What type of chemical agent is designed to cause severe skin damage?

Blister agents are specifically designed to cause severe skin damage and can lead to painful blisters and other significant injuries to the skin and mucous membranes. These agents, such as mustard gas, disrupt the integrity of the skin and can have long-lasting effects, including severe pain and potential complications like infection or long-term skin conditions.

Nerve agents affect the nervous system by disrupting the normal function of neurotransmitters, leading to symptoms such as muscle twitching, loss of muscle control, and respiratory failure, but they do not primarily target the skin. Blood agents, on the other hand, interfere with the body's ability to use oxygen, impacting the circulatory system and causing internal damage rather than external skin injuries. Choking agents primarily damage the respiratory system, leading to asphyxiation or lung injury, rather than causing direct harm to the skin. Thus, blister agents are the correct choice for a chemical agent designed to inflict severe skin damage.