Damage Types (PSR Supplement)

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When a creature or object suffers damage, the damage has a type that succinctly describes the nature of the damage. For example flames and heat deal fire damage, while an axe or other cutting force deals slash damage.

Damage types have no direct effect on their own, but other features rely on them. For example, different creatures and objects often lose more or fewer hit points from one some damage types than others. This is represented with resistance, immunity, and vulnerability.

There are 13 damage types briefly described below. Your narrator's world may have more, fewer, or different damage types. Click each damage type's name for more details.

1. Bash. Also called “bludgeoning.” Blunt forces like hammers, fists, constriction, or falling from great heights.
2. Pierce. Also called “piercing.” Stabbing and impaling objects like arrows, spears, daggers, fangs, thorns, and glass shards.
3. Slash. Also called “slashing.” Cutting forces like axes, longswords, claws, and air blades.
4. Acid. Corrosive substances, rusting effects, burning pits of acid, and other harmful chemical reactions.
5. Cold. Freezing, icy water, blizzards, and any temperature so frigid it causes damage. If something is damaged just by being Soaked, such as paper or flames, it's cold damage.
6. Fire. Heat, flames, lava, a dragon’s fire breath, catching on fire, and any temperatures so hot it causes damage.
7. Lightning. Electricity, from static shocks to literal bolts of lightning.
8. Necrotic. Drains life and withers the soul, derived often from necromancy and other vile magic, but sometimes mold and other effects of decay.
9. Poison. Venomous fangs, toxic plants, noxious gas, and other poisons. All objects and most unliving creatures are immune to poison damage.
10. Radiant. Divine power smites the body and overloads the soul. It is often associated with the afterlife. Particularly powerful energy beams might impart it.
11. Thunder. Concussive explosions, extreme noise, and destructive vibrations. In this world, bombs and explosions deal thunder damage.
12. Psychic. Psionic powers, unspeakable horrors, harmful illusions, and other assaults on the mind. All objects and most mindless creatures are immune to psychic damage.
13. Force. Raw magic or energy focused into a purely damaging form. Resistance or immunity to force damage is uncommon.

Random Damage Type

• If a spell or other effect calls for a random damage type, you can roll a d12 on the preceding list.
• For a random "strike" damage type, roll d3.
• For a random "chromatic" damage type, roll d8+3.