Damage over Time

[Gabriel]

I know that with the current DR system that rapid-firing weapons (such as machine guns) have a DR equivalent of hitting a target over a certain period of time. My question is, is there a standardized time set for the damage?

For example: If the DR of a machine gun was 4PDR, how much time of hitting the target would it take to do that 4PDR.

Something in my mind says it's standardized to 5 seconds, but I also think it might be 3 seconds.

------------------------

*Note: This section assumes that answer to the above question is 5 seconds. If the correct answer is not 5 seconds then change the math accordingly.*


Secondly, does damage multiply evenly when a high damage round at a high rate of fire? If I find a way to take a 2 ADR weapon and alter it to fire at 3 rounds a seconds for 5 seconds, would that weapon now do 6 SDR of damage? (2 ADR * 3 rps * 5 seconds = 30 ADR = 6 SDR)

I'm assuming that the above logic is incorrect, and was mostly wondering what alteration to damage would be for such a weapon.

 

[Ira]

Well I made a flame thrower that does 3 PDR over time, and considering each post is roughly 6-10 seconds, that means that the flame thrower does and additional 3PDR over each post. post one = 3PDR, the next post = 6 PDR, and so on.

 

[Fred]

Yes, the present DR system takes into account that the damage you deal is an average within X amount of time - I usually think of it as 10 seconds (in my plot, such allows for attacks, movement, evasions and conversations between PCs).

An ADR3 weapon like a plasma rifle may manage to do that damage in a couple of hits while the ADR3 LASR amounts to similar damage through high rate of fire. Regardless, high rate of fire does not multiply the DR value delivered on a hit

The more important part for you to retain, though, is that ADR and SDR are distinct. ADR is a measurement of damage on the scale of power armor units, but it also gives a message that "this weapon can penetrate power armor-level armor", but those weapons won't be able to put much of a dent in starship armor. There's no way you're going to do SDR-tier damage just because you're pouring a lot of firepower really quick.

Of course, contextually, this could change. You're a GM - if you're running a plot and feel you should make an exception to have things make more sense in your mind's eye, you're free to do so.

 

[Gabriel]

I never intended to do that kind of damage Fred, I was just wondering how exactly that would have worked. Thanks guys, that helped a lot!