Parthos Wiki: Damage Types

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Damage Types

In theory, an ordinary javelin deals the same amount of damage as Divine Light (Divine Level 1) -- but not all damage is created equal. If used against a wraith, for example, the aforementioned javelin would pass harmlessly through it, whereas Divine Light would deal twice as much damage as it would against an ordinary opponent. It is thus necessary to keep track of the type of damage that an effect deals. The complete hierarchy of damage types is listed below.

Energy

Earthly
- Burn
  - Fire
  - Light
    - Sunlight
- Cold
- Electricity
- Poison Gas
- Sonic
Magical
- Divine
  - Corruption: Corruption damage cannot be healed by ordinary means. Wounds remain open and subject to infection until treated by Divine, Dark Divine, Druidic or Necromantic magic.
  - Purity: Purity damage, usually manifesting as a bolt of brilliant light, is a manifestation of divine perfection, searing away corruption. It has no effect on celestials or other creatures of pure goodness, but damages all mortals (even the best of whom are impure) and is particularly effective against agents of corruption. Fiends and undead take +2 damage per die from purity sources, but good-aligned targets take -1 damage per die.
  - Spiritual: Spiritual damage attacks the motive force animating living creatures, extraplanars and magic-fueled creatures such as constructs and the undead. It has no effect on inanimate physical objects. Extraplanars, being not fully present on this plane, are more vulnerable to spiritual attacks and take an additional 1 point of damage per die.
- Psychic
- Raw Energy
- Shadow

Physical

Concussion
Corrosion
- Acid
Piercing
Slashing

Elemental

Wind (Slashing)
Fire (Burn)
Earth (Concussion)
Water (Concussion)

Damage Shields

One common spell effect is to summon a shield that absorbs a certain type of damage. For example, many spell lists contain a Physical shield -- a spell that blocks some amount of Physical damage. Note that a damage shield not only blocks the type of damage that it is named for, but also all sub-types of that damage type. For example, a Physical shield blocks Concussion, Corrosion, Piercing, and Slashing damage.

A damage shield comes into existence with a number of points representing the total amount of damage that it can absorb. Once the shield has sustained that amount of damage, it disappears. For example, let's say that Liante casts Kinetic Shield (Mysticism Level 5), a 15-point Physical shield. A goat then rams her with its horns, dealing 8 points of Piercing damage. The shield absorbs this damage and is left with 7 points; Liante is still unharmed. However, the force of the goat's attack drives her off a cliff. When she eventually hits the ground, she sustains 12 points of Concussion damage. The shield absorbs the first 7 points of this damage and then disappears. Liante sustains the remaining 5 points of damage herself.

A character cannot be protected by more than one damage shield at a time. Only the most recently cast damage shield takes effect.