Sacred 2:Debuff

Removing Buffs

Some enemies in game have the ability to disable a player's buffs such as the White Griffin's or a champion Dark Fairies lightening attack. This is typically referred to as a "De-Buff"(de=deactivate).

Some examples of things which may remove buffs in the game are:

- selected traps (Abishai summons them for example)

- chain ice lightning (some champions and White Griffin)

- CAs (Combat Arts) of the some characters such as "Archimedes Beam" with gold "Annul" modification, Expulse magic, Dryad's Black Curse with gold "Dispel" modification.

If the character has a chance to block\reflect combat arts, then successfully hitting from the chain lightning does not necessarily mean that all of the buffs will be removed. For each attempt to remove buffs (lightning may remove from 1 to 3 buffs, it depends on the level of the CA). Also, chance to block\reflect is calculated anew: lightning, when successfully having passed the test and passing block\reflection, can cause damage, but may not remove any buff or may only deactivate one or two of them. Buffs are removed in reverse order from the third buff slot back to the first.

The buff removing effects of Expulse Magic can not be blocked or reflected; Expulse Magic doesn't save a character from removing the buffs from an enemy's EM circle. (see more about removing buffs mechanics in players contributed guides section)

De-buff as a magic effect

Monsters and characters can apply various effects, reducing different characteristics (movement/cast/attack speed, defense/attack value; damage mitigation may be lowered, armor value can be inverted). De-buff duration depends on this type - de-buffs are divided into short (10 sec), long (30 sec) and custom (duration depends here on CA's level and modifications, custom de-buffs are typically used by characters).

Not Included here are things like Secondary Damage Effects, Serious Open Wounds, Deep Wounds, Root and Stun, because they have their own mechanics (please see corresponding sections).

De-buffs cannot be removed by anything except the Expulse magic Combat art, which can be used by High Elf and some bosses.

Willpower attribute and magic resistance don't affect de-buffs.

De-buffs can not be blocked/reflected, and may also affect the target if it evades the weapon attack (if the target's defense value is too high, or target has а chance to evade for example). However, the Frost Flare CA may miss the target, when it moves far away with 100% movement speed & at an angle of 90 degrees to the ray: when Frost Flare misses, movement speed reduction does not affect the target.

There are 2 defenses against De-buffs: "detrimental Magic Effects -x%" modifier and "spell resistance" skill mastery (which also give the character "detrimental Magic Effects -x%" modifier, depending on skill level). At first these defenses reduce de-buff duration, secondly they reduce the power of effect. For example, 75 hard points in SR skill and "detrimental Magic Effects -33%" modifier in total give the character 65+11* = 76% reduction of de-buff power and duration. Defenses are calculated layer-wise (have diminishing returns) so immunity can not be achieved.

There are few monster's de-buffs, that can not be mitigated: they all have rather short duration and don't inflict any damage.

All de-bufs are divided into:

1) De-buffs stacking with similar other (all monster's Debuffs). They all have tag "sorting_rank = 0" in spells.txt configuration file.

Several monster's different de-buffs stack, so the character can suffer from several effects at the same time. However, only one graphical effect is displayed at a time.

2) De-buffs which can not stack with similar other (all character's Debuffs, excluding Maelstrom). They all have tag "sorting_rank = 1"

Similar character's de-buffs don't usually stack, but they may, if the first and the second similar de-buffs have a different power/duration.

For example, reducing attack value modifications for the High Elf's's Combat Arts "Frost Flare" and "Raging Nimbus" are added together cumulatively (layer-wise). For example, 120 Combat Art level "Frost Flare" and 105 Combat Art level "Raging Nimbus", used on the same enemy, will reduce target attack value by 66% primarily and by 61% secondarily. The final target attack value = x*0.34*0.39 = 0.13*x due to the peculiarities of a chance to hit calculation. In order to effectively stack them, a player must use Combat Arts with a difference of not less than 0.1 Combat Art level (120 Combat Art level "Frost Flare" + 120.1 Combat Art level "Frost Flare" for example).

See also effects, which can be founded as an item modifier or Combat Arts innate ability (they are used by monsters often):

• Sacred 2:Opponent's armor: Physical,
• Inversion Physical Armor +x%
• Opponent's defense value,
• Opponent's attack value,
• Deadly Wounds (note: nothing affects it, Expulse Magic is absolutely useless too)

Innate De-Buffing Combat Arts

Dryad

• Twisted Torment (Opponent's Movement Speed - x%)
• Viperish Disease (Opponent's Hitpoints: -x%/sec)
• Black Curse (Opponents Attribute Penalty: -x%)
• Ancient Bark (buff) (Damage vilnerability (self): Fire +20%)

Temple Guardian

• Jolting Touch (Opponent's Attack Speed -x%)
• Fiery Ember (Damage vulnerability (opponent): Fire +x%)
• Icy Evanescence (Damage vulnerability (opponent): Ice +x%)

