layout	default
title	Technique System
parent	Combat System
nav_order	6
description	Core concepts and structure of the AFNM technique system

Technique System

Techniques are active combat abilities that players use to deal damage, apply buffs, and manipulate resources. Unlike buffs which have ongoing effects, techniques execute their effects immediately when used.

Complete Technique Interface

import {
  TechniqueEffect,
  RealTechniqueElement,
} from 'afnm-types';

interface Technique {
  // Identity
  name: string; // Display name
  icon: string; // Visual representation
  type: 'origin' | TechniqueElement | RealTechniqueElement[]; // School type: single school, array for hybrid techniques, or 'origin'
  realm?: Realm; // Minimum cultivation level
  tooltip?: string; // Custom description (auto-generated if omitted)

  // Resource costs (consumed when used)
  costs?: { buff: Buff; amount: number; upgradeKey?: string }[]; // Buff stacks to consume
  toxicityCost?: number; // Toxicity granted when used
  dropletCost?: number; // Special resource cost

  // Requirements (must be met but not consumed)
  requirements?: { buff: Buff; amount: number; mode?: 'more' | 'less' | 'equal'; upgradeKey?: string }[]; // Conditions for usage

  // Usage restrictions
  maxInstances?: number; // Uses per stance (default: 3)
  stanceRestriction?: 'opener' | 'finisher'; // Position in stance sequence
  disableCrystalDrop?: boolean; // Exclude from technique crystal drops

  // Effects and mechanics
  effects: TechniqueEffect[]; // What happens when used
  triggeredEffects?: { trigger: string, effects: TechniqueEffect[] }[]; // Effects that can be triggered by the base effects
  enhancement?: number; // Bonus from element matching
  // Mastery system
  upgradeMasteries?: { [key: string]: TechniqueMasteryRarityMap }; // Fixed upgrades
  masteryKindPools?: TechniqueEffectKind[]; // Random upgrade pools
}

Base Technique Effect Properties

All technique effects (TechniqueEffect types) extend BaseTechniqueEffect which provides common optional fields:

interface BaseTechniqueEffect {
  condition?: TechniqueCondition;  // Optional condition that must be met
  triggerKey?: string;             // Key used for triggered effects system
  isAdditionalTooltip?: boolean;    // Marks additional tooltip entries
  cantUpgrade?: boolean;            // Prevent mastery upgrades on this effect
  statChanges?: Partial<{ [key in CombatStatistic]: Scaling }>; // Stat modifications
  /**
   * Optional expression evaluated against the technique tooltip's variable
   * scope. When truthy, the auxiliary tooltips that this effect would
   * normally surface are suppressed:
   *  - barrier effects: the "Barrier" mechanic aux tooltip
   *  - temporaryHealth effects: the "Temporary Health" mechanic aux tooltip
   *  - effects that reference a buff (buffSelf/buffTarget/consumeSelf/
   *    consumeTarget/convertSelf/mergeSelf): the referenced buff's
   *    auxiliary tooltip
   * Mirror of the same property on BaseBuff (issue #8943).
   */
  hideAuxTooltip?: string;
}

Element Types

The type field determines which cultivation school(s) the technique belongs to. It accepts three forms:

Single School

The type is a single element string:

type: 'fist';      // Pure martial arts technique
type: 'celestial'; // Pure celestial technique

Hybrid Techniques

The type is an array of two distinct schools. Hybrid techniques fire use.<school> triggers for each school in the array, allowing effects that listen on multiple schools to respond to a single technique use:

type: ['celestial', 'fist']; // Fires both use.celestial and use.fist

For example, a Sinew-Bound Wraps listener on damageHp-fist will now correctly trigger when a hybrid ['celestial', 'fist'] technique deals damage, because the hybrid fires use.fist in addition to use.celestial.

Origin Techniques

The type is the literal 'origin'. Origin techniques fire use.<school> for every non-none school simultaneously, and use a single use.origin trigger instead of one per school. They represent techniques that draw on every cultivation path:

type: 'origin'; // Fires use.origin (not one per school)

RealTechniqueElement

The array form of type uses RealTechniqueElement[] which is TechniqueElement excluding 'none'. Only the six real schools may appear in hybrid arrays.

