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Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Thu 31 Oct 2019, 05:04
by Jonbertsch
When a xenomorph rolls more than one success on an attack roll do each additional success count as an additional point of damage or some other effect? Sorry if this is a rule I missed. 

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Fri 01 Nov 2019, 19:25
by Birdie_Sparrow
It seems to depend on what the GM rolls or picks for the signature attack. 

One neomorph attack is 10 base dice, damage 2. I interpret that to mean each success lands 2 damage on the opponent. 

Xeno's are deadly - so I would err on the side of "how quickly can I kill the player"

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Fri 01 Nov 2019, 22:02
by Klas Bas
If the attack roll is successful, the monster’s attack hits and inflict damage equal to the Damage rating on the opponent. For every extra success the attack inflicts one additional point of damage.

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Fri 15 Nov 2019, 01:26
by Imamadman
Hello,

I wanted to get in on this question as I'm suffering some confusion in regards to it too. From what I understand PCs can inflict 1 point of extra damage per extra success as a stunt? Alternatively they can switch initiative, disarm an opponent, knock the opponent to the group or initiate a grapple.  

A) Does it not stand to reason that xenomorphs are capable of executing stunts? Or are xenomorphs limited to 1 point of extra damage per success? I feel inclined to lean towards the latter on the basis that the purpose of different signature moves are to add some variation which is similar to stunts (i.e to disarm, grapple, knock over etc.). However, elsewhere on this forum I have read that someone thinks each extra success counts as much as the base damage. To me that sounds like overkill.

B) Likewise, if the base damage of an attack by a xenomorph is 2, and the GM rolled four successes (a total of 5 damage according to above - enough to break a PC/kill them outright), would it stand to reason that armour must first be used to block the extra successes before it can be used to prevent the base damage? Otherwise PCs would always cancel the success worth the most damage before they cancel anything else. 

I would love an official answer on this. 

Many thanks!

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Fri 15 Nov 2019, 01:55
by Fenhorn
A) Does it not stand to reason that xenomorphs are capable of executing stunts? Or are xenomorphs limited to 1 point of extra damage per success? I feel inclined to lean towards the latter on the basis that the purpose of different signature moves are to add some variation which is similar to stunts (i.e to disarm, grapple, knock over etc.). However, elsewhere on this forum I have read that someone thinks each extra success counts as much as the base damage. To me that sounds like overkill.
Xenomorphs attack only in Close Combat. I don't think the rules states that they only use the +1 damage stunt. Use GM discretion, but +1 damage is the most logical to use.

B) Likewise, if the base damage of an attack by a xenomorph is 2, and the GM rolled four successes (a total of 5 damage according to above - enough to break a PC/kill them outright), would it stand to reason that armour must first be used to block the extra successes before it can be used to prevent the base damage? Otherwise PCs would always cancel the success worth the most damage before they cancel anything else. 
First the Blocking skill roll (if any) can be used to remove Attack successes (dice) then the Armor roll reduces damage.

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Fri 15 Nov 2019, 02:34
by aramis
A) Does it not stand to reason that xenomorphs are capable of executing stunts? Or are xenomorphs limited to 1 point of extra damage per success? I feel inclined to lean towards the latter on the basis that the purpose of different signature moves are to add some variation which is similar to stunts (i.e to disarm, grapple, knock over etc.). However, elsewhere on this forum I have read that someone thinks each extra success counts as much as the base damage. To me that sounds like overkill.
Xenomorphs attack only in Close Combat. I don't think the rules states that they only use the +1 damage stunt. Use GM discretion, but +1 damage is the most logical to use
THe options all have really good uses...
Switch initiative is only useful to the Xenomorph if the victim's is lower than the Xeno's... which allows two attacks in a row without them getting to reset their actions. It's a one-time good deal.
Grapple has advantages for hauling them off. And a grapple prevents blocking.
Disarming is always a benefit... as it prevents blocking.
Knocking them to the ground is a benefit if you want to flee, as they now have to get up, first.
So, ALL of them are good choices, And note that Grappling won't work upon a Xenomorph, but it can be done by a xenomore.
B) Likewise, if the base damage of an attack by a xenomorph is 2, and the GM rolled four successes (a total of 5 damage according to above - enough to break a PC/kill them outright), would it stand to reason that armour must first be used to block the extra successes before it can be used to prevent the base damage? Otherwise PCs would always cancel the success worth the most damage before they cancel anything else. 
First the Blocking skill roll (if any) can be used to remove Attack successes (dice) then the Armor roll reduces damage.
Breaking this down into a step by step...
  1. Roll the attack count successes.
  2. Roll the block, remove attack successes equal to the block successes
  3. Convert remaining attack successes to damage
  4. Roll the armor and cancel damage points equal to armor successes.
  5. apply remaining damage to health.
  6. if health reduced to 0, take a critical hit.

