Stacking weapon qualities?

By ThreeBFour, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

I don't know if this has been asked before, but I'm throwing it out as a question.

According to the Collapse of the Republic Sourcebook the Duskblade has Pierce 2 and the Nightsister has a Talent known as Ichor Blade which adds Pierce 2 to a Melee or Brawl weapon. Would this be stackable?

I ask because I know you can't stack two armors, but you can increase with the various Armor Master Talents, so would this as a Talent work the same way?

My interpretation is that it does not stack.

The wording says it "gains" Pierce 2. According to the game's language logic, this means it does not stack with any existing Pierce quality.

The same logic is applied to sources of Defense. An item either lets a character "gain" Defense (a flat value) or "increase" Defense (add to any existing values). If Ichor Blade could let you stack the Pierce quality, I imagine the wording would call this out.

Also note that the only weapons it works on are non-electronic/techy weapons as per the full talent description.

Generally speaking, unless there's a plus sign in front of the number, then the qualities don't stack. It's the same deal as with defense rating, in that a flat value (such as that provided by wearing armor and from having cover) doesn't combine.

In your example, the two Pierce values wouldn't stack, because they're both flat numbers. So using Ichor Blade talent on a Duskblade just leaves you with Pierce 2.

Thanks guys.

I guess both those answers make sense. Although I do have to question why a weapon generally made for the Nightsisters would already have an ability that they would generally give it anyway with that Talent.

Edited by ThreeBFour
Additional text.

It could just be an oversight. Would a Duskblade be OP with 2 extra pierce, given melee weapons are generally pretty weak in this system?

8 hours ago, ThreeBFour said:

Although I do have to question why a weapon generally made for the Nightsisters would already have an ability that they would generally give it anyway with that Talent.

It's there to give players the option to use a weapon other than a duskblade.