Unless otherwise noted, you may generally only have one defense active on each layer. In the case of a conflict, the most recent defense type over-writes any existing one for that layer, dispelling the old, regardless of its duration.
Example: A player activates a signature which grants them HardBody for 6 turns. This is a Layer 1 defence. On their next turn, they use a chip that grants them SteelBody for 2 turns. They then have SteelBody only. At the end of SteelBody's duration, when it wears off, the navi then has no active defence — HardBody might have theoretically had turns left, but it was over-written and dispelled by the shorter duration effect.
Defense Types:
Quote (Layer 1)
1: Body Effects (Innermost layer. Alters the core properties of your Navi. Only one of these effects may be active at any one time.)
---Damage Reduction: This effect reduces all non-impact attack hits by the specified amount. Impact attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Impact, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. Available through Signatures and some Battlechips.
---HardBody: This effect reduces all non-break attack hits by half (Damage is rounded up). Break attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Break, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. Available through Signatures and some Battlechips.
---SteelBody: This effect reduces all non-break damage to zero. In exchange, your actions become sluggish, reducing all attack accuracy by 10% and base evasion rate by 20%, to a minimum of 5%. You also become grounded for the duration. Break attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Break, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. This effect is currently exclusive to signatures.
---StoneBody: This effect reduces all non-break damage to 1 per hit. In exchange, your Evasion rate is locked to 0%. Break attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Break, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. This effect is exclusive to Battlechips and Viruses.
---IronBody: This effect reduces all non-break damage to zero. In exchange, you are grounded and immobile. Break attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Break, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. This effect is exclusive to Battlechips and Viruses.
---MetalBody: This effect reduces all non-break damage to zero. Break attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Break, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. This effect is exclusive to Battlechips and Viruses.
---IceBody: This effect reduces all non-break damage to zero, and only functions on Ice terrain. Break attacks deal double damage. This effect is not nullified by Break, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by changing the terrain to anything other than Ice, or a Glitch. This effect is exclusive to Viruses.
---Shadow: This effect reduces all non-slashing damage to zero. In exchange, the intangibility makes it more difficult to attack at a distance, adding a 20% accuracy penalty to all ranged attacks. Slashing attacks bypass this effect, dealing normal damage as well as immediately negating it. Available through signatures and Battlechips.
---Brace: This effect reduces any single hit to half its amount. Obtained by equipping the Block NC or purchasing the Brace SP Upgrade.
---Perfect Block: This effect reduces any single Non-Break hit to zero. Break attacks deal full damage and consume the effect. Obtained from the Mobile Fortress Custom Advance.
---Planar Body: This is an elemental effect. It reduces all elemental damage by half, except the element it is weak against, which deals double damage to it. Null Element always deals full damage. This effect's element depends on the terrain, and ceases function if you find yourself flying or on Null Element terrain. Thus, this effect can be controlled with terrain changes and external forces. This effect resumes operating normally when the user relocates to an elemental panel, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. Available primarily through Signatures.
---Element Body: This is an elemental effect, denoted as HeatBody, AquaBody, ElecBody, or WoodBody. It ignores all damage from one element, but another element deals double damage to it. Null Element always deals full damage. This effect cannot be overwritten, and takes primacy over all others. This effect can only be nullified with a Body Effect type Glitch, and will resume operation when the glitch's time limit expires. This effect is NOT available to Players, and is found exclusively on Viruses, Battlechips, and Cybeasts.
Quote (Layer 2)
2: Armor (Physical armor worn on your person to protect against damage. Only one of these effects may be active at any time.)
---Casing: A solid suit of armor made of object data. The armor has an HP value, and will disintegrate when its HP reaches zero. The attack which reduces a casing to zero does not overspill its remaining damage to the navi. Break attacks deal double damage to Casings, and cause any leftover damage to overspill onto the protected character. The way this works is as follows: [((Damage x2) - Casing HP)/2 = Overspill]. Multi-Hit attacks may deal partial damage if the Casing is destroyed before all hits of the attack have landed. Phasing attacks deal double damage to Casings if specifically targeted, otherwise they ignore Casings, passing through them to the navi beneath without damaging the Casing. Piercing and SuperPiercing attacks damage both the Casing and the character wearing the Casing. Casings remain until they are destroyed, overwritten, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch.
