Hey all,
This is (in my opinion) a big request so I'll try explaining it as thoroughly as possible!
In my game, the main character is able to use a family of skills known as "Reaping" abilities. The abilities work in a way sort of like the "Devouring" mechanic from the Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga series. Basically, if you defeat an enemy with a skill marked as a "Reaping" skill (or "Reaped the Enemy"), the enemy is defeated and the character will receive Stat Points (or "SP") and Ability Points (or "AP") but no Experience Points (or "XP"). If the Reaping skill is what is used to defeat the enemy, it is a 100% successful outcome that the enemy is Reaped.
Each enemy will have their own specific string of SP and AP they offer. Foe example, a Slime would look something like this:
Slime:<HP SP: 1><MP SP: 2><STR SP: 0> #or not included in the tagging<MAG SP: 5><DEF SP: 5><RES SP: 0><AGI SP: 0><LUK SP: 1><Skill 4: 1><Skill 5: 6>Defeating that slip would add the respective amount of SP to the respective Stat, and AP to the respective ability after the battle is finished (even if the party flees). Once stats reach a certain number of SP, the Stat "levels up" and adds 1 point to that stat permanently. Every time a stat levels up, the needed amount of SP to level up again (example: Level 1: 5 SP, Level 2: 7 SP, Level 3: 10 SP, Level 4: 15 SP, etc etc), but the stat is always increased by 1. Once abilities reach a certain number of AP, the ability is learned. Once an ability is learned, I would like if abilities could continually level up (similar to SP and Stats). A level-able ability would increase in damage by 25% each level up to a possible maximum level of 5. (Example: Level 1: 100dam, Level 2: 125dam, Level 3: 156, 195, Level 4: 243, (max) Level 5: 303)
I'd imagine tagging the skills in the database with "Reaping" or something would be the best way to define which skills are Reaping skills.
<reaping>I'd like if Stats and their respective SP (Next: SP) would be able to be shown from the status menu. Only the main character (Actor 0) is able to use the Reap abilities and only the main character will receive SP. Certain enemies would be "Unreapable" (such as story important bosses and such) and I'd imagine making the enemy immune to all Reaping skills (via elements in the database) and defining no SP would do the trick there.
I think I've gone through everything so I hope that everything makes sense! Thank you for taking the time to read and I look forward to any help!
Cheers