Damage

Overview

Damage is a value, in Hit Points, that directly reduces the Hit Point total of a target. If the target is reduced to zero, the target is defeated. Most damage can be decreased via resistance self-affecting powers, outside buffs, or inspirations.

Damage Types

Smashing Damage

Blunt force attacks. Typified by Brawl and other body-part attacks (kicks, punches, etc).

Example(s): Super Strength, War Mace

Lethal Damage

Piercing or cutting attacks. Typified by many weapon based attacks. A good way to remember: Blades and Bullets.

Example(s): Broad Sword, Archery

Fire Damage

An attack employing radical increase of temperature. Often associated with damage-over-time effects.

Example(s): Fire Blast, Fire Control

Cold Damage

An attack employing radical decrease in temperature. Often associated with slowing of attack and/or movement rate.

Example(s): Ice Blast, Ice Control

Energy Damage

An attack utilizing raw energy or an energy transfer. Often associated with either knockback/Knockdown, Endurance Drain or Sleep effects.

Example(s): Electric Melee, Energy Blast

Negative Energy Damage

An attack of anti-energy, often drawn from the netherworld. Powersets that deliver Negative Energy are often termed 'Dark'. Often associated with reduced Accuracy.

Example(s): Dark Blast, Dark Melee

Psionic Damage

An attack upon the mind. Characterized by the typical weakness of the attack, but the almost complete absence of defenses against it, as well as with slowing of attack.

Example(s): Psychic Blast, Mental Manipulation

Toxic Damage

Poisonous attacks. The nature of toxins may be either biological or chemical. Toxic damage is unique in the respect that the game mechanics do not allow for any form of defense, so mitigation for toxic attacks is based on resistance to toxic damage or defense versus the melee/ranged/AoE nature of the attack. Often coupled with lethal damage.

Example(s): Spines, Thorny Assault

Electrolytic Damage

Unique to Hamidon. These attacks can not be evaded and may only be resisted through use of Essence of the Earth inspirations.

Example(s): Hamidon, Mitochondria

Prismatic Damage

Unique to the Crystal Titan. These attacks can only be resisted through the use of Ambrosia inspirations.

Unique2 Damage

This is the special Radiation damage dealt by the Terra Volta Reactor Core. It can only be resisted by the Radiation Shield buff.

This article or section contains information that no longer applies to the current version of City of Heroes Freedom. It is provided for historical purposes.

Quantum Damage

Used by Void Hunters and Quantum-class enemies. These attacks dealt a great deal of un-resistible damage to Kheldians. It was replaced with normal Negative Energy Damage in the February 12, 2008 patch.