Additional Damage vs. Extra Damage

[Briggans_A_Mad_Scientist]

I apologize if this has been asked before and I couldn't find the thread.

Basically, with the new errata for the clarification of an "instance" of damage, I was looking at what can make benefit of these changes. I came across the wording of "extra damage" from Magus arcane stance and "additional damage" from Inventor overdrive and Barbarian rage. What is the difference between these things? It's very clearly not dependent on damage type, as Instincts and failure on Overdrive change damage type while still saying "additional damage". Basically, I'm asking if these things count as their own instances of damage or if they getting bundled up in some way.

[Finoan]

I do think this is a place that does need some further clarification.

I think the intent is that there are some damage boost abilities that add to existing damage instances and that there are other damage boosting abilities that create a separate instance of damage.

Unfortunately, there are also some damage boosting abilities that are kinda in the middle and can go either way. Rage damage being one of the first that comes to mind.

Currently I am going with:
* Strength bonus adds to existing weapon instance of damage.
* Weapon fundamental runes add to existing weapon instance of damage.
* Weapon Specialization adds to existing weapon instance of damage.
* Precision damage adds to existing weapon instance of damage (because that is what it says to do). This would apply to Sneak Attack, Ranger: Precision Edge, Panache: Precise Strike, Backstabber trait, etc.

Most everything else would be creating a separate instance of damage. This would include:
* Barbarian Rage or other class feature damage boosts that don't use Precision damage rules.
* Property runes.
* Alchemical or Magical consumable effects like Energy Mutagen.
* Spell effects.

And I am dead certain that other people are going to have different rulings on some of these things.

[Claxon]

Well, let's talk about why it would matter for just a second too.

So whether something is additional damage or extra damage would only matter if the enemy has a weakness or resistance that would apply.

If the enemy has neither, then it works out the same.

As for the difference between them, well extra damage is a new instance of damage (possibly being reduced by resistance or triggering weakness).

Whereas additional damage just increases an existing damage source.

[Castilliano]

I think Barbarian Rage is troublesome. It's often an energy type, which feels like a non-weapon chunk of damage, but the default Rage, Fury, & Animal damage seem like more weapon damage. Then there are those that add a separate physical type, like Bludgeoning to your Slashing sword, which gets further muddled if the target treats those differently.

Either adding or factoring separately can lead to wonky outcomes depending on the target.

[Trip.H]

Castilliano wrote:

It's almost like "additional damage" was never intended to be a new instance of damage, and the dev forum post from 2018 was an error.

The only way for Resist All (and Weakness All) to function is if an instance of damage can include multiple *types* of damage at the same time.
If each new type adds an instance, then Resist All makes no sense.

Quote:

It's possible to have resistance to all damage. When an effect deals damage of multiple types and you have resistance to all damage, apply the resistance to each type of damage separately. If an attack would deal 7 slashing damage and 4 fire damage, resistance 5 to all damage would reduce the slashing damage to 2 and negate the fire damage entirely.