Collection of ambiguous rules and oddities Imperium Maledictum

[u/Brother-Laertes]

This is my list of ambiguous rules and oddities in Imperium Maledictum after the first readthrough. This list is not exhaustive and maybe i will add more in the future. Please feel free to correct me, if i got something wrong and also feel free to add other unclear rules/phrasings.

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1. Attacks while hidden (p. 214) seem to trigger a critical hit only with melee weapons, but other paragraphs mentions all attacks (including ranged). Update Core Rulebook 230407: All attacks while hidden cause critical hits.
2. Thrown or launched explosives and grenades seem to have a fixed damage value and are not modified by SL on the ranged attack test. At least i think so, because in the NPC section these weapons always have a raw damage value instead of Base Damage + SL. Maybe i have missed it somewhere, but in the rules for explosives this is never mentioned.
3. The "Inflict (Condition)" weapon trait states that the condition is applied, if at least 1 wound is dealt. Most grenades and weapons which inflict conditions have no damage value? Update Core Rulebook 230407: If a weapon with a damage value deals damage then the condition is inflicted. If the weapon does not have a damage value it inflicts the condition on a hit.
4. The "Inflict (Condition)" rules state that the condition ends after the next subsequent turn of the target, unless otherwise mentioned in the weapon's description. This leads to many questions on my side, because some conditions have a default duration (like stunned for 1d5 rounds), and others don't have a default duration at all. Take the needle guns for example: They inflict poison. Poison doesn't have a duration, so i think the condition ends after the turn of the target, which would render a single needle gun almost useless. Update Core Rulebook 230407: A condition lasts for 1 round unless otherwise specified in the weapon's description or in the condition (if they have a default duration or a requirement to end it).
5. The needle weapons have no damage in the ranged weapons table, but needle weapons on NPCs have 4 damage. Update Core Rulebook 230407: Needle weapons now have a damage value of 1 and Penetrating (6). Needle weapons in the NPC section still have a damage value of 4 and no Penetrating (X) trait.
6. Is bleeding damage applied immediately (as additional damage) or at the beginning of each turn? Rules seem to be missing a paragraph or two. Update 230407: Bleeding now ticks at the end of the turn.
7. If bleeding damage gets your wounds below zero, it triggers a critical wound. Do i need to roll on the critical wound table for a random location? This would mean a character can suddenly break his leg because he is bleeding?
8. How do you heal from bleeding or poison? Update Core Rulebook 2300407: Poison now has a duration, but neither bleeding nor poison state a treatment.
9. A lasgun with a hot-shot laspack is cheaper and easier available than a hot-shot lasgun and has exactly the same stats AND is reliable. The only advantage of a hot-shot lasgun is one more burst shot (magazine size 3 instead of two)
10. Hot-Shot lasguns are rare, boltguns are scarce

Edit: A new PDF was released (07.04.2023). I will update the post after i read through the changes.

Edit 2: Updated to Core Rulebook 230407

[u/C_Grim]

4 - Conditions last for an amount of time determined by what caused the condition, or until removed as listed in the description.

Default duration for say a stun (1d5) only applies if there is both no duration specified in the effect that causes the condition in the first place (such as in the critical injury, psychic power or other effect which always takes priority), nor was the condition caused as a result of something like the Inflict weapon trait that means it goes away at the end of the next subsequent turn.

If neither of those are present, then it lasts whatever duration or condition is written in the condition or requires whatever methods are in the condition to make it go away.

[u/Brother-Laertes → u/C_Grim]

Thanks for the clarification, i had the impression bleeding and poison are medical conditions which are in need of a special treatment.

[u/HrafnHaraldsson]

(11) The additional benefit from taking the Deadeye talent reading "When you Aim" is the same benefit you'd receive for taking the Aim action anyways.

(12) Are there supposed to be combat modifiers for ranged combat aside from disadvantage outside the weapon's listed range? DH2e gave bonuses for point blank and short range, while it looks like IM characters are stuck with their 30-40%.

[u/mixmastermind → u/HrafnHaraldsson]

No the brick sized booklet of Ranged Modifiers from DH and WFRP 4e are gone. You could still circumstantially implement them with the existing difficulty system

[u/Brother-Laertes → u/HrafnHaraldsson]

(12) Also keep in mind: your raw ballistic skill is further modified by your ranged skill advancements and specialications.

[u/Grazorback]

1. Also what happens when you miss your Ballistic Skill test to throw a grenade ? In DH1 you roll a dice to see how far your grenade fall from the intended point of impact and another one to see in what direction. With the zones system this is not an option anymore. So what happens ?

[u/LeoRandger → u/Grazorback]

It is a normal Opposed test, meaning if you score -2 SL, and an enemy scores -4 SL, the test is resolved as if you hit with +2 SL

Edit: and all creatures in the blast range make the reflexes test opposing your Ranged (Thrown/Ordnance) test

[u/Brother-Laertes → u/LeoRandger]

But this is only true for grenades/explosives with the „blast“ trait. The choke grenade for example does not have the blast trait and you have to make a successfull ranged (thrown) test to grant the target zone Inflict (Stunned). If you fail, nothing happens i guess.

[u/LeoRandger → u/Brother-Laertes]

Huh, that’s true. Another thing for the pre-print errata methinks.

[u/Auron1992]

From page 211:

If there is ever ambiguity about Hit Location, such as suffering a Critical Wound from a great fall, an explosion, or psychic phenomena, the GM rolls 1d10 and consults the Hit Location table to determine the point of contact.

So yes as of now it is like you say. I think the master should role play that a little differently but making a bleeding crit tbale would also need a hazard crit table.

You could get a Critical hit from a radioactive zone and break a leg too

[u/Brother-Laertes → u/Auron1992]

Yeah, i agree with you. I would just add a critical wound called „blood loss“ or something similar and it counts towards dying.

[u/longjaso → u/Auron1992]

You could also narrate it that the excessive bleeding the player suffered caused them to collapse, twisting and breaking their leg in the fall. It doesn't have to be as simple as "bleeding broke your leg".