Primary Schools

'celestial' - Sun/moon duality, light/shadow manipulation
'blood' - Life force manipulation, corruption mechanics
'blossom' - Nature-based, growth and healing effects
'fist' - Martial arts, momentum and flow
'weapon' - Tool-based combat, metal manipulation
'cloud' - Storm effects, weather manipulation
'none' - Universal techniques not tied to any school

Element types affect:

Enhancement scaling - Techniques gain bonuses from matching element buffs
Affinity calculations - Damage/healing modified by element affinity
School identity - Each school has distinct mechanical themes
Trigger hooks - use.<school> triggers fire based on the technique's type; hybrid fires for each school in the array

Realm

The realm field sets the realm of technique crystals this technique will drop from, and where its sorted in the various menus:

realm: 'bodyForging'; // Available from Body Forging realm
realm: 'coreFormation'; // Requires Core Formation or higher

Purpose: Organises techniques based on expected acquisition time
Balance: Higher realms generally have more complex/powerful techniques that take advantage of longer stance lengths
Optional: If omitted, technique is not dropped from technique crystals, and must be acquire through some other means

Resource Costs

Techniques can consume various resources when used:

Buff Costs

The most common cost type - consumes buff stacks:

costs: [
  {
    buff: fragrantBlossom,     // Buff object to consume
    amount: 4,                 // Stacks required
    upgradeKey?: 'cost'        // Can be reduced through mastery
  }
]

Example from Restoring Fragrance:

costs: [
  {
    buff: fragrantBlossom,
    amount: 4,
    upgradeKey: 'cost', // Mastery can reduce to 3 stacks
  },
];

Toxicity Costs

Direct toxicity increases:

toxicityCost: 15; // Grants 15 toxicity when used

Droplet Costs

Special resource for unique techniques:

dropletCost: 1; // Consume 1 droplet when used

Use cases:

Rare or ultimate techniques
Cross-school abilities
Special progression rewards

Requirements

Requirements must be met for the technique to be usable, but are not consumed:

requirements: [
  {
    buff: requiredBuff,        // Buff that must be present
    amount: 3,                 // Minimum stacks needed
    mode?: 'more',             // 'more', 'less', or 'equal' (default 'more')
    upgradeKey?: 'requirement' // Can be modified through mastery
  }
]

Use cases:

Setup requirements: Need specific buffs active before use
Conditional access: Technique only available in certain states
Scaling effects: Higher requirements for more powerful versions

Usage Restrictions

Maximum Instances

Limits how many times a technique can be used per stance:

maxInstances: 1; // Can only be used once per stance

Use cases:

Powerful techniques
Setup abilities that should not be spammed
Weaker techniques that would benefit from more than the usual 3 instances

Stance Restrictions

Controls when in a stance sequence the technique can be used:

stanceRestriction: 'opener'; // Must be first technique in stance
stanceRestriction: 'finisher'; // Executes last; trailing empty/Wait slots do not block it

Strategic implications:

Openers: Set up resources/conditions for the stance
Finishers: Capitalize on resources built during the stance
Flexible: No restriction allows use anywhere in sequence

Disabling Crystal Drops

Set disableCrystalDrop: true to exclude a technique from technique crystal drops. This is useful for techniques that are only obtainable through special means (e.g. spirit techniques unlocked via the spirit tree):

Complete Examples

Simple Damage Technique - Advancing Fist

import { Technique } from 'afnm-types';
import icon from '../assets/techniques/advancing-fist.png';

export const advancingFist: Technique = {
  name: 'Advancing Fist',
  icon: icon,
  type: 'fist',
  realm: 'bodyForging',
  effects: [
    {
      kind: 'damage',
      amount: { value: 0.9, stat: 'power', upgradeKey: 'power' },
    },
    {
      kind: 'barrier',
      amount: { value: 0.9, stat: 'power', upgradeKey: 'barrier' },
    },
    {
      kind: 'buffSelf',
      buff: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.fist.flow,
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined, upgradeKey: 'stacks' },
    },
  ],
};

Analysis:

Basic technique: No costs or requirements, usable from Body Forging
Multi-effect: Deals damage, grants barrier, generates Flow resource
Upgradeable: All three effects can be improved through mastery

