Nemesis Hammerhand requires a half action to use, eliminating the possibility of using it and making more than one attack and also moving on the same turn to attack.

So the only time it can be used is if you are already standing next to what ever you are swinging at.

Grey Knights can get Swift Attack at rank 1.

So the requirements for making multiple attacks will always be met when using Hammerhand would be valid. But why would anyone ever use Hammerhand?

When would it possibly be useful to use a psychic power to gain 4-5 damage when one could just make a second attack that will do 20 damage?

You could always make it last for more than a turn, or make it a free action, or you could use Black Crusade Rules, where Swift and Lightning attack actions are only half-actions. Or you could just do all three. But honestly, I don't think the problem is with Hammerhand sucking, I think it's with Force Weapons being so good. SO GOOD. 5 or 6 additional damage to a roll that might be 40 or more....

I thought that hammerhand was a sustained power.

I also thought that most/all psychic powers take up your 'attack' for a turn, meaning you can't attack the smae turn you use a focus power action.

Hammerhand is frankly useless by RAW. It cant be sustained and it takes up your attack action for the turn meaning you can not actually use the buff if gives you. I presume the power was initailly designed for one squad member to activate and then the rest of the party can use Brotherhood of Psykers to get the buff themsleves, but given the way Brotherhood of Psykers works it is still on the far side of useless.

Uh? Hammerhand is sustainable, am I missing something? Is "Nemesis Hammerhand" a new/different power? Now Im not disagreeing that it's not the best power out there but in the right set up it could work, but with a lot of work for the set up though.

Nemesis Hammerhand is a Grey Knights psychic power in Daemon Hunter. It isn't sustainable.

Sorry about that I haven't looked at the Daemon Hunter book yet, yes after reading the power, it does seam kind of pointless, but I guess when you can get a high power roll at least 25 and above then it does work though but otherwise I think think there was a typo or not all the description was added.

I have two things to bring up concerning the Nemesis Hammerhand ability. My first is a issue with the printing in the Daemon Hunter book. My copy has the the ability listed as a free action to focus on table 5-1: Daemon Hunter Powers and on the next page were the ability description is listed it states the focus time is a half action. This is likely the cause for some of the confusion.

My second point is that the ability is intended to be used by one Grey Knight Battle-Brother to give others in his group a bonus for the round. The way the description reads you can target yourself or another target with the ability. To be honest the wording of the description is quite vague, but considering it's range is not you and the way the overbleed works the ability seems to be intended to buff other team members.

Oh and one more thing "Hammerhand" and "Nemesis Hammerhand" are two different powers.

I got the answer from FFG about if it is a free or half action!

"- this should be a Free Action.

Tim Huckelbery
RPG Producer
Fantasy Flight Games
[email protected]
Visit us at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/

"Rule Question:
In Deathwatch I am going to be playing a Grey Knight and I want to get the power Nemesis Hammerhand, however both my GM and I have a question about it. In the Dark Heresy book Daemon Hunter. In Table 5-1: Daemon Hunter Powers on page 128, it states that Focus Time for Nemesis Hammerhand is a Free Action, however on Page 129 under the description of the power it states Focus Time as Half, which is it? Thank you for your time."

"

hope this helps.

Acording to errata : "Making a Focus Power Action is the psychic equivalent of a Standard Attack Action, and counts as such for purposes of determining what else a psyker can do in a round." So it doesn't matter if hammerhand is free action or half action. You can't attack in this turn. It makes this power almost useless, unless there is more grey knights in your group and you roll 25 or more to give them bonnus. I think it should last to the end of your next turn like most powers. You asked the producer wrong question then: it's not important if it is free or half action, but if it should be sustainable or last to the end of your next turn.

There is another use of this power. You can cast it and then parry and counter-attack in enemy turn. Srike squad grey knight gets it on rank 4.

raffalin said:

I think it's safe to assume that this only counts for Half and Full Actions because there are no Free Action Attacks.

Kain McDogal said:

It also works in DW because it specifies that only powers that target enemies (either to damage or effect) gain the attack action subtype, which is a pretty major change in the wording.