Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So lets say I cast Psychic Shriek on some guard with Ld 7 and I roll a 12 with my 3 D6 and my psyker has BS 5.

Do I roll 5 dice hitting on a 2+ or do I roll a single die hitting all 5 wounds on a 2+?

In other words does the number of wounds scored change the profile of the witchfire or does it not?

 changerofways wrote:
So lets say I cast Psychic Shriek on some guard with Ld 7 and I roll a 12 with my 3 D6 and my psyker has BS 5.

Do I roll 5 dice hitting on a 2+ or do I roll a single die hitting all 5 wounds on a 2+?

In other words does the number of wounds scored change the profile of the witchfire or does it not?

There is no consensus on this topic and generally goes.

You don't need to roll to hit,
you roll to hit, but it doesn't matter if you hit or miss
You roll one die to hit and only apply the results if you hit.

discuss it with your group, you guys might be able to come to a consensus on how you want to play it.

The way I use it, and I am by no means proficient and have only used Psychic Shriek in two games, is to roll to hit initially and that attack deals X amount of wounds. Similar to an attack that deals D3 hull points to a vehicle, a separate to hit roll is not needed for each hull point damage dealt despite a variable amount of damage inflicted.

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
The way I use it, and I am by no means proficient and have only used Psychic Shriek in two games, is to roll to hit initially and that attack deals X amount of wounds. Similar to an attack that deals D3 hull points to a vehicle, a separate to hit roll is not needed for each hull point damage dealt despite a variable amount of damage inflicted.

Yup, it's a witchfire.

Roll to hit once with BS.

If it hits, it inflicts 3d6 - ld wounds. It's not super reliable, but it has the potential to devastate powerful units.

Every time my 25 point astropath takes out a terminator, it makes me happy.

This is a recurring question and is problematic because although it is a witchfire and the rules say roll to hit, for powers such as Psychic Shriek a successful roll to hit is not necessary RAW to resolve the power.

And so it begins...

You are aware that what you just wrote has no such support from the rules. Psychic Shriek does not explicitly tell you to ignore that it is a Witchfire.

The mods really need an automatic response to this question, as it occurs so often.

Some people roll to hit, some people don't. The rules don't cover it therefore it's up to the gaming group.
I'd recommend talking to the people you play with and come to a decision.

Personally I don't roll to hit, but that is neither here nor there.

Naw wrote:
And so it begins...

You are aware that what you just wrote has no such support from the rules. Psychic Shriek does not explicitly tell you to ignore that it is a Witchfire.

Did you read what he wrote? Doesn't look like it.

They never said you can ignore it's a witchfire, just that the result of the to-hit roll has nothing to do with whether you move on to resolve the 3d6 roll. Because it doesn't, as gas been proven more than once

Indeed. The various interpretations were presented in the first response, so I'm going to go ahead and lock this one down rather than start up this merry-go-round yet again.