Resource Management - Restoring Fragrance

import { Technique } from 'afnm-types';
import icon from '../assets/techniques/restoring-fragrance.png';

export const restoringFragrance: Technique = {
  name: 'Restoring Fragrance',
  icon: icon,
  type: 'blossom',
  realm: 'coreFormation',
  costs: [
    {
      buff: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.blossom.fragrantBlossom,
      amount: 4,
      upgradeKey: 'cost',
    },
  ],
  effects: [
    {
      kind: 'buffSelf',
      buff: {
        name: 'Restoring Fragrance',
        icon,
        canStack: true,
        stats: undefined,
        stacks: 1,
        afterTechniqueEffects: [{
          kind: 'heal', amount: { value: 0.25, stat: 'power' }
        }],
        onRoundEffects: [{
          kind: 'add', amount: { value: -1, stat: undefined }
        }],
      },
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined, upgradeKey: 'stacks' },
    },
  ],
};

Analysis:

Resource cost: Consumes 4 Fragrant Blossom stacks
Higher realm: Requires Core Formation
Buff creation: Creates a healing-over-time buff
Cost reduction: Mastery can reduce resource cost

Conditional Toggle - Profane Exchange

import { Technique, Buff } from 'afnm-types';
import icon from '../assets/techniques/profane-exchange.png';

const profaneExchangeBuff: Buff = {
  name: 'Profane Exchange',
  icon: 'assets/example.png',
  canStack: false,
  stats: {},
  stacks: 1,
  // Buff implementation...
}

export const profaneExchange: Technique = {
  name: 'Profane Exchange',
  icon: icon,
  type: 'blood',
  realm: 'meridianOpening',
  effects: [
    {
      kind: 'buffSelf',
      buff: profaneExchangeBuff,
      condition: {
        kind: 'condition',
        condition: `original_${window.modAPI.utils.flag(profaneExchangeBuff.name)} == 0`,
      },
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined },
    },
    {
      kind: 'consumeSelf',
      buff: profaneExchangeBuff,
      condition: {
        kind: 'condition',
        condition: `original_${window.modAPI.utils.flag(profaneExchangeBuff.name)} == 1`,
      },
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined },
    },
  ],
};

Analysis:

Toggle behavior: First use applies buff, second use removes it
Conditional effects: Each effect only executes under specific conditions
State-dependent: Same technique does different things based on current state

Resource Conversion - Sunrise

import { Technique } from 'afnm-types';
import icon from '../assets/techniques/sunrise.png';

export const sunrise: Technique = {
  name: 'Sunrise',
  icon: icon,
  type: 'celestial',
  realm: 'bodyForging',
  effects: [
    {
      kind: 'buffSelf',
      buff: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.celestial.solarAttunement,
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined, upgradeKey: 'attuneStacks' },
    },
    {
      kind: 'buffSelf',
      buff: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.celestial.sunlight,
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined, upgradeKey: 'stacks' },
    },
    {
      kind: 'convertSelf',
      source: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.celestial.moonlight,
      target: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.celestial.sunlight,
      amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined, scaling: window.modAPI.gameData.techniqueBuffs.celestial.moonlight.name },
      triggerKey: celestialRotation,
    },
  ],
};

Analysis:

Multi-function: Generates resources, attunement, and converts existing resources
School mechanics: Demonstrates celestial sun/moon transformation
Trigger system: Fires celestial rotation event for other systems
Scaling conversion: Converts all existing Moonlight to Sunlight

Stances and Styles

Stances group techniques into ordered sequences that execute automatically during combat. Each combatant maintains a current stance (the active technique sequence) and a library of stored stances.

StoredStance and StoredStyle

The PlayerEntity and EnemyEntity types expose stances via storedStyles, a list of StoredStyle objects. Each StoredStyle holds a named style that contains ordered StoredStance entries:

interface StoredStyle {
  name: string;
  id: string;
  autoName?: boolean;
  stances: StoredStance[];
  conditionalCycles?: ConditionalCycle[];
}

interface StoredStance {
  name: string;
  autoName?: boolean;
  techniques: string[];
  stanceRule?: StoredRule;
}

Stance Rule Types

Each StoredStance can declare a stanceRule to control when it fires:

interface OpenerStoredRule {
  kind: "opener";
  position: number;
}

Condition Keys

Stance rules that use kind: 'condition' can reference these keys in the condition expression:

Key	Evaluates to	Notes
`Power`	Current Power stat	Post-weakness value; can be negative
`Enemy Count`	Number of enemies still standing	Defaults to 1 (solo boss); higher for multi-enemy fights
`Enemy Realm`	Realm tier of the enemy combatant	Numeric value; use `enemyRealm >= realmIndex('coreFormation')` in conditions
`Round`	Current combat round	1-based

Other keys (buff names, hp, barrier) are also available depending on the entity's state.

