> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rpg-leveling.zuxaw.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Difficulty Scaling > Monster damage, HP scaling, and level-gap penalties (0.2.0). # Difficulty Scaling Monsters **scale with level** and **punish underleveled players**, but they do it by boosting their HP pools - your damage is still intact, you simply have to land more hits on higher-level foes. The system uses **true HP modification** to increase monster max HP based on their level, so stat upgrades feel rewarding while each level increases the amount of health to burn through. **Features:** * Higher-level monsters deal more damage and are tankier * Fighting underleveled is dangerous (gap penalties) * **4 difficulty presets:** Easy, Normal, Hard, Extreme * All values configurable via preset *** ## Difficulty Presets | Preset | Monster→Player Dmg/Lvl | HP%/Lvl | Gap Dmg Mult | Gap Def Mult | Best For | | ----------- | ---------------------- | ------- | ------------ | ------------ | ----------- | | **EASY** | +0.5% | +2% | ×0.75 | ×0.75 | New players | | **NORMAL** | +1% | +3.25% | ×1.0 | ×1.0 | Default | | **HARD** | +2% | +4.5% | ×1.25 | ×1.25 | Experienced | | **EXTREME** | +4% | +6.5% | ×1.5 | ×1.5 | Hardcore | **Example (Level 50 monster, NORMAL):** * **Damage:** Base × 1.5 → **1.5× harder**\ `1 + (50 × 0.01) = 1.5`\ If base 10 damage → **15 damage** * **Tankiness:** Max HP × 2.63 → **2.63× tankier**\ HP mult `1 + (50 × 0.0325) = 2.625`\ If base 100 HP → **263 HP** (needs 2.63× more hits to kill) *** ## Monster Damage Scaling (Monster → Player) **Formula:** `Final = Base × (1 + Level × Monster→Player Dmg%/Lvl)` | Level | EASY | NORMAL | HARD | EXTREME | | ----- | ------ | ------ | ---- | ------- | | 25 | 1.125× | 1.25× | 1.5× | 2.0× | | 50 | 1.25× | 1.5× | 2.0× | 3.0× | | 75 | 1.375× | 1.75× | 2.5× | 4.0× | | 100 | 1.5× | 2.0× | 3.0× | 5.0× | *** ## Monster HP Scaling **Formula:** `Max HP = Base × (1 + Level × HP%/Lvl)`\ **HP Multiplier:** `1 + (Level × HP%/Lvl)` Monsters have their **max HP increased** based on their level. The HP bar reflects the actual increased HP. This approach keeps player damage from being artificially reduced - instead of nerfing your hits, monsters simply require more of them as their HP grows with level. | Level | EASY | NORMAL | HARD | EXTREME | | ----- | ----- | ------ | ----- | ------- | | 25 | 1.49× | 1.81× | 2.14× | 2.63× | | 50 | 1.98× | 2.63× | 3.28× | 4.25× | | 75 | 2.46× | 3.44× | 4.41× | 5.88× | | 100 | 2.95× | 4.25× | 5.55× | 7.5× | **Example (L87, NORMAL):**\ HP mult `1 + (87 × 0.0325) = 3.83` → if base 100 HP → **383 HP** (3.83× more HP). *** ## Gap Damage Bonus (Monster → Player) Gap damage bonus **only applies when the monster is higher level** than the player: **When Monster Level > Player Level (Positive Gap):** * Monster deals **extra damage** * Formula: `Final = Base × (1 + Gap × 0.01 × GapDmgMult)` **When Player Level > Monster Level (Negative Gap):** * **No damage change** - gap bonus returns 1.0× (no effect) * Negative gaps only affect XP rewards, not damage dealt **Base rate:** +1% per level above player (scaled by preset). | Level Gap | EASY | NORMAL | HARD | EXTREME | | ----------------- | ---------------- | ---------------- | ---------------- | ---------------- | | **+1** | +0.75% (1.01×) | +1% (1.01×) | +1.25% (1.01×) | +1.5% (1.02×) | | **+5** | +3.75% (1.04×) | +5% (1.05×) | +6.25% (1.06×) | +7.5% (1.08×) | | **+10** | +7.5% (1.08×) | +10% (1.10×) | +12.5% (1.13×) | +15% (1.15×) | | **+20** | +15% (1.15×) | +20% (1.20×) | +25% (1.25×) | +30% (1.30×) | | **+30** | +22.5% (1.23×) | +30% (1.30×) | +37.5% (1.38×) | +45% (1.45×) | | **+50** | +37.5% (1.38×) | +50% (1.50×) | +62.5% (1.63×) | +75% (1.75×) | | **0 or negative** | 1.0× (no change) | 1.0× (no change) | 1.0× (no change) | 1.0× (no change) | Gap damage to player can be **disabled** via `EnableGapLevelDamageToPlayer: false` in config - monsters will not get bonus damage from level gap. *** ## Gap Defense (Player → Monster) When you're **below** the monster's level, you can optionally deal **less** damage via **damage resistance**. Tiered by gap, this is an extra layer on top of the HP scaling toughness above - disable it if you prefer consistent damage and let the increased HP do the heavy lifting. | Level Gap | EASY | NORMAL | HARD | EXTREME | | --------- | ---- | ------ | ---- | ------- | | **0–5** | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | | **6–10** | 90% | 85% | 80% | 75% | | **11–20** | 85% | 75% | 70% | 65% | | **21–30** | 75% | 70% | 65% | 55% | | **31+** | 55% | 50% | 30% | 20% | **Formula:** `Damage Taken = Original / Resistance Multiplier`\ **Resistance Multiplier:** `1 / Damage Taken Percentage` Gap defense uses **damage resistance** (divide by multiplier), not percentage reduction. For example, if you deal 75% damage (gap 11–20, NORMAL), the resistance multiplier is `1 / 0.75 = 1.333×` - your damage is divided by 1.333×. Defense cap: the highest gap tier now leaves you dealing **55%** (EASY), **50%** (NORMAL), **30%** (HARD), or **20%** (EXTREME) damage - roughly 45% / 50% / 70% / 80% reduction. Monsters stay more killable when underleveled. *** ## Combat Examples | Scenario | Monster Dmg | Monster Tank | Gap Dmg | Gap Def | Result | | -------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------ | --------- | ----------------- | | **L50 vs L50** | 1.5× | 2.25× | None | None | Fair | | **L45 vs L55** | 1.55× | 2.25× | +10% (1.10×) | 85% taken | Harder | | **L45 vs L70** | 1.70× | 2.25× | +25% (1.25×) | 50% taken | Very hard | | **L45 vs L86** | 1.86× | 2.25× | +41% (1.41×) | 25% taken | Nearly impossible | *** ## Configuration **File:** `mods/Zuxaw_RPGLeveling/RPGLevelingConfig.json` ```json theme={null} { "difficultyPreset": "normal", "EnableMonsterLevelScale": true, "EnableGapLevelDefense": true, "EnableGapLevelDamageToPlayer": true, "EnableGapLevelXpReducer": true } ``` | Field | Type | Description | | -------------------------------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **difficultyPreset** | String | `"easy"`, `"normal"`, `"hard"`, or `"extreme"` | | **EnableMonsterLevelScale** | Boolean | If `true` (default), monster **level scaling** is enabled: monster damage/HP scale with level (HP scaling is the primary toughness mechanic, so your damage stays consistent while higher levels require more hits), gap damage bonus (monster → you) and gap defense (you → monster) apply, and XP from kills uses the new level-based system (monster level + level gap). If `false`, all monster level scaling is **disabled**: no level-based damage/HP, no gap damage/defense, and XP from kills falls back to the old HP-based formula (only mob max HP). Monster/zone levels and level display above player head still work visually. | | **EnableGapLevelDefense** | Boolean | If `true` (default), extra level-gap defense is applied: you deal less damage when underleveled via damage resistance tiers. If `false`, gap defense is **disabled** - your damage to monsters is not reduced by the gap, letting you feel each stat-point increase while HP scaling handles the toughness. Use `false` for a more consistent damage feel or when HP-scaling alone provides enough challenge. | | **EnableGapLevelDamageToPlayer** | Boolean | If `true` (default), level-gap damage scaling is applied: when a monster is above your level, it deals **extra** damage (gap damage bonus). If `false`, gap damage to player is **disabled** - monsters do not get bonus damage from level gap; only monster base damage/HP scaling and gap defense (you → monster) still apply. Use `false` to avoid "monsters hit harder when you're underleveled." | | **EnableGapLevelXpReducer** | Boolean | If `true` (default), XP is reduced when you are underleveled (monster level above yours) - see the level-difference table in [Formulas](formulas). If `false`, no XP reduction for being underleveled - you get full XP (1.0×) from higher-level monsters. | Difficulty scaling (monster damage/HP) is controlled by `EnableMonsterLevelScale`. `difficultyPreset` sets damage%, HP%, and gap multipliers. `EnableGapLevelDefense` turns off gap defense (player → monster). `EnableGapLevelDamageToPlayer` turns off gap damage (monster → player). `EnableGapLevelXpReducer` turns off XP reduction when underleveled. *** ## Formulas Summary **Monster damage (monster → player):**\ `Final = Base × (1 + Level × Monster→Player Dmg%/Lvl)` **Monster HP:**\ `Max HP = Base × (1 + Level × HP%/Lvl)` **Gap damage (monster → you):**\ `Final = Base × (1 + Gap × 0.01 × GapDmgMult)` (only when Gap > 0, otherwise 1.0×) **Gap defense (you → monster):**\ `Damage Taken = Original / Resistance Multiplier`\ `Resistance Multiplier = 1 / TierValue[Gap]`\ (capped: EASY/NORMAL min 25% damage, HARD/EXTREME min 10% damage). Disabled when `EnableGapLevelDefense` is `false`. **Damage pipeline (you → monster):**\ `Final = (Raw + DamageStatFlat) × DamageStatMult / GapResistanceMult`\ (Note: Monster HP is increased via HP modifiers. Gap penalties use damage resistance.) **Defense pipeline (monster → you):**\ `Final = Raw × MonsterLevelMult × (1 + Gap × 0.01 × GapDmgMult) × (1 - PlayerDefense)`\ (Note: Gap bonus only applies when Gap > 0, otherwise multiplier is 1.0×) *** ## Implementation Notes * **Level-based HP scaling** via **true HP modification** - monsters have increased max HP based on their level * **Level-based HP scaling** via **true HP modification** - monsters have increased max HP based on their level, so player damage stays consistent but higher-level mobs simply take more hits * Mobs display increased HP in their HP bar (reflects actual HP) * HP modifiers are applied via EntityStatMap modifiers (similar to HardcoreMode approach) * **Gap penalties** use **damage resistance** (divide by multiplier) - when you're underleveled, your damage is divided by a resistance multiplier * Gap defense capped per preset: EASY/NORMAL 75% reduction (25% min damage), HARD/EXTREME 90% reduction (10% min damage); monsters remain more killable * Gap defense can be disabled via `EnableGapLevelDefense: false` in config * Gap damage bonus only applies when the player is **underleveled** (positive gap) * Negative gaps (player > monster) do not reduce damage - they only affect XP rewards * Scaling is always enabled and controlled via `difficultyPreset` See [Formulas](formulas) for XP and leveling, and [Configuration](configuration) for main plugin config.