Damage Types (Action)

Damage comes in many varieties; the following types of damage exist in Action. Most ofthem work the same, but many special powers and defenses work differently against different types of damage.

Biological

Biological damage attacks body chemistry, and thus has no effect on objects. It is soaked using Body. While armor is of no use against biological weapons, bio-hazard suits, gas masks, anti venom, and various inoculations can increase resistance or even give complete immunity. Biological damage and the defenses against it are often used as plot devices. Creatures without a metabolism are never affected by biological attacks.

Infection

This is biological damage that has little or no instant effect, instead killing the target days or weeks later. Examples include disease, metabolic poison, and parasitic infection. A target damaged by infection does not risk immediate death; failing a death test against infection only causes unconsciousness. But record the total number of hits taken by infection, even if the character was not defeated by it. For each hit taken, the character will be ill for one day, taking one wound per day starting the day after infection. A Body roll is allowed each day, a result of 6 or more indicates the character did not take a wound that day.

Neurotoxin

Most poisons used as attacks are neurotoxins, fast-acting and deadly. Threat these as regular attacks, except that they are soaked with [Body (Action) | Body]] and follow the other rules of biological damage.

Wounding

Wounds spontaneously open on the body of the target.

Concussion

Mainly caused by throws, falls, and collisions, concussion damage is more dangerous the heavier you are. Thus, it is soaked using Reflexes rather than Toughness.

Disruption

Disruption, heat, and chemical reactions that seek to break down the structure of the target.

Acid

Corrosive chemicals. Action makes no distinction between acids and strong alkaloids in this matter; most attacks described as acid could just as well be alkaloids or other highly reactive chemicals.

Cold

The raw power of frost and the chill of the grave.

Enervation

Chi drain destroys flesh and objects alike, reducing everything to a fine ash.

Fire

Searing flame, including lasers, plasma, and explosions.

Impact

Kinetic damage, caused by the impact of bullets and other high-speed physical projectiles. Melee weapons and even primitive missile weapons like bows and crossbows do not have enough impact and generally do physical/piercing damage. The same goes for shotgun pellets and fleshettes.

Energy

An overdose of energy, causing the target to fuse internally and cease to work normally. Commonly caused by electricity, radiation, as well as the corrupting influence of undead and other sources of negative energy.

Electricity

Electrical damage disrupts neural activity and leads to internal burns. Objects crack and shatter.

Overexposure

Overexposure to light, Chi power or Radiation causes cellular damage, disrupts the immune system, and gives surface burns. Electronic devices, and by extension robots can be affected, as their circuits fuse. Objects are generally not harmed by radiation, but may become radioactive or unstable themselves (which is beyond the scope of the game except as a plot device).

Sonic

Sonic attacks include loud noise, but are mainly vibrations outside the audible range. They cause vertigo and nausea; in extreme form they induce vibrations that cause blood vessels to burst and muscle tissue to collapse. Traditionally, crystalline structures and creatures tend to be sensitive to sonic damage.

Physical

Also called normal damage or melee damage, this is basic physical injury, caused by the blades, points, and bludgeoning. This is without compare the most common type of damage, and is the standard against which the others are compared. If a type of damage is not specified, the default is physical/blunt damage.

Blunt

Crushing damage caused by things like fists, clubs, falling rocks and being hit by a car. In real life, blunt damage causes internal hemmoraging and is quite hard to treat; in Action it is often nonlethal.

Piercing

Slow moving weapons that do damage by penetrating the body and doing damage to interior organs. Examples include arrows, spears, and rapiers. Even some firearms, such as shotgun pellets, do piercing damage.

Slashing

Slashing weapons cause open wounds, often accompanied by bleeding. Generally poor at penetrating armor, slashing weapons do great damage to soft targets. The archetypal slashing weapon is the katana.

Psychic

This damage is mental; it inflicts fear and pain directly to the mind. Thus, it is soaked using Mind instead of Toughness. Most psychic damage is supernatural in some way. Objects, automatons, and creatures without a true mind are immune to psychic damage.