Conditional Stance Counters

For combatants using the unified stance selector (players, manifested figments, evoked figments), the enemyStanceData field tracks per-stance usage so ConditionalStoredRule.maxCount is enforced:

enemyStanceData?: {
  playerStanceIndex: number;
  usedPlayerStanceOpeners: boolean[];
  lastPlayerStance: string;
  lastCycleKey?: string;
  usedConditionalStanceCounts?: Record<string, number>;
};

Manifested and Evoked Life Forms

When a manifested or evoked life form (such as a figment) uses player-style stances, the stance configuration is forwarded from the figment data into the combat entity via playerStyleStances and playerStyleCycles. This ensures the unified selectNextStoredStance selector evaluates both the player entity and life-form entities using the same algorithm.

For modders adding manifested figments: Seed playerStyleStances and playerStyleCycles on the combat entity so conditional stance rules and maxCount enforcement behave consistently with the player entity.

Mastery System

Techniques can be upgraded through the mastery system. All mastery helpers are available on window.modAPI.utils.

Quick Reference

upgradeMasteries: {
  power: window.modAPI.utils.createPowerUpgradeMap('power', 'empowered'),
  cost: window.modAPI.utils.createCostUpgradeMap('cost', 'empowered', fragrantBlossom.name, -1),
  stacks: window.modAPI.utils.createStacksUpgradeMap('stacks', 'empowered', buffName, 1),
}

Upgrade Keys

Properties with upgradeKey can be modified by mastery:

Damage/healing amounts: Increase effectiveness
Resource costs: Reduce consumption
Stack generation: Generate more resources
Requirements: Modify usage conditions

Mastery Helper Reference

All helpers accept (key: string, rarity: Rarity, ...) and return a TechniqueMasteryRarityMap.

Generic Builders

These give you full control but require explicit per-rarity definitions:

createUpgradeMap(key, rarity, upgrades) - Explicit per-rarity tooltip/change/shouldMultiply. Omit a rarity by passing undefined for that tier.
createUpgradeMapSimple(key, rarity, tooltip, shouldMultiply, changes, renderTransform?) - One tooltip template with {change} placeholder; per-rarity numbers in changes. renderTransform lets you customise the displayed value (e.g. converting to percentages).
createUpgradeMapStepped(key, rarity, tooltip, maxChange, shouldMultiply?, renderTransform?) - Automatically steps the value from maxChange/5 (mundane) up to maxChange (incandescent), dropping rarities whose value reaches zero or flips sign.

Percentage Helpers (5% mundane to 30% transcendent)

These are shorthand for common multiplicative patterns:

create30PercentUpgradeMap(key, rarity, tooltip) - Arbitrary key at 5-30% multiplicative.
createPowerUpgradeMap(key, rarity) - Technique base power (named basePower).
createScalingUpgradeMap(key, rarity) - Technique scaling stat multiplier.
createDamageUpgradeMap(key, rarity) - Damage dealt.
createHealingUpgradeMap(key, rarity) - Health restored.
createBarrierUpgradeMap(key, rarity) - Barrier granted.
createTemporaryHealthUpgradeMap(key, rarity) - Temporary health granted.

Named Buff Helpers

These auto-generate tooltips referencing a specific buff:

createStacksUpgradeMap(key, rarity, buffName, maxChange) - Stacks of a buff gained by the technique. Pass negative maxChange for reductions.
createCleanseUpgradeMap(key, rarity, buffName, maxChange, verb) - Stacks of a buff removed by a cleanse. verb controls the tooltip word (e.g. 'cleansed', 'consumed').
createStacksInflictedUpgradeMap(key, rarity, buffName, maxChange) - Stacks of a buff inflicted on the target.
createCostUpgradeMap(key, rarity, buffName, maxChange) - Buff cost of an effect (pass negative to reduce).
createRequirementUpgradeMap(key, rarity, buffName, maxChange) - Buff requirement of an effect (pass negative to reduce).
createMaxIncreaseUpgradeMap(key, rarity, buffName, maxChange) - Maximum stacks of one or more buffs. buffName can be a string or an array of names joined with 'and' in the tooltip.

