Seeing as weapons with the line property don't benefit from Weapon Specialization, what are some other ways we can boost the damage with them?
Why wouldn’t they get weapon specialization? The feat says all weapons of the appropriate type get the damage.
Weapon specialization.
Photon mode.
Plasma sheathe.
Deadly aim.
The usual suspects.
The clause about not benefitting from abilities that boost the damage of a single attack will only stop a few things, like Overcharge, from working.
Why wouldn’t they get weapon specialization? The feat says all weapons of the appropriate type get the damage.
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 181This weapon fires a projectile in a straight line that pierces through multiple creatures or obstacles. When attacking with such a weapon, make a single attack roll and compare it to the relevant Armor Class of all creatures and objects in a line extending to the weapon’s listed range increment. Roll damage only once. The weapon hits all targets with an AC equal to or lower than the attack roll. However, if an attack fails to damage a creature or obstacle hit in the line (typically due to damage reduction or hardness), the path is stopped and the attack doesn’t damage creatures farther away. A line weapon can’t damage targets beyond its listed range. If you score a critical hit, that effect applies only to the first target hit in the line, and you roll the critical damage separately. If multiple creatures are equally close, you choose which one takes the effects of the critical hit. A line weapon doesn’t benefit from feats or abilities that increase the damage of a single attack (such as the operative’s trick attack).
I was about to point out that Weapon Specialization was a feat, and thus was excluded, then I realized that I overlooked the "single attack" part. Never mind. I suppose that's what I get for not getting proper rest and posting after midnight. :P
Would that include supercharge weapon? Or would that spell only grant 2d6 per automatic and blast weapons?
I'd guess 2d6.
I'd say supercharge weapon does nothing, unfortunately. It pretty explicitly is an effect that boost the damage of a single attack. Wouldn't do anything for a blast either, but would give the 2d6 on automatic and explode.
Blast and line say feats and abilities. Would a spell count as an ability for this purpose? Maybe?
You supercharge the target weapon. If the weapon’s next attack hits (provided it is made before the end of the next round), the attack deals 4d6 additional damage if the weapon is a single target attack or 2d6 additional damage if the weapon attacks all creatures in an area. This bonus damage is of the same type as the weapon’s normal damage.
With that reading Ithink it would only affect the first attack in an automatic firing, but would it be 2d6 or 4d6?
With blast and line you make one attack and apply the results to all creatures in an area. With automatic you make a separate attack against all creatures in an area.
I think supercharge weapon is supposed to do 2d6 additional for blast and line, and 4d6 additional for the first attack with an automatic.
Also could you supercharge grenades? Seems super good at level 1.
One thing I think is pretty cool, but miiight not be raw, is using the electric arc gear boost for soldier on electric weapons with line. The text says it doesn't work with explode or blast, but says nothing about line or any variation of line.
Interesting.
It should work, I think.
I don't even see a raw reason a given secondary target could only be affected once, which is also interesting.
Might not be 100% intended, but they were careful enough on all other properties that it very well might be. To compensate for the lack of line-based gear boost, maybe.
Also, it took me this long to realize there's a line of line weapons that isn't unwieldy (frailty cannons). Although that's good enough damage to make me suspect a typo.
Hmm, do spells fall under "feats and abilities?" I... think so? Thats a good question.
None of my players have either type of weapon yet, so I think I'm going to run it as 2d6 to blast, line, explode weapons, and 4d6 to the first attack with an automatic until we get clarification. I doubt it would be game breaking.