Hi everyone!

I have a doubt with the Point Blank talent. If I shoot with two pistols, or with a blaster with automatic fire... Do I have the +1 to damage for evey hit, or just only for the first one?

Only 1 hit per check may benefit, but it doesn't specify which hit, so I'll say that's up to the player.

Is there a rationale for this? I'm not disagreeing with the reply (based on my reading I tend to agree, even if my dual-wielding mercenary soldier doesn't like it)

Is there a rationale for this? I'm not disagreeing with the reply (based on my reading I tend to agree, even if my dual-wielding mercenary soldier doesn't like it)

Probably simple balance. Make a talent to good and it becomes must-have. You want everything to be kinda good, but nothing to be amazing.

I suppose you are right - I guess it's no different than the implementation of barrage or deadly accuracy. Just seems odd to make the talents that clunky (add damage this attack, but not that attack) for what amounts to a couple points.

Those points add up, or at least are perceived to. Strip your players ship of 1 point of armor and see how fast they scramble to get it back, even if you give em boosted shields instead.

Generally FFG RAW is written in the positive, ie. it tells you what a rule does/allows, rather than in the negative, tells you what it doesn't do/allow. It also assumes that all the other rules apply as well so the rule of thumb for this system is unless it specifies that it does assume it doesn't.

I suppose you are right - I guess it's no different than the implementation of barrage or deadly accuracy. Just seems odd to make the talents that clunky (add damage this attack, but not that attack) for what amounts to a couple points.

Point Blank is ranked, so it's as many ranks as you buy, added to Deadly Accuracy and that's a lot of damage on one hit, add in Targeted Blow and it's crazy damage. With a properly tricked out gun and some skill you'd be punching a hole in vehicle armor 2 with no trouble.

I suppose you are right - I guess it's no different than the implementation of barrage or deadly accuracy. Just seems odd to make the talents that clunky (add damage this attack, but not that attack) for what amounts to a couple points.

Point Blank is ranked, so it's as many ranks as you buy, added to Deadly Accuracy and that's a lot of damage on one hit, add in Targeted Blow and it's crazy damage. With a properly tricked out gun and some skill you'd be punching a hole in vehicle armor 2 with no trouble.

I realize these talents are ranked. It just seems odd to me that jury rigged applies to every attack (as does any damage enhancing attachment, for example) and that is not deemed 'overpowered'.

But I can only apply those two points of point blank to my first shot when dual wielding... Just seems inconsistent to me (and needlessly complex, as the modifiers change over the course of a round). But there doesn't seem to be any disagreement on how the rule should be applied - thanks for the replies.

Jury Rigged can only be applied once though. Attachments can break on installation, cost money, time, and xp invested to be viable. Jury Rigged and attachments also only apply to a single weapon in question, whereas talents apply to any weapon a PC picks up.

I also think the talents tend to be more focused on the act of aiming and typically the first shot is the only really well aimed shot. The caliber and design of a gun determines the basic amount of damage it causes, so having attachments and tinkering done to the weapon doesn't have anything to do with the skill or manner in which it's employed.

The rules make sense to me.

Jury Rigged can only be applied once though. Attachments can break on installation, cost money, time, and xp invested to be viable . Jury Rigged and attachments also only apply to a single weapon in question, whereas talents apply to any weapon a PC picks up.

I also think the talents tend to be more focused on the act of aiming and typically the first shot is the only really well aimed shot. The caliber and design of a gun determines the basic amount of damage it causes, so having attachments and tinkering done to the weapon doesn't have anything to do with the skill or manner in which it's employed.

The rules make sense to me.

Any talent also requires 'XP invested to be viable'. I can always take jury rigged again and apply that same damage increase (or other modifier) to another weapon (and dual wield, for example). Yes, a talent like point blank applies to any weapon my PC picks up - but only when the range is engaged/short.

If point blank is interpreted as a 'carefully aimed shot' - and it just happens to apply only to point blank shots - I suppose that in some twisted way it is more rational. I just find the implementation needlessly cumbersome from a mechanics perspective - as I have to add base damage + number of successes + ranks in that talent for the first hit - and that calculus changes for the second damage calculation. It's unnecessarily complex for what would amount for a couple points of damage.

It's required for balance imo mechanically when auto fire weapons are factored in.

It's required for balance imo mechanically when auto fire weapons are factored in.

Thanks very much for your feedback