Damage

• There won't be any damage dampening due to differences in levels in either PvP or PvE.

• Damage numbers will not be so large as to be meaningless.

We don't see the need to have these enormous numbers that are really start to lose meaning. That seems to be an innate design issue with other games as they try to balance the damage output in PvP and in PvE; but our design system allows for a more manageable damage protocol for PvE and PvP to be shared; and those damage protocols relate more to lower numbers. – Steven Sharif

• Augments can change damage types and values.

• Death by fall damage is possible.
  • Fall damage that occurs while mounted will be first applied to the mount; and if the mount dies as a result, then the remaining damage may overflow onto the player, but this will be determined based on testing.

Damage types and resistances

Different damage types are mitigated by the defensive stats (resistances) on different types of armor.

Certain damage types will be strong or weak against certain enemy types. So you'll have to be somewhat smart about who you're bringing where, or what abilities or specs. Obviously, you'll be able to do the content, but you'll have an easier time with certain contents if you're using a certain spec over others. – Tradd Thompson

• Magic damage is mitigated by cloth armor (light armor).

• Holy/radiant damage are modifying energy types that have corresponding synergies and resistances.
  • Undead mobs are weak against holy magic.

• Physical damage is mitigated by plate armor (heavy armor).
  • Different classes of weapons may deal different types of physical damage: Bludgeoning damage, Slashing damage, Piercing damage.

• Players will be able to counter resistances with resistance penetration stats.

When there's a lot of different complexity that exists between the multi-layered interactions of damage mitigation, resistances, damage penetration... those things stack up over time and there's an opportunity for that subtlety to be more expressed when the receiving target is, let's say, weak to that or... chosen not to spec into any resistances against that. That keeps things fresh and it also keeps a healthy level of itemization progression that's necessary for the player as well. – Steven Sharif

• There is also non-mitigated damage.

• Monsters will have certain types of resistances based on its type.

Not every monster is going to have unique resistances. They'll share groups of types of resistances based on whether that monster is a particular elemental affinity or a particular heavy armor, particular weapon type, stuff like that. So there will be resistances groups that are shared by certain types of monsters and their location and as it relates to their lower background and stuff like that. – Steven Sharif

Damage abilities

This section contains information from Alpha-1 testing. It will be updated when new information is made available.

