Combat Luck and Damage Types

[JamesG]

Since Combat Luck is defined as the ability to avoid damage through advanced dodging or ‘dumb luck’, rather than the ability to “soak up” damage, I was wondering if it protected from damage caused by these sources:

1 – Falling Damage.

2 – KB Damage or damage from being Thrown by someone who had grabbed you.

3 – Collision damage (like being inside a vehicle that crashes).

4 – Crushing damage caused by being ‘squeezed’ after being grabbed.

5 – Damage from an AoE attack that completely fills an area (like a classic fireball spell)

6 – Damage from broad front phenomena like a tsunami or a snow avalanche.

7 – I was going to ask about damage shield, but saw the FAQ on that. I would add that Combat Luck always protects against DSs defined as the shielded character ‘striking out’ at his attacker (such as weapon flourishes and counter-strikes).

My thoughts are from “logic” standpoint Combat Luck probably shouldn’t protect against most or all of these, but from a “game balance” standpoint it should (or ‘Luck Based’ should be a bigger Limitation).

Looking forward to the official word.
:)

[Steve Long]

The official word is that I'm not going to try to categorize it too precisely. ;) For every instance where someone could reasonably argue that luck should come into play to prevent a particular type of damage, another gamer could point to another instance of the same type of damage and reasonably argue that luck wouldn't apply. (This reminds me a good bit of D&D debates, way back in the day, about when saving throws should and should not be allowed.)

I think it's best to leave it to the GM to decide on a case-by-case basis, keeping special effects, common sense, and dramatic sense in mind.