As there are a number of items to keep track of ability/weapon/action -wise when determining damage, for my fiancée to keep track of everything I made her a cheatsheet. Seeing it all lined out there, the formula as it were, that got me thinking about the destructive potential of the weapons in the Marine Armory and inspired this post.

So here it is: How much damage can your character do in 1 shot/swing?

My fiancée is playing a Blood Angel Assault Marine with a pair of common quality Lightning Claws. (Mastercrafting Lightning Claws results in 90 requisition spent, holy carp!) She usually fires up the jet pack and charges into the biggest, meanest looking thing on the field. One-shotting Mega Armored Orks and Warbosses is her favorite pastime now.

Anyway, to speed things along, here's the workup:

Frenzy and Blood Frenzy - Gets all frothing mad and crazy.

Wings of Angels - Extra charge distance and charge damage

Wings of Wrath (Blood Angel Trapping) - 1 more charge damage

Berserk Charge, Flesh Render and Crushing Blow - +20 to hit on charge, Extra Tearing Die, 2 bonus melee dmg

If the mob is aware of her, she's got a net +30 to hit from the Berserk Charge and the Frenzy, if surprise round, we're looking at the full +60. Those would put her at 95 or 125 WS respectively.

Rolls to hit, takes note of degrees of success (important later) which we'll call X.

Rolls 3d10 (lightning claw does 1, but Tearing and Flesh Render add ) keeping 1 die and adding 1d5 +1 (Charge-only bonuses) adding 6dmg for the weapon, 15 for Str bonus and 2 for crushing blow with an additional 2X ( 2 points per degree hit by since it's a pair of lightning claws).

Keeping in mind that she can substitute X for any of the damage die rolled and being under the influence of Blood Frenzy means she gains Righteous Fury on a 9 or 10. Which would result in another 3d10 (keeping 1) plus 6 damage and so on...

My Marine is a Space Wolf Tactical and I'm going the scout route. Tracking, Shadowing, scout armor, concealment, move silent, awareness, etc... I've picked up as Signature Wargear(Master) a stalker pattern Bolter.

Red dot gives me 10 to hit, Half Action aim 10 to hit, Accurate - 10 to hit and bolter Mastery 10 to hit and the stalker's range is 200m. We normally operate in combat within 0-50 meters, so I'm almost always at short range, hence another +10 to hit. Keep in mind that a stalker with stalker ammo is really hard to pick out so my target is usually unaware and I've got the full +60. Even if they see me, I'm still at +50. With a 55BS that's 105 or 115 for my shots.

Accurate gives an extra d10 for every 2 ranks hit by up to 2 extra dice, so I'm usually rolling 5d10, (keeping 4 - tearing) and adding 11 ( 5 from weapon, 2 from bolter mastery, 2 from MC wpn, 2 from mighty shot).

bmaynard said:

I just read the righteous fury rules on page 245 and, that is where your bacon is at. I really want an eviscerator for an assault marine with the flesh render talent.

1d10 + 10 isn't bad, but 4 more points seems hardly enough to outweigh the extra '2 points per rank hit by' that the lightning claws offer on the original hit. I mean, we're talking a range of 2 - 24 possible damage vs 4 guaranteed.