Damage comes in all forms, though beyond numbers there are types. Damage types help understand when whether or not an ability is striking with the heat of the sun or the chill of the artic. Some damage, even, affects people different depending on what kind it is. Said differences and descriptions can be found on this page.
Physical vs Energy vs Extra |
Majorly, there are three different damage types. This differentiation is important for the sake of damage reduction and classification.
Physical Damage is the damage of the often mundane, and easy to understand/wield. Energy Damage is their damage of the elements and most common forms of mysticism. Extraordinary Damage is the damage of physics and forces beyond the purview of normal understanding.
Physical Damage is the most common kind of damage, and a staple of weaponry and nonmagical objects. It's simplicity should not be discounted, as honing physical damage is also one of the easiest ways deal great amounts of damage.
Bludgeoning |
Blunt force from hard hits from flat surfaces. Bludgeoning damage is also effective against hardened but vulnerable surfaces or creatures, such as skeletons.
Anything that deals Bludgeoning damage uses the
Bludgeoning trait.
Piercing |
Piercing damage comes from slender or thin pins that shred through whatever is in their path. Piercing weapons are known for their range and/or their ability to target weak points other weapons cannot usually get to.
Anything that deals Bludgeoning damage uses the
Piercing trait.
Slashing |
Slashing damage comes from blades or sharpened curves, dealing damage in broad swathes. Fleshy creatures, such as plants or other humans, tend to be more susceptible to slashing damage; though one good cut after measuring twice of course, is usually all it takes deliver a killing blow.
Anything that deals Bludgeoning damage uses the
Slashing trait.
Energy damage is the damage of the raw elements, from planar influences to those that fall on an alignment spectrum.
The corrosive answer to many armored targets, acid is a favorite for those familiar with alchemical reagents and caustic threats.
Things that deal acid damage will have the
Acid ⚙️ trait.
The damage of ice, frost, and sometimes just cold water. It's enough to counteract even the hottest of flames when coming from a magical source.
Things that deal cold damage will have the
Cold trait.
Fire is an element that dates back to the dawn of many civilizations. It's power and wield is known far and wide, and it's abilitiy to sear flesh is well known.
Things that deal fire damage will have the
Fire trait.
From crackling sparks to electrifying beams deal lightning damage. Attacks and Saves against things that are mostly metal (such as Heavy Armor) have advantage/disadvantage respectively.
Things that deal Lightning damage will have the
Lightning ⚙️ trait.
Psychic is a rare damage type that has to do with damaging the mind. Even as Energy Damage it's seldom defended against, but has notable weaknesses against enemies that are highly resistant or lack such mental faculties, such as Undead.
Things that deal psychic damage will have the
Psychic trait.
Toxins and venoms deal poison damage, being a type that is often resisted by multiple enemies, but incurs status effects and is notable for ignoring Armor HP entirely.
Things that deal Poison damage will have the
Poison ⚙️ trait.
Radiant damage is the damage of light and the holy. It's the opposite of shadow damage and acts as the purest vibrance of life. It is not a positive energy, to that end: merely another facet of energy.
Things that deal radiant damage will have the
Radiant trait.
Damage from darker magical forces that acts as a void to the light and life. It cares not what is in it's way, as it is a devastating force that sunders anything material.
Things that deal shadow damage will have the
Shadow trait.
Spirit damage comes from assaulting one's spirit or their very soul with waves of energy. Spirit damage is rarer than other energy types, though is considered the counterbalance to psionic damage.
Things that deal spirit damage will have the
Spirit trait.
Damage based on sound and sonics. It shares a lot of qualities with wind, except it's far more bombastic, or explosive. The concussive power of blasts are often Thunder-based.
Things that deal spirit damage will have the
Thunder trait.
A damage type associated with air, both in how air cuts and as well as it blows or sucks vital energy from someone. It differs from bludgeoning or thunder damage in that Wind damage is quick and sudden, often with no weight behind it but overwhelms with sheer force.
Things that deal wind damage will have the
Wind trait.
Extraordinary Damage, or Extra Damage, is damage that sits outside of the normal conventions found on Material Planes, being damage invoked by powerful Patrons or as a result of attacking in a way that is not quite conventional (such as with the mind).
Drain is a rare damage type only offered by some abilities and environmental effects. It causes huge percentages of damage that, paradoxically, only works on small scales of dice. It's still multitudes more lethal due to being able to outright kill creatures if they are not careful or immune.
Things that deal Drain damage will have the
Drain⚙️ trait.
Damage that involves the forces of the universe, from the raw aetheric magic of the cosmos to energy circling a gravitational pool. It is known for it's signature use in the Warlock's Eldritch Blast, as well.
Things that deal force damage will have the
Force trait.
Persistent Damage, a semi-untyped, continuous form of damage that tends to bypass all defenses and linger on an enemy. Many other damage types apply Persistent damage as a byproduct, killing an enemy over time if taken lightly. There are two kinds of Persistent damage types, being Physical Persistent damage, or
Bleeding⚙️, and Energy Persistent Damage, or
Burning ⚙️.
Things that deal persistent damage will have the
Persistent⚙️ trait.
Wither damage is the damage of ebbing time and/or the effects of forced weakness. It comes a reduction of a creature's faculties, even if temporary.
Things that deal witther damage will have the
Wither⚙️ trait.
