Quick question. When you are calculating damage of a melee or brawn attack, is it weapon damage + brawn rating +.successes? Or just weapon damage + successes?

From what I've read, it's the latter but I wanted to ask because one of the player's in the group had a rating of 4 for brawn and does more damage with no weapons than he did with his vibroknife.

I can not find right now, any specific line that says that you add brawn to the +x damage in the melee weapon profiles. I myself was sure that it is always brawn+damage modifier+successes.

One success is where you use the base damage, each success in that roll is added as one damage after that in that roll, So a Brawn 4 would do 4 damage and each success (say 2 other successes) would come to 6 damage. With a brawl weapon of +1 one would add another point of damage for a total of 7 damage. Then you look at the soak of the target, which if it has a soak of 2 would only do a total of 5 damage to the target.

So brawn of 4 (initial success) equaling 4 damage + each additional success equaling +1 damage only + weapon damage which ranges anywhere from a +1 to, I think, a +3 minus soak of target. It takes 5 advantage or so to score a crit.

I think you are adding your successes wrong. If I did that with a baster with a damage rating of 7 and scored 3 success it would add up to 35 damage minus soak. At least that's what it sounds like you are doing to me with brawl.

EotE CRB, Page 166:

I try to encourage fist and melee combat as much as I can, I kind of enjoy the Indiana Jones aspect of having some jump goons onto the groups speeder, too close for direct weapons fire, but just perfect for some punching and grappling.

If the character is using a melee weapon that says "+1" or "+3" or whatever, you add Brawn and successes. If it just has a straight damage listing (like the cattle prod thing from Far Horizons) you just add successes like with a blaster.

One success is where you use the base damage, each success in that roll is added as one damage after that in that roll, So a Brawn 4 would do 4 damage and each success (say 2 other successes) would come to 6 damage. With a brawl weapon of +1 one would add another point of damage for a total of 7 damage. Then you look at the soak of the target, which if it has a soak of 2 would only do a total of 5 damage to the target.

So brawn of 4 (initial success) equaling 4 damage + each additional success equaling +1 damage only + weapon damage which ranges anywhere from a +1 to, I think, a +3 minus soak of target. It takes 5 advantage or so to score a crit.

I think you are adding your successes wrong. If I did that with a baster with a damage rating of 7 and scored 3 success it would add up to 35 damage minus soak. At least that's what it sounds like you are doing to me with brawl.

Quick clarification: each uncancelled success adds to the damage.

CRB205 POOL RESULTS AND DEAL DAMAGE: "When making a combat check, if the check is successful, each uncanceled [success symbol] adds + 1 damage to a successful attack."

Even with just one success, you're dealing Brawn + weapon bonus + 1.

-EF

One success is where you use the base damage, each success in that roll is added as one damage after that in that roll, So a Brawn 4 would do 4 damage and each success (say 2 other successes) would come to 6 damage. With a brawl weapon of +1 one would add another point of damage for a total of 7 damage. Then you look at the soak of the target, which if it has a soak of 2 would only do a total of 5 damage to the target.

So brawn of 4 (initial success) equaling 4 damage + each additional success equaling +1 damage only + weapon damage which ranges anywhere from a +1 to, I think, a +3 minus soak of target. It takes 5 advantage or so to score a crit.

I think you are adding your successes wrong. If I did that with a baster with a damage rating of 7 and scored 3 success it would add up to 35 damage minus soak. At least that's what it sounds like you are doing to me with brawl.

Quick clarification: each uncancelled success adds to the damage.

CRB205 POOL RESULTS AND DEAL DAMAGE: "When making a combat check, if the check is successful, each uncanceled [success symbol] adds + 1 damage to a successful attack."

Even with just one success, you're dealing Brawn + weapon bonus + 1.

-EF

Figured that I wouldn't have to explain that as a given. Guess i could have said uncanceled success.

