Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder causes your cat to gain Fear and +2 Damage whenever it takes damage. Fear is a crowd control effect that forces the cat to run away from the source of damage on its next turn, disrupting positioning. However, the +2 Damage bonus increases attack power, making the cat hit harder after being hit. This creates a reactive fighter that becomes more dangerous when threatened but also loses positional control.

PTSD is heritable and can pass from parent to kitten through breeding. It can also be acquired through events or applied with a Disorder Syringe from the Organ Grinder. The dual trigger of Fear and +2 Damage on every damage instance creates a push-pull dynamic: you get stronger but lose control of movement. The +2 Damage stacks if the cat takes multiple hits, potentially creating massive damage bonuses in fights where the cat absorbs a lot of punishment.

Strategically, PTSD works well on ranged cats where the Fear-induced retreat aligns with their desired positioning. A ranged cat that gets hit, runs away, and then attacks with boosted damage is actually playing optimally. On melee cats, the Fear is more problematic since it pulls them away from their targets. Soulless (immune to debuffs) might negate the Fear while keeping the damage bonus if Fear is classified as a debuff. PTSD is one of the more interesting disorders because it can be either beneficial or harmful depending on the cat's role.