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Mon 18 Nov 2019, 15:56
by MaelstromUK
If the attack roll is successful, the monster’s attack hits and  inflict damage equal to the Damage rating on the opponent. For every extra success the attack inflicts one additional point of damage.
Where did you find this? I can't see if anywhere in the rules.

It makes sense to me for the GM to use extra successes to buy the same stunts as in the close combat rules (ie, also 'disarm', switching initiative, etc.) as well as the option of 1 more damage per success.

It also makes sense that the GM might want to 'pull the punch' of the alien a bit. I understand it's meant to be deadly, but if you're rolling 10 dice and the character has a health of 2... you might want to give them an extra round (depending on the circumstances). There's always a chance the alien would rather drag them mostly alive back to the hive anyway...

Even if this is something for GMs to decide on, I'm surprised it not mentioned at all in the rules, even just to say 'GMs may spend extra successes to increase damage or add other effects'.

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Mon 18 Nov 2019, 17:27
by Klas Bas
The intention of my post was only to clarify that the damage rating only applies to the first success. ONE extra success means ONE extra damage (or a stunt perhaps)
If the attack roll is successful, the monster’s attack hits and  inflict damage equal to the Damage rating on the opponent. For every extra success the attack inflicts one additional point of damage.
Where did you find this? I can't see if anywhere in the rules.

It makes sense to me for the GM to use extra successes to buy the same stunts as in the close combat rules (ie, also 'disarm', switching initiative, etc.) as well as the option of 1 more damage per success.

It also makes sense that the GM might want to 'pull the punch' of the alien a bit. I understand it's meant to be deadly, but if you're rolling 10 dice and the character has a health of 2... you might want to give them an extra round (depending on the circumstances). There's always a chance the alien would rather drag them mostly alive back to the hive anyway...

Even if this is something for GMs to decide on, I'm surprised it not mentioned at all in the rules, even just to say 'GMs may spend extra successes to increase damage or add other effects'.

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Tue 19 Nov 2019, 01:38
by aramis
If the attack roll is successful, the monster’s attack hits and  inflict damage equal to the Damage rating on the opponent. For every extra success the attack inflicts one additional point of damage.
Where did you find this? I can't see if anywhere in the rules.
the extra damage stunts: Page 67 & 95, Ranged Combat stunts (first one), and page 66 and 94, Close Combat Stunts (again, first one)
Page 290 notes that Xenomorphs have skills, and can use those skills in the normal manner, save that lacking an attribute, they use just the skill. Since they have the skill, and noting says they cannot use the stunts, then they categorically can.

Re: Xenomorph multiple success rolls

Posted: Tue 19 Nov 2019, 14:16
by MaelstromUK
If the attack roll is successful, the monster’s attack hits and  inflict damage equal to the Damage rating on the opponent. For every extra success the attack inflicts one additional point of damage.
Where did you find this? I can't see if anywhere in the rules.
the extra damage stunts: Page 67 & 95, Ranged Combat stunts (first one), and page 66 and 94, Close Combat Stunts (again, first one)
Page 290 notes that Xenomorphs have skills, and can use those skills in the normal manner, save that lacking an attribute, they use just the skill. Since they have the skill, and noting says they cannot use the stunts, then they categorically can.

Hmn, I don't think so. So on p290 it does say:

Xenomorphs don’t have Attributes like humans. They can use specific skills, and then roll a number of Base Dice equal to their skill level only.
But, the 'skills' that they have are then explicitly listed under their profiles, eg for adult neomorph on p297:

SKILLS: Mobility 9, Observation 8
It doesn't make sense for the neomorph to have other skills; and I don't think they have the 'normal' close combat skill either, because on p291 it says:

...they don’t make ordinary close-combat attacks. Instead, each time a Xenomorph attacks, roll a D6 on a table for the creature’s signature attacks, and resolve the effects.
So you could argue that it makes sense that they can use stunts on the skills that they do have (eg: mobility and observation, above) - but there's still no clarity there about close combat stunts though.