This is for anyone new to WFRP 4e that might not have noticed some oddities with the Dual Wielder Talent yet and how to fix it.
Here’s the lowdown.
- The Talent description itself is rather clunky. First you attack and then reverse your roll for the second attack, but get this, if your first attack is a Critical then you use your Critical roll result for the second attack instead! That’s because a Critical Hit is a double (11, 22, 33, etc.) so reversing your initial attack roll for the second attack will either mean a second Critical Hit or a Fumble. See? Clunky.
- There are other Talents (Frenzy and Furious Assault) that allow for extra attacks. They are much simpler, as you just make separate attack rolls as normal. No need for clunky rules changes around Critical Hits.
- There is a weird situation that can happen due to Critical Deflection (WFRP 4e page 299). If your first attack is a Critical Hit and you roll 100, that’s a Death result. However, it’s possible to burn a point of armour and negate the Critical Effect. Normally that means you still take the damage listed in the Damage column, but for Death results that’s not a thing. So there is potential for the target to suffer no ill effects whatsoever. In addition, as you are then forced into using your Critical roll result for the second attack roll, that’s going to be 100, which is always a Fumble!
A little weird isn’t it. The easiest and most straightforward way to fix it is just to ignore the bit about reversing that initial d100 attack roll. Just make two attack rolls instead, like you would do with Frenzy and Furious Assault. All of the normal rules would then apply and you avoid the issue with Critical Hits being ignored and causing you to Fumble.