mobs is critical for everyone. Perception reveals who has aggro, a crucial effect for tanks and healers.

Counter: INT heps your chances to counter a spell. This will be tied to your counter skill measured on maximum potential versus a mob of an even level. Casters and healers can counter spells.

Resist Counter: INT ensures that a player's spells will more difficult to counter by mobs. This is essential for casters.

Wisdom (WIS)
Spell Critical Hits: Wisdom boosts spell critical hit bonus by a percentage based on dividing your WIS score by 5. The general consensus is that this percentage adds to your chance to land a spell critical hit but does not affect the damage dealt by the spell. You can be sure that casters will make this a prime attribute.

Energy: WIS adds to your pool of energy. The rate for my sorcerer in beta was about 4.5 energy per point of WIS. This rate seemed to vary but class, but the payoff is noticeable. Sinking points into WIS will make a difference. Casters and healers will want this attribute to be high.

Identify/Recognize: WIS increases your chance to identify what spell a mob is casting and to recognize the tactics applicable to the battle. The tool tip does not provide a numerical value for this effect. The sooner a player can identify that a spell is being cast, the sooner he can attempt to counter it. This will help casters and healers. Recognizing tactics permits a player to take advantage of a mob's weaknesses. This helps all classes.

Counter: WIS heps your chances to counter a spell. This will be tied to your counter skill measured on maximum potential versus a mob of an even level. Casters and healers can counter spells.