Modifiers to opposed attack rolls

Scharlata

First Post

• Mar 21, 2005

• #1

Hi!

Last session a rather curious question arose IMC.

The situation:
Chandra the barbarian is fighting Marz the shadowdancer. Because Marz is charmed but is Chandra's friend and party member, Chandra opts to fight Marz dealing only nonlethal damage with her greatsword [-4 to attack]; additionally - to knock Marz out quicker - Chandra opts to Power Attack [she takes an additional -4 to her attacl roll]. On her turn, Marz opts to disarm Chandra with her spiked chain.

The question:
What modifiers [besides the +4 bonus for wielding a two-handed weapon (greatsword and spiked chain, respectively)] do they have to consider? Is the nonlethal option "on"? Is the Power Attack option "on"?.

Thanx for your help and kind regards.

 

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NexH

First Post

• Mar 21, 2005

• #2

The power attack penalty to attack rolls remains, as is explained in the feat. But the penalty to attack rolls to deal nonlethal damage only applies to one attack, it doesn't remain in place after the attack is made.
So Chandra would roll with a -4 penalty for power attacking, but not an additional -4 for using the nonlethal damage option the last turn.

 

P

Patryn of Elvenshae

First Post

• Mar 21, 2005

• #3

The Power Attack option is certainly on - as would be Combat Expertise, fighting defensively, and dual-wielding penalties, if any were in use at the time.

As far as fighting for non-lethal goes, the question would be "How long does the penalty normally last?"

All of the ones I mentioned above last "until your next turn." I believe that the non-lethal penalty only applies to the particular attack on which it was used.

Therefore, she takes the -4 penalty for Power Attacking, but not the -4 penalty for nonlethal damage.

 

Hypersmurf

Moderatarrrrh...

• Mar 22, 2005

• #4

Patryn of Elvenshae said:

All of the ones I mentioned above last "until your next turn."

Click to expand...

Got a source for that on Two-Weapon Fighting?

-Hyp.

 

A

atom crash

First Post

• Mar 22, 2005

• #5

Got a source for that on Two-Weapon Fighting?

Click to expand...

I was wondering about that. I looked for a source but couldn't find one. But then again, it took me forever last week to find the cite that you have to use the full attack action to get more than one attack in a round.

 

P

Patryn of Elvenshae

First Post

• Mar 22, 2005

• #6

Hypersmurf said:

Got a source for that on Two-Weapon Fighting?

-Hyp.

Click to expand...

Sure.

SRD said:

TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. You suffer a –6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a –10 penalty to the attack with your off hand when you fight this way.

Click to expand...

It's a penalty applied to your attack rolls "when you fight this way," which, IMO, means "when you use the TWF rules to gain extra attacks per round."

Thus, if you benefited from the TWF rules on your round, the penalties would apply until your next round.

 

Hypersmurf

Moderatarrrrh...

• Mar 22, 2005

• #7

Patryn of Elvenshae said:

... which, IMO, means "when you use the TWF rules to gain extra attacks per round."

Click to expand...

Oh, that's right.

You're one of those

-Hyp.

 

A

atom crash

First Post

• Mar 22, 2005

• #8

The combat modifiers from Power Attack and Combat Expertise, for example, specifically state that they apply until your next turn. So does fighting defensively. The modifiers for Two Weapon Fighting do not. Make of that what you will.

Edit: This issue about TWF becomes important for AoOs later in the round, right? Then wouldn't this section of the SRD apply for TWF:

An experienced character gets additional regular melee attacks (by using the full attack action), but at a lower attack bonus. You make your attack of opportunity, however, at your normal attack bonus—even if you’ve already attacked in the round.

Click to expand...

It is apparently intended to cover iterative attacks, but it also holds true for TWF.

 

Last edited: Mar 22, 2005

Hypersmurf

Moderatarrrrh...

• Mar 22, 2005

• #9

atom crash said:

It is apparently intended to cover iterative attacks, but it also holds true for TWF.

Click to expand...

Unless you contend that you don't take penalties for being prone, or a Bane spell, etc, etc, when you make AoOs, you pretty much have to accept that 'normal attack bonus' refers to the BAB component. TWF penalties would not be altered by that rule.

-Hyp.