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Originally Posted by Nightshade
Speed plus mass _is_ power. There isn't any meaningful distinction between the two, as its all about deflecting kinetic energy, and within the game, that's a rather big part of the damage component (some is impact point and other things, but some of those are already factored in other areas).
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On the contrary there is a bit difference. It isn't additive either. It's not speed plus mass. It more Speed x Mass for Momentum. And Speed Squared x mass/contact area and time to get the effect.
Let's say that you got a object moving at high speed. Now if you can apply force to it at a angle other than the one it is heading in, you will alter the trajectory of the object. Ideally you wont to do so at a right agle from the path the object is headed. Depending on how fast the object is traveling, it's inertia, how much force you can apply and at what angel, and just how far along it's path it has already traveled will determine just how much you can alter it's destination.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nightshade
Grazes are, I'll admit, a messy case, but for the most part they're also a marginal case; getting hit by the top quarter or the top half of the blade isn't going to typically make a huge difference, because you just end up applying the same force to a smaller area.
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Not that marginal at all. Getting hit by the the tip of the blade (the top half is what you are shooting for it you are the attacker. Well, more like the top quarter or third) gives you a better chance of getting a glancing blow. Having a 1/2" deep wound is better than having a 3" deep wound.
Plus just what that smaller area is could make a huge difference. Most dodging moves the point of impact to someplace less lethal. A shoulder hit instead of the head, a strike to the outer ribcage instead of the heart. All good from the defender's point of view, and lowering the damage in game terms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nightshade
In the majority of cases, I'd argue you eliminate the vast majority of the damage or none doing that; I don't think there's a lot of middle ground.
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Actually there is. Go check out an Aikido Dojo and see all the people who partially dodged an attack. It's probably more common that a complete success and certainly more common that a failure.
Most martial arts exploit this idea to some extent. Since the impact force is based partly on the relative speed rather than an absolute, and moving in the same direction of the attack will reduce the impact.
The classic case if a fender bender. If Car A is moving 10 mph and car B is traveling behind it at 15mph, then when B slams into A it is with the same effect as a 5mph crash.
Likewise if Rurik thrusts his spear at A speed of 2X and Blinky the Trollkin backpedals at Speed X, Blinky is going to get hit X rather than 2X.
If Blinky can move in such a way to spread out the time of contact he can reduce the injury further.