Osprey, this sentence is what confused me: "So brawn of 4 (initial success) equaling 4 damage + each additional success equaling +1 damage only + weapon damage…"

It reads, to me, that the first success does base damage and you only add to damage if you roll 2 or more successes. I apologize if I misread what you wrote.

-EF

I can see that now, I was just saying that each success didn't carry the full damage of the hit, so...Brawn damage 4, +1 damage per uncanceled success, +the bonus damage the weapon may get, minus the soak.

One uncanceled success with a brawn of 4 would be 4 damage minus soak.

2 uncanceled success with a brawn of 4 would be 5 damage minus soak, and so on.

EF, did I say that right?

One uncanceled success with a brawn of 4 would be 4 damage minus soak.

Brawn + weapon damage + uncancelled successes - Soak

Edit:

For ranged weapons it's:

Weapon damage + uncancelled successes - Soak

You don't skip the first success when applying damage.

One uncanceled success with a brawn of 4 would be 4 damage minus soak.

No, that would be 5 damage plus weapon damage bonus minus soak. You're over thinking it, it really is this simple:

Brawn + weapon damage + uncancelled successes - Soak

Actually 1 success on the roll is just that and should would be a 4, this is no weapons and no other uncanceled successes. So 4, is the proper answer.

Well, your second example said Brawn 4 plus 2 successes is 5 damage, when it should be 6, so you're either consistent with typos or you're not calculating it per RAW.

Well, your second example said Brawn 4 plus 2 successes is 5 damage, when it should be 6, so you're either consistent with typos or you're not calculating it per RAW.

Look at my edit, no typos.

I have a brawn 4.

I roll 4 green dice, only 1 comes up with a success, my brawn is 4, so damage is 4 (yes, I didn't state the amount of difficulty dice, or set backs to keep it simple).

Same situation, but have 2 successes, one success does 4 damage, the next adds just one. That's a total of 5.

Well, your second example said Brawn 4 plus 2 successes is 5 damage, when it should be 6, so you're either consistent with typos or you're not calculating it per RAW.

Look at my edit, no typos.

I have a brawn 4.

I roll 4 green dice, only 1 comes up with a success, my brawn is 4, so damage is 4 (yes, I didn't state the amount of difficulty dice, or set backs to keep it simple).

Same situation, but have 2 successes, one success does 4 damage, the next adds just one. That's a total of 5.

Or did I state that wrong? I am just thinking that the first uncanceled success would be the base damage and all the extra uncanceled successes would add 1 due to having to successfully hit the target. Either way, you are not getting 4 damage per uncanceled success, which I believe is what the OP was eluding to when he asked his question.

"One success is where you use the base damage"

This is just not true.

It's not like if you roll 3 success, then you only add 2 damage to your weapon's damage (regardless of whether it's based on Brawn or it's a ranged weapon).

If you rolled 3 uncancelled success, it's not as though the 'first' success means 'you use the base damage'.

You just take the number of successes and add it to the damage. If you rolled 1 uncancelled success, then you add 1 to the damage. If you rolled 2 you add 2.

I'm pretty sure there was an entry in the FAQ or Errata addressing just this misconception, wasn't there?

"One success is where you use the base damage"

This is just not true.

It's not like if you roll 3 success, then you only add 2 damage to your weapon's damage (regardless of whether it's based on Brawn or it's a ranged weapon).

If you rolled 3 uncancelled success, it's not as though the 'first' success means 'you use the base damage'.

You just take the number of successes and add it to the damage. If you rolled 1 uncancelled success, then you add 1 to the damage. If you rolled 2 you add 2.

I'm pretty sure there was an entry in the FAQ or Errata addressing just this misconception, wasn't there?

Thank you for clearing that up.

Not wanting to quote myself or anything, but:

When making a combat check, if the check is successful each uncanceled Success adds +1 damage to a successful attack. If the attack affects multiple targets, the additional damage is added to each target.

ALL net (uncanceled) successes add to damage. You don't have to "spend" one to "activate" the weapon or anything. Your minimum damage, with a successful roll of one net success, will be brawn + weapon add + 1.

