[MUD-Dev] Better Combat

[Byron Ellacott]

David Kennerly wrote:

> I'm assuming these are quasi-D&D derivatives.  If so, then being
> offensive IS a risk-averse strategy when in a team.  And even as a
> solo character, a high-offense is more efficient than a
> high-defense character.  It seems counterintuitive, but in D&D
> derivatives, the usual victory condition is reducing the opponent
> to 0 or less hit points.  No amount of defense will do that.

For that matter, I've yet to find a game featuring combat in which
defense is the better strategy.  I can't find the quote, but I
believe Sun Tzu's Art of War agrees with me here.

In essence, the best outcome you can hope to achieve from a
defensive combat is a draw.  While personal combat is somewhat
different to strategic planning, the principle remains: if you are
being defensive, you are trying to survive, not to win, and so
you've preselected yourself to lose.

Or, as you said, defense won't get your opponent to 0 or fewer hit
points.  It's just not limited to D&D style combat - all combat
follows this property.

(If someone has a counterexample, I would love to hear it!)

--
bje
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