Rules for Initiative, Checks on Skills, Checks on Saves

[sunmaster]

Hi to all,

I read the threads here about the stats of the given characters of DDXP.
But I cannot find info about the rules which use these stats.

Can someone point me where I can find the rules about:
a) how initiative is rolled and calculated
b) what is the definitive order of combat phases
c) how attacks are rolled and calculated
d) how skill checks are rolled and calculated
e) how checks for saves are rolled and calculated
etc.

I am asking because I can very well imagine that there are differences
to the rules of 3.5E, and as the people who are now playing at DDXP
have to use these rules there must be info about them anywhere.


thank you

 

[fafhrd]

I'll add a few:

f) How do surprise rounds work?
g) What happens when you're 'slowed'?
h) How are burst sizes calculated? Blasts?
i) What's the distance on a 'close' effect?
j) What does 'vulnerability x' do?

 

[sunmaster]

Maybe, it can be that the players on DDXP are someway NDAed so that they cannot give away
the rules for all that. I have this thought because it is funny that we have sheets full of
stats but not one sheet with rules.

If this is the case then the mods here can delete this thread because I don't want to
bring people to break their NDA.

 

[fafhrd]

I doubt it. That's a bigger headache for WotC than it's worth. The designers are letting stuff slip all the time now. They realize that our eagerness to play is a damned good thing for them.

 

[Logan_Bonner]

I'll add a few:

f) How do surprise rounds work?
g) What happens when you're 'slowed'?
h) How are burst sizes calculated? Blasts?
i) What's the distance on a 'close' effect?
j) What does 'vulnerability x' do?

f) By using the element of surprise!
g) You don't move as quickly.
h) They have a number that says how big they are.
i) If it were any closer, it'd be behind ya!
j) Cause you to rethink your casual drug use at raves.

(Sorry. This was a very Peter Schaeferian post... but it's late, so that's my excuse.)

 

[Kordeth]

Maybe, it can be that the players on DDXP are someway NDAed so that they cannot give away
the rules for all that. I have this thought because it is funny that we have sheets full of
stats but not one sheet with rules.

If this is the case then the mods here can delete this thread because I don't want to
bring people to break their NDA.

Nobody's NDA'd, they said so several times before the show started. And most of your questions have already been answered:

a) how initiative is rolled and calculated: "Just like 3.5" according to one thread, so one presumes a Dex check.

b) what is the definitive order of combat phases: I don't believe we've seen any evidence to even remotely suggest "phases" are back in. You have three types of action on your turn--standard, move, and minor--and you can "trade down."

c) how attacks are rolled and calculated: 1d20 + 1/2 level + ability bonus + other bonuses.

d) how skill checks are rolled and calculated 1d20 + 1/2 level + ability bonus + skill training bonus

e) how checks for saves are rolled and calculated: 1d20 + misc. bonuses, 9 or less fails, 10 or better succeeds.

 

[Jack99]

a) how initiative is rolled and calculated

d20+dex modifier+½ level - highest goes first

d) how skill checks are rolled and calculated

d20+relevant ability modifier+½ level vs either a set DC, or as an "attack" vs a defense, and perhaps also as an opposed roll vs the foe's appropriate skill check

e) how checks for saves are rolled and calculated

There are no saving throws as we know them. We have now magical attack rolls against fort, reflex and will defenses. (attacker rolls d20+appropriate modifiers against your static defense).

Saves in 4e is something else. When you are dying, you get a save to see if you stabilize, which is a simple d20 roll, usually with no modifiers (humans might get +1 to this roll). on a 1-9, you keep dying, on 10-20 you stabilize. Saving against ongoing effects (dots, hold/paralysis type of things) uses the same mechanic.

At least that is how I understand things atm.

 

[sunmaster]

@Kordeth: You come as attacking me, and I apologize but I never found a thread where the rules you listed are discussed - only stats (of the DDXP characters).

The thing is I again visited the Wizards D&D page and I discovered that on the graphic with the
dragon for DDXP has a dotted list on it where the data about DDXP is linked from.
The list point to the zip file with the rules in it was slipped under the navigation bar below it (with "Experience" , "Dungeon, "Dragon" , etc. links)
even if I use a "standard" XP with Firefox and "standard" fonts (sizes, type etc.)
I had to reduce the font size with Ctrl+- two times to just see the link to the zip file.

So, Kordeth and Jack99 thank you for listing me the rules.