I personally prefer http://www.adom.de/forums/project.php?issueid=3171 and http://www.adom.de/forums/project.php?issueid=3179

These two are all good, voted yes. In Helherron monsters were pushed back by impact hits - my golem smashing them - and frequently hit the one behind them - or the monster skidded back - or into a wall, where their blood sprayed on walls. While in ADOM monsters standing in a row in a corridor, this might be a programmers nightmare.

Bouncing backward a bit when hit then returning to original position could be an easier to simulate physical shock. Anything the player has control over and causes a visible effect in a game world might be a potential stress reliever and WOW factor to increase sales. Imagine a youtube video of a short battle about the finished spell-effects and combat visual feedback system: spells flying around, monsters visibly staggering & bleeding, player beings slashed.