I was just sorting out my Psi Sleights, having recently played the first session in which we had combat, sorting out the combat rules, and so on and so forth, and as I was taking notes down just now, I was reading my Psychic Stab sleight.
The Psychic Stab sleight specifically says "Increase the damage by +5 if an Excellent Success is scored."
But, as per the combat rules, a successful attack with which you gain an Excellent Success (which seems to happen a lot, we even had multiple Excellent Success x2, for +10) applies +5 damage.
Is this intended to stack with Psychic Stab? Would a Psychic Stab that gains an excellent success really gain +10 damage? And if it's an Excellent Success x2, +15?
I can't read it any other way, but it seems crazy high, especially for something that's only a 1d10 roll. With Potent Mind and 30 Willpower, assuming "only" an Excellent Success, We're talking 2d10+13.
If that same Potent Mind Psychic Stab (2d10+(WIL/10)+10) is delivered as part of an Unarmed Attack using Densiplast Gloves (1d10+(SOM/10)+2) and a SOM of 12 (rounded up), we're talking a mind-boggling 3d10+17 from an unarmed attack.
In hindsight, I regret not just straight-up making a psychic space-monk.
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Psychic Stab, Excellent Success - Intended or Oversight?
Tue, 2016-10-18 16:03
#1
Psychic Stab, Excellent Success - Intended or Oversight?
Tue, 2016-10-18 16:42
#2
I assume it's just confirming
I assume it's just confirming that despite being a Psi-Sleight, the normal attack roll rules (+5/+10 for 30+/60+ respectively). Alternatively, BECAUSE it is a Psi-Sleight, not a normal combat roll or combat skill, it doesn't benefit from the blanket Excellent Success rule for bonus damage, and thus has to specify it does so as part of the sleight (and as an oversight, does not offer the +10, but you're ignoring armor all the time anyway). I'd personally say either interpretation could be correct, until a developer clarifies, but not a maximum of +15 DV, I don't think there's enough reason to say they overlap.
Not that it's a huge balancing issue, since doesn't a Crit Success with Psi Stab do x2 DV?
Also, as a further addendum, I don't think the damage works the way you think it works. For starts, DB is SOM/10 rounded down, so a 12 would be a +1 (also why are your aptitudes not in 5s, why do you hate clean numbers). Even if you do both attacks at the same time (which technically I think you can, just not with the Touch attack bonus), the DV doesn't straight up stack, the Densiplast is reduced by AV so you'd roll that pool separately.
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Tue, 2016-10-18 17:06
#3
I was under the impression
I was under the impression that all bonuses overlap? Or at the very least, I haven't seen anything that suggests or clarifies otherwise. I realize that a mistake can have been made, the +5 being mistakenly listed or an exception to psi-damage not gaining the +5/+10 for Excellent Successes, but bar that, I don't see why it shouldn't stack up to +15.
And yes, Criticals either do double damage or bypasses mental armor.
But you're correct on the issue of rounding down for SOM. It's an oddity in the system that you seemingly round up or down. For example, the Psychic Stab bonus (WIL/10) is explicitly rounded up, while I had to dig around the combat rules a lot before I found the line that said that melee damage bonus (SOM/10) is rounded down. Very inconsistent.
And I completely forgot about the separation between physical damage and psi damage when I was writing this, I realized it shortly afterwards, so yeah, those'd have to be rolled separately, meaning that the Densiplast Gloves might be completely ignored.
And the reason my Aptitude numbers aren't divisible by 5 is because Aptitude Points are expensive. :p
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Tue, 2016-10-18 19:30
#4
They'd overlap only if they
They'd overlap only if they are different bonuses which are both applied to the roll, which was my point. The bonus DV probably either a reminder of the rule when it comes to Psi-Stab (since it's in a completely different section to the normal combat and action rules), or because Psi-Stab does not technically follow the bonus damage rule. This is a possible interpretation, as while the combat summary calls out Psi Attacks, Psi Assault isn't actually a combat skill. Psychic Stab is referred to as an attack, but you could make the argument it's not a normal attack roll (It's Psi Assault vs WIL x2). This is a little semantic-y for my taste, but a GM low-balling Psi could go with it. I mean, if you deliberately crash into someone with a vehicle, does that inflict bonus DV for an Excellent Success? Given the way the section is phrased and the curve on that damage, I'm pretty sure that's not Rules as Intended there. Given the similar curve on Psi Stab (even adding in Strong Mind later as a bonus), while it is genuinely possible that +15 might be the max bonus DV, and I'm not wholly opposed to the idea, it just doesn't sound right. "You get +5 bonus DV for getting an Excellent Success, and another +5 bonus DV for getting an excellent success".
Right, but the default amount the game gives you evenly divides into divisibles by 5. And all NPCs and later CC methods (like Transhuman's alternates) are all divisible by 5. It's a real smooth fit for the percentiles. And, cost efficiency wise, buying just 2 points of SOM at creation is REALLY not worth it. For the equivalent value in credits you could get like +20 SOM worth in implants. But "Game Devs, why do you hate character advancement?" is a discussion for a seperate time.—
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Tue, 2016-10-18 19:37
#5
A psychic space monk pales on
A psychic space monk pales on comparison to a psychic space forklift, just brainbox a Daitya. It's not clear in the rules if the +5 from psychic stab as additional damage, or a restatement of the extra damage given to attacks.
Wed, 2016-10-19 00:39
#6
Buying aptitude bonuses are
Buying aptitude bonuses are not usually worth it. Morphs and augments can bestow aptitude bonuses for cheaper. Increasing an aptitude for your ego by 1 costs you 10 cp, but aptitude bonuses gained using the morph creation rules is can range from 1.5 to 2.125 cp a piece. You also get good mileage from augments, even as after purchase mods.
Chances are you will be better off buying skill ranks instead of aptitude ranks. An aptitude increase by 1 costs as much as 10 skill ranks. Consider buying moxie instead as it can do a lot for your dice rolls when you need it.
Remember, you should treat morphs as gear. Use what suits your needs. If your morph is no longer a good choice, consider switching morphs.
Wed, 2016-10-19 01:49
#7
There are exceptions, SOM,
There are exceptions, SOM, WIL, and to a smaller extent INT, COG, and SAV all get used as base values for a number of checks. Not being tied to a specific morph by aptitude bonuses is also pretty freeing, though IMO it's bad to ever get ego only aptitudes above 30, except maybe SOM and WIL.
Wed, 2016-10-19 11:06
#8
DivineWrath wrote:Buying
As much as this is great min/maxing advice, it wouldn't fit the character at all. He's quite paranoid about losing his own body, and if at all possible, he'd like to keep it for as long as possible. Had he not been in enormous debt, he would probably have been making a few clones just to keep as backup.
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