I'm BURSTING with curiosity!!

[Phoenix8008]

Okay, I know this has been asked before, but I can't remember the answer(and I hope this is clarified in D&D3.5!).

For magical *burst weapons (flaming, shocking, frost, etc), when you score a critical hit is the damage...

[Base weapon damage+1d6(shock let's say)+1d10(shocking burst)]

or is it just...

[Base weapon damage+1d10(shocking burst)]

This is asuming that the weapon's critical modifier is only a 'x2' so that the burst damage listed in the DMG is only +1d10.


So, please tell me. Which of these two is it so I can let my DM know next week. Thanks for any help!

 

[Witch Doctor]

It says "in addition it also explodes..." I'd take that to mean that it's +1d6+1d10.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The Sage says the burst damage replaces the normal energy damage.

Many people feel the Sage dropped the ball big time on that call.

-Hyp.

 

[fba827]

Although this may go without saying, just mentioning it since it wasn't included in your equation for damage...

Don't forget that the base weapon damage (only) is multipled on a crit.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Don't forget that the base weapon damage (only) is multipled on a crit.

That's not at all true.

Strength, Specialization, Enhancement, Favoured Enemy, Divine Might, and any other constant modifiers are multiplied as well.

It's bonus dice - like Sneak Attack or Energy enhancements - that aren't multiplied.

-Hyp.

 

[Bauglir]

I crunched the numbers on this one once. To replace the d6 with the d10 makes the enchantment completely feeble alongside a straight +1 enchantment. (ie a +1 flaming burst weapon as compared to a +2 flaming weapon).

The increase in average damage per strike was something in the region of 0.1-0.2 extra damage compared to a non-burst weapon.

If you add the d10 then the average extra damage climbs somewhat (although it's still not extraordinary - around 0.55 on average; a keen weapon and/or improved critical is really needed to get the average damage above 1, to make the enchantment worthwhile)

Given that a straight +1 enchantment increases average damage per strike by around 1.1, as well as giving a bonus to hit, a damage-boosting enchantment needs to be doing noticeably more than this to make it worthwhile.

Burst is a weak enchantment if you use d6+d10. It's worthless if you just use d10.

 

[Archer]

I also did a complete number analysis for the ambiguos rules faq. To make burst a valid option for weapons it needs to do +1d20 energy damage on a critical in additon to the 1d6 it does all the time.

 

[Angcuru]

The total on a crit is weapon damage(+ enhancementd from STR, weapon Plusses, ect.)X crit mlutiplier + 1d6 + 1d10(which should really be higher, something like 3d6, making the total elemental damage 4d6)

 

[Burne]

Our gaming group runs burst weapons like so:

Normal Hit w/ Longsword
d8+X+d6 energy

Crit w/ Same
2d8+2x+d6+d10

A Glave crit would be
3d10+3x+d6+2d10

I'm not here to argue righ on wrong, that's just how we do it.

love
burne

 

[Angcuru]

Our gaming group runs burst weapons like so:

Normal Hit w/ Longsword
d8+X+d6 energy

Crit w/ Same
2d8+2x+d6+d10

A Glave crit would be
3d10+3x+d6+2d10

I'm not here to argue righ on wrong, that's just how we do it.

love
burne

That's just how you're supposed to do it, according to the rules.