D&D 4E Three general 4e mechanics questions.

[Kzach]

If a 20 isn't enough to hit normally, then the group is up against something way too powerful for it anyway.

On that basis alone I'd say 20's are not only auto-crits, but auto-hits as well.

 

[Vurt]

If a 20 isn't enough to hit normally, then the group is up against something way too powerful for it anyway.

On that basis alone I'd say 20's are not only auto-crits, but auto-hits as well.

Not necessarily, as there are plenty of combat modifiers. The attacker could be marked by someone else (-2). The attacker could be using a weapon at long range (-2). The target could have superior cover relative to them (-5). Etc.

 

[Mort_Q]

Move action to stand, does not provoke OAs.
As I understand it, the ONLY things that provoke are ranged attacks and non-close area attacks, and moving out of a threatened square.

FYI, area attacks are by definition non-close.

The categories are:

Melee—single target, doesn't provoke, attack a nearby creature.
Close—multi-target, doesn't provoke, attack nearby creatures, origin square is your square.
Ranged—single target, provokes, attack a distant creature.
Area—multi-target, provokes, attack distant creatures, origin square is far away.

From this thread: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4241259&postcount=8

 

[thewok]

1} Is it definitively demonstrated anywhere that a natural 20 roll is an automatic hit? I understand that it "scores a critical hit", but I'm not completely certain that if 20 + to-hit-modifier doesn't reach the target's defense that it's actually a hit, critical or otherwise.

Adventure book, page 9: "When you roll a 20 on the die when making an attack roll, you score a critical hit."

No more critical threat, no more confirmation rolls. A natural 20 is a critical hit, despite any penalties that may be in effect. And thank God, too.

2} Is there a known defined mechanic for granting one's self a saving throw against ongoing effects?

As far as we know, no. The description for the Heal skill in the adventure book reads, "Make a DC 15 Heal check. If you succeed, an adjacent ally can immediately make a saving throw, or the ally gets a +2 bonus to a saving throw at the and of his or her next turn."

Since a character does not count as his or her own ally in 4E, Heal can be used only on other characters in this manner--not oneself. I imagine the saving throw itself to be something of a "stop, drop and roll" that characters do without sacrificing actions. I think for poisons, diseases and such, it's the body's natural reaction to invasion, but for fire or whatever, it's the character attempting to pat the flame out or something similar, and that is how I plan to describe it narratively.

3} Is there any statement that prevents multiple shifts in a round? If a character were to shift as a move, then shift as a standard, this would be valid, yes?

There is no such statement in the quick-start rules. So, unless there is such a statement in the PHB, this is perfectly legal. It makes sense, too.

 

[Colmarr]

Since a character does not count as his or her own ally in 4E

Source?

 

[Lurker37]

Source?

The powers preview from the end of April.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ex/20080425a

Halfway down, under Target

 

[Colmarr]

The powers preview from the end of April.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4ex/20080425a

Halfway down, under Target

Thanks, that'll teach me to give up on an excerpt because I thought it had nothing new in it

 

[UngainlyTitan]

On the on fire question, I would be inclined to rule that both the standard action and move action could be spent to attempt to put out the flames and assuming there is no handy water source near by would trigger a new save attempt and the character would get the normal save at the end of the round.

That should put out the fire most times.

 

[ebenmckay]

So you can get some crazy bonuses (boni?) to your save to put out flames if you sacrifice actions to do it, but could you do the same against ongoing acid damage? Or ongoing X damage from whatever element you choose?

I can see fire spells becoming a whole lot less desirable for casters if the target can do something so simple to negate the ongoing damage, unless the same action sacrificing can grant this save against other elements as well (dunno how, maybe splashing water in your face to wash off the acid, vigorous arm-rubbing to stop the cold, lotsa ear-popping to negate the thunder damage, and comical twitching on the ground like a fish to get the electrical damage to pass).

I guess what I'm saying is: how do these house rulings affect the balance of fire spells vs. other elements?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

So you can get some crazy bonuses (boni?) to your save to put out flames if you sacrifice actions to do it, but could you do the same against ongoing acid damage? Or ongoing X damage from whatever element you choose?

I can see fire spells becoming a whole lot less desirable for casters if the target can do something so simple to negate the ongoing damage, unless the same action sacrificing can grant this save against other elements as well (dunno how, maybe splashing water in your face to wash off the acid, vigorous arm-rubbing to stop the cold, lotsa ear-popping to negate the thunder damage, and comical twitching on the ground like a fish to get the electrical damage to pass).

I guess what I'm saying is: how do these house rulings affect the balance of fire spells vs. other elements?

Hard to say.
But I'd say that it probably is a fair trade-off - either you deal some damage, or one enemy loses his attack this round. Considering that Heal is apparently generally usable to reroll saves, it seems to be factored in.