Questions about Innate Attack (Wall)

[naloth]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I think there are RAW examples of attacks that do Small Piercing damage but have No Wounding, for the purpose of creating a carrier attack for a Follow-Up. Personally, I don't like that, as it feels like a cop-out - attacks with No Wounding should generally use a base cost of [5], with their damage type as a special effect. It may be appropriate to make an exception for Innate Attacks with Side Effects and Symptoms, however, at least if the former is using Injury instead of Damage to determine the penalty (and you allow the latter at all).

Agreed.

I could potentially see a rigid Wall with a Side Effect - say, a wall of icy spears that can (cinematically/supernaturally) freeze the target (so Side Effect: Fragile (Brittle) and maybe some more effects), or (for a No Wounding example) a "soft" force field that can shock a target (Side Effect: Stunning).

I can't really understand the reasoning that the freezing or stunning effect of a rigid wall would depend on how hard I slam into it. For a rigid wall it should be a linked ability. It only makes sense for a permeable (damaging) wall since that wall does its own damage.

Even using pi- to represent something like tiny needles, I don't see it working with No Wounding for a rigid Wall, however.

Agreed. No wounding shouldn't be a limitation since it doesn't really do anything.

That is a use, yes, but as I mentioned later, it's a rather niche application. Part of why I'm kind of OK with the high price for cutting and impaling Walls is that I expect a player who opts for one to intend to frequently use it for its collision damage (by throwing it in the path of fast-moving foes).

Even with speedsters running around there just weren't that many characters that couldn't stop if a wall was thrown up in front of them. It's definitely a niche case. You'd be better off buying an alternate attack you can use directly instead of paying the price for cutting or impaling.