Damage types
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John.L...@flagstar.com
Jan 12, 2012, 11:13:09 AM1/12/12
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I'm adding some info to the "Common
Terms" page regarding damage types. Currently I have the following.
Can some of you pick this apart for errors or make suggestions on either
better wording, or things that should also be included?
Damage Types: There are many "types" of damage in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Here are some of the more common forms:
Ability: Ability damage is a special type of damage that applies to a creatures ability scores, not its hit points as most other damage types do. When a creature takes ability damage it applies a penalty to all skills and other checks which are normally affected or modified by that ability score. Diseases, poisons, spells, and other abilities can all deal ability damage. This damage does not actually reduce an ability, but it does apply a penalty to the skills and statistics that are based on that ability.
Bludgeoning: Bludgeoning damage is typically caused by blunt objects such as clubs, hammers, boulders, or natural attacks that are generally blunt in nature. Some spells that summon or conjure solid objects may also say the damage the spell deals is bludgeoning damage. A monsters slam attacks also deal bludgeoning damage usually. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Energy: Energy damage is typically dealt by spells, specifically evocation spells such as fireball or cone of cold, but is also sometimes caused by more mundane sources.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that thrust or penetrate normal physical defenses (such as spears or arrows breaking through armor worn or a held shield.) A monster's gore or sting attacks also usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Precision: Precision damage is a special type of damage, which might more appropriately be called a "category" of damage because any of the other damage types listed here might also be considered "precision" damage under the right circumstances. Precision damage is usually dealt by classes like the rogue when he is able to catch an opponent unable to fully protect itself. Precision damage assumes that the target has a somewhat normal anatomy or at least has a physical form which might have weak spots which could be detected or taken advantage of. Previous editions of the game (prior to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) limited what sorts of creatures are vulnerable to precision damage more than the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game does. This was a deliberate change to make a key class feature of classes like the rogue more frequently usable. Attacks which affect areas (such as splash weapons) usually do not deal precision damage.
Slashing: Slashing damage is typically caused by sharp-edged weapons or natural physical attacks that cut. usually deal this sort of damage and the damage it deals reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Damage Types: There are many "types" of damage in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Here are some of the more common forms:
Ability: Ability damage is a special type of damage that applies to a creatures ability scores, not its hit points as most other damage types do. When a creature takes ability damage it applies a penalty to all skills and other checks which are normally affected or modified by that ability score. Diseases, poisons, spells, and other abilities can all deal ability damage. This damage does not actually reduce an ability, but it does apply a penalty to the skills and statistics that are based on that ability.
Bludgeoning: Bludgeoning damage is typically caused by blunt objects such as clubs, hammers, boulders, or natural attacks that are generally blunt in nature. Some spells that summon or conjure solid objects may also say the damage the spell deals is bludgeoning damage. A monsters slam attacks also deal bludgeoning damage usually. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Energy: Energy damage is typically dealt by spells, specifically evocation spells such as fireball or cone of cold, but is also sometimes caused by more mundane sources.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that thrust or penetrate normal physical defenses (such as spears or arrows breaking through armor worn or a held shield.) A monster's gore or sting attacks also usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Precision: Precision damage is a special type of damage, which might more appropriately be called a "category" of damage because any of the other damage types listed here might also be considered "precision" damage under the right circumstances. Precision damage is usually dealt by classes like the rogue when he is able to catch an opponent unable to fully protect itself. Precision damage assumes that the target has a somewhat normal anatomy or at least has a physical form which might have weak spots which could be detected or taken advantage of. Previous editions of the game (prior to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) limited what sorts of creatures are vulnerable to precision damage more than the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game does. This was a deliberate change to make a key class feature of classes like the rogue more frequently usable. Attacks which affect areas (such as splash weapons) usually do not deal precision damage.
Slashing: Slashing damage is typically caused by sharp-edged weapons or natural physical attacks that cut. usually deal this sort of damage and the damage it deals reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
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Jason Linker
Jan 12, 2012, 11:23:23 AM1/12/12
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My comments in italics.
---
Energy: Energy damage is typically dealt by spells, specifically evocation spells such as fireball or cone of cold, but is also sometimes caused by more mundane sources.
- It might be useful to mention here that energy damage typically bypasses Damage Reduction but is affected by Resistance.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that thrust or penetrate normal physical defenses (such as spears or arrows breaking through armor worn or a held shield.) A monster's gore or sting attacks also usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
- I dislike "penetrate normal physical defenses (such as spears or arrows breaking through armor worn or a held shield.)" because it seems to imply that there is some mechanic involved which reduces AC or something. Simply saying attacks which stab or thrust should be sufficient and more closely parallels the other entries.
