Hello Boyz,

Recently I was wondering if there is a pissibility at DH to make a real sneak melee attack at a surprised target.

I am not talking about the attack modifier (which is +30 if I remember correctly), but more about a damage boost...is there any rule for that ?

The only reference I could find was an attack on a helpless victim (which differs from a surprised one), who would suffer from double damage.

I think there should also be a doubled damage if a silent move test against awareness is successful...

Thanks for your opinion...

While there are (to my knowledge) no rules for extra damage on a "sneak attack" that +30 for being unaware is there to either almost guarantee a hit or make it easyer to make a called shot for a more targeted damage.

You can talk with you GM for maybe special targets like a really hard called shot to go for the throat to make sure he doesn't call out a warning or maybe for the hamstring so he doesn't run away, but beyond that there is not D&D rogue magic for extra damage just for not being seen.

Ahem. From the Fine Rulebook:

Helpless Targets
Weapon Skill Tests made to hit a sleeping, unconscious or
otherwise helpless target automatically succeed. When rolling
Damage against such a target roll two dice and add the results.
If either die rolled comes up as a 10, you have a chance at
Righteous Fury. If both dice come up as 10, you automatically
gain Righteous Fury, and roll Damage again.

'course, what constitutes a "helpless" target us up to the GM

Sneak Attacks not only get +30 to hit, but the target cannot dodge (or parry, but a melee sneak attack is much less likely). Throw a full auto burst their direction and you can fairly easily kill/cripple someone in a sneak attack (+50 to hit, +60 at short range, a hit for every degree of success, and they don't get to dodge to avoid damage). An average person has about 10 wounds. Or, if you a sniper dude you probably have more time to aim to get the full +30 to aim from an accurate weapon (+20 for Full Action, +10 for being accurate) meaning a total +60, with the chance of lots of extra damage. Combined with Called shot to choose more weakly armoured/more deadly critical locations (normally the head) but reducing chance, barring talents, to +40, (+50 if a short range, which in an ambush isn't unlikely for sniper weapons).

I don't really think a D&D "sneak attack" damage bonus is much needed. Also remember that any decent ambushers will have also chosen a position where they have cover against their victims, but their firing line is unobstructed. Combined with the probable damage their enemies have suffered in the ambush, even if they don't kill their targets they will have a massive advantage (depending on the situation the targets may also not be ready for combat, meaning they have to take at least a half action readying their weapons).

With talents you'll also remove the penalty for Called shot with ranged weapons, allowing a sniper to easily line up a headshot.

The garrote has some special rules for strangling type sneak attacks. You could also use the Stun attack or Takedown or the Talk to your DM attack.