---
name: difficulty-design
description: Design difficulty as space plus resources plus optional numeric tiers. Use for scaling, curves, BotW-style kill-point ranks, Eventide-like loadout wipes, and avoiding world-level-sync.
---

# Difficulty Design

Difficulty is space + resources first. HP inflation is last.

## Three layers (apply in this order)

1. **Space**: triangle terrain, vision cuts, weather, stamina gates, verticality.
2. **Resources**: weapon durability, arrows, food, inventory slots. Eventide = wipe the pack as a level rule.
3. **Numbers**: kill-point scaling of enemy/weapon *variants*. Do not scale the whole world to player level.

## Curve

Use a staircase wave per region:

teach (safe, one verb) → test (pressure) → twist (combine verbs) → short rest (stable / shrine / campfire)

Main path may be easier than optional content. A Lynel is an elective wall, not a story gate.

## BotW preset (public facts)

- Only kills feed the scaler. Cap count per enemy *type* (community: 10).
- Shop weapons do not receive drop modifiers.
- Some encounters can disable scaling (Eventide, Sword trials).
- Variant ladder: red → blue → black → silver. Thresholds are data, not story flags.
- Great Plateau locks low tiers.
- Master Mode: faster regen / elites survive a cheap hit. Not damage ×3.

Do **not** use TES-style "world follows player level" unless the user asks for an RPG. That deletes the map sentence "this region is dangerous."

## Accept

Same camp geometry after 0 kills and after 200 kills: variants may change, terrain must not. A traveler sword can clear a red bokoblin; a silver one demands a new tool or chemistry, not a bigger number on the same stick.