Inquisitor

• Ruthless Mutilation (Opponent's movement speed: -x%)
• Mortifying Pillory (The target opponent is condemned as outlaw, granting former allies a chance to turn against the target)
• Dislodged Spirit (Opponent's Attribute Values: -x%)
• Paralyzing Dread (Opponent's Attack Speed: -x%)
• Inexorable Subjugation (Opponent's Movement Speed: -x%)

Dragon Mage

• Dragon Strike (Opponents Attack Value: -x%)
• Mind Strike (Reverses opponent's physical armor value, meaning the higher their physical armor, the more damage they take from Mind Strike)
• Maelstrom (Decrease of Enemy's attributes: -x%; Enemy Speed: -x%; Missile Slowdown: 200%)

Maelstrom can overlay the previous casts, similar de-buffs stack with diminishing returns.

High Elf

• Frost Flare (Opponent's Movement Speed -x%)
• Raging Nimbus (Opponent's Movement Speed: -x%)
• Cascading Shroud (short buff) ((Damage vulnerability (self): Fire +50%)
• Expulse Magic (Spell-Banishing Effectiveness: x)

Expulse Magic is the the only possibility to dispel De-Buffs, see more here, however EM is useless against Deadly Wounds long De-Buff.

De-Buffing Combat Arts via Modifications

Seraphim

• Soul Hammer (mod 2a Battering - temporarily reduces the target's physical larmor value)
• Pelting Strikes (mod 2b Enfeeble - temporarily reduces the target's defense value; mod 3b Indentation - temporarily reduces the target's physical armor value)
• Assailing Somersault (mod 3a Bewilder - the seraphim leaps away, briefly reducing the run speed of opponents at her starting location)
• Baneful Smite (mod 1a Laggard - slows the target down; mod 2b Confuse - Reduces the target's attack value)
• Radiant Pillar (mod 1b Delude - Reduces opponents' attack values within the area of effect)
• Cleansing Brilliance (mod 1a Distract - Reduces opponents' attack speed within the area of effect; mod 1a Blind - Reduces opponents' defense values within the area of effect)
• Flaring Nova (mod 2a Perplex - Opponents temporarily lose their attack value; mod 3b Laggard - Slows the target movement speed)

Shadow Warrior

• Demonic Blow (mod 2a Frailty - Temporarily reduces the opponent's ALL types of elemental armor, including ice, fire, magic and poison)
• Belligerent Vault (mod 2a Unaware - Reduces the Opponent's defense value; mod 2b Shock - Opponents at the starting location of the jump become confused which slows them down)
• Augmenting Guidon (mod 3a Fear - Reduces attack values of all opponents within area of effect)

Dryad

• Black Curse (mod 1a Porous - Reduces the opponent's resistance to physical damage; mod 2b Distress - Reduces opponent's attack speed)
• Tangled Vine (mod 2b Impair - Reduces the rooted opponents attack speed)

Temple Guardian

• Archimedes Beam (mod 1a Paralyze - Considerably decreases target's movement speed)
• Primal Mutation (mods 2b&3b Helpless - Briefly reduces target's attributes)
• Fiery Ember (mod 1b Scald - Reduces opponents' Attack Speed)
• Icy Evanescence (mod 1b Freeze - Slows down opponent's movement speed)
• Untouchable Force (buff) (mod 2a Paralyze - Decreases movement speed of nearby opponents; mod 2b Calm - Reduces attack speed of nearby opponents)

Inquisitor

• Mortifying Pillory (mod 1a Disgrace - Reduces the opponent's armor value for a brief period; mod 3a Mortify - Reduces the target's defense value)
• Levin Array (mod 2a Paralyze - Briefly decreases movement speed of affected opponents; Hesitation - Briefly reduces the opponent's attack speed)
• Paralyzing Dread (mod 1a Panic - Reduces the opponent's attack value; mod 1b Despair - Reduces the opponents' physical resistance value)

Dragon Mage

• Mind Strike (mod 1a Sustainability - Disrupting the enemy's regeneration last longer; mod 3b Slow Down - Target's movement speed reduced for the duration of the spell)
• Energy Blaze (mod 1a Confusion - Target attacks more slowly; mod 1b Blind - Decreases target's attack value)
• Maelstrom (mod 1a Grind - Reduces the armor of enemies in the Maelstrom; all other mods increase the power of innate de-buffs)

High Elf

• Frost Flare (mod 2a Constraint - Reduces the opponent's chance to hit successfully)
• Raging Nimbus (mod 2b Roar - Reduces the attack value of affected opponents)
• Crystal Skin (mod 1a Freeze - Slows movement rate of opponents in close combat range; mod 2a Feel Cold - Damage vulnerability (opponent): Ice +x%).