Skill	Icon	Rank 1	Rank 2	Rank 3
Airstrike		Leap forward in the direction the character is facing, raining down three projectiles that deal AoE damage and roots enemies in its path. The root effect is nature based.
Arcane Volley		Fires a volley of arcane missiles at your target, dealing arcane damage with each hit.	-	-
Ball Lightning		Creates a large ball of highly charged electricity that travels slowly forward, dealing rapid periodic lightning damage to enemies it overlaps with and applying an Electrified stack to targets with each hit.	-	-
Black Hole		Summon a black hole at the target location that reduces movement speed of enemies in the area.	Increased duration.	Explodes for area damage upon expiration.
Blizzard		Channel a massive blizzard around you, raining a barrage of hail shards upon your enemies while channeling. Each shard impact deals ice damage in a small area around it. All enemies in the blizzard also accumulate a stack of Chilled periodically. Activate the ability again to end the channel early.	-	-
Bulwark		Bash enemies in front of you twice. The second attack temporarily increases block chance. You must have a shield equipped to block.	Additional increased block chance.	The second attack knocks down enemies.
Castigation		Lashes your target with holy energy whip, dealing direct damage and restoring health and mana to yourself over time.	Heals you instantly for an additional amount upon hit.	Restores health and mana to nearby party members for the duration.
Chains of Restraint		Call forth spectral chains in a target area that stagger enemies within or stun enemies already under the staggered effect, then leave behind an area that deals radiant damage each second over 8 seconds.
Cone of Cold		Blasts a cone of cold in front of the caster, dealing ice damage and applying a stack of Chilled to each enemy hit. The blast also leaves behind a field of ice mines that explode on proximity contact, causing additional ice damage and Chilled stacks to nearby enemies.	-	-
Consecrating Wave		Send forth a cone of radiance that deals radiant damage to all enemies while healing the ten nearest allies.
Divine Censure		Hurls a radiant spear at the target, dealing damage.	Further attacks upon the target have a chance to heal the attacker.	The target has a chance to deal damage to itself when it attacks.
Drain Essence		Drain your target for damage over time, and gain return mana to yourself over the duration.	Heals you over the duration.	Reduced cooldown.
Fireball		Instantly hurl a ball of fire toward your target, dealing fire damage and applying one stack of Burning to target on impact.	-	-
Frostbolt		Launch a bolt of frost towards your target, dealing ice damage and applying two Chilled stacks to the target on impact.	-	-
Grapple		Takes aim for a moment before hurling a hooked chain in a line, damaging the first target it contacts and immediately pulling them to the caster. The target suffers a tapering snare for 3 seconds.
Inciting Strikes		Slashes twice in a forward cone while adding additional threat.
Judgment		Cast a heal on target ally for a large amount of health. If this is cast on an enemy, it instead deals radiant damage to the target and applies 2 stacks of Burning.
Lava Storm		Creates a field of lava at the selected location. Deals area damage over time.	Increased damage. Increased duration.	Increased damage. Increased duration.
Lightning Strike		Call down a bolt of lightning upon your target, dealing lightning damage and applying two stack of Electrified to the target.	-	-
Longbow basic attack		A slower, powerful, longer range basic ranged attack. Tapping the basic attack button will shoot normally. Holding the basic attack button will charge the shot (and root the player) to cause added damage.
Magma Field		Erupts the earth at target location, forming a boiling pool of lava that deals fire damage to enemies per tick while periodically applying a stack of Burning to enemies within the area.	-	-
Meteor		Conjures a massive flaming rock before sending it hurling toward target location. Upon impact, it deals major fire damage while knocking foes flying, and then continues to roll forward for its remaining distance, dealing additional fire damage while applying stacks of Burning to enemies along its path.	-	-
Meteor Storm		Summons forth a Meteor Storm, dropping 3 meteors in the target location.	Adds an extra meteor.	Adds an extra meteor.
Prismatic Beam		Spawns a giant prismatic beam of energy that can be aimed around you. Deals large damage to enemy targets.	Increased damage.	Snares hit targets.
Quick Shot		Ranged attack that applies a debuff to the target. Each additional quickshot against the same target does increasing damage but consumes one of three charges that regenerate over time.
Shield Assault		Bashes the target with your shield, dealing damage and applying the shaken condition. If the target is already suffering from the shaken condition, stun the target instead.
Shortbow basic attack		A fast, low power, short range basic ranged attack. Holding down the basic attack button will repeatedly fire.
Smite		Smite your target, dealing instant damage and applying a stack of Burning to target enemy. Has no cast time and deals increased damage if activated within melee range of the target. This attack always critically hits on targets under the effect of Condemn.
Snipe		A powerful charged attack.
Thundershock		Shoots forward a beam of lightning that damages enemies in a line in front of you.	Increased damage.	Now knocks down hit targets.
Tremoring Bellow		Releases a thundering shout in a forward cone, applying the staggered condition on enemy targets. Also stomps the ground dealing damage around the caster and tripping enemies affected by the snared condition.
Whirlwind		Damages targets in range and applies a stagger effect.

Weapon classes

Weapons 3D renders. These are depicted in the Threads of Fate cosmetic costume but are not part of that set. Models by Eli Hurst.

Weapon classes (also referred to as weapon types and weapon groups) in Ashes of Creation may deal different types of physical damage.

• Blunt weapons
• Slashing weapons
• Piercing weapons

See also

• Damage over time
• Resistances
• Combat
• Stats