Element

An **element** is the type of damage that an attack does. There's a total of 12 different elements used in Cognitive Dissonance, with every single enemy and boss having different susceptibility to each element. Various attacks, skills and PSI have different elements as their "type", and some equipment may offer bonus protection against different elements as well.

Elemental weaknesses and resistances are important to know for strategy against tougher enemies. Some of Zarbol's Scan descriptions might point out these weaknesses right away: for example, most Starman enemies are weak to Electricity. Other times, sometimes you simply have to guess and find out (or check the wiki page of whatever you're attacking)!

## Physical

The "non-elemental" element. Most plain attacks are Physical element, including the party's Bash, Riff, and Shoot attacks as well as Alinivar's Limb Abilities.

More armored enemies tend to resist physical attacks, such as the Starman Super and the first form that Master Magnolia takes in their boss battle. Alinivar's Forceful Jab skill lowers this resistance, making it extremely useful.

## Inexplicable

A mysterious, alien element usually used for Geeg Abilities. Named after the descriptions of Giegue's and Giygas' attacks from the main series, Inexplicable attacks tend to ignore any defenses while having few foes resistant to them.

Hilariously, BOING! and DAKOTA! are also classified as Inexplicable element attacks.

## Beam

The element of laser beams. Primarily used by anything that shoots beams, like Starmen, UFOs and other robotic creatures from beyond the stars.

Includes PK Beam, Zarbol's Charged Laser, Chimera Alinivar's Eye Beam, and pretty much *any* attack called "beam" or some variation thereof.

## Electric

The element of anything electrical or able to shock you. There's no Franklin Badge in this game, but fortunately, PSI Reflect seems to work well enough...

Includes PK Thunder, Zarbol's Sparks and Electrocute, Chimera Alinivar's Electro Jab, some of Larice's weapons, and various enemy skills such as "Spit sparks" and "Crash Boom Bang".

## Lowering

This element exists for the sake of enemies being able to resist stat-decreasing moves. There's not much to it besides that, and it works primarily against PSI Defense Down and speed-dropping effects.

## Freeze

The element of ice and everything cold. As it says on the tin, this is the element of PK Freeze, but you can also find it weaponized by enemies with the more rare "Acid Snow Attack". Col. Saturn can also use this element for his Shoot attacks if he has the Icicle gun.

For how common Freeze is as an element, it does a *lot* of damage if enemies are weak to it, up to 255% of the base damage!

## Fire

You might guess that this is the element used for PK Fire, and you would be correct! It's also liberally used for various other attacks, including Zarbol's Napalm launcher, the Flamethrower, and enemy attacks such as "Steam" and "Spit lava".

Plant enemies are often weak to fire, as are enemies on Pluto or at Mars' Last Water.

## Awesome

This element is exclusively used for Alinivar's PK Shockwave. It *is* pretty awesome, isn't it?

## Ballpeen

This element is used exclusively for the dastardly Ballpeen Hammer.

Most foes aren't bothered by it, but it has its uses.

## Rockin'

Because guitars are cool enough to warrant their own element.

This element seems to be used only for Alinivar's guitar weapons. They also use Physical as an element, but Rockin' gives them extra effectiveness in some cases.

## Lifeup

An element used to determine a target's resistance to being healed. This element is only used to determine whether certain characters or enemies cannot be healed, namely Flying Man, Giegue and G-Core. All other characters and enemies can be healed.

## Ground

An element used exclusively for PK Ground. It doesn't appear to be used for anything else due to PK Ground's unique nature.