Soldier and Grenade Critical Specializations

[coyclay]

I'm asking for some help on how Soldiers interact with Grenades.

The Soldier Weapon Expert feature states that soldiers "...gain access to the critical specialization effects of weapons with the area or automatic traits."

Grenades don't have the area trait but their description states "...using the Area Fire action as though it had the area (burst) trait...".

While I don't believe that Soldiers qualify for grenade critical specializations because grenades don't have the right traits, my table is questioning it.

[DarkSavior]

My read on this: The grenade trait says, "Weapons with this trait can be thrown as a single action using the Area Fire action **as though it had the area (burst) trait."** Emphasis on the section in asterisks. It has area (burst) trait included as part of the grenade trait, so it should work for Soldier weapon critical specialization.

[Nitrobrude]

Grenades are....interesting.

I'm sure there's a reason, but I don't understand why grenades weren't just given the Area (Burst) trait in the first place. Silliness of grenades interacting with abilities like the Soldier's Bombard fighting style aren't prevented due to said fighting style referencing "area attacks" and not the area trait.

Teeeeechnically by a strict reading of RAW, only Operatives and Envoys can get Critical Specialization with grenades since grenades are defined as "guns" due to being a ranged weapon with the tech trait. I would personally just include Grenades in any ability that references area attacks and be done with it.

Especially since the only two grenades with critical specializations, in the SF2ePC at least, are Incendiary Grenades and Electromag Grenades and the effects aren't amazing anyways.