ffl numbers

anyone who spends much time looking at ffl monster statistics will realise they follow a system.

suppose each monster has a "level", from 0-20, and a series of "grades", one each for strength, defence, agility, mana, and hp, with values of low/medium/high/xhigh. the statistics seen in the game then follow from these.

this system isn't part of ffl, as such. the statistics are stored as themselves, and levels and grades don't appear in the rom (i think). it's just that this system was presumably used in designing the statistics.

the first table indicates levels and grades. the second table contains the lookup values. the grade notation "H+" means high plus one - that is, you would look up the value for "high", then add one to get the actual value. "M--" would mean the medium value minus two. any value above 99 becomes 99 (except for hp.)

there's only one lookup column for hp. medium hp is the value listed; if low, subtract one from level and check that row instead; if high, add one; if xhigh, add two. in other words, high hp at level 4 is the same as medium hp at level 5 or low hp at level 6.

table 1: character levels and grades
group	str.	def.	agl.	mana	hp
insectman	M	H	H+	M-	L	fly: 1	drgonfly: 4	hornet: 6	mosquito: 7	cicada: 18	mantis: 20
fish	M+	M-	H	L	M	barracud: 2	piranha: 3	shark: 7	gunfish: 12	elec eel: 18	leviathn: 20
plant	M	M+	L-	L	H	cactus: 5	p-flower: 6	garlic: 8	thorn: 12	f-flower: 18	darkrose: 20
insect	L	H+	H-	M	L	clipper: 1	beetle: 9	ant lion: 10	atom ant: 12	scorpion: 18	scarab: 20
crab	M	X	L+	L-	M	shrimp: 4	atomcrab: 6	crab: 11	ice crab: 12	kingcrab: 18	dagon: 20
tiger	H+	M	H-	L	M	wolf: 2	jaguar: 4	sabercat: 8	snowcat: 13	blackcat: 18	fenswolf: 20
rhino	H	M+	M-	L	H	redbull: 1	rhino: 5	triceras: 11	behemoth: 13	baku: 18	ganesha: 20
birdman	M+	L	H	M-	M	condor: 3	raven: 6	harpy: 9	ten-gu: 13	garuda: 18	nike: 20
snake	M+	H	M-	L	M	snake: 2	serpent: 5	anaconda: 9	hydra: 14	ko-run: 18	jorgandr: 20
octopus	M+	M-	M	L	M?	octopus: 4	clam: 8	amoeba: 10	ammonite: 14	squid: 18	kraken: 20
worm	M+	L	L-	M	H	worm: 2	p-worm: 8	crawler: 11	lavaworm: 14	sandworm: 18	gigaworm: 20
lizard	M	H	L+	L-	H	lizard: 0	p-frog: 2	gecko: 3	dinosaur: 15	salamand: 18	basilisk: 20
wolfman	H	L	M-	M+	M	wererat: 1	werewolf: 4	catwoman: 7	minotaur: 15	rakshasa: 18	anubis: 20
oni	X	M+	M-	L	M	goblin: 0	oni: 2	ogre: 10	giant: 15	titan: 19	susano-o: 20
chimera	M	M-	H	H+	L	griffin: 5	mantcore: 7	chimera: 11	nue: 15	sphinx: 19	ki-rin: 20
eye	L+	M	L-	X	L	big eye: 4	gazer: 9	seeker: 12	watcher: 16	evil eye: 19	beholder: 20
skeleton	M	L-	L+	H	M	skeleton: 0	red bone: 4	dokuro: 13	warrior: 16	boneking: 19	lich: 20
slime	L+	L	L-	H	H	slime: 1	jelly: 10	tororo: 14	gummy: 16	pudding: 19	hi-slime: 20
devil	M+	M--	M-	M++	M	gargoyle: 3	imp: 8	demon: 15	demolord: 16	demoking: 19	athtalot: 20
snakewoman	L	M-	M+	H	L	medusa: 6	siren: 7	lamia: 15	naga: 16	scylla: 19	lilith: 20
zombie	H+	L	L-	M	H	zombie: 1	ghoul: 3	mou-jya: 11	wight: 17	ghast: 19	revnant: 20
ghost	L	L-	H	H+	L	o-bake: 1	phantom: 3	buruburu: 12	wraith: 17	spector: 19	ghost: 20
golem	H+	M	L	H-	M	woodman: 6	clayman: 11	stoneman: 12	ironman: 17	fireman: 19	mazin: 20
bird	M+	L	X	M-	L	albatros: 0	eagle: 7	thunder: 13	cocatris: 17	rock: 19	phoenix: 20
dragon	M+	M-	L	H	L	dragon 1: 9	dragon 2: 11	dragon 3: 14	dragon 4: 17	dragon 5: 19	tiamat: 20
killer	H	L+	M	L-	X	karateka: 0	pirate: 3	wrestler: 9	keller: 14	gang: 18
samurai	M	H-	H+	L	M	asigaru: 0	samurai: 8	ninja: 10	soldier: 16	musasi: 19	kingswrd: 4?
magician	L+	L-	H	X	L	magician: 5	conjuror: 7	sorceror: 13	wizard: 16	vampire: 19	steward: n/a?
robot	H+	H	L	L-	H	guard: 5	hunter: 10	robot: 14	trooper: 17	armor: 19

some top level monsters have an extra point in one attribute or another. this looks like compensation for losing out on their H+ (H and H+ both default to the maximum of 99). these monsters are: mantis M+ str; ki-rin M+ str; revnant M+ mana.
barracud has M-- defence. shrimp has M+ strength. triceras has M hp. gecko has M++ strength. phantom has M hp. tiamat has H strength.
octopus, clam and amoeba have H hp. ammonite, squid and kraken have M hp. (or, you could say that they all have M hp, but octopus/clam/amoeba have a separate hp level that's one higher than their s/d/a/m level. you could make a similar reinterpretation of triceras and phantom.)
kingswrd could be seen as L4 with grades MMMM M. steward doesn't fit into the system at all. (unless: L0, xlow grades? some of the later guild mutants have xlow-like defence. xlow isn't included in the table because no monsters use it, but you can extrapolate the values.)

table 2: value lookup
level	low	med	high	xhigh	med HP
0	3	5	7	9	20
1	4	6	8	(10)	40
2	5	8	11	14	60
3	6	10	14	(18)	82
4	7	12	17	22	103
5	9	15	21	27	126
6	11	18	25	32	150
7	14	22	30	38	175
8	16	25	34	(43)	202
9	19	29	39	49	231
10	22	33	44	55	262
11	25	37	49	61	295
12	28	41	54	67	330
13	32	46	60	74	368
14	35	50	65	(80)	409
15	39	55	71	87	454
16	43	60	77	94	501
17	47	65	83	(101)	551
18	52	70	88	(106)	606
19	56	75	94	(113)	666
20	62	81	(100)	(119)	729 (high: 795)