D&D 4E 4e FAQ

[Remathilis]

I have a few questions for the panel...

1.) Is AC "reflex + armor" or a separate stat? Ergo, if a rogue gets a +2 to reflex defense, does he also get it to AC?

2.) Does Str of Dex add to missile weapon damage (like bows) when dealing with basic attacks?

Thanks in advance...

 

[DonAdam]

I have a few questions for the panel...

1.) Is AC "reflex + armor" or a separate stat? Ergo, if a rogue gets a +2 to reflex defense, does he also get it to AC?

2.) Does Str of Dex add to missile weapon damage (like bows) when dealing with basic attacks?

Thanks in advance...

1) Separate score. AC adds armor, reflex doesn't. Reflex adds class bonus, AC doesn't. They only share shields and Dex/Int in common.

2) General Rule: Dexterity adds to damage with basic ranged attacks.
Exception: Heavy thrown weapons use Strength instead of Dex for attack and damage bonus.

 

[Tervin]

Spellbooks?

The way spellbooks are described in the book seems to lead to things that don't fit so well with how the 4th edition rules work as a whole.

Examples:
1. A level 9 wizard has chosen the feat expanded spellbook. In that spellbook you can find 9 daily spells, 3 of level 1, 3 of level 5 and 3 of level 9. Every morning the wizard prepares 3 of those spells. Is it allowed to pick all 3 level 9 spells, or does it have to be one of each respective level? (The rules seem to say one thing, but my gut instinct says the other.)
2. At level 10 the same wizard decides to use a multiclass feat to swap one daily power for a daily power from another class. What happens? Are all level 9 spells taken from the spellbook, or only one? Does the wizard pick one or three powers from the other class? Do daily powers from another class end up in the wizard's spellbook?

 

[phil500]

I have a question:

If an attack is STR vs. AC and does 1[w] damage does a dwarf with dwarven weapon training add 2 to attack roll for proficiency? Does he add 2 to damage also?

 

[DonAdam]

I have a question:

If an attack is STR vs. AC and does 1[w] damage does a dwarf with dwarven weapon training add 2 to attack roll for proficiency? Does he add 2 to damage also?

He adds to attack if he has proficiency. All dwarves have proficiency automatically for warhammers and throwing hammers (but not, e.g., mauls).

Dwarven weapon training gives proficiency with all hammers and axes, and a +2 to damage.

 

[phil500]

Dwarven weapon training gives proficiency with all hammers and axes, and a +2 to damage.

OK so if he is using a greataxe with str 16, is 1[w] + str damage=1d12 +5

that is, does the +2 to damage apply in a power which uses 1[w] damage or only on a basic attack?

 

[neceros]

P276:

Example: Valenae. a 12th-level eladrin paladin,hits a foe with thunder smite. The attack deals 2[W] + Strength modifier thunder damage and knocks thetarget prone. The damage would be 2d8 (longsword’s 1d8 × 2) + 7. The +7 bonus includes her +3 Strength modifier, a +2 feat bonus (Weapon Focus), and a +2 enhancement bonus (from her +2 thundering longsword).

 

[Gargoyle]

Yeah, I can see that. I can also see the temp hit points being the rule, and the minions being the exception. I'm just suspecting that temp. hit points for minions goes against the whole idea of minions (minimal tracking) and so it will get ruled as not working. Time will tell.

I hope you are correct. Despite what the RAW appears to be, IMO minions receiving temporary hit points is a huge power increase and can make an encounter much harder than it should be.

 

[Zsig]

The way spellbooks are described in the book seems to lead to things that don't fit so well with how the 4th edition rules work as a whole.

Examples:
1. A level 9 wizard has chosen the feat expanded spellbook. In that spellbook you can find 9 daily spells, 3 of level 1, 3 of level 5 and 3 of level 9. Every morning the wizard prepares 3 of those spells. Is it allowed to pick all 3 level 9 spells, or does it have to be one of each respective level? (The rules seem to say one thing, but my gut instinct says the other.)
2. At level 10 the same wizard decides to use a multiclass feat to swap one daily power for a daily power from another class. What happens? Are all level 9 spells taken from the spellbook, or only one? Does the wizard pick one or three powers from the other class? Do daily powers from another class end up in the wizard's spellbook?

I'll try to answer those based on my guts as well, but i don't think there's any evidence on the book (aside from what's written under Spellbook page 158). So if you want an official answer you'll have to wait for it from an official source.

1. If you can cast 3 Daily Powers you can memorize 3 daily spells, from what I understand, level is irrelevant here. So yes, you can memorize 3 level 9 spells as long as they're not duplicate.
2. You trade one "power" for another "power". Each of the 3 level 9 spells you got are essentially individual powers and you pick one of them and trade for another (this is also valid for the retraining and power replacement rules). You learn 1 power from the other class. Other classes doesn't use spellbooks, so you don't write the other classes' powers on your spellbook.

Again, this is the way I understand it. Sure, if that's how it works then Wizards are powerful compared to the others... but for some reason the PHB seems to ommit what happens when your book is stolen, lost etc...

 

[DonAdam]

I'll try to answer those based on my guts as well, but i don't think there's any evidence on the book (aside from what's written under Spellbook page 158). So if you want an official answer you'll have to wait for it from an official source.

1. If you can cast 3 Daily Powers you can memorize 3 daily spells, from what I understand, level is irrelevant here. So yes, you can memorize 3 level 9 spells as long as they're not duplicate.
2. You trade one "power" for another "power". Each of the 3 level 9 spells you got are essentially individual powers and you pick one of them and trade for another (this is also valid for the retraining and power replacement rules). You learn 1 power from the other class. Other classes doesn't use spellbooks, so you don't write the other classes' powers on your spellbook.

Again, this is the way I understand it. Sure, if that's how it works then Wizards are powerful compared to the others... but for some reason the PHB seems to ommit what happens when your book is stolen, lost etc...

Yeah, I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you on that.

After an extended rest, you can prepare a number of daily and utility spells according to what you can cast per day for your level.

I know people are inclined to twist this and I will no doubt meet much resistance, but it says "according to what you can cast per day for your level." If you check out DMG p. 143, it shows the maximum number and level of daily powers. I think that's the intention of the rules.

What about the mysterious "no two of any one spell?" Well, also according to DMG p. 143, you can keep lower level powers in a higher level slot. I would take that to be the meaning. I would take it to mean that at 9th level you can have two 5th-level dailies and one 1st level daily instead of 9/5/1, and can change that with each extended rest, but you can't have 9/9/1.

I think the questions are:
1) What happens when you lose your spellbook?
and
2) Say you advance to level 15 and get a replacement Daily. Normally, I would expect you would erase your two level 1 Daily's and get a two level 15 Daily's. But could I learn just one level 15 Daily and hang onto my precious sleep?