Non-Standard Damage

Non-Standard Abilities
Abilities	Non-Standard Interaction - Non-Standard Defenses - Non-Standard Damage

Background

Non-Standard Damage is an ability that involves delivering attacks capable of bypassing or exploiting multiple types of defense separately. This concept appears in many combat-oriented games and stories, where physical and mystical (or magical) attacks do not simply blend into a single damage type. Instead, they remain distinct, often requiring unique defenses to properly mitigate.

Characters or entities with Non-Standard Damage can utilize attacks that specifically target an opponent’s vulnerabilities, such as using physical damage to break through a magically shielded opponent or magic to bypass heavy armor. This also extends to elemental or specialized damage, such as fire or psychic assaults, that are not covered by ordinary defenses.

Non-Standard Damage highlights the complexity of combat and the strategic depth it brings. It allows for a greater range of tactics and counters, creating a layered battlefield where simply having high durability is not enough if that durability doesn’t cover every form of attack.

Also Called

• Dual-Type Attacks
• Physical and Magical Damage
• Split Damage
• Elemental Assaults

Possible Applications

• Attacks that exploit an opponent’s different defensive layers, striking where they are most vulnerable.
• Ability to adapt to a foe’s defenses—switching between physical strikes and magical blasts.
• Use of elemental attacks to exploit resistances or weaknesses (e.g., fire against ice).
• Mixing damage types in a single attack to bypass partial resistances.

Practical Uses

• Characters become more versatile in battle, capable of exploiting any defensive gaps.
• Tactically forces enemies to maintain balanced defenses rather than focusing on a single resistance.
• Introduces a dynamic element to combat, requiring careful attention to what type of attack is most effective in the moment.
• In world-building, it emphasizes that not all damage is created equal—some types cut deeper against specific foes.

Variations

• Special Attacks: Attacks that are considered different from a physical type of attack status.
• Magical/Mystical Damage: Attacks based on magic, psychic energy, or spiritual power.
• Elemental Damage: Specialized forms like fire, ice, lightning, and poison that operate outside basic physical or magical frameworks.
• Soul or Spiritual Damage: Attacks that bypass the physical body and target the soul or life force.
• Hybrid Damage: Attacks that blend multiple damage types, overwhelming or bypassing separate defenses.

Possible Limitations

• The effectiveness of Non-Standard Damage can depend heavily on the user’s ability to identify and exploit an enemy’s weaknesses.
• Hybrid attacks may still face resistance if the opponent has balanced defenses.
• In some settings, non-standard damage may require rare or difficult-to-obtain resources or techniques.
• May be harder to control, requiring advanced skill to switch between damage types.

Example Mechanics

• Physical vs. Magic attacks in Fire Emblem: Units use either physical or magical attacks to counter specific enemy defenses.
• Physical vs. Special Attacks in Pokémon: Pokémon have physical and special attacks, each targeting separate defensive stats.