Special Helpers

createSingleTierMastery(mastery) - Wrap a single TechniqueMastery so it can only roll at transcendent rarity.
createRoundBuffMap(buff, rarity, chanceStep, effectKind?) - Grants buff with a chance that scales per rarity (chanceStep * tier at each step; above 100% grants one guaranteed stack plus a chance at a second). effectKind is 'buffSelf' (default) or 'buffTarget'.
createStackingRoundBuffMap(buff, rarity, stacks, effectKind?) - Grants a fixed stacks per rarity (0 to skip that rarity).
createFullKindMap(rarityMap) - Expand a rarity-map keyed by mastery name into a full kind map so the same masteries are offered for every technique effect kind. Use when building a custom mastery pool.

Mastery Pools

masteryKindPools: ['damage', 'heal', 'buffSelf'];

Determines which effect types can receive random mastery bonuses, allowing for build customization beyond fixed upgrades.

Overwrite Effects Mastery

The overwriteEffects kind replaces a technique's entire effects list when unlocked. Use it for transcendent-tier upgrades that fundamentally change how a technique works rather than just scaling its numbers.

interceptOnly: {
  rarity: 'transcendent',
  mundane: undefined,
  qitouched: undefined,
  empowered: undefined,
  resplendent: undefined,
  incandescent: undefined,
  transcendent: {
    kind: 'overwriteEffects',
    tooltip: 'The puppet no longer provides barrier, but increases its damage interception.',
    newEffects: [
      {
        kind: 'buffSelf',
        buff: alteredBuff,
        amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined },
      },
    ],
  },
}

Triggered Effects

The triggeredEffects field allows technique effects to trigger additional effect chains:

triggeredEffects: [
  {
    trigger: 'onHit',
    effects: [
      {
        kind: 'buffSelf',
        buff: someBuff,
        amount: { value: 1, stat: undefined },
      },
    ],
  },
],

Triggers fire when specific combat events occur. See the Triggers page for full documentation.

Hiding Auxiliary Tooltips

Individual technique effects can suppress their auxiliary tooltips using hideAuxTooltip. When the expression evaluates truthy, the following auxiliary tooltips are hidden:

barrier effects: hides the "Barrier" mechanic aux tooltip
temporaryHealth effects: hides the "Temporary Health" mechanic aux tooltip
Effects that reference a buff (buffSelf, buffTarget, consumeSelf, consumeTarget, convertSelf, mergeSelf): hides the referenced buff's aux tooltip

This mirrors the same property on BaseBuff (issue #8943). Use it when the effect's context already makes the mechanic obvious, or when the buff is sourced from a tooltip fragment that already explains it.

{
  kind: 'barrier',
  amount: { value: 0.5, stat: 'power' },
  hideAuxTooltip: 'stacks >= 3', // Hide barrier aux when player has 3 or more stacks
}

FilesExpand file tree

techniques.md

Latest commit

History

techniques.md

File metadata and controls

Technique System

Complete Technique Interface

Base Technique Effect Properties

Element Types

Single School

Hybrid Techniques

Origin Techniques

RealTechniqueElement

Primary Schools

Realm

Resource Costs

Buff Costs

Toxicity Costs

Droplet Costs

Requirements

Usage Restrictions

Maximum Instances

Stance Restrictions

Disabling Crystal Drops

Complete Examples

Simple Damage Technique - Advancing Fist

Resource Management - Restoring Fragrance

Conditional Toggle - Profane Exchange

Resource Conversion - Sunrise

Stances and Styles

StoredStance and StoredStyle

Stance Rule Types

Condition Keys

Conditional Stance Counters

Manifested and Evoked Life Forms

Mastery System

Quick Reference

Upgrade Keys

Mastery Helper Reference

Generic Builders

Percentage Helpers (5% mundane to 30% transcendent)

Named Buff Helpers

Special Helpers

Mastery Pools

Overwrite Effects Mastery

Triggered Effects

Hiding Auxiliary Tooltips