Reference summary · Core rule · Rules Tome 2.0.8 § 201.2, 600, 601.2
Damage types
Damage types come from Characters, equipment, and action traits; one strike or effect can have multiple types.
How it works
Rule explanation
The damage types are Physical, Lightning, Radiant, Fire, Necrotic, Poison, Frost, and Arcane. A Character’s printed strike symbol supplies its base type. An equipped Weapon supplies the base type of melee strikes and a Bow the base type of ranged strikes; Item-produced actions use that Item’s type. An action’s damage-bearing action traits supersede the Character’s base damage type. If multiple types apply, the strike, action, or effect has all of them. Matching Resistance and Weakness to the same strike, action, or effect cancel each other.
At the table
Example
With Dual Wield, a Frost Weapon and Necrotic Weapon make the Character’s melee strikes both Frost and Necrotic.
Watch for this
Common mistake
A damage type is not itself an action trait or proof that an action is a spell. Giving a Character the Poison trait does not by itself give its strikes Poison damage.