While I am sure this is another question that has it's answer lurking somewhere in the FAQ or deep in the archives of this board, I wanted to here from the experts (that's you!). When you take "damage" from contact with an obstacle or a collision with a ship like the Decimator, does that damage bypass the shields and go straight to the hull?

Consequentially, does an action such as Saboteur go straight to the hull? I guess my definition of "damage" is a little vague. Is damage any harm inflicted a ship, reaching the shields first, then the hull or does some damage bypass shields all together and go straight to the hull?

Thanks in advance for your sage advice and expert testimony on this issue.

"Damage" will always hit shields first and then once shields are gone it starts dealing cards.

Obstacles cause damage so they will hit shields first if there are any.

If an effect says to deal X damage CARDS to the target however, that is bypassing the damage mechanic entirely and so skips shields. Proton bombs are an example of an effect that tells you to deal cards directly.

Saboteur is actually just working on the damage cards that are already on a ship. All it is doing is taking a card that is already there but face down and turning it face up. If there are no damage cards on a ship or if they are all already face up, saboteur can't do anything to that ship.

Thank you so much. That clears up a lot of confusion. I knew I could get the answer here. Thanks again!

If an effect says to deal X damage CARDS to the target however, that is bypassing the damage mechanic entirely and so skips shields. Proximity mines are an example of an effect that tells you to deal cards directly.

Think you mean Proton bombs.

Ack!! Yes. Sigh.

No worries. Trying to think of another example besides proton that deals a damage card.

No worries. Trying to think of another example besides proton that deals a damage card.

Porkins, to himself.

dealt damage is the standard of delivering damage to the shields first then either a damage card face-down for hits or face-up for critical hits.

Being dealt a "damage card" is different. Examples is Porken's facedown damage card when using his ability and rolling a hit or suffering the effects of a detonated proton bomb dealing 1 faceup damage card to all ships at range 1 of the token. When dealing damage cards instead of damage you ignore shield tokens.

Also a little bit on a side note but flipping damage is different from dealing damage. Lets say R2-D2 flipped a damage card face up when using its ability and it had a pilot header, you cannot use determination to discard that card as it wasn't dealt to you face up with the pilot header. Also flipping a card face down is different from discarding it. You still have the damage. With a discard the damage is remove entirely.