Oh yes, another mechadendrite question!

I was looking through the different kinds of mechadendrites yesterday and noticed that many of them can be used as improvised weapons or knives in cc. So I went to check if SB applies when using a mechadendrite in cc... but I couldn't find the rules at all. I'm I imagining things or is there supposed to be rules for how they work in close combat somewhere in some book? As I remember it you can attack with them like a normal weapon or use your reaction to attack with one of them. Or is the last part only for ballistic mechadendrites?

You should ask for an official ruling from FFG. Personally I'd rule they have the same SB as the character (stronger characters can brace themselves better).

The only 'dendrite that does not use the character's SB is that improved manipulator 'dendrite (servo arm?) from Ascension.

Cifer said:

Correct. The "ballistic" ones use standard character strength, the standard Manipulator uses character Strength with a +2 mod to the strength, and the Ascension Servo-Arm has a fixed strength of 65 with Unnatural of X2. The Servo-Arm is also nasty as it has so much brute force that it deals 2d10+12 (that 12 is the arms SB) non-primitive impact damage.

Not that I doubt you, but where are those rules? I havn't been able to find them

Ballistic and Manipulator are in the DH core book. "Ballistic" with a melee mount is detailed in the Inquisitor's Handbook under the Secutor alternate career thanks to the Machinator Array upgrade. Servo Arm is in Ascention.

Unless stated otherwise in individual stat-blocks or gear write-ups melee weapons are assumed to add the user's SB to the inflicted damage per Core rules.

Filadan's character is a rank 9 Techpriest Magos with TB8 and Imperial Navy combat training so he has had lots of practical experience with the mechadendrite rules... Oh. And NEVER corner a Navy Magos during a fight!

That makes sense, if they don't say anything else it should be treated as normal.

But then I am guessing I have dreamt the whole part of being able to attack in CC as a reaction? The only rules I can find for that is for the Ballistics mechadendrite.

It IS the Ballistic one that you use for that. Again, it is in the Inquisitor's Handbook, the Mechanicus Secutor career on pg 68 has the talent Machinator Array (described on pg 70). It is this talent that lets you take Ballistic Mechadendrites and mount any other pistol or "small" (ie one handed) melee weapon in place of the standard Compact Las Pistol. It works just like the normal Ballistic, except it's now a different weapon.

This skill, Machinator Array, is also open to Magos in the Ascension book.

Ah, that explains why I couldn't find it. I skipped through things that had with the ballistic one to do since I was looking for CC

Thanks.