[esprism]

You can choose 4 different elements but you only apply one element for a single attack.

[Tyrs13]

Our adept just learned about the wonders of Elemental attack, can you say Smoke Elemental? Ignores armor modified by Killing Hands to Lethal Smoke damage.

[voydangel]

Isn't killing hands a prerequisite for elemental strike? Doesn't that make all elemental strike damage Physical regardless of the element chosen? Or would you only (for example) do stun with smoke since the elemental effect overrides the killing hands damage type?

[Chaemera]

Isn't killing hands a prerequisite for elemental strike? Doesn't that make all elemental strike damage Physical regardless of the element chosen? Or would you only (for example) do stun with smoke since the elemental effect overrides the killing hands damage type?

Description for Elemental Strike includes the following:

Elemental strike enhances the effects of Killing Hands with an elemental effect (see p. 164 - 165 of this book and pp. 154 - 155, SR4).

and Killing Strike specifies:

When participating in unarmed combat, you may do normal Stun damage or declare the use of Killing Hands and inflict an equal amount of physical damage instead.

So, if Elemental Strike "enhances" Killing Strike, I would think the damage would have to be physical, since Killing Strike is defined as making your unarmed attacks physical damage.

[voydangel]

So, if Elemental Strike "enhances" Killing Strike, I would think the damage would have to be physical, since Killing Strike is defined as making your unarmed attacks physical damage.

Probably a good call. Never really thought about it though, opens up a whole new ball of wax for physical damage inflicted by sound, smoke, electricity, etc... Very interesting. Especially noting that sound and smoke damage ignore armor completely. 

[Chaemera]

So, if Elemental Strike "enhances" Killing Strike, I would think the damage would have to be physical, since Killing Strike is defined as making your unarmed attacks physical damage.

Probably a good call. Never really thought about it though, opens up a whole new ball of wax for physical damage inflicted by sound, smoke, electricity, etc... Very interesting. Especially noting that sound and smoke damage ignore armor completely. 

Never said it didn't open a can of worms for game balance, just giving as close to a RAW answer as possible. I'd consider looking at house rule options, myself.

Never did like "smoke" as an "element", it's not very "elemental", even from the magical perspective.

Then again, from my perspective, I want to see someone with "helium strike". If we're gonna be elemental, let's be elemental! 

[Nomad Zophiel]

Hmm, interesting. One could read it that Killing Hands turns Stun to Physical but that particular Elements turn it BACK to Stun. Icky.

[Chaemera]

Hmm, interesting. One could read it that Killing Hands turns Stun to Physical but that particular Elements turn it BACK to Stun. Icky.

But, if it's no longer physical, it's no longer killing strike! So killing strike converts it back to physical, elemental strike will then re-convert it back to stun. . . Oh god, the Shadowrun Infinite Loop!

That being said, while I see the problem with smoke / sound for ignoring armor, magic occupies a "special" place where Lightning bolt is the only thing in the core rules (SR4A only) where electricity suddenly is physical instead of stun damage. (see big long chat here) So, I can see an intention of it being physical damage, it just gets real cheesy when you add in smoke / sound.

I think they meant it to be physical elemental damage in all cases, I just also think they didn't think about all the cases they had available.

I'd probably house-rule it.

[Nomad Zophiel]

Well, cross referencing to the point of headache I agree. The intent seems to be more or less "elemental effects do physical damage at half impact armor" (see Elemental Effects in the SR4 magic section. Pg 204 in 4A) and then extra resistance can come from whatever is appropriate (insulation for cold, respirators for smoke etc). Then each element has a special effect. The one to really fear is Killing Acid Hands which, if I'm reading right, ignores half Impact then does its damage once per turn for several turns all while eating your armor. This gives me all sorts of bad ideas involving an adpet who is immune to a particular toxin on one hand and has Acid Hands and gas grenades. Is there a particular Quality/implant/Adept power that provides total immunity to a single toxin?

For my own house rule, if I was ever required to provide one, it would work like this:
Elemental Strike works based on the element you choose. Physical damage elements ignore 1/2 impact. Elements which ignore all armor deal stun damage. Basically, Elemental Strike's damage type supersedes Killing Hands. Don't want to do stun damage, pick an element that is resisted with 1/2 impact or don't activate your Stun strike.

[The_Gun_Nut]

Which makes the high armor PC's cry.  A lot.  And that's not counting the fumes that come off the armor, either.

[Sichr]

IMHO

Doing physical damage with the elemental effect. If we talk about lightning, add electricity stun damage resisted with half of impact armor.
if you get -2 mod for being hurt and another -2 mod for being stunned, its pretty bad for you...

[Chrona]

does its damage once per turn for several turns all while eating your armor.

In the Acid spell descriptions it says Magic acid disapears after one turn, i assume thatd happen with elemental strike too unless you grapple and keep hold