Bleeding Attack

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by rnadams2

As it's a magical effect--and, incidentally, modeled after a bleeding effect in a computer game as well--I'm inclined to lean toward using Cyclic. Also, I'm sketchy on the cutting attack, as I envision mostly shallow lacerations rather than deep-cutting, it-might-lop-your-arm-off damage.

Sounds like Cyclic is the way to go here. As for damage, you could possibly get away with anything you'd like, but if I were you I'd either go with Cutting or one of the Piercing classes (as those cause bleeding to start with). IIRC, Maledictions bypass DR, so that's not important, but depending on your campaign setting there may be characters/creatures who have special resistance/vulnerability to certain types of damage, in which case you'll want to stick with Cutting. Crippling rather than lopping off an arm would be a special effect, but that doesn't really matter with a Malediction, which just damages the whole body (or optionally just the torso) rather than specific hit locations. If you really want to avoid the bonus damage of Cutting you'll want to either go with pi or do a tiny houserule to allow for cut- (which is Cutting damage that only gets a x1 WM, rather than a x1.5; price it the same as pi). An appropriate power up for this attack would be Selective Area, allowing you to target specific hit locations for crippling limbs or getting extra damage by targeting the Neck, Veins and Arteries, or Skull. If the damage is meant to only be due to bleeding, you'll want the entire thing to have Blood Agent*, and possibly a Delay**. If the initial cutting should also do damage to targets without blood, only apply Blood Agent to Cyclic (interestingly, as Cyclic can easily get to or above +100%, using Limiting Enhancements this way can result in this version of the trait costing less than the one that doesn't work at all if the foe lacks blood).

*I think you normally can't stack Blood Agent and Malediction, as both are "penetration modifiers." In this case, however, Blood Agent is more "Target must have blood," which is an Accessibility probably worth around -20% or so (half the discount of normal Blood Agent).

**A fixed Delay, appropriate here, is a +0% Enhancement, but you could justify making it a small Limitation, as it means you don't incapacitate your target as quickly in combat and they might have a chance - through quick bandaging - to avoid the damage outright. This drawback is usually offset by effects with Delay being subtle until they kick in, which isn't the case here.