Stagger Mechanics - let's figure it out.

[vmsfallout]

I have look around extensively - searching these forums, UESPWiki, over 10 pages worth of googled links for 'Skyrim Stagger', and more - and I have not found anything which outlines the formula for determining the circumstances under which a stagger occurs, nor the severity of the stagger. I am not talking about the magic effect 'Stagger', but the inherent effect of melee weapons (though I am interested in the magic effect as well).

 

Here is what I have so far come across in my testings:

 

----- Stagger on weapons (ranging from 0 on daggers to 1.25 on warhammers) effects severity.

 

A warhammer with a stagger rating of 1.25 always severely staggered an opponent with a power attack ('severe' meaning knees buckled and a few steps back). When reduced to .5, the warhammer made the opponent stumble a bit. At 0 there was barely any stagger effect for a power attack.

 

 

----- Mass affects resistance to stagger

 

After raising mass in the Race category from 1 to 100, the opponent was barely, if at all, effected by stagger from a warhammer powerattack. Similarly, by raising fStaggerMassBase to 100 in the game settings, or by setting fStaggerMassBase to 1 and increasing the fStaggerMassMult to 100, the opponent seemed immune to stagger. fStaggerPlayerMassMult had the same effect for the player.

 

 

----- fStaggerShieldMult affect stagger severity

 

If shield bashing to interrupt, no noticeable difference. But, if shield bashing after the opponent completed their attack motion, a value of 0 resulted in no noticeable stagger, while higher number resulted in severe stagger.

 

 

----- fStagger1WeapAR (and Mult), fStagger2WeapAR (and Mult), fStaggerAttackBase (and Mult)

 

I could not notice a difference when playing with these settings. Values ranging from 0 to 1000 had no noticeable impact.

 

 

----- Low Stamina and successive attacks do not seem to matter

 

I read somewhere that if an opponent is low on stamina and/or is hit by many attacks in a row, they are more prone to stagger. I placed an opponent before me that had 37 stamina (quickly reduced to 0 after he powerattacked). He staggered no more or less than the same actor with 5000 stamina. Repeatedly hitting an opponent (37 stamina or 5000) with a warhammer (normal attacks) had no stagger effect. This was done in conjunction with adjusting skill in Two Handed Weapons from 1 to 100. Nothing seemed to matter.

 

 

 

I have so far not played around with the fStaggerBlock settings, nor fStaggerRunningMult. fStaggerRecoilingMult didn't show me much, but I only toyed around with once. The same goes for fStaggerAttackChance.

 

 

These tests are by no means conclusive, nor even definitively accurate. It is simply what I have noticed so far.

 

 

 

Please reply with any data or comments that will correct or add to what I have so far presented.

 

 

 

[DanielLeonHeart]

nice findings can you make a mod that makes all staggers happen more often ?

 

the game seems cheap when I get hit with a arrow and dont even flinch or I pound on a guy and he dose not even move

[happyjamjam]

way back in the early days of skyrim modding there were combat mods that added stagger to only successful hits and power strikes to break blocking, but these mods have now been filled with other crap the author felt combat needed or crap suggestions from other users.

 

i been looking for a mod that only adds succeful hit stagger/flinch and power strike to break blocking. no luck. have to learn scripting /sigh.

[weizhen77]

I did a youtube search and found these.

http://youtu.be/wmX_cS3CoHY

http://youtu.be/hPTskTRBOIk

 

 

Anyone knows where to download?