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Jason Linker
Vlad Presnyak
Jan 12, 2012, 11:35:00 AM1/12/12
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These look good with the suggested corrections. There's several other more specific types of damage (such as force), but I'm not sure they deserve entries. You should probably also add a blurb about non-lethal damage.
I would suggest grouping the differently, like putting bludgeoning/piercing/slashing together and then energy and then ability/precision as types of "special damage".
Vlad
John.L...@flagstar.com
Jan 12, 2012, 11:56:31 AM1/12/12
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Here is the updated wording:
Damage
Damage is determined by rolling the dice listed with the weapon. Melee weapons deal their listed damage + Strength modifier. Ranged weapons usually do only their listed damage. Some weapons gain additional bonuses from magic or other effects. Spells do their listed damage.
Damage Types: There are many "types" of damage in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Here are some of the more common forms:
Weapon/Natural Attacks
Weapon/natural attacks typically deal hit point (hp) damage and as such can be reduced by damage reduction.
Bludgeoning: Bludgeoning damage is typically caused by blunt objects such as clubs, hammers, boulders, or natural attacks that are blunt in nature. Some spells that summon or conjure solid objects may also say the damage the spell deals is bludgeoning damage. A monsters slam attacks usually deal bludgeoning damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that stab or thrust. A monster's gore or sting attacks usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Slashing: Slashing damage is typically caused by sharp-edged weapons or natural physical attacks that cut. usually deal this sort of damage and the damage it deals reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Energy Damage
Energy damage typically deals hit point (hp) damage but unlike weapon or natural attacks, damage reduction usually is not effective against it. Instead, a creature typically must have energy resistance to reduce the amount of energy damage it takes.
Energy damage is typically dealt by spells, specifically evocation spells such as fireball or cone of cold, but is also sometimes caused by more mundane sources. Energy damage typically bypasses damage reduction but not energy resistance (energy resistance is like damage reduction but specific to energy damage.) Spells with any of the descriptors [acid], [cold], [electricity], [fire], or [sonic] typically deal energy damage. There are a few "sub-categories" of energy damage, including positive and negative energy.
Negative Energy: Negative energy attacks a creatures life force and is typically dealt by undead or necromantic effects.
Positive Energy: Positive energy instills a surge of life energy which typically heals living creatures but damages undead creatures.
Special Damage Types
Ability Damage: Ability damage is a special type of damage that applies to a creatures ability scores, not to its hit points as most other damage types do. When a creature takes ability damage it applies a penalty to all skills and other checks which are normally affected or modified by that ability score. Diseases, poisons, spells, and other abilities can all deal ability damage. This damage does not actually reduce an ability, but it does apply a penalty to the skills and statistics that are based on that ability. Damage reduction is not effective against ability damage because damage reduction reduces the number of hit points of damage an attack deals whereas ability damage is not hp (hit point) damage.
Nonlethal: Nonlethal damage is typically dealt by blunt natural attacks such as fists. Unlike weapon or natural attacks, nonlethal damage does not reduce a creatures current hit points (hp) but instead is tracked separately. When the amount of nonlethal damage a creature has taken equals its current hit points it gains the staggered condition. Nonlethal damage is healed (recovered) much more quickly than hit point (hp) damage.
Precision Damage: Precision damage is a special type of damage, which might more appropriately be called a "category" of damage because any of the other damage types listed here might also be considered "precision" damage under the right circumstances. Precision damage is usually dealt by classes like the rogue when he is able to catch an opponent unable to fully protect itself. Precision damage assumes that the target has a somewhat normal anatomy or at least has a physical form which might have weak spots which could be detected or taken advantage of. Previous editions of the game (prior to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) limited what sorts of creatures are vulnerable to precision damage more than the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game does. This was a deliberate change to make a key class feature of classes like the rogue more frequently usable. Attacks which affect areas (such as splash weapons) usually do not deal precision damage.
Damage
Damage is determined by rolling the dice listed with the weapon. Melee weapons deal their listed damage + Strength modifier. Ranged weapons usually do only their listed damage. Some weapons gain additional bonuses from magic or other effects. Spells do their listed damage.
Damage Types: There are many "types" of damage in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Here are some of the more common forms:
Weapon/natural attacks typically deal hit point (hp) damage and as such can be reduced by damage reduction.
