Pathfinder 1E Deadliest energy or attack type in the rules

[Matthias]

Given the Pathfinder ruleset as written, and only as written, on Paizo's reference document page (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document).

Not count anything that comes out of an artifact, what is the deadliest energy or attack type in the rules? By "deadliest," I mean the energy or attack type with the greatest threat level versus any defense ordinarily available to a mid- to high-level adventuring party. For instance, subdual damage may have the fewest, least reliable, and least-obtainable methods of defense than any other, but it takes *a lot* of subdual damage to put your average mid/high-level adventurer in real jeopardy.

For purposes of this thread we are not broadly considering "magic" as an energy or attack type, because then Wish and Miracle would be by fiat the deadliest energy or attack type. The following list of items should make it clearer what I'm looking for.

* Special materials (cold iron, silver, adamantine, mithral)

* Poisons & diseases, particularly magical diseases and spellblights

* Physical attacks (piercing, slashing, bludgeoning damage)

* Elemental energies (air, earth, fire, water)

* Other energies (acid, cold, lightning, sonic damage)

* Alchemical weapons not otherwise mentioned above

* Draconic breath weapons not otherwise mentioned above

* Positive energy

* Negative energy

* Force

* Ki

* Shadow plane energy (example: any harmful spell with the "shadow" descriptor)

* Energy drain/negative levels

* Alignment energy (good, evil, law, chaos; anything that discusses "holy energy", "unholy energy", et al. should fall into this category)

* Pain (not really an energy type but it might qualify for this list)

* Cursed magic items

(anything else I left out?)

 

[SteelDraco]

Probably force is the most unavoidable - I'm not aware of anything that reduces it. Consequently, sources of force damage deal less damage than more resistable energy types. You'll notice that trend a lot. Divine damage is the same way, but there's not many ways to generate that. Untyped damage is irresistible, and thus really should never show up, but there are a few sources here and there (searing light and vampiric touch, for example).

Negative levels are probably nastiest, but there are at least two creature types flat-out immune to them, undead and constructs. A 4th level spell also helps a lot.

Sonic's probably the best energy type of the big 5. Negative energy is just as limited as negative levels.

 

[Squire James]

Believe it or not, dehydration is one of the most powerful spell effects around. Horrid Wilting is a grave threat to any living creature, bypassing all damage reduction, energy resistances, and even evasion. And it is selective. The only real defenses is Spell Resistance and not being a living creature or water elemental.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I'm going to go with Con poison. So nasty.

 

[paradox42]

I'll second Force. Horrid Wilting is indeed very nasty, and a reliable damage-dealer at high levels, but Force damage hits everything- even Ghosts. It used to hit Ethereal critters too, in fact, making it one effect type which would hit you even on another plane, but PF doesn't have that as part of it.

 

[N'raac]

Someone mentioned negative energy levels. Drowning/suffocation is pretty effective if you can stall out the rounds it will take before the saves kick in. Ability damage is also highly effective.

Why? All three bypass hit points, so they remain highly effective at higher levels. A 15th level fighter isn't too worried about three attacks doing 4d8 + 12. Some will miss, he has lots of hp and the cleric will fix that right up again. His 14 CON and 15th level means he has 117 hp (on average) so he's pretty secure.

How about three attacks doing 1d6 CON damage? That's scary. The Cleric can't cure it spontaneously. He's only got 14 CON, so he sees that resource dwindling fast. Make it STR damage - he has limited STR, every hit downgrades his chances to hit and his damage, and once he's at 0 STR, he's pretty easy to kill, however high his hp might be. INT, WIS or CHA damage? Bet one of those stats got dumped...

And let's not forget that any feats with stat-related prerequ's can't be used if he no longer has the prereq. STR's down to 12? No more Power Attack. DEX falls from 19 to 14? Greater, Improved and base Two Weapon Fighting are gone.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Untyped damage from a spell (and thus no DR allowed), or B/S/P type damage from a spell (still no DR allowed). Stuff like Disintigrate, or Stone Call.

And yeah, negative energy levels and ability drain/damage. But including those feels like cheating.

 

[Empirate]

Of the five that are actually called 'energy' as a game term, I'd never go with sonic - far too few effects make use of sonic damage, and the damage usually isn't that impressive. Acid, on the other hand... even ignores hardness of objects, doesn't it?

 

[Stormonu]

Of the five that are actually called 'energy' as a game term, I'd never go with sonic - far too few effects make use of sonic damage, and the damage usually isn't that impressive. Acid, on the other hand... even ignores hardness of objects, doesn't it?

I believe sonic is the one that ignores hardness; that's why it tends to be rarer and have a lower damage output.

Personally, I'd go with negative levels/energy drain; it only takes a couple of attacks, induces a "death spiral" and eventually can transform an ally into a foe (coming back as undead).

 

[frankthedm]

And yeah, negative energy levels and ability drain/damage. But including those feels like cheating.

You want cheating? Hold Person cast on a foe when your ally is about to act and is within CDG reach.