Stunned Monsters

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It seems to me that stunning monsters is too powerful as currently implemented. 
 We ought to consider biffing these effects a bit.  I'm researching the 
mechanics here, and this was a quick code scan, so I might be misreading stuff:

[1] Monsters have an integer stunned field.  Monsters are either stunned or 
they are not.  There is no code for the level of stunning (see below).

[2] Sound based attacks add 10 + 1d15 to this counter.  Monsters either resist 
sound, making them immune (keep this) or they take the full effect.  If a 
monster is already stunned, the counter is increased by half this amount, 
though Monk melee seems to be an exception to this.

[3] The Stun counter ticks down as follows: If lvl*lvl >= rand(10000), then the 
stun counter immediately goes to 0.  Otherwise, it ticks down by 1.  Processing 
is every 10 game turns, so a player might get a couple of moves before the 
monster is given a chance to recover.

[4] Stunned monsters skip a move 1 in 2.

[5] Stunned monsters fail their spells 1 in 2.

[6] Stunned monsters miss 1 in 2 (in addition to normal miss odds).

Characters that have access to repeat stunning attacks completely own monsters 
... at least those that don't resist sound, or have the NO_STUN flag.  Monks 
can still stun monsters with NO_STUN, though nobody else can.  Its harder for 
them to do this, however.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by ckou...@gmail.com on 14 Nov 2010 at 4:37

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Actually, monk melee has complicated stun reduction based on monster 
resistances.  Its not as if somebody forgot to divide by 2 :D

Original comment by ckou...@gmail.com on 14 Nov 2010 at 4:39

• Added labels: Type-Enhancement
• Removed labels: Type-Defect

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As usual, Dave to the rescue:
"Maybe we should give the monsters a save to avoid stun?  Save if mlvl+d100 > 
clvl*2+cha for warlock, maybe clvl*1.5+dex for monk?  Hela's 85?  So stun w 55% 
prob, rather than every time.  Monks stun w 30% prob per hit."

I think that will probably just solve it, though maybe not for monks.  They get 
like 8 chances to stun every attack, so some of those will work even if the 
monster gets a save.

Original comment by ckou...@gmail.com on 14 Nov 2010 at 4:50

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Changes for 0.0.9
=================

Stunning is biffed.  

Warlocks got suggested save and that seems to work nicely.

Monks already had monster saves ... best I can figure is that a NO_STUN sound 
resisting monster resists 5 in 6 in current code.  Anyway, I added an 
*additional* saving throw for martial arts stunning: clvl*2+dex.  I didn't do 
the suggested *1.5 since monsters already had a save ... This will need some 
playtesting.  With the unlikely odds of Shiva's Jacket and Boots, this means 
monks are in some serious trouble.  Perhaps they are now only 2x as powerful as 
normal characters :)

The GF_STUN effect already had a save, an unique monsters were immune.  I did 
not touch this (e.g. Bard's Stun Pattern).  

For GF_SOUND (Doomcall, but also breathing sound) I added a saving throw.  
Since I can't really know the origins of this, I did mlvl+d100>clvl*2.  There 
is no stat boost here.  Bards should have their Doomcall slightly tamed, but I 
think it will still be a winning spell since it projects sound line of sight 
passively, in addition to other player actions, and continuously.  But Bards 
need this, I think ...

Original comment by ckou...@gmail.com on 14 Nov 2010 at 4:23

• Changed state: Fixed