Damage types in LoL: physical, magic and true (and adaptive damage)
Every bit of damage in the game is one of three types, and each one hits a different defense. Understanding which gets through what tells you why a mage hits an armored fighter like a truck, and why true damage is gold against tanks.
The three types and what stops them
There are exactly three damage types. Physical damage is stopped by armor (auto-attacks and most AD champions). Magic damage is stopped by magic resist (most mages and magic on-hit). True damage is stopped by nothing: it ignores both resistances and lands in full.
The chart shows it with the real engine: out of 1000 raw damage into a target with 100 armor and 60 magic resist, physical gets through 500, magic 625 and true the full 1000. That’s why true damage is so valuable, especially against very defensive targets.
The strategic key: each type attacks a different defense, so the damage you want depends on who you’re hitting. We cover it in how damage is calculated, it ties into health vs resistances, and you can test it against different resistances in the Mitigation Lab.
daño físico recibido = daño × 100 / (100 + armadura) From 1000 raw damage of each type into a target with 100 armor and 60 MR. True damage ignores resistances: all 1000 land. That’s why it’s so valuable against tanks.
Adaptive damage: when the game picks for you
Many runes and effects deal adaptive damage: it’s not a fourth type, but damage that becomes physical or magic depending on which offensive stat is higher. If you have more attack damage (AD), it hits physical; if you have more ability power (AP), it hits magic. On a tie, it usually defaults to AD.
This matters for your build: an adaptive-damage rune works equally well whatever you build, but it still hits the matching resistance. Adaptive doesn’t mean “ignores resistances”: it means “picks the type that fits you best”. To brush up on runes, see runes and their value.
Don’t confuse it with true damage, which does ignore everything. Adaptive is build convenience; true is total penetration. See how your stat profile sets the type in the Build Lab.
Mixed damage: why it’s so hard to defend
A team that deals only physical is easy to stop: everyone buys armor and done. The problem is mixed damage: if your team has physical AND magic threats, the enemy can’t buy just one resistance. They have to split, and end up softer against both.
That’s why balanced compositions are so strong, and why a champion who already deals one type appreciates having some of the other (or true damage) so a single defensive item can’t negate them. It’s the same reason true damage, which no one can “buy against”, is worth so much.
For your game: check the enemy team’s damage types before building defenses. If all their damage is physical, stack armor; if it’s mixed, combine armor, magic resist and health. Test your resistance against each type in the Mitigation Lab and compare builds in Versus.
Damage you take with 100 armor and 0 magic resist. Against 100% physical, your armor halves it; against 100% magic, you block nothing; against a 50/50 split you land in the middle. That’s why, facing a mixed-damage team, a single resistance leaves you halfway: you need to balance both (or add health, which works against everything).
FAQ
What stops true damage in LoL?
Nothing reduces it: true damage ignores armor and magic resist and lands in full. Only shields and damage immunity (invulnerability) stop it. That’s why it’s so valuable against tanks with high resistances.
Is adaptive damage a separate type?
No. Adaptive damage becomes physical or magic based on your highest offensive stat (AD or AP), and hits the matching resistance. It doesn’t ignore resistances like true damage: it just picks the type that fits your build best.
Why is mixed damage so strong?
Because it forces the enemy to split defenses between armor and magic resist instead of stacking one. Against pure physical, buying armor is enough; against mixed damage, no single resistance covers it, so you stay softer against everything.