Attack Types are optional, advanced combat rules to make your battles even more strategic and dangerous.

There are various forms of attacks, otherwise known as attack types, that do more than just basic damage. Each weapon has at least one attack type that it can perform, which can give you an edge in battle, or the enemy an edge in defeating you. In order to make use of the weapon's attack type, you will need to have at a minimum Weapons Proficiency with that weapon type. 

For example, if you wanted to use the attack type for swords, you will need to have Weapons Proficiency for Swords. Without that skill for that weapon type, your character doesn't know enough about how to handle the weapon properly to make use of the weapon's attack type bonuses.

The attack types are as follows: slashing, piercing, chopping, bashing, bludgeoning, explosive, and energy/magical.

Slashing Attack Type

Slashing is the attack type primarily used by swords, however other weapons make use of it as well. The weapons that use slashing attacks are swords, knives, daggers, claws, scythes, and chakrams.

Slashing attacks provide the following attack bonuses:

• You can cause Bleeding Out status effect if the target is not armored if you make a critical hit, reducing the target's vitality by 1d10 per round for 4 rounds or until bandaged.
• A 001 Critical with a slashing weapon will cut through cloth armor and shields.

Piercing Attack Type

Piercing is the attack type primarily used by spears, however other weapons make use of it as well. The weapons that use or can use piercing attacks are rapiers, spears, arrows, bullets, shells, hira-shuriken, throwing darts, throwing knives, claws, spikes, and any weapon with a piercing attachment or enhancement.

Piercing attacks provide the following attack bonuses:

• If you are attacking a target not wearing armor or wearing cloth armor, you have a chance of inflicting Serious Wounds to the target, if you crit.
• Cloth Armor is ignored. This includes cloth shields. 
• Attacks against all other armor types deal a percentage of the damage directly to the target's Vitality. Typically this is 20%, however some weapons do more or less. 

Chopping Attack Type

Chopping attacks are done by axes. Some enhancements may exists to provide other weapons with a chopping attack type. 

Chopping attacks provide the following bonuses:

• You can cause Bleeding Out status effect if the target is not armored if you make a critical hit, reducing the target's vitality by 1d10 round for 4 rounds or until bandaged.
• Wood shields are useless against chopping attacks.

Bashing Attack Type

Bashing attacks are attacks where you hit someone with something blunt, like swinging a baseball bat at someone. The damage of a bashing attack comes from the density of the weapon combined with the might of the wielder. Rods, staffs, and whips are weapons that are known for bashing attacks.

Bashing attacks provide the following attack bonuses:

• You can cause Fatigue status effect if the target is armored if you make a critical hit, lasting for 4 rounds.
• If the target is not armored, Minor Broken Bones and Fatigue apply if you crit.
• You can make a strength check to daze the target for 1d3 rounds.
• Critical hits knock away shields when the defender is blocking, causing the block to be ineffective.
• A 001 Critical hit will stun the enemy for 1 round.

Bludgeoning Attack Type

Bludgeoning attacks are attacks where you ram into the enemy with force using a blunt object, such as a rod or a staff. Unlike bashing attacks which is batting at the enemy, you are thrusting your weapon into the enemy, with with no piercing end it causes bludgeoning damage instead. 

Bludgeoning attacks provide the following attack bonuses:

• You will knock the air out of the target if the target is unarmored with a critical hit, dazing the target for 1d6 rounds.
• Your attack will always stagger the enemy for one turn, decreasing the target's movement range by half.

Explosive Attack Type

Explosive attack types are attacks that explode at, on, or in a target. Gunpowder and shells are weapons that cause explosive attacks.

Gunpowder provides an area of effect, where anyone in the nearby spaces are also dealt damage.

Shells explode, causing the attack to be wide rage on the target itself, preventing any blocking or other defensive maneuvers. 

Energy / Magic Attack Type

These are attack types that are not physical damage attacks. Typically from weapons such as rune cannons, these attacks cause magical damage. As a result, runic energy would apply to these attacks, and only magic protection from the target's armor would apply. 

Special Weapon Attack Bonuses

On top of each weapon having an attack type, some weapons also have additional attack bonuses that can apply if you meet the requirements. Of course this is just a sampling of the special attack bonuses of each weapon type. For more information on your weapon of choice, you should check out the weapon shops. 

Knives & Daggers

For attacking quickly and rapidly - these weapons aren't powerful but you can get in more hits quickly, you can spend a support action to get an extra attack if you have Basic Weapons Proficiency in Knife & Daggers ability

Swords

The hilt of your sword can act as a bludgeoning weapon, and you can hit with the flat end of your sword as a bludgeoning attack. Both attacks do 10% less damage than your normal sword attack.

Rune Swords: these swords use both magic attack damage and slashing attack damage.

Scythes

The handle of the scythe can act as a bludgeoning weapon, and you can hit with the back end of the scythe head as a bashing attack, dealing 10% less damage than your normal sword attack. You can make use of bashing, bludgeoning, slashing, and chopping attack types with a scythe.

Axes

You also have a 20% chance of causing the Dazed status effect. This is due to the blunt force nature of a heavy axe smashing into armor.

Thrusting Weapons

Spear Shafts:  If you attack with a spear shaft without a spear head, you will only use the spear shaft's attack power and treat it as a bashing attack or bludgeoning attack - depending on if you bash someone with it or ram someone with it.

Solid Spears: You can swing at the enemy using the spear as a bashing weapon but the damage will be decreased by 20%.

Whips

Whips mainly do bashing damage, though strangulation, tripping, and lassoing the target are also methods of attack for the whip.

There is also a 30% chance of Knock Down. Meaning, if you roll 30 or below for your skill or crit check, the target is knocked down.