Why do Plasma Weapons also deal electric damage?

[IonutRO]

So it just dawned on me that the mechanics through which plasma weaponry would harm targets would be through thermal transfer, I.E. fire damage, since at the end of the day it's just very very very hot matter.

So I'm wondering why the Plasmathrower and the Plasma Grenades from the Technology Guide deal only half of their damage as fire and the other half as electric damage.

[DinosaursOnIce]

Lightning is composed of plasma.

[Saldiven]

Fire resistance/immunity is super common?

[Ventnor]

Because science is magic!

[Scrapper]

Plasma is super heated air that has ejected it's outer electron shell, and in the process of thermal transfer/cooling causes a cross-charge transfer of electrons to restore said outer shell in the form of a high rate electrical discharge. In effect, your surrounding environment opposite the side of impact is going to have excess electrons drawn forcibly through you to the point of impact.

In other words, it's going to hurt a lot!

[lemeres]

Because Tesla. Because that is pretty much the best real world example of mad science in the public mind.

[_Ozy_]

Err, no. Plasmas are quasi neutral. Yes, the electrons have been disassociated from the ions, but you have equal numbers of positive and negative charges in the plasma, otherwise the plasma would fly apart from Coulomb forces.

That said, it's make believe, they can do what they want.

[Aelryinth]

It's an approximation to reflect the fact that plasma is a state of matter as energy, is not really fire or lightning, and has elements of both.

Carry on!

==Aelryinth

[Kazaan]

lemeres wrote:

Because Tesla. Because that is pretty much the best real world example of mad science in the public mind.

What people call "Mad Scientists" rarely run controlled experiments to test a hypothesis. Instead, they often build large numbers of prototype, untested devices with reckless neglect of basic safety protocols. So "Mad Scientists" are really just misunderstood "Mad Engineers".

[LazarX]

lemeres wrote:

Because Tesla. Because that is pretty much the best real world example of mad science in the public mind.

So you're saying it's Elon Musk's fault? :)

[Rynjin]

The more direct answer is because the game designers have decided that in the Pathfinder universe, Plasma is a gestalt damage type that consists of Fire and Electricity.

The Kineticist class (in the playtest, and likely in the final version) had a Plasma blast that was Fire and Electricity as well.

[graystone]

_Ozy_ wrote:

Err, no. Plasmas are quasi neutral. Yes, the electrons have been disassociated from the ions, but you have equal numbers of positive and negative charges in the plasma, otherwise the plasma would fly apart from Coulomb forces.

That said, it's make believe, they can do what they want.

This isn't exactly true. There are many variety of plasma phenomena and one is called a non-neutral plasma. Particle beams and positron plasmas are examples. The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory did Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests to prove the viability of plasma acceleration in 2014.

In essence, you can have a plasma composed of a single species of particle (electrons, positrons, and protons).

[Milo v3]

Rynjin wrote:

The Kineticist class (in the playtest, and likely in the final version) had a Plasma blast that was Fire and Electricity as well.

Actually, it's bludgeon and fire. Though I do hope Mark changes it to fire and electricity to fit the rest of the game.

[Albatoonoe]

Plasma, as I hear it (not from being a science guy) is quite conductive. If I were to weaponize plasma in a world where robots are the norm (which would be the case for PF robots), I would want an electric charge paired with each blast.