Piercing question APG page 113

[indy523]

Hi Steve

 

Question regarding piercing.

 

Say I have a normal energy blast bought as 8d6 with 8 points of piercing (bought as normal PD since the attack uses normal PD) Total cost 56 points.

 

Now assume the character is blasting an automation that has 16 res ED and no normal ED (Everything upgraded to resistant.

 

Do I get to apply the 8 points of piercing to reduce the defence against the attack to 8?

 

The attack still affects resistant defense, it just counts as PD.  Does the Peircing bought with it count as well or does the automation get the full 16 res PD against the attack because the Piercing was bought at the 2 point level for nonresistant PD?

 

If the case is the Piercing does not apply could I have bought the power with the 3 point res PD for 24 points for a total of 64 points so that it would affect resistant defences as well even though the attack does not affect resistant defences. 

 

Not sure the rules explain this well enough unless I am missing something.

[Steve Long]

I don’t currently have access to all of my books and materials, which have been packed up as part of my home renovation project, so I reserve the right to edit or change this answer at a future time.

 

If a character buys Piercing for Normal Defenses, the Piercing has no effect on Resistant Defenses. It doesn’t matter whether the defense is Resistant Protection, Normal Defenses rendered Resistant with Resistant (+½), or however the defense is obtained — it’s Resistant, not Normal, so the Piercing doesn’t apply. To Pierce a target’s Resistant Defense you would have to, as you note, buy the more expensive form of Piercing — but then of course the attack wouldn’t Pierce any Normal Defenses. To Pierce both, you have to buy both for the same attack.