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`<combat>` Tag Documentation

The <combat> tag is used to initiate a combat encounter in a game paragraph. It is one of the more complex tags and introduces a branching mechanic where the paragraph is effectively split into multiple fragments. Only one fragment is visible at a time, and progression through fragments depends on the outcome of combat.

📌 Syntax

<COMBAT NAME="monster name" SKILL="X" STAMINA="Y" ARMOUR="Z" WEAPON="W">

Optional attribute:

LEVELED

If present, this dynamically scales the monster’s stats with the player’s level.

🧠 How It Works

When a <combat> tag is encountered in a paragraph, the game engine splits the paragraph into fragments.
The current fragment ends where the combat starts.
After the combat is resolved, the next fragment of the paragraph becomes visible.
This allows writers to script events that happen after combat inline, without branching to a new paragraph.

📈 Parameters

Attribute	Description
`NAME`	Name of the monster. Displayed in the combat interface.
`SKILL`	Monster’s skill stat.
`STAMINA`	Monster’s stamina stat.
`ARMOUR`	Monster’s armour value.
`WEAPON`	Monster’s weapon rating.
`LEVELED`	(Optional) When set, all stats are increased based on player level.

💬 Translation Support

If the player’s locale is not English, the monster name is translated using a lookup from the database.

📜 Example

You step into the clearing and face a monstrous bear.
<combat NAME="Dire Bear" SKILL="7" STAMINA="10" ARMOUR="2" WEAPON="3">
It slumps to the ground, defeated.

⚠️ Important Notes

This tag must be placed within a paragraph that allows multiple fragments.
The portion of the paragraph after the <combat> is not parsed until combat is over.
If multiple <combat> tags are present, each introduces a new fragment.
Illness effects are evaluated only once per paragraph on the first combat fragment.

🧪 Internal Mechanics Summary

Checks player’s diseases and applies debuffs.
Calculates XP from monster stats using calc_xp_worth().

🔒 Side Effects

This tag:

Ends the current visible fragment.

Use this tag with care. It is one of the few tags that controls paragraph flow.

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