5.2 Calculating Damage

Normally, the abilities you use will tell you how to calculate your damage. This section explains some special circumstances which can change how your damage is calculated.

5.2.1 Weapon Damage

Strikes deal damage based on the weapon you use them with. Your weapon damage is normally equal to the weapon’s damage die or dice, as defined in the Equipment chapter (see Weapons). Some abilities multiply your weapon damage with a particular strike. That does not multiply other damage dealt by the strike, such as the damage from your power or any extra damage.

5.2.2 Extra Damage

Some abilities add extra damage to your damaging attacks. Extra damage generally works in the same way as damage that is inherently part of the attack. It is halved on a glancing blow, doubled on a critical hit, and so on. Attacks that deal double damage also double their extra damage. Some attacks specifically double any extra damage that applies to them.

Extra damage only applies once per attack roll to any individual creature. For example, the corrosive grasp spell deals damage immediately, and again during your next action. Because both of those damage instances are caused by a single attack roll, extra damage only applies to the first damage instance. However, a wall of fire would apply extra damage each time a creature passes through it, since a separate attack is made for each instance of damage.

Exra damage is only applied to damage directly caused by your attacks. It does not apply to damaging conditions you inflict, poisons, or other special effects. For example, an empowered creature that uses an ability which flings a creature does not apply the extra damage to the impact from the fling, if any.

Minimum Damage

A damaging attack always deals at least 1 damage before applying any effects from the defender. This is typically only relevant for extremely weak creatures. For example, a cat has a bite attack that deals 1d8
minus4 damage. If the cat rolled a 2 for damage, which would be a total of
minus2, it would still deal 1 damage.