surges for multiple results

By Dangerbunny, in Imperial Assault Rules Questions

Can a model who has different results for a surge, apply a beneficial one if the other ability is harmful and they did not cause damage?

For example Lando has stun+hide for a surge. He cannot apply the stun unless he causes damage, but the hide is the same surge. Can he choose this surge and gain only one of the rules associated with it?

Edited by Dangerbunny

You cannot apply any kind of conditions without doing damage, harmful or beneficial.

So no, you cannot apply hidden from the Hide keyword if you do no damage.

You can't do it even if the surge ability is just Hide.

Blast, Cleave and Conditions (both beneficial and harmful) need that the target suffered damage to be applied.

Other surge abilities can be used even if the target did not suffer damage unless the ability itself specifies otherwise.

More accurately, you can spend the surge on the effect regardless. But after the attack resolves, you can only apply the stun or hide if the target took damage.

Yes, you can always spend the surges for abilities even if they don't end up doing anything. For example you can spend a surge for the Hide condition keyword, even if it does not end up giving you the Hidden condition. The same for Blast, Cleave, and other Condition keywords.

The difference between condition keywords and the conditions themselves is a key concept that makes a lot of rules and interactions much more understandable. For example a surge ability can give you or another figure the Focused condition (when you spend the surge) even when the target suffered no damage from the attack. But the Focus keyword only gives Focused (after the attack resolves) if the target suffered damage.

Edited by a1bert

Yes, you can always spend the surges for abilities even if they don't end up doing anything. For example you can spend a surge for the Hide condition keyword, even if it does not end up giving you the Hidden condition. The same for Blast, Cleave, and other Condition keywords.

The difference between condition keywords and the conditions themselves is a key concept that makes a lot of rules and interactions much more understandable. For example a surge ability can give you or another figure the Focused condition (when you spend the surge) even when the target suffered no damage from the attack. But the Focus keyword only gives Focused (after the attack resolves) if the target suffered damage.

I am starting to get confused here. You mean a surge ability like Squad Command ("Chose an adjacent friendly TROOPER. That figure becomes Focused.") can be triggered and the Focused condition can be applied even when the target did not suffer damage?

But whenever the Surge ability just uses the keyword (Focus, Stun, Bleed etc.) the condition can not be applied when the target of the attack did not suffer damage?

Yes, Squad Command gives the focused condition to the selected adjacent Trooper even if the target of the attack did not suffer damage, and immediately when you spend the surge.

A surge spent for the Focus keyword waits until the attack resolves, then checks if the target suffered damage, and gives the Focused condition if so.

Edited by a1bert

This may be a silly question, however, can a figure use a surge ability even if the any of its associated figures used that surge ability already? For example, can Stormtrooper "A" use the +1 damage even if Stormtrooper "B" used that surge ability already on it's roll?

This may be a silly question, however, can a figure use a surge ability even if the any of its associated figures used that surge ability already? For example, can Stormtrooper "A" use the +1 damage even if Stormtrooper "B" used that surge ability already on it's roll?

The limitation is that each ability (including surge abilities) can only be used once per timing instance. If it is another attack, then it's not the same timing instance. Also, each figure in a group activates separately in the order of the controller's choosing. They are not attacking all at once. Each activation has two actions.

Edit: all abilities that don't have a cost are available automatically. Abilities that have a cost (like exhaust or spending a surge or spending an action) are only available to the figure paying the cost.

Edited by a1bert

Just a follow on question to spending surge, because the rule rook seems to imply both. If a figure has two or more surges, can they spend them on the same surge ability? So can a figure that rolled 2 surge spend them both on a +1 damage for example to get +2 damage? Or is it limited to one surge per ability?

Thanks.

Just a follow on question to spending surge, because the rule rook seems to imply both. If a figure has two or more surges, can they spend them on the same surge ability? So can a figure that rolled 2 surge spend them both on a +1 damage for example to get +2 damage? Or is it limited to one surge per ability?

Thanks.

Once per attack instance (unless otherwise stated). Rebel Trooper can only apply the +1 damage once an attack, per figure. But Rebel Saboteur have game text that says: "Overload: You can trigger the same ~ ability up to twice per attack." So in this instance, if you rolled the yellow side dice that has the 1 damage and 2 surge; you could apply the "~: Pierce 1" twice if you so choose to. But you also have to watch some cards like the Tusken Raider "Tusken Cycler: Perform a range attack using 1 blue and 1 red die. You cannot use abilities during this attack." So in this case, they can't use their surges on the ranged attack to add damage, like they could with their melee attack.

~D

Edited by HoodieDM

Each ability (including surge abilities) can only be used once per timing instance.

But the exact same effect can be used if it comes from separate abilities / sources, for example some weapons have two identical lines: ~: +1dmg, and they are separate abilities.

Edited by a1bert

Thanks for the rules clarification.