Question about ion weapons in Star Wars Saga

[Tesla]

Hi all. I'm new to Star Wars Saga & this board. My question is about ion weapons, particularly ship weapons. Ships of the Galaxy refers me back to the main book (pgs 159-160) that state half the damage is applied to the target's hit points. How do shields factor into this? Does this mean you half the damage that gets through the shields? If that is the case, then that would pretty much make the weapons useless. Or does this mean the damage bypasses the shields and half is applied to the target's hit points. If this is the case, then the weapons are too powerful IMO. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[A Flannel Shirt]

Keep in mind I don't run a lot of space combat but I'll give this a try.

ION Damage is dealt.

If the ship has no shields then subtract damage reduction then check vs threshold. The damage is then halved to the hit points. If threshold is beat, then the target is lowered two condition tracks.

50 damage to a ship with damage reduction of 10 with a threshold of 30.

50-10 (DR) = 40 > 30 (TH) divide by 1/2 = 20 damage to HP and down 2 condition tracks.

If the ship has shields then subtract shield rating first, then check vs threshold, then damage reduction . The damage is then halved to the hit points. If threshold is beat, then the target is lowered two condition tracks.

50-20 (SR) = / 30 = 30 (TH) / -10 (DR) = 20 / divide by 1/2 = 10 damage to HP and SR down 5, and down 2 condition tracks.

But even myself would like clarification. Am I even close? When is the damage checked vs threshold?
The biggest advantages of ION weapons with ships is the increased range, and higher chance of lowering the targets threshold.

[Tesla]

Thanks for trying to clear that up. If the damage is not compared to the threshold until after it is halved, then I cannot see the ion weapons be very effective at all

[A Flannel Shirt]

I agree. I also saw on another forum that someone house ruled out DR on ions completly.

[Inquisitor Tremayne]

You treat it like most damage all the way until you apply it to hit points.

So say you have 120 hp, DR 10 and SR 15. Taking 50 ion damage is actually 25 damage (50- SR 15 - DR 10 = 25) the 25 is compared to the vehicles DT, if it is over the vehicles DT then the vehicle moves -2 steps on the CT. If it is not over the vehicles DT then the vehicle moves -1 on the CT and only half of the 25 damage is applied to the vehicles hit points or 12 damage.

Keep in mind ion cannons are meant to capture a ship not destroy it, which is why the damage gets halved. They are meant to drop a ship -5 steps on the CT so it is easier to board and capture.

The best way to accomplish this is to attack the vehicle with regular weapons to drop its shields first, then use ion cannons.

[Tesla]

You treat it like most damage all the way until you apply it to hit points.

So say you have 120 hp, DR 10 and SR 15. Taking 50 ion damage is actually 25 damage (50- SR 15 - DR 10 = 25) the 25 is compared to the vehicles DT, if it is over the vehicles DT then the vehicle moves -2 steps on the CT. If it is not over the vehicles DT then the vehicle moves -1 on the CT and only half of the 25 damage is applied to the vehicles hit points or 12 damage.

Keep in mind ion cannons are meant to capture a ship not destroy it, which is why the damage gets halved. They are meant to drop a ship -5 steps on the CT so it is easier to board and capture.

The best way to accomplish this is to attack the vehicle with regular weapons to drop its shields first, then use ion cannons.

Thank you, but I do have a question. I did not see in the main book (pgs 159-60) where it states the ship/target moves -1 on the CT if the damage does not exceed the DT. Could you point me where I can find this?

[Inquisitor Tremayne]

Sorry, it doesn't I keeping thinking of that rule when it doesn't apply to Saga. It is from the RCR version of the game.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Tesla]

Not a problem. I'm still learning the game and thought I had missed something. Thank you again for your help.

[Dytrrnikl]

Not a problem. I'm still learning the game and thought I had missed something. Thank you again for your help.

Actually, Tremayne isn't far off from Saga. Saga ion damage RAW state that everything loses 1/2 of all ion damage from their HP...so if 50 points of ion damage is dealt, 25 points of HP damage is suffered. As long as creatures don't have any cybernetic prosthetics or enhancements, that's it.

Droids, vehicles, electronic devices, and creatures with cybernetic prosthetics or enhancements may suffer additional effects if they don't have some kind of Ion Damage Hardening (Ion Damage Reduction).
-If HP is reduced to 0, then the electronic whatever (droid, vehicle, device, cybernetic gizmo, powered armor or other electronic thingie) immediately moves -5 steps down the condition track and is considered knocked out or disabled.

So, if the previously mentioned 25 points of damage drops the electronic whatever to 0 HP, it's out of commision until it can be repaired.

- If the ion damage that is dealt PRIOR to halving the damage equals or exceeds the electronic whatever's (droid, vehicle, device, cybernetic gizmo, powered armor, or other electronic thingie) damage threshold, the target moves -2 steps on the condition track.

Using the previously mentioned ion damage above, 50 points of Ion damage was dealt before being halved to see how much actual damage was suffered. If that 50 points exceeds the targets damage threshold, then you move -2 steps on the condition track.

Of course, if the electronic whatever is hardened to ion damage, such as having a damage reduction specifically stating it functions against ion damage, then it obviously applies to reduction of the ion damage being dealt. I think I read something somewhere that ion damage actually bypasses shields, but can't remember where I read it.