Opposed Attack Roll

[Hypersmurf]

In the section "Strike a Weapon" (PHB p136), it says "Then you and the defender make opposed attack rolls. If you win, you have landed a good blow against the defender's weapon or shield."

Some of the implications of that feel counterintuitive.

It means someone uses his Str bonus to get his 3lb kukri out of the way of his opponent's greatsword, instead of the Dex bonus + size AC bonus mechanic if he were trying to protect a potion.

It means a slinger gets bonuses to avoid having his sling hit for a/ masterwork weapon, b/ Weapon Focus, and c/ Point Blank Shot!? ... is that right?

If so, can someone with a trident or shortspear apply his Dex bonus instead of his Str bonus, and gain his PBS bonus, while defending against a sunder attempt?

-Hyp.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

My understanding of ranged weapons in an opposed attack roll like sunder (where the ranged weapon is what's being sundered) is that they don't count as weapons at all but rather carried objects. So there's no opposed attack roll involved in that case. (And, somewhat counter-intuitively, the sunder and improved sunder feats don't apply). The attacker simply rolls to hit the armor class of a size x object (+defender's dexterity and deflection bonusses).

 

[Hypersmurf]

p136 just says "a weapon or shield"; it doesn't specify melee weapon.

Has this been clarified somewhere?

-Hyp.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

p136 just says "a weapon or shield"; it doesn't specify melee weapon.

Has this been clarified somewhere?

-Hyp.

It's in the FAQ, (p. 34 of the 9/26/02 version) for what it's worth.

I think it makes sense too. The kind of skill represented by a bow's attack bonus doesn't seem like it would transfer into getting the bow out of the way of an axe. (Others have suggested treating it as an improvised melee weapon: weapon focus doesn't apply, -4 nonproficiency penalty, use strength rather than dex for purposes of the opposed attack roll).

 

[Mahali]

When Sundering a bow the bow is treated as an object and not a weapon.

The bow is most likely toast unless it's more magical than the sundering weapon.

 

[Hypersmurf]

When Sundering a bow the bow is treated as an object and not a weapon.

The bow is most likely toast unless it's more magical than the sundering weapon.

Well, now, here's the thing. The rule about magic weapons only being damageable by weapons just as magical is a subheading under the "Strike a Weapon" rule.

If you're treating the bow as an object, not a weapon, for the purpose of sundering... why does that part of the Strike a Weapon rule apply, and not the rest?

A +4 bow treated as an object could in theory be sundered by a rusty battleaxe...

-Hyp.

 

[BMF]

If you're treating the bow as an object, not a weapon, for the purpose of sundering... why does that part of the Strike a Weapon rule apply, and not the rest?

A +4 bow treated as an object could in theory be sundered by a rusty battleaxe...

I think you are thinking about it too much.

I would guess that the bow, although it is considered an object for purposes of striking an object, is still a weapon with a +4 bonus and therefore cannot be sundered by a rusty battle axe.

Makes sense to me.

Think about it like this: The only reason the bow is considerd an object is because it isn't a melee weapon. It still has a +4 bonus regardless of how it is handled when it comes to striking it.