Bludgeoning: Bludgeoning damage is typically caused by blunt objects such as clubs, hammers, boulders, or natural attacks that are blunt in nature. Some spells that summon or conjure solid objects may also say the damage the spell deals is bludgeoning damage. A monsters slam attacks usually deal bludgeoning damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that stab or thrust. A monster's gore or sting attacks usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Slashing: Slashing damage is typically caused by sharp-edged weapons or natural physical attacks that cut. usually deal this sort of damage and the damage it deals reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Energy damage typically deals hit point (hp) damage but unlike weapon or natural attacks, damage reduction usually is not effective against it. Instead, a creature typically must have energy resistance to reduce the amount of energy damage it takes.
Energy damage is typically dealt by spells, specifically evocation spells such as fireball or cone of cold, but is also sometimes caused by more mundane sources. Energy damage typically bypasses damage reduction but not energy resistance (energy resistance is like damage reduction but specific to energy damage.) Spells with any of the descriptors [acid], [cold], [electricity], [fire], or [sonic] typically deal energy damage. There are a few "sub-categories" of energy damage, including positive and negative energy.
Negative Energy: Negative energy attacks a creatures life force and is typically dealt by undead or necromantic effects.
Positive Energy: Positive energy instills a surge of life energy which typically heals living creatures but damages undead creatures.
Special Damage Types
Ability Damage: Ability damage is a special type of damage that applies to a creatures ability scores, not to its hit points as most other damage types do. When a creature takes ability damage it applies a penalty to all skills and other checks which are normally affected or modified by that ability score. Diseases, poisons, spells, and other abilities can all deal ability damage. This damage does not actually reduce an ability, but it does apply a penalty to the skills and statistics that are based on that ability. Damage reduction is not effective against ability damage because damage reduction reduces the number of hit points of damage an attack deals whereas ability damage is not hp (hit point) damage.
Nonlethal: Nonlethal damage is typically dealt by blunt natural attacks such as fists. Unlike weapon or natural attacks, nonlethal damage does not reduce a creatures current hit points (hp) but instead is tracked separately. When the amount of nonlethal damage a creature has taken equals its current hit points it gains the staggered condition. Nonlethal damage is healed (recovered) much more quickly than hit point (hp) damage.
Precision Damage: Precision damage is a special type of damage, which might more appropriately be called a "category" of damage because any of the other damage types listed here might also be considered "precision" damage under the right circumstances. Precision damage is usually dealt by classes like the rogue when he is able to catch an opponent unable to fully protect itself. Precision damage assumes that the target has a somewhat normal anatomy or at least has a physical form which might have weak spots which could be detected or taken advantage of. Previous editions of the game (prior to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) limited what sorts of creatures are vulnerable to precision damage more than the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game does. This was a deliberate change to make a key class feature of classes like the rogue more frequently usable. Attacks which affect areas (such as splash weapons) usually do not deal precision damage.
Vlad Presnyak
Jan 12, 2012, 11:58:55 AM1/12/12
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Looks good. Only suggestion would be to make the energy section a bit clearer - if scanning quickly, it may seem like the only types of energy damage are positive and negative energy. I would add an actual bullet point for "standard" energy damage.
Vlad
Jason Linker
Jan 12, 2012, 12:08:16 PM1/12/12
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I also have some concerns about the energy section. First, DR and Energy resistance are explained twice, in close enough language that I don't think any new information in presented the second time. Am I missing something? Second, I am also not a huge fan of the bullets for positive and negative energy. I would simply present that information in another paragraph or even not at all. I'd even lean toward not at all. It's not as though there are matching sections for the other types of energy.
Fire damage: This shit burns like fire. It's typically quite hot. It is associated with Fire Elementals and the sun.
John.L...@flagstar.com
Jan 12, 2012, 12:26:23 PM1/12/12
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Damage
Damage is determined by rolling the dice listed with the weapon. Melee weapons deal their listed damage + Strength modifier. Ranged weapons usually do only their listed damage. Some weapons gain additional bonuses from magic or other effects. Spells do their listed damage.
Damage Types: There are many "types" of damage in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Here are some of the more common forms:
Weapon/Natural Attacks
Weapon/natural attacks typically deal hit point (hp) damage and as such can be reduced by damage reduction.
