Armor penetrating damage / True damage - Does this functionality exist?

[DesertRose]

I want to do something like this:

<Melee>
  <AttackName>Mace</AttackName>
  <Damage>
    <Crush>10</Crush>
  </Damage>
  <IgnoreArmor>
    <Multiplier>0.5</Multiplier>
    <Classes>Infantry Cavalry</Classes>
  </IgnoreArmor>
  <MaxRange>4</MaxRange>
  <PrepareTime>500</PrepareTime>
  <RepeatTime>1000</RepeatTime>
  <PreferredClasses datatype="tokens">Unit+!Ship</PreferredClasses>
</Melee>

So in this example 5 damage would be affected by the opponent's armor value, 5 damage goes straight through.

This functionality is then used for e.g. maces as they were often used against heavily armored foes because even though they could not penetrate the armor they could stop the wearer by brute kinetic force.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 08:01 by DesertRose

[Deicide4u]

Armor penetration created a bunch of balance issues in AoE2. Armor shouldn't ever be ignored, but we do need to correct the damage reduction formula to not give so much reduction at lower levels. 

[DesertRose]

Isn't the formula simply 

DMG*0.9^Resistance

 

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

AOM calls it 'Divine Damage', but it's the same thing. I'm not sure it's worth adding another kink to balancing, at least for the base game. It might be nice to add the functionality to the engine for mods. I wouldn't use it in DE though. 

[guerringuerrin]

15 hours ago, DesertRose said:

I want to do something like this:

<Melee>
  <AttackName>Mace</AttackName>
  <Damage>
    <Crush>10</Crush>
  </Damage>
  <IgnoreArmor>
    <Multiplier>0.5</Multiplier>
    <Classes>Infantry Cavalry</Classes>
  </IgnoreArmor>
  <MaxRange>4</MaxRange>
  <PrepareTime>500</PrepareTime>
  <RepeatTime>1000</RepeatTime>
  <PreferredClasses datatype="tokens">Unit+!Ship</PreferredClasses>
</Melee>

So in this example 5 damage would be affected by the opponent's armor value, 5 damage goes straight through.

This functionality is then used for e.g. maces as they were often used against heavily armored foes because even though they could not penetrate the armor they could stop the wearer by brute kinetic force.

 

 

Could you check fire damage from Cartha Fire Inf Jav and Iberian Champions Jav Cavalry? Some time ago I read somewhere they actually ignore armor.

Edit: also you can check Han crossbows poison damage

Edited Saturday at 23:38 by guerringuerrin

[Grapjas]

I would also go the status effect route to achieve this, they ignore armor indeed. And you can easily make your own status effect by looking into how the existing ones work.

[Emacz]

2 hours ago, guerringuerrin said:

Could you check fire damage from Cartha Fire Inf Jav and Iberian Champions Jav Cavalry? Some time ago I read somewhere they actually ignore armor.

Edit: also you can check Han crossbows poison damage

 

1 hour ago, Grapjas said:

I would also go the status effect route to achieve this, they ignore armor indeed. And you can easily make your own status effect by looking into how the existing ones work.

We use "bleeding" "poison" and "fire" dmg in Classical Warfare AEA.  We weakened the units actually attack dmg, because yes all of those "by pass" the armor and the dmg is what it is no matter what. X dmg every Y seconds for Z duration.

[real_tabasco_sauce]

Hi @DesertRose what I recommend is to add a new damage type called "Penetrating" or something and then just give the base unit.xml and structure.xml files the appropriate armors (0 for unit.xml, and maybe 50 for structure).

[Stan`]

Hyrule implemented it a while ago. Dunno if @Perzival12 kept it.

Attack.prototype.trueDamageSchema =
	"<optional>" +
		"<element name='TrueDamage' a:help='Damage that ignores armor and magic resistance'>" +
			"<ref name='nonNegativeDecimal'/>" +
		"</element>" +
	"</optional>";
// HC-End

 

[Perzival12]

On 8/3/2026 at 3:54 AM, Stan` said:

Hyrule implemented it a while ago. Dunno if @Perzival12 kept it.

Attack.prototype.trueDamageSchema =
	"<optional>" +
		"<element name='TrueDamage' a:help='Damage that ignores armor and magic resistance'>" +
			"<ref name='nonNegativeDecimal'/>" +
		"</element>" +
	"</optional>";
// HC-End

 

Nah, I just did what @real_tabasco_sauce said above, I added a damage type called True, and nothing has resistance to it.