---Planar Casing: This is an elemental effect. Planar Casings act in most ways like normal casings, except that they are not vulnerable to Break damage (damage does not double, nor does excess overspill). Instead, it assumes the element of the terrain you are on, becoming resilient to that element and taking only half damage from it, as well as becoming vulnerable to the opposed element, which deals double damage and overspills if it destroys the Casing. This effect's element depends on the terrain, and ceases function if you find yourself flying or on Null Element terrain. Thus, this effect can be controlled with terrain changes and external forces. This effect resumes operating normally when the user relocates to an elemental panel, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch.
---Object Armour: Any object worn as armour and equipped to the user via the "Equipable" effect. For all intents and purposes, this armor is treated as if it were a normal object between the user and what is targeting them, which means any effects that would bypass (Phasing, Spread, Splash, Line, Beam, Piercing) or deal extra damage to (Break, Phasing) these armors still do so. Object Armour remains until destroyed, overwritten, unequipped or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch.
Quote (Layer 3)
3: Wielded Gear (Items you could feasibly use to defend yourself with, that are able to be wielded in a specific direction. Any Wielded Gear that doesn't has a specific defense value (either hitcount or HP) cannot intercept attacks. You can have more than one of these items active at once, but only as many as you can physically wield. As a general rule, this means only two can be used at a time.)
---X-Hit Shields: A directional effect that blocks hits regardless of power, noted by how many hits they can take. Break attacks count as two hits against X-Hit Shields, and may break through to deal full damage if it reduces the Shield's X-Hit value past zero. Available from a variety of sources including Signatures, Battlechips (such as Guard, RiskyHoney, PoisonMask etc.) and Customizer parts (such as Reflect or Shield).
---Planar Shields: This is an elemental effect. Function like normal X-Hit Shields, except they are not weak to Break. Instead, they completely negate all damage from their element, and take double damage from their weak element, which can overspill. Like other planar effects, Planar Shields are dependent upon elemental terrain to function and will shut off if the user is not on elementally aligned terrain. This effect resumes operating normally when the user relocates to an elemental panel, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. Available primarily through Signatures and some Battlechips.
---Wielded HP Objects: Any object equipped as Wielded Gear to the user via the "Equipable" effect, or feasibly picked up and wielded in the course of combat. For all intents and purposes, this defense is treated as if it were a normal object between the user and what is targeting them, which means any effects that would bypass (Phasing, Spread, Splash, Line, Beam, Piercing) or deal extra damage to (Break, Phasing) these armors still do so.
Quote (Layer 4)
4: Ethereal Fields (Energy fields that protect against damage. Only one of these effects may be active at any time.)
---HP Barrier: An ethereal field of energy that forms a complete shell around the user. The Barrier has an HP value, and will collapse when its HP reaches zero. The attack which reduces a Barrier to zero does not overspill its remaining damage to the navi. Impact attacks deal double damage to Barriers, and cause any leftover damage to overspill onto the protected character. The way this works is as follows: [((Damage x2) - Barrier HP)/2 = Overspill]. Multi-Hit attacks may deal partial damage if the Barrier is destroyed before all hits of the attack have landed. The NorthWind effect instantly removes Barriers. Barriers remain until they are destroyed, overwritten, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. Available from a variety of sources including Signatures, Battlechips and NaviCustomizer parts.
---I-Field: A form of Barrier found exclusively on Battlechips. I-Fields are mostly identical to normal Barriers, except that they can absorb a fixed number of hits (as with X-Hit Shields), rather than having an HP value. This effect is exclusive to Battlechips.
---HP Aura: A form of Barrier found exclusively on Battlechips. Auras are mostly identically to normal Barriers, except that they absorb any attack that would fail to destroy them outright, without taking damage. Impact still deals double damage, for the purpose of overcoming an Aura, and overspills if the Aura is destroyed. Auras are still vulnerable to NorthWind. This effect is exclusive to Battlechips and Viruses.
---Planar Barrier: This is an elemental effect. Planar Barriers act in most ways like normal Barriers, except that they are not vulnerable to Impact damage (damage does not double, nor does excess overspill). Instead, it assumes the element of the terrain you are on, becoming resilient to that element and taking only half damage from it, as well as becoming vulnerable to the opposed element, which deals double damage and overspills if it destroys the Barrier. This effect's element depends on the terrain, and ceases function if you find yourself flying or on Null Element terrain. Thus, this effect can be controlled with terrain changes and external forces. This effect resumes operating normally when the user relocates to an elemental panel, and only expires when overwritten, its time limit expires, or is cancelled in some other way, such as by a Glitch. Available primarily through Signatures.
---Unique Ethereal Field Effects: Some ethereal fields available from Battlechips don't follow the normal rules of the above categories, but describe their function directly. Examples include but are not limited to: LeafShield, BubbleWrap, etc.
