Helpless Target

By Quasimojo, in Rogue Trader Rules Questions

I tried a search to see if this question has been answered already but could not find it anywhere so please let me know if I've missed it. When dealing with a helpless target in melee damage the rulebook states "When rolling damage against such a target, roll twice and add the results." and my question is whether this means you double the amount of d10's you are rolling or you double everything?

In my case, I have a weapon that would normally do 1d10+11 with a pen of 7. If I was attacking a helpless target then would I be doing 2d10+11 with a pen of 7 or 2d10+22 with a pen of 7?

2d10+11.

I'd just let you roll 1d10+SB on the crit chart for a humanoid, and 1d5+SB for Hulking targets. Let them soak with toughness, so you are potentially striking this helpless target multiple times, looking cruel and foolish. (Ie. Like Theon Greyjoy.)

It's kind of an interesting question for me because my character often puts NPCs into the helpless state via snare shells but because I have "take them alive" from manhunter and am wearing a pair of shock gloves and carrying a pair of manacles the way it usually ends up going down if I want the guy for a bounty is I charge the helpless target and tell the GM "I take hi into custody and search him" and in most cases we just consider that the end of it.

Hell even when I don't want the guy I'm more likely just to tell the GM "I use my shock gloves to taz him into submission and seize his weapons" rather than just whoop up on him.

"When rolling damage against such a target, roll twice and add the results."

As written you'd roll your 1d10+11 damage twice, find the results, and add them together, making for 2d10+22. This is because the damage you roll is 1d10+11 not 1d10.

So, based on the replies I have gotten, it looks like it is not clear, haha. Thank you for your responses, but if there is no consensus or clarity, I guess our group will just have to come to an agreement on how we interpret this rule. Spatulaodoom, I tend to agree with your interpretation, I just think it would have been clearer if they just said roll damage normally and double it. The only case I could think of that would be different then, is if you got a potential righteous by rolling twice.

Errant, our group was using the damage the way you suggest above, but I'm not sure I understand why you roll two dice (or double dice) of damage but do not double other damage bonuses.

Errant, our group was using the damage the way you suggest above, but I'm not sure I understand why you roll two dice (or double dice) of damage but do not double other damage bonuses.

Quite so! This would make a 2d10 weapon much more deadly than a 1d10+10 weapon when used vs helpless targets, which seems strange. I'm with the cooking utensil of doom here.