Bludgeoning: Bludgeoning damage is typically caused by blunt objects such as clubs, hammers, boulders, or natural attacks that are blunt in nature. Some spells that summon or conjure solid objects may also say the damage the spell deals is bludgeoning damage. A monsters slam attacks usually deal bludgeoning damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that stab or thrust. A monster's gore or sting attacks usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Slashing: Slashing damage is typically caused by sharp-edged weapons or natural physical attacks that cut. usually deal this sort of damage and the damage it deals reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Energy Damage
Energy damage is typically dealt by
spells (usually evocation spells such as fireball or cone of cold) and
typically deals hit point (hp) damage, but unlike damage dealt by weapons
or natural attacks, damage reduction usually is not effective against it.
Instead, a creature typically must have energy resistance to reduce the
amount of damage it takes from one of these sources. Spells or effects
with any of the descriptors [acid], [cold], [electricity], [fire], or [sonic]
typically deal energy damage. Energy resistance is usually effective against
these types of energy damage.
Damage is determined by rolling the dice listed with the weapon. Melee weapons deal their listed damage + Strength modifier. Ranged weapons usually do only their listed damage. Some weapons gain additional bonuses from magic or other effects. Spells do their listed damage.
Damage Types: There are many "types" of damage in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Here are some of the more common forms:
Weapon/Natural Attacks
Weapon/natural attacks typically deal hit point (hp) damage and as such can be reduced by damage reduction.
Bludgeoning: Bludgeoning damage is typically caused by blunt objects such as clubs, hammers, boulders, or natural attacks that are blunt in nature. Some spells that summon or conjure solid objects may also say the damage the spell deals is bludgeoning damage. A monsters slam attacks usually deal bludgeoning damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Piercing: Piercing damage is typically dealt by physical attacks that stab or thrust. A monster's gore or sting attacks usually deal piercing damage. The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Slashing: Slashing damage is typically caused by sharp-edged weapons or natural physical attacks that cut. usually deal this sort of damage and the damage it deals reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled.
Energy Damage
Special Damage Types
Ability Damage: Ability damage is a special type of damage that applies to a creatures ability scores, not to its hit points as most other damage types do. When a creature takes ability damage it applies a penalty to all skills and other checks which are normally affected or modified by that ability score. Diseases, poisons, spells, and other abilities can all deal ability damage. This damage does not actually reduce an ability, but it does apply a penalty to the skills and statistics that are based on that ability. Damage reduction is not effective against ability damage because damage reduction reduces the number of hit points of damage an attack deals whereas ability damage is not hp (hit point) damage.
Nonlethal: Nonlethal damage is typically dealt by blunt natural attacks such as fists. Unlike weapon or natural attacks, nonlethal damage does not reduce a creatures current hit points (hp) but instead is tracked separately. When the amount of nonlethal damage a creature has taken equals its current hit points it gains the staggered condition. Nonlethal damage is healed (recovered) much more quickly than hit point (hp) damage.
Precision Damage: Precision damage is a special type of damage, which might more appropriately be called a "category" of damage because any of the other damage types listed here might also be considered "precision" damage under the right circumstances. Precision damage is usually dealt by classes like the rogue when he is able to catch an opponent unable to fully protect itself. Precision damage assumes that the target has a somewhat normal anatomy or at least has a physical form which might have weak spots which could be detected or taken advantage of. Previous editions of the game (prior to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) limited what sorts of creatures are vulnerable to precision damage more than the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game does. This was a deliberate change to make a key class feature of classes like the rogue more frequently usable. Attacks which affect areas (such as splash weapons) usually do not deal precision damage.
Bodhisattva
Jan 12, 2012, 1:24:49 PM1/12/12
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Also, the phrase "The damage dealt reduces a creatures current hit points (hp) by the amount rolled." appears a lot throughout this section. Unless the damage dealt somehow does not reduce a creature's current hit points by the amount rolled, this phrase should only appear under the Damage heading, with a separate addendum clarifying for Special Damage (which is the only exception listed here)."Born with the gift of laughter and the sense that the world was mad..."
- Rafael Sabatini, 1921, Scaramouche
- Rafael Sabatini, 1921, Scaramouche
John.L...@flagstar.com
Jan 12, 2012, 1:46:23 PM1/12/12
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Here's what I ended up with:
https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/basics-ability-scores/glossary#TOC-Damage
https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/basics-ability-scores/glossary#TOC-Damage
Alexander Ward
Jan 12, 2012, 3:03:27 PM1/12/12
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The Nonlethal section should include the part about "When your nonlethal damage exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious.", methinks.
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