According to rule 10.3 an attack with 0 dice is cancelled. I assumed that it would be just as effective as an attack with a useless roll, where the dialed modifier still had effect because that would seem more "linear" or what to call it. I think that would also be in line with the movement rule where the move modifier is cancelled "only" when the move action is cancelled. As long as the attack has a viable target I don't see why it would be cancelled. With the actual rule, the luck factor increases due to blight and Ankaur's need for unstable runes, and the swinginess due to both loss of dice AND dialed modifier.

I really don't understand why this mechanic is used and I wonder if anyone thinks this is good and why?

Edit: Rule 56.2 actually says that a move action of 0 is cancelled, so I guess that is consistent.

Because they chose to make the dice represent the attack themselves, you can't modify an attack that never happened.

I agree that it's a bummer, now that we've got ways of adding Lethal damage without needing dice. My 8loodrage list could generate up to 12 damage on a single attack, even with blank dice, so it's disappointing that blight can shut the attack down completely.

4 hours ago, Darthain said:

Because they chose to make the dice represent the attack themselves, you can't modify an attack that never happened.

I think that is already covered with whiffs (no enemy in place when the attack goes of), missed charges and blank rolls with either no hit dialed in or when a stun token has cancelled it. I do think that these cases are extremely well designed and tactical, but the 0 dice cancellation seems to me like one way to many (and weird) to have attacks not happen in a 8 round battle game.

56 minutes ago, Maktorius said:

I think that is already covered with whiffs (no enemy in place when the attack goes of), missed charges and blank rolls with either no hit dialed in or when a stun token has cancelled it. I do think that these cases are extremely well designed and tactical, but the 0 dice cancellation seems to me like one way to many (and weird) to have attacks not happen in a 8 round battle game.

As I said, it is completely arbitrary, and for game balance alone due to the interaction with items. The dice, are by extension, the definition of the attack.

It's a choice that makes blight stronger. As it is, getting enough blight on a target to remove all their dice (difficult to do consistently!) completely nullifies their attack. As pointed out above, there are ways (also a charged-up Eagle Banner) to inflict considerable damage without the results on dice, so clearly they wanted to make that threshold of blight more effective.

Or it's a weird oversight, but the outcome is the same.

theres probably some weird interaction involving a 0attack to remove it.
For instance, it prevents Margath basically getting free procs. If the attack never happened because Blight took it to 0 dice or something, no free damage. Minor, especially since in most cases the Margath user has 4+ armor anyway so 1 die probably wouldnt go through, but that could be a reason....i guess?