Unavoidable and damage type -2

[ShamanX]

So played a game last night and I had an elemental cloak on. Well my oponent casts a zone fire spell that said unavoidable. He contended that unavoidable said defenses could not be used so my -2 fire wasn't applicable. I contested that since unavoidable said defenses and referenced a particular page that it meant just that defense p28.

A third person ruled in my opponents favor and thus we went with him which resulted in my mage being killed. I still contest that I was correct. I kinda wish they used the keyword dodge, instead of defense in this case. Defense is very broad term that could be interpreted as meaning armor or this damage type -2.

Who was correct?

[Shad0w]

Actually the cards apply to different attributes. Unavoidable only refers to the Defense attribute.

Defenses
The gold shield icon represents a Defense attribute. The large number at the top of the shield shows how
effective the Defense is. You cannot use a Defense against an attack that has the Unavoidable trait.

Damage MODIFIERS
Some objects have a trait that makes them particularly strong against, or vulnerable to, certain damage
types. For example, a Knight may have the Lightning +2 trait, while a Demon might have the Flame -2 trait. If a creature has a trait that modifies a type of Damage, the attacker modifies the number of dice rolled by the value of the trait. Also, if the attack has an additional effect, you add or subtract the modifier to the effect die roll.

I hope this helps.

[Klaxas]

shadow is correct.  the flame -2 is NOT a defense

[Shad0w]

Klax has my back on this.

[Klaxas]

hey shadow is there a reason your karma is at -12?

[Shad0w]

hey shadow is there a reason your karma is at -12?

A few people do not like me I guess. After losing over 20 karma in 10 days I stopped  caring.

[Rumsey]

The Damage Modifier can really be seen as a dice modifier instead because it does not alter the end value that was rolled.  Your friend needs to also understand that armor, incorporeal, etc. also are not "defences".

[Shad0w]

The Damage Modifier can really be seen as a dice modifier instead because it does not alter the end value that was rolled. Your friend needs to also understand that armor, incorporeal, etc. also are not "defences".

Good way of looking at it.

[mikeinsandy]

I'm a little confused. If Armor is not considered a defense then what is. Hypothetical here.. I'm a Mage with the trait of fire -2  with a cloak that gives +2 Armor.. The attacker has an unavoidable "fire" spell that would roll 4 dice. Does this mean they would roll only two dice and my +2 armor will not benefit because of the unavoidable trait.

[Arcanus]

Armor is very useful for reducing damage.  In Mage Wars, the term defense is used to specifically refer to an ability which allows you to avoid an attack.  Defenses include things like blocking with a shield, or dodging. They have a chance of avoiding the attack, and that chance is rolled on a d12.

Armor cannot avoid an attack, but it can reduce the damage.  A Defense has a chance to avoid the attack altogether.