Barrage X

Described in: Core book

Description

Instead of attacking, the user of this weapon may choose to forfeit their combat action and lower an enemy NPC or band’s defence and reaction scores by X amount until the start of the attacker’s next turn, thus increasing their allies’ chance to hit the target. This effect is automatically successful. The weapon deals no damage and none of its other effects apply. Several barrage effects can stack on a target. Remember, though, that a barrage effect only lasts until the start of the character’s next combat turn (when it is their turn to act again).

Example: Mike’s character missed their target last turn. Mike therefore decides to use the barrage 4 effect on his character’s stun batons. He does not have to roll to hit, his target’s defence and reaction scores are lowered by 4 points until Mike’s character’s next turn.

Bound weapons

Assault rifle

Foldable shotgun

Smart grenades

Taser baton

Automatic shotgun

Charged flail

Light automatic shotgun

Shotgun cestus

Stun batons

Flame thrower

Nova cannon

Enhancements with this effect

Coolant system

FAQ

Does anti-Anathema cancel all major exceptional Flesh bonuses? – pages 414 and 101
Q&A > Arsenal questions > General effect questions - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.

No, the anti-Anathema effect does not cancel wounding, barrage X, or stun X effects.

Can barrage X effects be used on unseen or invisible enemies? – page 414
Q&A > Questions about combat, creatures and NPCs > Cloaking, ambushes and surprise attacks - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.

The barrage X effect requires a visible enemy. Invisible enemies will need to have been previously tagged with holotargeting, alternative vision modules, or the Ranger’s Vision ability in order to be targeted even with a barrage X effect.

Barrage X first says it costs an attack, then says a combat action. What precisely is required to inflict a barrage X effect? – page 414
Q&A > Arsenal questions > General effect questions - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.

A barrage X effect uses an entire acti on, regardless of how many attacks that action would allow the character to make. If the weapon inflicting the barrage X effect is mounted on a shoulder turret, for instance, it would use a move action instead of a combat action.

Do multiple applications of barrage X effects stack when a character attacks more than once, with an action pulse for instance? – page 414
Q&A > Arsenal questions > General effect questions - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.

No, multiple barrage X effects from a single source applied several times in one turn do not stack. A character cannot inflict two or more barrage X weapon effects in the same turn, regardless of number of attacks.

The coolant system weapon enhancement adds barrage 1. Does this work on a weapon that already has a barrage effect? – page 428
Q&A > Arsenal questions > Weapon enhancements - Jan. 17, 2025, 12:31 p.m.

If the weapon already has a barrage X effect higher than the enhancement, the higher of the two effects applies. Multiple barrage X effects do not stack on the same weapon.