Scope RPG

Monster Skills ​

Monsters fight with a basic attack plus one special - two skills total. They don't use charges; their specials are gated by cooldowns measured in the monster's own turns. Between special uses, monsters fall back to their basic attack, which produces a natural rhythm of ordinary hits punctuated by bigger moments.

Bosses are the exception - they carry no specials and only use their class basic attack. See Boss Fights.

A Brawler-class monster

Basic Attacks by Class ​

Every monster class has its own basic attack, always free, no cooldown.

SkillClassTargetDamage TypeFlavor
Savage StrikeBrawlerFront onlyPhysicalBrutal frontline slash
Void BoltMagical BeastAny rowMagicalDark-magic projectile
Swoop SwipeFlyingAny rowPhysicalFast aerial strike, slightly reduced power
Hex StrikeShamanFront onlyPhysicalCursed strike at reduced power - Shamans aren't damage dealers

The reduced Shaman power is intentional - Shamans are healers, not damage dealers. Their contribution to a fight is keeping the rest of the monster team alive.

Special Skills ​

Monsters draw their specials from a shared pool. Any given monster has one; different monsters across the roster reuse specials.

Damage-Only ​

Pure-damage specials with no rider effect.

SkillTargetDamage TypeNotes
Crushing BlowFront onlyPhysicalA single heavy hit
Rending ClawAny rowPhysicalReaches back-row targets
Dark BurstAll enemiesMagicalAoE magic damage

Damage + Debuff ​

A damage hit with a status effect rider.

SkillTargetDamage TypeDebuff
Shadow DiveAny rowPhysicalBrief Speed debuff
Corrosive VenomAny rowMagicalArmor debuff for a short duration
Frost NovaAll enemiesMagicalAoE Speed debuff
Venom CloudAll enemiesMagicalAoE Armor debuff
Blinding FlashAll enemiesMagicalAoE Luck debuff

Resource Denial ​

SkillTargetEffect
Mana SiphonAny enemyBlocks all charge gain on the target for a short duration. Doesn't consume existing charges - just stops new ones from coming in.

Since monsters don't use charges themselves, Mana Siphon is strictly asymmetric - it only hurts the player. It's specifically a counter to "save up for a big spell" play patterns.

Healing ​

SkillTargetEffect
Dark MendSingle allyHeals a wounded monster, capped per cast so no single heal can undo a whole turn of player damage
Soul SiphonAny enemyDeals magic damage and heals the caster for a portion of the damage dealt. A life-drain.

Position Manipulation ​

SkillTargetEffect
Unwilling PullAny enemySwaps the target with whoever is currently in the player's front slot. No damage. Ignores Taunt.

Unwilling Pull is the monster roster's formation attack - enemies use it to drag your squishy back-liner into the front line, within range of Brawlers.

Monster AI Personality ​

Monster classes have distinct personalities driven by how their AI picks actions:

  • Brawlers care about finishing off wounded targets. Consistent damage, low interest in AoE or healing.
  • Magical Beasts maximize total damage output. They actively prefer AoE when multiple targets are available.
  • Shamans prioritize keeping allies alive, especially any monster below a low HP threshold. They barely care about dealing damage themselves.
  • Flying monsters are opportunistic: they value status effects highly, hunt kill opportunities aggressively, and move flexibly around the player's formation.

These personalities are what make a Shaman feel like a healer and a Brawler feel like a finisher even when their options overlap - see Monster Classes for the full role breakdown.

Bosses Don't Have Specials ​

Bosses are elite monsters with different rules. Specifically: a boss has no special skill. It only uses its class basic attack, and the boss phase itself is an auto-resolved strict-alternation fight - no skills, no cooldowns, no status effects.

This keeps the boss phase narratively climactic but mechanically simple. Your avatar class, equipment, and build decide the outcome, not tactical play during the fight.