diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
index 382d2a66..973b9c1e 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
@@ -378,8 +378,10 @@ using boxfun = hr::function<bbox(int)>;
 
 struct effect {
   power *p;
-  int attack_facing;
-  int attack_when;
+  int facing;
+  int when;
+  int length;
+  hr::function<void(color_t&, int)> cf;
   boxfun f;
   };
 
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/man.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/man.cpp
index 51a72d83..c143c3f8 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/man.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/man.cpp
@@ -185,9 +185,15 @@ void man::launch_attack(power *p, int fac, boxfun f) {
   effects.emplace_back();
   auto& e = effects.back();
   e.p = p;
-  e.attack_facing = fac;
-  e.attack_when = gframeid;
+  e.facing = fac;
+  e.when = gframeid;
   e.f = f;
+  e.length = 50;
+  e.cf = [&] (color_t col, int t) {
+    auto& alpha = part(col, 0);
+    alpha = max<int> (0, alpha - 5 * t);
+    };
+
   auto pb = f(0);
   auto bb = pixel_to_block(pb);
   for(auto& e: current_room->entities)
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp
index cc83507e..3c6b6fd5 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/powers.cpp
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ power& power::be_armor(const vector<vector<string>>& v) {
             m.effects.emplace_back();
             auto& e = m.effects.back();
             e.p = this;
-            e.attack_when = gframeid;
-            e.attack_facing = fac;
+            e.when = gframeid;
+            e.facing = fac;
             e.length = len;
             e.cf = [len] (color_t& col, int t) {
               auto& alpha = part(col, 0);
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/render.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/render.cpp
index 576788e3..4e648136 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/render.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/render.cpp
@@ -250,16 +250,16 @@ void man::draw() {
   auto efs = effects.begin();
 
   for(auto& e: effects) {
-    ld t = gframeid - e.attack_when;
-    if(t < 50) {
+    ld t = gframeid - e.when;
+    if(t < e.length) {
       auto col = e.p->get_color();
-      auto& alpha = part(col, 0);
-      alpha = max<int> (0, alpha - 5 * t);
+      e.cf(col, t);
       auto box = e.f(t);
       asciiletter(
         box.minx, box.miny, // where.x + af * ds.x - ds.x/2, where.y - ds.y/2,
         box.maxx, box.maxy, // where.x + af * ds.x + ds.x/2, where.y + ds.y/2,
-        e.attack_facing == -1 ? "(" : ")", col
+        (e.p->flags & ARMOR) ? ( e.facing == -1 ? "[" : "]" ) :
+        e.facing == -1 ? "(" : ")", col
         );
       *(efs++) = e;
       }