Damage types (physical/elemental)

Attacks and defenses are categorized — physical, fire, ice, lightning, poison — with each type interacting differently against enemy resistances and the environment. Damage typing adds a rock-paper-scissors layer to combat: the right element melts an enemy while the wrong one bounces off, so players adapt loadouts and elements become build identities. Divinity: Original Sin pushes furthest, making elements interact with terrain (fire ignites oil, water conducts lightning) for emergent combos. Designers use damage types to reward preparation and enemy knowledge, to differentiate weapons and spells, and to create environmental interplay. Key decisions: number of types (too many becomes bookkeeping), whether typing is a hard gate (immunities) or soft modifier (resistances), armor systems that separate physical and elemental defense (Original Sin 2's dual-armor), and clear feedback on effectiveness. Pitfall: typing that demands constant loadout swapping mid-fight adds friction without depth — the interesting choice is preparation, not menu-diving during combat.

• Dev effort: Medium
• Timing: Real-time or turn-based
• Common in: rpg, arpg

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