Barrier change boss?

[Diretooth]

Is it possible to create a boss fight in which the enemy changes a barrier to a certain elemental type without a script?
I want to make a boss fight similar to the Magus battle in Chrono Trigger. A spell changes the barrier, nullifying all elements besides the one changed to, any element that isn't selected heals the enemy, the element that is selected damages the enemy, forcing them to change the barrier. Also, if at all possible, could the enemy attack whilst changing the barrier?

Remember, I want this to be done without a script, because scripts confuse me and I can't use them anyway.

 

[Shaz]

What is "a/the barrier"?

 

[MyLordRobinson]

I can imagine it's like fire, thunder, or ice force.

 

[Chaos Avian]

Well unfortunately, the only way I know of is by using scripts. Fortunately my friend McTricky threw together a really easy to use and understand tutorial here~

http://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?/topic/3633-element-shifting-bosses/

 

[Diretooth]

Thanks, Chaos, but I can't use scripts.

The way I want the battle to progress would be something like this:

Enemy casts Barrier Change, then Thunder. The barrier would then be set, all but Thunder would be used. (If that sounds counter intuitive, just think of the barrier working both ways and that the Barrier Change spell 'resets'. Sorry, writer's brain stuff.)

Anyway, thunder would damage, but Fire, Ice, Darkness, and Holy would heal. If this could be done somehow, then I'd be happy.

 

[Shaz]

Yeah, I don't think you'll be able to do that without scripts. So you're left with learning how to use them, or not having this feature in your game.

 

[Diretooth]

Oh, well. Good thing I didn't go beyond basic concept, I'll think of something else.

 

[MyLordRobinson]

What is your reservation with not using scripts? Are you using the Lite version?

 

[Diretooth]

Yeah, until I can afford to get Ace.

EDIT: Is there a way to create a spell that allows you to absorb elemental damage?

 

[Berylstone]

Is it possible to create a boss fight in which the enemy changes a barrier to a certain elemental type without a script?

.

One way you might could do this if I understand you correctly is just create different versions of the boss with different elemental defenses and transform him during the battle.  You would have to assign it's current HP values to variables and carry them over after the transformation but that doesn't sound too difficult. 

 

[Omnimental]

Couldn't you just use states to replicate the effect?  Set up an event that whenever the player uses X ability, Y Barrier state is removed and X Barrier state is added?  Or if that doesn't work, have the event set up to randomly change what state is being changed to?

 

[Tsukihime]

Just use states.


Different states have different element rates.


For example Fire Null state has 0% fire element rate, while Ice Null has 0% ice element rate.


For your actual barrier change skill, have it call a common event that will change the state.


If you want it to be a random barrier, first remove all possible barriers, then use a variable to choose a random number and use conditional branches on the variable to pick a state to add.


If you want the barriers to change in a fixed pattern, you can just use conditional branches and check if a certain state is inflicted and just remove/add states as needed.


No need for scripts if the target is fixed and this is only going to be used for a single enemy.


If you're planning to re-use this common event for many enemies, you might want to get the Common Event Variables script which allows you to operate on the selected target http://himeworks.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/common-event-variables/


But that's only if you want to re-use your common event.

 

[Omnimental]

Exactly, you don't need to use a script for this.  I spent ten minutes in VX Ace and set up the system exactly how the OP was requesting.  It didn't even use the enemy's action.  I did it like this:

Have a common event for each element type.  Every skill calls their relative common event, which modifies the same variable to a set number (ex. Fire=1, Water=2, Earth=3, Wind=4).

Then in the troop page, put in a conditional branch that runs when the variable is at a set number.  To continue the example, if the variable is at 1, it will remove the Water Null, Earth Null, and Wind Null states, and add the Fire Null state.

It gets a bit more complicated if there's more then one enemy, but it should still be doable.

 

[Diretooth]

It's only for one enemy, so that sounds perfect. Could you give a screenshot of that so I can see how it was done?

 

[Zechnophobe]

Just use states.

Different states have different element rates.

For example Fire Null state has 0% fire element rate, while Ice Null has 0% ice element rate.

For your actual barrier change skill, have it call a common event that will change the state.

If you want it to be a random barrier, first remove all possible barriers, then use a variable to choose a random number and use conditional branches on the variable to pick a state to add.

If you want the barriers to change in a fixed pattern, you can just use conditional branches and check if a certain state is inflicted and just remove/add states as needed.

No need for scripts if the target is fixed and this is only going to be used for a single enemy.

If you're planning to re-use this common event for many enemies, you might want to get the Common Event Variables script which allows you to operate on the selected target http://himeworks.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/common-event-variables/

But that's only if you want to re-use your common event.

This is exactly how I would suggest doing it as well. States have a duration as well, so you could, instead of removing all existing states when the event triggers, just have the duration of it line up with when the next event will run.

Also 0% damage rate I believe prevents 'state end on damage' effect for that element, so you could potentially also make it such that the state decays when the target takes damage (they break through the barrier by hitting them with what they are weak to).

 

[Diretooth]

I think I'm beginning to understand what you mean by states and randomizing it.

I could set a common event with the spell 'Barrier Change' where it sets a variable 'Barrier' to zero, removes the null states, selects a variable, and said variable chooses a spell to use, said spell will trigger, and all but that element would be protected.

Does that make sense?