"One success is where you use the base damage"

This is just not true.

It's not like if you roll 3 success, then you only add 2 damage to your weapon's damage (regardless of whether it's based on Brawn or it's a ranged weapon).

If you rolled 3 uncancelled success, it's not as though the 'first' success means 'you use the base damage'.

You just take the number of successes and add it to the damage. If you rolled 1 uncancelled success, then you add 1 to the damage. If you rolled 2 you add 2.

I'm pretty sure there was an entry in the FAQ or Errata addressing just this misconception, wasn't there?

Not wanting to quote myself or anything, but:

When making a combat check, if the check is successful each uncanceled Success adds +1 damage to a successful attack. If the attack affects multiple targets, the additional damage is added to each target.

ALL net (uncanceled) successes add to damage. You don't have to "spend" one to "activate" the weapon or anything. Your minimum damage, with a successful roll of one net success, will be brawn + weapon add + 1.

Oggy, correct me if I am wrong, but you stated what I did, without the weapon, I just didn't do it as eloquently as you.

So which is it? I understand progressions's take but it seems different from what you stated.

Option 1: Brawn is 4

4 green dice are rolled

Damage on one uncanceled success is 4+weapon damage of +1 or higher (brass knuckles is +1, Blast knuckles is +4 so depending on what the additional damage is for the weapon) - soak.

Brawn is 4

Damage on 2 uncanceled success is 4 + 1 (for extra success) + 1 or higher for weapon (see above) - Soak

And so on.

Option 2: Brawn 4

Damage on uncanceled success 4+2 (successes)+1 weapon - soak

Damage on 2 uncanceled success is 4 + 2 + 1 for weapon - soak

And so on.

Please clarify as it seems there are 2 very well respected posters on here and their interpretation aren't matching to me. I am seriously trying to clear this up for myself.

You count all uncancelled successes towards the damage total.

Prog and I said the same thing. I probably shouldn't have used the term "weapon add", that might be confusing. Read it as "Additional weapon damage" Melee weapon damage is generally stated as "+X", meaning it's added to brawn to get the base damage. So a melee weapon with an "additional weapon damage" value of "+2" and a dice result that nets just one success would do brawn + 2 (additional weapon damage) + 1 (from the one success).

Again, you don't ignore the first success. This is true with ranged damage as well. All uncanceled successes contribute to damage.

From the FAQ:

Q. If I succeeded on a combat check with only one Success, do I still add +1 damage? A. Yes. In both personal and starship combat, all Success (that aren’t canceled by Failure) add damage to the attack.

https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/23/b3/23b354bf-5a62-424b-9f22-c9dabf305d67/swe02_faq_lowres.pdf

Thank you both for clearing that up.

Incidentally, Brawl attacks do the same thing as far as damage goes (never ignore the first success), but work a bit differently from melee attacks. Brawl attacks use the Unarmed Combat rules. That means that all Brawl attacks use the following weapon profile: Dam: Brawn, Range: Engaged, Crit: 5, Disorient 1, Knockdown, and can target either wound or strain. Brawl weapons augment this basic profile. If a Brawl weapon has a "+X" to damage, you add it to the base damage (brawn). If a Brawl weapon has a different crit rating, the user can choose to use either the basic crit rating of 5, or the weapon's crit rating. If a Brawl weapon has its own set of weapon qualities, they are combined with the base qualities. So, a shock glove's Stun 3 quality is added to the disorient and knockdown qualities, for instance. If a Brawl weapon has a better base quality, such as Disorient 3, the improved version is used instead.

Yeah, that way of calculating the Successes being added to damage was a fairly common misconception during the early days of the EotE Beta.

They did address it then, and concurrently they changed the damage ratings of several weapons If one were to take a gander through the news releases and Beta Update archive, and the old Beta forums, one would get the jist

I can see how it'd be confusing with some of the rules, since most of the time each Advantage and Success is used for a specific thing, and so it makes sense that the first Success actually activates the "hit." But it's simpler the RAW way, and I like it that way definitely.