Take them Alive

By Wolfgang123, in Rogue Trader Rules Questions

I'm not sure if this has been answered or i just didn't find it, but i have a question about the rules.

Take them Alive (talent)
Prerequisites: Perception 35 and either Sure Strike or
Deadeye Shot
The Explorer is well versed in laying his enemies low without
killing them, able to incapacitate his targets and limit the
damage he inflicts to them. When the Explorer makes a Called
Shot attack against an enemy, he may choose to reduce the
damage he inflicts after reduction by the target’s Armour or
Toughness Bonus by a number equal to his Perception Bonus,
and inflict a level of Fatigue for each point of damage reduced
in this way. In addition, the Explorer’s familiarity with nonlethal
weaponry means that enemies do not gain the usual
bonuses from armour to resist the stunning effect of Shocking
weapons, and suffer a –10 penalty to avoid or escape any
attack with the Snare quality.
Thats the Take them alive talent. My question is about this part.
When the Explorer makes a Called
Shot attack against an enemy, he may choose to reduce the
damage he inflicts after reduction by the target’s Armour or
Toughness Bonus by a number equal to his Perception Bonus,
and inflict a level of Fatigue for each point of damage reduced
in this way.

When it says He may choose to reduce the damage he inflicts after reduction by the targets armour or toughness bonus. Is it a typo or is it supposed to work like it reads here?

Welcome to the forums.

Now, I don't see why it wouldn't work exactly as stated. Is there something that appears confusing to you, if so, what?

The gm believes it should be reduced by either both or toughness. I started looking around the forums, because he asked me to find a thread talking about it. From what i understood he thinks its illogical to pass through toughness which i agree with.

Also thanks for the quick response and warm welcome.

Edited by Wolfgang123

The gm believes it should be reduced by either both or toughness. I started looking around the forums, because he asked me to find a thread talking about it. From what i understood he thinks its illogical to pass through toughness which i agree with.

Also thanks for the quick response and warm welcome.

Well, by RAW, it works exactly like any other attack, except that before applying the resulting damage, you may choose to reduce the amount of damage by an amount up to your Perception Bonus, and apply an equal amount of Fatigue.

There is not really any way to tinker with this formula without completely rewriting the way the Talent works mechanically. Not a way I can think of, anyway.

I want to stress that by RAW, applying even a single point of Fatigue is incredibly powerful (-10 to all Characteristics). Subsequent applications of Fatigue is much less impressive, but as soon as the Fatigue is greater than the Toughness Bonus, the target passes out for 10 minutes minus the Toughness Bonus.

A single Combat Round is 3-5 seconds. So. Yeah. Fatigue is strong.

So i should reduce my damage after it has been reduced by both instead of reducing it after either toughness or armour?

I want to stress that by RAW, applying even a single point of Fatigue is incredibly powerful (-10 to all Characteristics). Subsequent applications of Fatigue is much less impressive, but as soon as the Fatigue is greater than the Toughness Bonus, the target passes out for 10 minutes minus the Toughness Bonus.

What happens when the explorer is an Ork and their toughness bonus is 10 (or higher)? They pass out for 10-10 minutes?

So i should reduce my damage after it has been reduced by both instead of reducing it after either toughness or armour?

That is the only reading I can make that makes sense.

I want to stress that by RAW, applying even a single point of Fatigue is incredibly powerful (-10 to all Characteristics). Subsequent applications of Fatigue is much less impressive, but as soon as the Fatigue is greater than the Toughness Bonus, the target passes out for 10 minutes minus the Toughness Bonus.

What happens when the explorer is an Ork and their toughness bonus is 10 (or higher)? They pass out for 10-10 minutes?

He sleep-WAAAAAAAAGHS.

I see no problem with Orks not passing out from Fatigue by the way. All the fluff indicates that Orks fight on even after sustaining wounds that should drop anyone else.

I want to stress that by RAW, applying even a single point of Fatigue is incredibly powerful (-10 to all Characteristics). Subsequent applications of Fatigue is much less impressive, but as soon as the Fatigue is greater than the Toughness Bonus, the target passes out for 10 minutes minus the Toughness Bonus.

My character has take them alive, it might potentially seem OP but the part that requires it be a called shot sort of dampens it's overall usefulness since it means that even if you've spent the xp to get where I have and don't take penalties for called shots they still take a full action to do which means you're usually rolling against something close to your base BS.

What happens when the explorer is an Ork and their toughness bonus is 10 (or higher)? They pass out for 10-10 minutes?

I'd rule that they remain unconcious for one minute.

My character has take them alive, it might potentially seem OP but the part that requires it be a called shot sort of dampens it's overall usefulness since it means that even if you've spent the xp to get where I have and don't take penalties for called shots they still take a full action to do which means you're usually rolling against something close to your base BS.

What happens when the explorer is an Ork and their toughness bonus is 10 (or higher)? They pass out for 10-10 minutes?

I'd rule that they remain unconcious for one minute.

By RAW, there's a lot of things that simply cannot go unconscious from Fatigue. The rule really should be rewritten.

My knee-jerk reaction is to simply impose another -10 to all Tests until Fatigue exceeds twice the Toughness Bonus, at which point the target falls unconscious for 20 minutes minus their Toughness Bonus. If for whatever reason someone is still awake at that time, this impose yet another -10 (now we're at -30) until three times the Toughness Bonus, fall unconscious for 30 minutes minus Toughness Bonus.

If anything has a Toughness Bonus greater than 30, it doesn't really matter anymore, just give up.