Damage: how big is the package size?

[Beldin]

When a creature takes damage from a single source does it take all the damage at once or does it take it in singular packets? This is important as there are immediate effects in the game that are triggered on "HIT". I understand I maybe approaching this from the wrong angle, but would like an official call on this.

[Zuberi]

Oh "hit" means the attack successfully reached the damage and effects step. You don't even have to deal damage, unless that's a separate stipulation of the effect. If you do deal damage, it is done all at once. Damage is done before Effects happen though. There was at one point a discussion whether damage and effects were simultaneous, with the consensus leaning towards they were, but it has since been decided that damage happens first. This just works better for a lot of things. For example, Corrode.

[iNano78]

For other purposes, I think the damage is dealt 1 point at a time. For evidence, see how Vampiric type abilities work: you only gain life for each point of damage dealt, up to the "life minus damage" left on the targeted creature. You can't get credit for overkill damage beyond what it would take to destroy the target.

A ruling related to this can be found here:
http://forum.arcanewonders.com/index.php?topic=16837.msg69761#msg69761

[Coshade]

Nano has an unique perspective here. What is interesting is the sword of radiance will gain a valor if you do 5 or more damage but the defender had less then 5 total life. This makes me think there is not a standard

[Zuberi]

There isn't currently a standard, but damage is definitely all dealt at once. You just have to review on a case by case basis whether excess damage matters. There's a bit more to this story, but I'm not sure how much I'm at liberty to say, so we'll leave it at the fact that Arcane Wonders knows this is a bit confusing and is working on a solution.

[Kelanen]

I 'm sure damage is dealt all at once, Vampiric just has a cap on how much damage it references...