On Hit: At this point, after attempts at avoidance have failed, an attack is counted as having 'hit' the target, even if the attack still ultimately fails to do damage. This is important for many different triggers and for other effects, such as status attacks.
Quote (Layer 5)
5: Avoidance (Directly avoiding an attack that would otherwise hit your navi. Avoidances are cumulative but not additive, that is, you may have multiple dodges, movements and feints in a turn, and each will be checked against and consumed one at a time as attacks would hit your navi.)
---Dodge: The act of dodging, providing minimal movement but a high base chance to avoid the attack. Can be used as a standard action, build into passives and signatures, and appears in some Chips.
---Feint: A more mobile evasion, providing more travel capability but a lower base chance to avoid the attack. Can be used as a standard action, or built into passives and signatures.
---Movement: Covering a lot of ground, or performing complex activities on the battle field, but also provides a very small chance to avoid an attack in the process. Can be used as a standard action, built into passives and signatures, and appears in some Chips.
---Teleport: Instantly warp from one location to another. Precise travel that provides no additional movement beyond the direct location change, but can potentially provide a very high chance to avoid an attack. Can be used as a Signature Effect, and appears in some Chips.
Avoidances are checked and consumed one at a time, per attack (generally beginning with the strongest avoidance available), and are heavily RP dependent. Moderators will use their discretion regarding the timing of dodges, but as a general rule each attack will consume one and only one avoidance check, though it should be checked against each hit of that attack, even in the case of multi-hits.
Quote (Layer 6)
6: Stealth Effects (Alters the visible properties of your navi and affects the ability of others to target them accurately. Multiple Stealth Effects may be in operation at one time.)
---Invisible: User becomes invisible to most normal means of sight. Accuracy of attacks attempting to target the user are decreased by 50%. The user is still susceptible to position-based AoEs and other effects that do not rely on targeting them directly. Seeking attacks ignore this effect, and immediately negate it if they connect.
---Illusion: Using any type of visual illusion to mislead, deceive or misdirect. Highly RP dependent effect, the results of which can and will vary dramatically based on the situation and quality of play. Seeking attacks ignore Illusions of all types, negating them and automatically targeting the user in the process.
---Decoy: A more focused form of Illusion, with mild tangibility. Seeking attacks ignore Decoys, targeting the 'true' user and immediately nullifying any Decoys in the process.
Quote (Layer 7)
7: Situational (These effects exist within your environment, but are only useful in certain situations.)
---Cover: The most common situational defense is simply taking cover behind something in your environment or battlefield, such as sheltering behind an object or even making your own.
---Other: Other possibilities may exist. Be creative! Using situational factors will usually be highly RP dependent, but can often provide effective defenses or ways of breaking up your battles that other more mechanical defense options rarely offer.
Quote (Layer 8)
8: Environmental (Direct positions and locations within your environment. By virtue of their mutually exclusive locations, only one of these effects may be active at a time.)
---High Altitude (High in the sky)
---Underground (In the ground)
---Submerged (Under the surface of a liquid)
Status Effects
Status Effects and other Non-Damaging Debuffs are delivered in the same manner as other attacks, and often along with them, however they will ignore all conventional defenses and continue through to apply to the target without negating or damaging any defence layers they pass through. The exception to this is any defense that bears the Status Guard effect. Defenses with Status Guard block debuffs and prevent them from applying to the target, provided that the status attack actually would connect with it first. In the case of a Status attack breaking a defense with Status Guard, regardless of whether the attack continues through or not, the Status Effect is still blocked before the defense expires.
Example: A navi has a Shield with Status Guard and a Barrier without it. They are struck with a Shot-Type attack that deals damage, as well as Blind. The damage of the attack is stopped by the Barrier, which survives, however, the Blind effect continues through the defense layers until it strikes the Shield, which blocks it. In a second case, the attack is actually a Drop Attack: the damage is again stopped by the Barrier, but in continuing through, the Blind effect does not come into contact with the Shield before reaching the navi, and thus the navi is afflicted with Blind.
Equipped Clarifications
All Defenses, Objects, and SPs equipped to a user are considered separate targets for the purpose of area-of-effect attacks used against the user. They may be hit individually or separately depending on direction and number of targets specified by the area-of-effect attack. In the case of a Nova or To-All (Others) originating from the user, no Defenses, Objects, nor SPs equipped by the user will be hit. Additionally, a Nova generated by an equipped Defense, Object, or SP will not affect the target to which it is equipped, nor will it affect anything else equipped to that target.