Part 1: The Problem

This week, I focused on laying the groundwork for Relicborne’s turn-based combat — specifically, setting up the stat system for Shadows (our collectible monsters). What seemed like a straightforward task quickly expanded into a more complex system that needed to support stat uniqueness, level scaling, and structured party management.

At the time, Shadows had no solid framework for how their stats were stored or calculated. Without that, we couldn’t meaningfully distinguish one Shadow from another, track progression, or execute core combat calculations. Since stats like HP, Attack, and Speed directly influence battle outcomes, this foundation was absolutely critical to get right.

Part 2: The Solution

To solve this, I created a F_ShadowBaseStats struct to store base stat values for each type of Shadow — things like HP, Attack, Defense, and Speed. These base stats are stored in a data table for easy access and future balance tuning. To introduce individual variation, I added Individual Values (IVs): random integers between 0 and 31 that are generated per Shadow. These values modify the final stats slightly, making each Shadow unique even if it shares a type with others.

I then implemented the stat calculation system, which uses base stats, IVs, and level data to produce final, runtime stats for each Shadow. These results are stored in a F_PartyInfo struct, which holds all relevant combat information for a specific Shadow in the player’s team. To manage team structure itself, I created a F_Party struct, which tracks the current party lineup and helps organize swaps, targeting, and active slots during combat.

Alongside this system, I also built the Starting Shadow Selector — a system that lets players choose their first Shadow at the beginning of a run. It pulls from a growing pool of available options, checks for previously unlocked Shadows, and initializes the selected Shadow with randomized IVs and the appropriate base stats. This feature is a key part of the onboarding experience and supports the roguelike progression loop we’re aiming for — making each run feel fresh and personal from the start.

Now, Shadows in Relicborne aren’t just static units — they’re dynamic creatures with stat-driven personalities and battle roles. This adds depth to the combat, encourages team-building variety, and ensures long-term replayability through meaningful stat variation and player choice.