Damage Penetration, a new Limitation for Damage Resistance

[ericbsmith]

Damage Penetration, a new Limitation for Damage Resistance
Your DR doesn't stop all incoming damage from an attack, a certain percentage penetrates no matter how high your DR. Subtract DR from basic damage normally to figure penetrating damage (pp. B378-379). However, also multiply basic damage by your Penetration multiplier. If this sum is equal to or greater than the calculated penetrating damage increase the penetrating damage to that amount.

Damage Penetration: x0.1, -5%
Damage Penetration: x0.2, -10%
Damage Penetration: x0.3, -20%
Damage Penetration: x0.4, -30%
Damage Penetration: x0.5, -40%
Damage Penetration: x0.6, -50%
Damage Penetration: x0.7, -60%
Damage Penetration: x0.8, -70%
Damage Penetration: x0.9, -80%

Example: You have DR 4 with Damage Penetration: x0.5. 4 points of damage would normally be stopped completely, but a minimum of 4 * 0.5 = 2 of the base damage automatically penetrates, causing 2 point of penetrating damage. If you take 10 points of basic damage, normally 10 - 4 = 6 points penetrates. Since this is greater than 10 * 0.5 = 5 you take the normal 6 points of penetrating damage.

In all cases round damage up. For example, if you have Damage Penetration: x0.1 and take 3 points the calculated penetration is 3 * 0.1 = 0.3, which rounds up to 1 point of damage.


Limited Defense
You can combine Damage Penetration with Limited Defenses (p. B46), allowing DR to work normally against most types of damage but certain types tend to penetrate. Apply the appropriate Limited Defense limitation on the selected level of Damage Penetration to figure the final limitation value (see Limited Enhancements, page 111).

Example: You have DR 10 which protects fully against all types of damage except Fire/Heat, a minimum of half of which penetrates. Damage Penetration: x0.5 is normally -40%, applying the Limited: Fire/Heat (a Common type) reduces the value of by -40%, giving a final limitation value of -40% * 0.6 = -24%.

[naloth]

Interesting idea but I would start it at a higher value.

In contrast, Flexible [-20%] allows less damage to pass through, only if it's from a cutting (10% passthru) or crushing (20% passthru) attack, and it doesn't get normal multipliers (blunt tramua rules).

[TJA]

Something like this is very much needed for Supers and the like ...

I never liked the idea of "invulnerability" - Superman used to get bruises from fights - he GOT damaged from a devent amount of it!
Also, there where even attacks that stunned him from raw power like gigantic missiles ...

A "Damage Reduction" like this would be able to simulate this!
I do not realy like the 10% steps - as i would always try an exponential effects for logarithmic steps.

If we had such a cost/effetc/step sheme for ST, size, weight, damage, DR and possible other things, GURPS would truly be able to simulate fiction :-)

[naloth]

I miss invulnerability. While the PV will never be wholly accurate for most campaigns, it is handy for building characters with the abilities you want.

You want to build the Human Torch that is completely immune to Fire/Heat? Currently, the GM needs to decide what that's worth.

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by naloth

Interesting idea but I would start it at a higher value.

In contrast, Flexible [-20%] allows less damage to pass through, only if it's from a cutting (10% passthru) or crushing (20% passthru) attack, and it doesn't get normal multipliers (blunt tramua rules).

Yeah, I'll admit I'm not sure if I like my presentation, but I really like the idea, which is why I posted hoping for comments.

Originally Posted by naloth

I miss invulnerability. While the PV will never be wholly accurate for most campaigns, it is handy for building characters with the abilities you want.

You want to build the Human Torch that is completely immune to Fire/Heat? Currently, the GM needs to decide what that's worth.

The problem is it tends to be a complete point crock. Still, not having an Invulnerability advantage leads to some odd results, like the Meta-Trait Body of Fire, which theoretically could be killed by making a fire big enough.

[naloth]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

Yeah, I'll admit I'm not sure if I like my presentation, but I really like the idea, which is why I posted hoping for comments.

I like the idea too. I hope it makes it into G:Powers.

The problem is it tends to be a complete point crock. Still, not having an Invulnerability advantage leads to some odd results, like the Meta-Trait Body of Fire, which theoretically could be killed by making a fire big enough.

I agree with both statements, though I would rather just have a value and make it available or unavailable in a given genre/campaign much like a GM would do with Innate Attack.