Game Design Document

Design logs, mechanics descriptions, and gameplay systems.

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Game Loop

Phase	Location / Context	Key Mechanics & Activities
location_city 1. Pre-Dungeon	Big City	Draft a team of up to 3 members using captured monsters and hired NPCs. Purchase items/gear, upgrade traits, accept sidequests, and talk to townsfolk to prepare for the run.
layers 2. Dungeon	Procedural Map	Traverse map nodes representing a floor (5 floors total) to locate the portal and advance, managing paths and node choices dynamically.
swords 3. Combat	Battle Field	Pick skills, actions, items, or defenses via a bottom command panel, and then control a soul hitbox inside a grid space to active dodge waves of enemy attacks.
history 4. Post-Dungeon	Run Resolution	Wipe all standard run-specific currency and items. Save a Memory or Blessing item providing persistent starting perks, traits, quests or exceptions for subsequent runs.

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Dungeon Node Types

Node Type	Description
flash_on Normal Combat	Standard battle against a regular group of regional monsters.
whatshot Super Combat	Elite battle against tougher, randomized enemy compositions.
redeem Treasure Node	Find loot, items, or modifiers that can shift run synergy.
storefront Utility Node	Visit the shopkeeper or rest/heal at the Tavern.
military_tech Boss Node	Defeat the floor boss to unlock progression to the next floor.
explore Event Node	Text-based events or choices with variable outcomes like weather for example.

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Combat System

Combat Stage	Objective	Layout & Gameplay Mechanics
ads_click 1. Strategy Selection	Input party commands	Party stands on the left, enemies on the right. Commands are selected via the bottom command panel.
videogame_asset 2. Dodging Phase	Survive bullet-hell waves	Once inputs are submitted, control a soul hitbox inside a grid space to dodge active projectile patterns. Closely avoiding an attack generates TP, while being hit reduces HP of the targeted units.

Commands

Command	Usage & Costs	Mechanics & Effects
sports_kabaddi Fight	Weapon & Monster Skills (Consumes TP)	Triggers interactive minigames where damage scales based on timing/performance. Utilizes Damage Types that affects damage based on weakness and resistances (Slash, Pierce, Blunt) and status synergies.
shield Defend	Evade, Guard, or Counter (Generates TP)	The evade shrinks soul hitbox to slip through tight patterns, the guard gives a flat percentage reduction of incoming damage and the counter deals flat return damage when hit by projectiles.
healing Items	Utility Consumables (No TP Cost)	Consumes inventory items to heal HP/TP or apply temporary stats/synergy buffs or activate special events.
auto_awesome Action	Tactical Contextual Skills	Context-dependent actions to inspect enemy stats, weaken their staggering threshold, or attempt to capture monsters.

Status Synergies

Synergy	Damage/Effect Type	Mechanics & Decay Behavior
water_drop Bleed	Potency Damage	Deals damage whenever the target performs any action. Decays 1 count per action.
local_fire_department Burn	Potency Damage	Deals damage at the end of the target's turn. Decays 1 count per turn.
bolt Charge	Damage Multiplier	Self-stacking damage multiplier. Fully consumed on the next skill execution.
trending_down Sinking	Mercy Meter Boost	Drains 1 count on hit to increase the target's Mercy Meter by the current potency.
adjust Poise	Crit Chance Stat	Increases crit chance by potency x 5%. Crits consume 1 count and deal +20% damage.
heart_broken Rupture	Hit Bonus Damage	Inflicts extra damage on hit equal to the status potency. Decays 1 count per hit.
vibration Tremor	Stagger Gauge Drain	Drains count on hit to reduce the target's Stagger threshold by its potency.

Target Meters

Meter	Visual Indicator	Baseline Behavior & Maximum Effects
favorite Health	Red Bar	Represents vital status. Reaching 0 defeats/kills the combatant.
dangerous Stagger	White Shield Bar	Shielding boundary. Reaching 0 stuns the target for 1 round; resets next turn.
handshake Mercy	Blue Harmony Bar	Behavioral alignment. Higher values reduce enemy attack power and allow sparing/capturing.