Modifiers

Example of how different modifiers can affect an item.

Modifiers are labels that precede the name of an Armor, Shield, Weapon, or Horse, indicating either specific bonuses or penalties to defense, damage, skill, attribute requirements, or speed ratings. Not all modifiers are available on all items.

It is a misconception that items can stack modifiers. Some unique items have words in their names that sound like modifiers, but are not (e.g. the "Heavy Bastard Sword" is a different weapon from the "Bastard Sword"; thus, the "Balanced Heavy Bastard Sword" is a Heavy Bastard Sword with the "Balanced" modifier, not a Bastard Sword carrying both the "Balanced" and "Heavy" modifiers).

Some shields also appear to stack modifiers, but as with weapons, these are separate items with words in their names that only sound like modifiers (e.g., an "Old Kite Shield", or a "Heavy Board Shield", or a "Plain Heater Shield").

Also, some modifiers change items skins, such as Saddle Horse (Heavy, Spirited) and Haubergeon (Reinforced, Thick, only original version).

Armor Modifiers

Modifier	Bonus	Cost
Lordly	+6	+1050%
Reinforced	+4	+550%
Hardened	+3	+290%
Thick	+2	+160%
Sturdy	+1	+70%
Crude	-1	-17%
Battered	-2	-25%
Ragged	-2	-30%
Rusty	-3	-45%
Tattered	-3	-50%
Cracked	-4	-50%

Cloth and leather can typically receive Tattered, Ragged, Sturdy, Thick, or Hardened, while metallic armor can be Rusty, Battered, Crude, Thick, Reinforced, and Lordly. Cracked is only used on heavy metal armor made from plates.

Shield Modifiers

Modifier	Durability	Resistance	Cost
Reinforced	+83	+4	+110%
Thick	+47	+2	+60%
Battered	-26	-2	-15%
Cracked	-56	-4	-40%

These are the only possible shield modifiers. Shields described as "Old", "Heavy", or "Plain" are not modified, but rather a completely different item that can still carry any one modifier listed in the table above.

Contrary to armor, weapon, and projectile, shield modifiers can be changed. If a shield is destroyed in battle, it may become "deformed", losing a positive trait or gaining a negative one.

Weapon Modifiers

Modifier	Requirement	Speed	Damage	Cost
Masterwork	+4	+1	+5	+1650%
Tempered	-	-	+4	+670%
Strong	+2	-3	+3	+360%
Balanced	-	+3	+3	+250%
Heavy	+1	-2	+2	+90%
Chipped	-	-	-1	-28%
Rusty	-	-	-3	-45%
Bent	-	-3	-3	-35%
Cracked	-	-	-5	-50%

Weapons which have no requirement do not gain one from the Heavy, Strong, or Masterwork modifiers. For instance, while a Masterwork Short Bow has a Power Draw requirement of 5 rather than 1, a Masterwork Hunting Bow, like a standard Hunting Bow, has no Power Draw requirement.

Ammunition Modifiers

Modifier	Quantity	Damage	Cost
Large Bag	+13%	-	+90%
Bent	-	-3	-35%

The quantity increase is rounded mathematically to the nearest integer, with a minimum of +1. For example, a Large Bag of Arrows will have 34 in a quiver instead of the standard 30: 30*1.13=33.9, the .9 is rounded to 34.

Due to their status as ranged and melee weapons as well as ammunition, some throwing weapons can benefit from the Large Bag modifier as well as the Balanced or Heavy modifier. When the Bent modifier is applied, it is taken from the Weapon Modifiers table above, rather than the Ammunition Modifiers table.

Horse Modifiers

Modifier	Armor	Speed	Maneuver	Charge	Hit Points	Requirement	Cost Modifier
Champion	-	+4	+2	+2	-	+2	+1350%
Spirited	-	+2	+1	+1	-	-	+550%
Heavy	+3	-	-	+4	+10	-	+90%
Stubborn	-	-	-	-	+5	+1	-10%
Swaybacked	-	-4	-2	-	-	-	-40%
Lame	-	-10	-5	-	-	-	-60%

A horse "killed" in battle may lose its current modifier and become Lame. After the battle, an unused Lame horse in the inventory will recover over time to become a standard one, without any modifier. This also means buying a Lame horse may be a good idea if it stays in the inventory for enough time, resulting in a standard horse later for less than half the price. Purposely killing a Swaybacked horse in order to make it Lame then having it heal back to normal is also a discount compared to regular prices, although there is a risk of losing the horse altogether.

Beneficial modifiers are a costly addition to the more expensive horses, and one should be careful when using one in combat as a Lame horse will never recover back into a Champion. There is also the risk of the horse simply dying outright, thus wasting all the money put into it.

Unused modifiers

Some extra modifiers exist in the code but are not used. These include:

Cheap Deadly Exquisite Fine Meek Old Plain

Poor Powerful Rough Sharp Superb Timid Well-Made

It seems likely that Old and Plain were intended for shields before those words were simply incorporated into specific types of shields. Timid and Meek appear to be for horses.