Combat: Damage
Damage is a nasty thing when you are on the receiving end of it. There are base categories of damage that can have different types applied to them. Some categories can have multiple types of damage depending on the situation.
All damage except for durability and fall damage can be chained up to five times. See chaining dice in this chapter for more information.
Damage Categories
Durability
This category of damage is applied to objects and equipment. How it is applied varies by the source or type of damage. Most durability damage is applied as points off the durability of the item, but others can require the item’s durability to be converted to health. When this happens the durability of the item is multiplied by ten before the damage is applied.
Durability x 10 = Object Health
Additionally, when dealing damage to an object the damage can be converted to durability damage by dividing the total damage by ten and rounding down in half increments (minimum 0.5 damage).
Health Damage / 10 = Durability Damage
If an item's durability reaches zero, it destroys and nobody can repair it. You cannot chain this category of damage unless specified.
Fall Damage
When you fall, every five feet causes 1d4 damage. If falling over twenty feet, you break a bone for every four that is rolled. Use the table below to determine what bones break. Roll again to confirm the roll if you get a twenty. If a second twenty is rolled, your neck/skull breaks.
Magic Damage
Damage applied from magic is specific to the spell being channeled, but will fall under one or more of the different damage. For more information, about how channeling spells and energetics work, refer to the energetics chapter.
Fall Damage Locations
Martial Art Damage
The martial arts masteries that you have taken and your skill total determine the damage from martial art attacks. Otherwise, the base damage for an untrained martial art attack is only your might.
Base Martial Art Damage = Might
Melee Damage
Roll the damage die and add your might for successful melee attacks. Some weapons can increase your might when applying it to damage. Read the special properties your weapon has before adding your might to the damage.
Weapon’s Damage Dice + Might = Melee Damage
Physical Damage
Falling, melee, ranged, and some magic damage are categorized as physical damage. This category of damage involves you taking a physical blow to your body. Psionic, negative, or positive damage does not fall under the category of physical damage. This helps to determine the instinct that might be need or if you apply damage reduction.
Ranged Damage (Might Propelled)
Your might plus the weapon's damage dice is its damage.
Weapon’s damage die + might = ranged damage
Ranged Damage (Self-Propelled)
Crossbows, arms, and any other ranged weapons that propels the projectile without requiring your strength, does not have might added to the damage.
Weapon’s damage dice = ranged damage
Standard Damage
Blunt, piercing, and slashing are the most common types of damage. You can consider other types of damage these types besides their other properties. These types can cause wounds and other conditions caused by called shots. They can also aid in fighting specific creatures that might be vulnerable to one or more of them. However, be cautious as other creatures might be resistant or even immune to some standard damage types.
Damage Types
There are many types of damage. You apply types of damage based on the category of damage being used in the attack. Some categories can cause multiple different damage (i.e. energetics).
Acid
Acid damage causes whatever it touches to melt. It causes the indicated damage based on the source of the acid (i.e. acid vial) but when used on objects that are not magical, it causes durability damage. A critical strike doubles the acid damage.
Acid damage negates damage reduction that is gained from natural abilities (i.e. mutations) and armor made from grade five and lower. See armor penetration earlier in this chapter.
Age Damage
This type of damage is unique compared to other types because it affects the years a creature remains living. When dealing with this type of damage, it affects the target's current age and you can chain it a maximum of two times. Age damage does not have any effect on undead creatures.
Air (Physical)
Concentrated high-powered wind can cause slashing damage. Otherwise, air damage causes the initial damage indicated by the source. All air spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On a critical strike, air damage causes the target to be knocked back +5ft.
Blunt (Physical)
One of the standard weapon damage types that have special conditions applied to targets hit with a critical strike. Blunt damage has the chance of causing broken bones and durability damage based on the armor (see called shot and critical strikes).
Earth (Physical)
Earth damage is caused by magical forms of earth, stone, rocks, and other similar material. Earth damage deals blunt damage unless otherwise specified. All earth spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On critical strikes, earth damage causes the target to become disorientated for one round.
Fire (Physical)
Fire damage scorches its targets and can cause more flammable objects or surfaces to catch fire. Cloth, wool, and wood are some examples of flammable objects. All fire spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On critical strikes, fire damage causes the burnt condition and deals one durability damage per ten seconds to objects until the fire is out.
Force (Physical)
Force damage is applying a physical pressure against a target. This type of damage is blunt unless otherwise specified. All force spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On critical strikes, force damage knocks the target prone.
Frost
Freezing or cold effects caused frost damage. If you apply enough, it can freeze creatures and objects. All frost spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On critical strikes, frost causes the frostbite condition.
Lightning (Physical)
Lightning damage is piercing damage. When attacking a target with metal armor, the attacker can cause an extra 1d6 damage, which can be chained once. All lightning spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On a critical strike, lightning damage causes the target to gain the paralysis condition for ten seconds.
Negative
Negative damage cause negative effects on life force. Creatures that are positive or have a strong amount of Gaia energy within them take double damage from negative damage. All necrosis spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified.
Piercing (Physical)
One of the standard weapon damage types that have special conditions (wounds) applied to targets hit with a called shot. Depending on the piercing weapon it can cause additional effects with critical strikes (i.e. Arms).
Psionic
Psionic damage targets the mind, which can affect their sanity. On a critical strike, or if you rolled a one on an instinct check versus psionic damage, the target takes mental health damage on top of the psionic damage. This does not stack if an attack roll and an instinct check are needed for the same damage being dealt. All psionic spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified.
Poison
Each poison will have their own amount of damage they deal. Some deal it over time, but some deal a larger amount of damage in a single use. See poisons in the marketplace and crafting for more information. Also, see poisoned in the conditions section of this chapter.
Positive
Positive damage works the opposite of negative damage, because it causes healing, cures, or positive effects on a creature’s life force. Creatures that are negative in nature or have a strong amount of Necrosis energy within them take double damage. All Gaia spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified.
Slashing (Physical)
One of the standard weapon damage types that can have special conditions applied to targets hit with a called shot (see called shots).
Water (Physical)
You can consider water damage any of the three standard damage types: blunt, piercing, and slashing. The type of damage water can cause depends on its source. All water spells are considered this type of damage unless otherwise specified. On a critical strike, water damage causes the condition drenched. This does not stack with water damage that automatically causes the drenched condition.
Wounds
This damage type is distinct as it not only inflicts damage but also requires attention to stop its negative effects. See wounds for more information.
