Physical damage

From Guild Wars Wiki

This article is about the damage type. For attacks with martial weapons, see physical attack.

Physical damage is a type of damage which includes three subtypes:

• Blunt damage is usually dealt by hammers.
• Piercing damage is usually dealt by bows, daggers, and spears.
• Slashing damage is usually dealt by swords, axes, daggers, and scythes.

Any source of damage from these types will trigger effects that check for physical damage.

Physical damage is a damage type caused by the majority of non-magical physical attacks, such as those performed by rangers, warriors, dervishes, paragons, and assassins. Physical damage is a common damage type, and as such many skills cause it or prevent it. Many skills are also triggered by this damage type, such as Order of the Vampire. Controlling the damage types of your party or of enemy teams can mean huge changes in damage output.

In addition to blunt, piercing and slashing damage, a few skills, such as Ursan Rage, inflict generic physical damage without any subtype. Some skills (i.e. Splinter Weapon) also deal armor-ignoring damage, which is classified as physical damage by skills which benefit from physical damage.

[edit] Equipment which protects against physical damage

• Armor
  • Stalwart Insignia
  • Basic Warrior armor
  • Knight's Insignia
  • Infiltrator's Insignia
  • Saboteur's Insignia
  • Vanguard's Insignia
• Inscriptions
  • Focus item Inscriptions
    • "Survival of the Fittest"
  • Focus item or Shield Inscriptions
    • "Luck of the Draw" (20% chance)
    • "Sheltered by Faith" (while enchanted)
    • "Nothing to Fear" (while hexed)
    • "Run for your Life!" (while in a stance)
• Suffix upgrades
  • Axe Grip of Shelter
  • Hammer Grip of Shelter
  • Sword Pommel of Shelter
  • Bow Grip of Shelter
  • Dagger Handle of Shelter
  • Spear Grip of Shelter
  • Scythe Grip of Shelter
  • Staff Wrapping of Shelter

[edit] Skills which protect against physical damage

• Stances
  • Physical Resistance (also reduces armor vs. Elemental damage)
• Enchantments
  • Armor of Frost
  • Frigid Armor

[edit] Skills which benefit from physical damage

• Hex Spells
  • Barbs
  • Mark of Pain
• Enchantment Spells
  • Order of Apostasy (Elite)
  • Order of the Vampire (Elite)
  • Order of Pain
• Well Spells
  • Well of Ruin
• Nature Rituals
  • Winnowing

---

Damage types
Elemental damage	Cold damage • Earth damage • Fire damage • Lightning damage
Physical damage	Blunt damage • Piercing damage • Slashing damage
Miscellaneous	Chaos damage • Dark damage • Holy damage • Shadow damage