Dwelling Guard

Requirements

Module Dependencies:

• Dwellings module: Core housing system (required)
• Dwellings Plunder module: Estate break-in/plunder system (required)
• Dwelling Guard module: This defensive addon

Player Requirements:

• Minimum 1 Voldemort Encounter: Cannot guard at VE 0
• Prevents creation of "farmie" guard accounts (level 0 alts protecting mains)
• Must have access to a dwelling (owner or keyholder)

How to Stand Guard

Activation:

• Navigate inside a dwelling you have access to
• New navigation option: "Coffers Safety"
• Select "Stand Guard" option
• Confirmation: You will stand guard overnight

What Happens:

• Your character remains at the dwelling overnight
• Visible to residents: "[Your Name] stands with prepared [weapon] guard at the coffers."
• You sacrifice turns to protect the treasure
• Guard active until next newday

Turn Cost (Newday):

• At newday: Lose percentage of your newday turns
• Default: 40% of newday turns (turns setting, admin-configurable)
• Example: If you would get 10 newday turns → lose 4 turns, receive 6 turns
• Message: "Due to the fact you only slept half of the night yesterday because of your guard, you lose [X] turns!"
• Trade-off: Security vs turns

Guard Effectiveness

Blocking Plunder Attempts:

• When plunderer attacks dwelling: Guard intercepts
• Combat sequence:
  • Plunderer must defeat YOU (the guard) before accessing coffers
  • Uses standard PvP combat mechanics
  • Your current stats vs plunderer's stats
• If plunderer defeats guard:
  • Plunder proceeds normally (steal gold/gems from coffers)
  • Guard "incident" counter increments
• If guard defeats plunderer:
  • Plunder blocked! Coffers safe
  • Plunderer loses attempt (wasted)
  • Guard "incident" counter increments

Maximum Incidents Per Day:

• Setting: maxguards (default: 5)
• Guard can handle up to 5 plunder attempts per day (default)
• After 5th incident: Guard exhausted, can't block more attacks
• Resets at newday
• Prevents infinite farming protection (guard gets tired)

Strategic Considerations

When to Guard:

• High-value coffers: Large gold/gem stash worth protecting
• Known plunder risk: Your dwelling has been targeted before
• Spare turns: You have turns to sacrifice (40% is acceptable)
• Strong combat stats: You can defeat typical plunderers

When NOT to Guard:

• Empty coffers: Nothing to steal (waste of turns)
• Need turns: Can't afford 40% turn loss (forest grind planned)
• Weak stats: You'll lose to plunderers anyway (pointless guard)
• Already at max incidents: Guard exhausted for the day

Guard Effectiveness Factors:

• Your combat power: Strong guard = better defense
• Plunderer strength: Varies by who attacks
• Incident limit: Only 5 defenses per day (default)
• Turn cost: 40% newday turns is significant sacrifice

Guard vs Plunder Economics

Cost-Benefit Analysis:

• Guard cost: 40% newday turns = ~4 turns (if 10 newday turns)
• Turn value: ~50-200 gold per forest fight (depends on level)
• Lost opportunity: 4 turns × 100 gold = 400 gold lost
• Protection value: Coffer contents (varies: 100-10,000+ gold)

Break-even Calculation:

• If coffers contain < 400 gold: Guard not worth it (lose more than you protect)
• If coffers contain > 1000 gold: Guard worth it (save more than you lose)
• If coffers contain 10,000+ gold: Guard DEFINITELY worth it

Plunderer Perspective:

• Plunderers target high-value dwellings
• Seeing a guard may deter weak plunderers
• Strong plunderers will fight guard for big payouts
• Guard acts as both defense AND deterrent

Multiple Dwelling Owners

Who Can Guard?:

• Dwelling owner: Can always guard their own dwelling
• Keyholders: Can guard if they have key access
• Anyone with access to dwelling interior can volunteer to guard

Coordination:

