D&D 5E Players roll all the dice and Active defenses

[NotAYakk]

Is it the same thing for the DC to the attack roll in the case of attack against AC?

You have 20 AC (plate+shield).
Enemy has +5 strength and +4 proficiency.

They hit on an 11+, so 50% chance.

If we set their DC to 10+5+4 = 19, and our defence as +10, we defend in a 9+, so 60% chance. One of them needs to move by 2.

Either the attack DC is 12+Modifier, or our Defence modifier is AC-12. As adding 12 is easier than subtracting by 12, I'd make it attack DC is 12+Modifier. OTOH, you calculate your Defence modifier once, while the DM has piles of monsters to convert on-the-fly to attack DCs, so maybe it should be Defence modifier.

 

[prabe]

This is where you say "And creating a nuisance."

My dice are more an existential threat than a nuisance. I think the d20s have 1-5 three times and 16-20 once (or at least, that's how they seem to roll).

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

You have 20 AC (plate+shield).
Enemy has +5 strength and +4 proficiency.

They hit on an 11+, so 50% chance.

If we set their DC to 10+5+4 = 19, and our defence as +10, we defend in a 9+, so 60% chance. One of them needs to move by 2.

Either the attack DC is 12+Modifier, or our Defence modifier is AC-12. As adding 12 is easier than subtracting by 12, I'd make it attack DC is 12+Modifier. OTOH, you calculate your Defence modifier once, while the DM has piles of monsters to convert on-the-fly to attack DCs, so maybe it should be Defence modifier.

So...

Players make all rolls v2 (NotAYakk Edition)

Defense roll: AC (Armor bonus + Dex) vs Attack DC (12+Attack or Spell stat modifier+ Prof)

Save roll: Spell Attack (1d20+Casting Stat + Prof) vs Save DC (14+ Save stat modifier + Prof)

Did I got that right?

When it comes to number, I'm slow as hell.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

@Xeviat have you had a chance to check out Pathfinder 2e? I haven't seen it myself, but from some of the reviews I've seen it may be helpful to yoink some of the ways they do defenses and such, or even inspire some more novel approaches that can be adapted in to 5e.

 

[Ratskinner]

I've been mulling over the idea of making combat rolls a combined attack/defense like Dungeon World (as @vincegetorix) mentioned upthread. However, I think I would add a bit from Blades in the Dark.

That is, you have three scales Advantage(Controlled), Risky, Disadvantage(Desperate). That way, you could bake in a lot of the differences for different weapons and armor. e.g. Weapons and armor might grant advantage when you "outgun" your opponent, but heavy armor would be a disadvantage when doing athletic stuff like dodging or sneaky stuff. Similarly, a magic sword might grant advantage against Goblinoids or somesuch. This would allow a lot more variety in combat description to have meaning (i.e. your heavy armor and helmet's limited visibility works well when the badguys are swinging swords at you. Not quite so well when those 10 goblins attempt to swarm you and knock you over.)

Of course, I would also be adopting the initiative-less combat stuff from DW/Blades as well. I really liked how that flowed, rather than the stop-motion, system. Might even drop HP from the equation as well, replace it with clocks for the badguys as BITD stress for the heroes.

 

[jmartkdr2]

So...

Players make all rolls v2 (NotAYakk Edition)

Defense roll: AC (Armor bonus + Dex) vs Attack DC (12+Attack or Spell stat modifier+ Prof)

Save roll: Spell Attack (1d20+Casting Stat + Prof) vs Save DC (14+ Save stat modifier + Prof)

Did I got that right?

When it comes to number, I'm slow as hell.

This math is correct.

(1 point comes from the .5 switching because the die is being rolled by the other player, and one point comes from changing who wins a tie. the two extra points on saves come from the base calculation being 8+mods, not 10+mods like AC.)

You will need to do this math for every monster, but a simple notecard with the answers printed out for every attack bonus form +0 to +20 would be speedy enough for on-the-fly math.

 

[jayoungr]

There are a few past discussion threads on this topic that you might find useful:

Players Roll All the Dice ... Next (from 2014)
Using the "players roll all the dice" variant in 5E? (from 2014)
Players Roll All Dice (from 2015)

I could swear I've seen some more recent threads on the topic too, but this was all I could find on a quick forum search.

 

[Horwath]

I am more in the "active player/NPC" camp gets to roll.

That is, I would go to the 4E style(ugh, almost hate myself ) of defenses.

If you sneak around(PC or NPC) you roll vs passive perception,
if you are searching you roll perception/investigation,

if you cast fireball you make spell attack vs. dexterity defense, etc...

or opposite athletics checks(or trip, push, disarm, etc...), one that starts the action rolls athletics vs "passive" or "take 10" result of the defender.

 

[aco175]

I'm still trying to grasp the concept of this;

a) I raise my shield, trying to find the exact moment of its attack before I deviate its blow. (Dm ask for an Int save)
b) I raise my shield from my left side to my right, moving quickly to avoid letting one side exposed for too long. (DM ask for a Dex save)
c) I raise my shield, rushing toward the duelist to push its frail weapon aside before he gets to move. (DM ask for an Str check)
d) I raise my shield, knowing that his next attack is going to be nasty. I brace myself. (Dm calls for a Con save)

Over, "Roll for the monster to hit you, it has +5 to hit."
Or, DM rolls and misses the AC by one and says, "You raise your shield at the last minute and the blow slides off." Or, DM rolls and misses by 5 and the says "You sidestep his clumsy attack and prepare to counter."

I guess my big problem is that I do not see where this will make things faster/easier/funner?

 

[tetrasodium]

I do it in my game & it works well
ac+d20 vrs attack mods+22. The players are more engaged & don't ask as many thought process hijacking questions when it's not their turn