Heroes Against Darkness has an assumed hit chance of around 45% (hitting on a 12), based on the standard progression and monster stats, so the extra +2 on offer immediately switches this to 55% (hitting on a 10). Each of the classes gains this +2 in different ways, so let’s take a tour:
Warrior
Warriors have the most straightforward method of gaining their +2. The Careful Strike power allows warriors to trade off some damage (2 damage per damage tier), for +2 to attack:
Careful Strike
Condition | Target in melee range. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 4: Level 8: Level 12: |
Weapon + Melee – 2 2d Weapon + Melee –4 3d Weapon + Melee –6 4d Weapon + Melee –8 |
Barbarian
Unlike the warrior, barbarians don’t have a straightforward trade-off for +2. What they do have (which hopefully compensates) is the Reprisal Attack:
Reprisal Attack
Condition | Target in melee range. You’ve been hit by the target since your last turn. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 4 vs. AD |
Damage Level 5: Level 9: Level 13: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
As you can see, the barbarian has to take some damage to get a bonus, but he gets a whopping +4 for his troubles.
In keeping with the health theme of barbarians’ powers, at Level 2 they gain Fierce Attack, which is a flat +2 when they’re under 50% health:
Fierce Attack
Condition | Target in melee range. Your HP is under 50%. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 6: Level 10: Level 14: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
If you’re a particularly brave player, you can easily score +4 once you reach Level 4 by keeping your barbarian under 25% health and using their Dire Attack:
Dire Attack
Condition | Target in melee range. Your HP is under 25%. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 4 vs. AD |
Damage Level 8: Level 12: Level 16: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
Berserker
Berserkers gain their simple +2 by attacking with their particular kind of wanton abandon that opens themselves up to counter-attack:
Reaching Attack
Condition | Target in melee range. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 3: Level 7: Level 11: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
Power Effect | You take -2 to Defenses until the end of your next turn. |
Rogue
In keeping with their crafty nature, rogues gain their +2 by using their Engaged Attack power against a distracted target. In this case the definition of distraction is that the target has itself been the target of an attack since the rogue’s last turn.
Engaged Attack
Condition | Target in melee range. Target engaged by another combatant. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 5: Level 9: Level 13: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
Rogues also have a secondary +2 attack that kicks in once they’ve already hit their target:
Weakpoint Strike
Condition | Target in melee range. You’ve previously hit the target. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 6: Level 10: Level 14: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
Hunter
Hunters, as skilful proponents of their ranged attacks, are able to trade off some potential damage to gain a simple +2 to their attacks by using their Pinpoint Shot power:
Pinpoint Shot
Condition | Target in melee range. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 4: Level 8: Level 12: |
Weapon + Melee – 2 2d Weapon + Melee –4 3d Weapon + Melee –6 4d Weapon + Melee –8 |
Hunters can also follow up a successful hit with an Arrow-Split Shot, just to rub some salt into the literal wound:
Arrow-Split Shot
Condition | Target in melee range. You hit target with a ranged attack last turn. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 4: Level 8: Level 12: |
Weapon + Melee 2d Weapon + Melee 3d Weapon + Melee 4d Weapon + Melee |
Hospiter
Hospiters have two options for gaining their simple +2 to attack. First, they can rely on their martial weapons training to use a Careful Strike to pick out their target’s vulnerability:
Careful Strike
Condition | Target in melee range. |
---|---|
Attack | Melee + 2 vs. AD |
Damage Level 5: Level 9: Level 13: |
Weapon + Melee – 2 2d Weapon + Melee –4 3d Weapon + Melee –6 4d Weapon + Melee –8 |
Furthermore, hospiters also have access to the Empower spell, as shown below for all magi. These two powers can be combined to gain +4 to attack, but the cost is less damage and 1 anima. Of course, sometimes you’ve just gotta hit, so no price is too high!
Magi
Even though they don’t have a physical way of strengthening their attacks, magi and hybrid classes (warlock, canonate, healer, necromancer, mystic, and hospiter) have the Empower spell power that they can use in conjunction with their other spells to increase their chance of success:
Empower (1 Anima)
Casting Time | Move action |
---|---|
Spell Effect | Target gains +2 to next attack or ability roll. |
Target | Single target |
Range | 10’+10′ per level |
Check out Heroes Against Darkness over at the downloads page: Heroes Against Darkness – Game Rules.