Vital Strike Question

[Dr Berry]

Does anyone know exactly how the new Vital Strike feats work? It seems as if it just adds another die of damage to the roll, but the wording is a little tricky. Could anyone clear it up for me?

[Sascha]

Paraphrasing the SRD here as "additional [base weapon damage dice]" - which could be multiple dice, depending on weapon and size - for the attack. So a vital strike from a mundane greatsword would be 2d6 (base) + 2d6 (vital strike).

Least that's how it reads to me.

[nijineko]

sounds like it means that the base weapon damage is multiplied, but no ancillary damage, when performing an attack action.

[Swordnboard]

I get the same translation as Sascha. As many additional dice as there are for the base weapon damage, but unmodified and not multiplied.

( <base damage> + strength mod + damage mod ) x crit + <base damage>

[WhiteTiger]

Vital Strike = (Base Damage + Base Damage) + Strength + special weapon abilities (flaming) + precision based damage (Sneak attack)

You roll Base Damage dice twice. Example. Greatsword = 2D6, so you roll
4D6 then roll your other dice normally and add your magic bonuses and strength bonuses. you do not get to roll any extra dice for flaming or sneak attack just the regular amount of dice for those special powers or properties. If you get a crit then just add more dice equal to the base damage x the crit modifier. For a greatsword, a crit would add a further 4d6.

Improved Vital Strike. Roll your Base damage 3 times. Example: Greatsword = 2D6, so you roll 6D6 then roll your other dice normally and add your magic bonuses and strength bonuses. you do not get to roll any extra dice for flaming or sneak attack just the regular amount of dice for those special powers or properties. If you get a crit then just add more dice equal to the base damage x the crit modifier. For a greatsword, a crit would add a further 4d6.

Greater Vital Strike. Roll your Base damage 4 times. Example: Greatsword = 2D6, so you roll 8D6 then roll your other dice normally and add your magic bonuses and strength bonuses. you do not get to roll any extra dice for flaming or sneak attack just the regular amount of dice for those special powers or properties. If you get a crit then just add more dice equal to the base damage x the crit modifier. For a greatsword, a crit would add a further 4d6.

Conceivably, if you hit with Greater Vital Strike and got a crit. You could do 12D6 + strength + magic bonuses + special weapon properties + any additional precision based damage (example: Sneak attack) with a greatsword. That is some serious damage.