balance-check
The balance-check skill analyzes game balance data by examining combat, economy, progression, and loot systems against design targets. It reads relevant data files and design documentation, then performs domain-specific checks to identify overpowered options, broken strategies, resource imbalances, and progression problems. Use this skill after modifying balance-related data or when a user requests a balance report.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Donchitos/Claude-Code-Game-Studios /tmp/balance-check && cp -r /tmp/balance-check/.claude/skills/balance-check ~/.claude/skills/balance-checkSKILL.md
## Phase 1: Identify Balance Domain Determine the balance domain from `$ARGUMENTS[0]`: - **Combat** → weapon/ability DPS, time-to-kill, damage type interactions - **Economy** → resource faucets/sinks, acquisition rates, item pricing - **Progression** → XP/power curves, dead zones, power spikes - **Loot** → rarity distribution, pity timers, inventory pressure - **File path given** → load that file directly and infer domain from content If no argument, ask the user which system to check. --- ## Phase 2: Read Data Files Read relevant files from `assets/data/` and `design/balance/` for the identified domain. Note every file read — they will appear in the Data Sources section of the report. --- ## Phase 3: Read Design Document Read the GDD for the system from `design/gdd/` to understand intended design targets, tuning knobs, and expected value ranges. This is the baseline for "correct" behaviour. --- ## Phase 4: Perform Analysis Run domain-specific checks: **Combat balance:** - Calculate DPS for all weapons/abilities at each power tier - Check time-to-kill at each tier - Identify any options that dominate all others (strictly better) - Check if defensive options can create unkillable states - Verify damage type/resistance interactions are balanced **Economy balance:** - Map all resource faucets and sinks with flow rates - Project resource accumulation over time - Check for infinite resource loops - Verify gold sinks scale with gold generation - Check if any items are never worth purchasing **Progression balance:** - Plot the XP curve and power curve - Check for dead zones (no meaningful progression for too long) - Check for power spikes (sudden jumps in capability) - Verify content gates align with expected player power - Check if skip/grind strategies break intended pacing **Loot balance:** - Calculate expected time to acquire each rarity tier - Check pity timer math - Verify no loot is strictly useless at any stage - Check inventory pressure vs acquisition rate --- ## Phase 5: Output the Analysis ``` ## Balance Check: [System Name] ### Data Sources Analyzed - [List of files read] ### Health Summary: [HEALTHY / CONCERNS / CRITICAL ISSUES] ### Outliers Detected | Item/Value | Expected Range | Actual | Issue | |-----------|---------------|--------|-------| ### Degenerate Strategies Found - [Strategy description and why it is problematic] ### Progression Analysis [Graph description or table showing progression curve health] ### Recommendations | Priority | Issue | Suggested Fix | Impact | |----------|-------|--------------|--------| ### Values That Need Attention [Specific values with suggested adjustments and rationale] ``` --- ## Phase 6: Fix & Verify Cycle After presenting the report, use `AskUserQuestion`: - Prompt: "Balance check complete. What would you like to do next?" - Options: - `[A] Fix highest-priority issue now — walk me through it` - `[B] Save report to design/balance/balance-check-[system]-[date].md` - `[C] Stop here — I'll review the findings manually` If [A]: - Ask which issue to address first (refer to the Recommendations table by priority row) - Guide the user to update the relevant data file in `assets/data/` or formula in `design/balance/` - After each fix, offer to re-run the relevant balance checks to verify no new outliers were introduced - If the fix changes a tuning knob defined in a GDD or referenced by an ADR, remind the user: > "This value is defined in a design document. Run `/propagate-design-change [path]` on the affected GDD to find downstream impacts before committing." If [B]: - Write the report to `design/balance/balance-check-[system]-[date].md` (create the directory if needed). Use the current date for [date] in YYYY-MM-DD format. - Confirm the file was written, then end with: "Re-run `/balance-check` after fixes to verify." If [C]: - Summarize open issues and end with: "Re-run `/balance-check` after fixes to verify."
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