• Multiple residents can take turns guarding (different days)
• Spread turn cost across multiple players
• Strategic: Owner guards high-risk nights, keyholders guard low-risk nights

Trust Issues:

• Guard has access to dwelling interior (sees coffer contents)
• Only give keys to trusted players
• Guard can't steal from coffers (separate access control)

Guard Display & Information

Management Page:

• Dwelling management shows: "Anti-Plundering measures"
• Displays guard name and weapon: "Guard: [Name] ([weapon])"
• Visible to dwelling owner/residents

Inside Dwelling:

• When entering dwelling with active guard:
• "[Name] stands with prepared [weapon] guard at the coffers."
• Visible deterrent to potential plunderers

Incident Tracking:

• User pref: guarded (how many incidents occurred)
• Resets at newday
• Max incidents: maxguards setting (default: 5)

Admin Configuration

Module Settings:

• turns: Percentage of newday turns guard loses (float, 1-100%, default: 40%)
• Higher % = more expensive to guard (discourages constant guarding)
• Lower % = cheaper to guard (encourages defense)
• Example values:
  • 20%: Light cost (2 turns if 10 newday)
  • 40%: Moderate cost (4 turns if 10 newday) - DEFAULT
  • 60%: Heavy cost (6 turns if 10 newday)

• maxguards: Max plunder attempts guard can handle per day (float, 1-20, default: 5)
• Higher = guard can defend more (stronger defense)
• Lower = guard exhausts faster (weaker defense)
• Prevents infinite guard farming (guard gets tired)

Anti-Farming Notes:

• VE requirement (dragonkills < 1 can't guard) prevents level 0 farmies
• maxguards limit prevents one guard from blocking all plunder attempts
• Turn cost makes guarding expensive (discourages constant use)

User Preferences

• standsinwhatdwelling: Which dwelling ID player is guarding (int)
• Set when player chooses to guard
• Reset to 0 at player login (guard duty ends)
• guarded: How many plunder incidents occurred today (int)
• Increments each time guard fights plunderer
• When >= maxguards: Guard exhausted, can't block more
• Resets at newday

Integration with Estate Break-ins

How Guard Interacts with Plunder:

• Estate Break-ins module provides plunder attack mechanism
• Dwelling Guard module provides defense mechanism
• When plunder attack occurs:
  1. Check if dwelling has active guard
  2. If yes: Plunderer fights guard (PvP combat)
  3. If plunderer wins: Proceed to coffer plunder
  4. If guard wins: Block plunder, save coffers
  5. If no guard: Plunder proceeds unopposed

Sleeper Count Adjustment:

• Guard counts as extra sleeper in dwelling
• Hook: dwellings-addsleepers
• Guard can always sleep in guarded dwelling (even if full)
• Prevents guard being locked out

Limitations

• VE Requirement: Can't guard until 1+ Voldemort Encounter
• Turn Cost: 40% newday turns is significant (4/10 turns)
• Max Incidents: Only defends 5 attacks per day (default)
• Combat Dependent: Weak guard loses to strong plunderers
• No Guarantee: Guard can be defeated, coffers still plundered
• One Dwelling: Can only guard one dwelling at a time
• Daily Commitment: Must re-guard each day (doesn't persist)

Comparison to Other Defenses

Dwelling Guard vs Empty Coffers:

• Empty Coffers: No plunder value, no guard needed (free)
• Guard: Protects full coffers, costs 40% turns
• Emptying coffers = 100% plunder prevention, 0 cost
• Guarding = partial protection, significant cost

Dwelling Guard vs Withdrawal Strategy:

• Withdraw coffers before sleep: 0 plunder risk, 0 cost
• Guard coffers: Plunder risk remains, 40% turn cost
• Withdrawal is safer and cheaper (if you remember daily)

Why Guard Despite Alternatives?:

• Convenience: Don't have to withdraw/deposit daily
• Shared dwelling: Protect other residents' coffer deposits
• Pride: Defend your home from invaders
• Deterrent: Visible guard discourages weak plunderers