Help - Unusable Skills SOLVED, Skills are greyed out Options

[Randomsyllables]

Problem: Custom made skills are greyed out and unusable in battle, despite having enough MP.

I am going to take the time to explain as much about the situation as possible.

I have a character whose class changes depending upon a certain item equipped. Usually their ability set is Spirit (essentially magic) but when this item is equipped, their new class changes their ability set to Monster (skills I reserve for monster use).

Some of the skills are usable. Some are not. I would like to know why this is and how to fix it. Chances are it is something so mundane, so common, so obvious, that I simply overlooked it like the newbie that I am.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and respectfully request any assistance you have to offer.

[Show/Hide] Screenshot of battle, where skills are unsuable

[Show/Hide] Screenshot of example skill set-up

This post has been edited by Randomsyllables: Apr 18 2012, 06:43 AM

[Essenceblade]

Hmm, it may be something to do with attributes to that skill. RPG Makers phyiscal damage skill system works like this:

"Weapon" attributes which you select and create in the attributes tab mean that the player must have that attribute on them to perform the skill.

The character using the skill, must have in some way shape, or form a type of weapon, armor, trait or accessory which has the attribute of a skill you're going to use.

So for example, a skill named "Atom Slice" with the attributes Sword and Piercing.

This Short Sword has just the "Sword" attribute ticked in the box, but nothing else. I'm going to demonstrate how this works.

Lenni attempts to use Atom Slice with the Short Sword, but can't. He gets frustrated and wonders why.

1. He has only fulfilled ONE of the TWO requirements to using Atom Slice.

2. He has the Sword Attribute, but lacks the Piercing Attribute. Thus until he gets the two, he can't.

This time, this Long Sword has "Sword" and "Piercing" attributes.

Lenni attempts to use Atom Slice with the Long Sword, and successfully pulls it off.

1. He now has BOTH of the required attributes prior to using Atom Slice.

2. His Long Sword has Sword and Piercing weapon attributes, thus he is able to use it.

Evaluation:

Atom Slice: Sword / Piercing Weapon Attribute.

Short Sword: Sword Weapon Attribute.

Long Sword: Sword / Piercing Weapon Attribute.


Short Sword + Atom Slice = X

-Because the weapon lacks one (or more) of the physical attributes to use the skill.

Long Sword + Atom Slice = O

-Because the weapon possesses the required number of weapon attributes to use the skill.

That should give you a basic idea on how it works, and your problem should be solved.


So it has something to do with a weapon you've equipped. It probably doesn't have the "Smash" attribute box ticked.


THERE IS also another way to tackle this problem. You can create a Duplicate "Smash" attribute, but this time make it a magic type attribute. This allows you to use the skill regardless if you have the required attributes on a weapon or not. Because magic attributes aren't physical, thus you can assign it to someone with a staff as an example. This should be done for sub type attribute types like "Battering" "Piercing" "Heavy" "Smash" "Ramming" "Bionic" "Beast", because the damage is affected by their resistance type, and not the weapon.. I'll give another example.

I create the a skill I want to use on my Paladin. It's called Holy Staff Strike. It's main attribute is physical attribute "Staff", but I'm going to change that in the attribute tab. I'm going to make "Staff" magic. So now my Paladin can now use Holy Staff Strike regardless of wielding a Staff, or an Axe.

I hope this helps. I had to figure this out myself back when I was new to RPG Maker 2003. Hopefully this solves your problem and opens up other possibilities instead of limiting yourself to requirements off of weapons.

Edit: Just make sure if you're going to create a magic version of smash instead, Untick the physical version in the Skill List, and tick the magical.

This post has been edited by Essenceblade: Apr 16 2012, 12:52 PM

[bulmabriefs144]

2k3? Easy.

The weapon/magic attribute. Use the magic attribute for any actual elements, and weapon for any weapon type needed (I'd just turn this to magic for most weapons, so a slashing magic attribute for a sword is what you want).

Now make a weapon attribute called Passive. Connect it to no weapons. Voila! Because it's a weapon attribute without a weapon to use it, it's unusable.

[Randomsyllables]

Your responses are very informative; I had NO idea the mechanics worked that way. Thank you very much for taking the time to explain this to me, and it should help me along quite nicely. I was so distracted about this not working I let the whole project come to a halt! Now it is resolved and I can move on with my life. I am glad you explained in detail why it didn't work because that is now changing how I am looking at skill and equipment.

Just one little question, when you select the 'Reduce resistance' box under attribute, that doesn't require having a weapon of that type, right?

[Essenceblade]

You're very welcome.

And to answer your question, it doesn't require the character have a weapon of that type. Its mechanism is to reduce the resistance of that specific element or weapon attribute on the target. So it now becomes a "universal" skill with the box ticked.