Crits with Ki Damage

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Ambaryerno
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Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:32 am

Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by Ambaryerno »

Got a quick question on how Crits are calculated when using the WM Ki Damage feat:

Per the description, Ki Damage gives an automatic max damage if it hits. On a normal attack my max damage is 21, which is also what I get when I hit with Ki Damage (excluding target DR).

When I Crit on a normal attack, the maximum damage I've inflicted--and my maximum POSSIBLE damage at my Crit multiplier--is 63 (increased multiplier as WM Level 7). However I've never gotten that high when I Crit with Ki Damage. It always maxes out at 57. This is including against targets that do NOT have DR.

Is there some damage bonus being omitted--either due to a bug or by intent--from the Crit calculations when using Ki Damage?
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Luna
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by Luna »

The post is approved if someone can help answer this one.
DM Sword
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by DM Sword »

Hope this helps, may need to read it a couple times, its rather confusing.

"You gain this feat as soon as you start taking levels, and you can use it
once per WM level per day. It's not all that great, however. Look at the
other feats offered for the real prize. You attack an enemy normally with each use of this ability. If the attack hits, it automatically inflicts your weapon's maximum damage. This means a falchion's 2d4 will deal 8 damage, and a greatsword's 2d6 will do 12 damage (plus any other damage modifiers, which are not maximized).

This ability does allow critical hits, but only one multiple of the weapon's
damage appears to be maximized (it's weird). Mithdradates tells us:
"Unless this has been changed from NWN, Ki strike only maxes the roll on theweapon damage once, i.e. if you have an x3 multiplier with a falchion and youcritical with ki strike that gets converted into 8+4D4 instead of 24."

Source: http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/neverwinte ... 9/c-238599
Bulldog241
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by Bulldog241 »

I believe that a crit with Ki dmg will only max 1 of your mulitpliers. So you have a 3x crit mulitplier. One of those will be maxed at 21, and the other 2 will be rolled as normal. Then it all gets added together, and that's the dmg you did on your crit.

I don't know why you'd max out at 57, it could just be you've been unlucky so far. You should still be able to hit 63 dmg, you'd just need a lucky roll (even wth Ki).
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Brown Radagast
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by Brown Radagast »

I'm pretty sure I don't have the answer, but I am curious about all of the variables:

weapon used

STR or DEX bonuses to hit

any other classes involved, also levels (this will probably affect the BAB more than what you are asking though...)

etc.
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Hydrocarbonated
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by Hydrocarbonated »

Based on my own experiences, Bulldog appears to be correct. Most of the "maximize weapon damage" powers are bugged to hell. Thankfully they're all side-benefits of much more powerful prestige classes, so while annoying, it's hardly build-breaking.

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Yawgnor
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by Yawgnor »

Okay. I'm still confused.

I have a warhammer (I know; not the optimum weapon to use as a weapon master).

Base Damage: 1d8
Crit: x3
Bonus Damage: Electric 1d4
Enhancement Bonus: +2
On Hit: Stun DC=14 25%/1 round

Is it worth using Ki Damage?
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DM Fugue
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Re: Crits with Ki Damage

Unread post by DM Fugue »

Ambaryerno:
Yes ki damage doesn't maximize your 2nd and 3rd (and 4th and 5th if you got) crit damage rolls. It'll only maximize the first damage roll and the rest will be random, you're just unlucky.

Yawgnor:
It's always worth using ki damage, you roll from 1 to 8 with a 1d8 weapon, why not just roll a 8 for damage :) People do not take weaponmaster for the ki damage anyways it's just a tiny bonus.
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