Basic Ranged Damage Modifier

[Drayus]

I'm unclear as to what damage modifiers if any to assign to a basic ranged attack. For example... If I"m 1st level with a 16 Dex firing a longbow. Would my damage on a hit be 1d10+3 or simply 1d10. If you do apply your dex mod to damage then what if you use a crossbow or throw a light bladed weapon.

Also is there anything like weapon finesse in 4.0 where you use your dex to hit with a basic melee attack or is it always STR. Examples in the 4.0 MM (elf) suggest they use dex to hit and dmg on basic attacks with shortswords and longswords.

If anyone can reference a 4.0 source for me that may shed some light on my confusion it would be greatly appreciated.

Drayus

 

[generalhenry]

attack +5 vs. AC for 1d10 +3 damage


weapon finesse has been replaced by powers that use dex for melee attacks (rogues)

The MM elfs have a power that lets them use Dex for basic attacks, however there's no such ability for PCs.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

The players handbook tells you what you need to know about attacks, which ability modifiers to use to hit with an attack, and which ability modifier to use for damage on any given attack. Page 269 is a good place to start, and once you have the basic knowledge of how attacking works, the powers section goes into more detail on specifics for each power.

 

[Tonester]

Just remember:
All attacks are actually powers.

Some powers use Magical Implements to channel the damage/effect/etc while other powers use Weapons to channel the damage/effect/etc.

So, not EVERYTHING you do with a Longsword will use your Strength modifier for damage.

Basic Melee and Basic Ranged attacks are both powers. They both use the Weapon keyword for Accessory. Accessory is the keyword used to describe what object/accessory is used to channel the power. In 4e and the PHB so far, this is ALWAYS Weapon or Implement (at least for attack powers).

If you use a weapon with a power which says "Weapon" as the accessory keyword near the top of the power (don't confuse it with "Weapon weapon" which is actually a range), then this means that you get +hit with that power for anything related to that weapon... such as being proficient, feats, magical bonuses on the weapon, etc in addition to whatever Ability Modifier is listed ON THE POWER.

For damage, however, you pretty much use the same thing except you don't add the proficiency bonus.

An example?
A paladin is using a power which requires a Weapon to activate or use the power through.
Attack: Charisma +1 vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength Modifier radiant damage.

The paladin is using a magical Longsword +2.

ToHit:
+3 (prof with longsword)
+2 (+2 magic on the longsword)
+4 (for having an 18 or 19 Charisma and the power saying Charisma ... Something)
+1 (for the power saying Something +1 vs Something)
+1 (maybe he has a feat which grants him +1 to hit with heavy blades)
+1 (maybe he is under the effect of a teammate power which granted him +1 bonus on next attack roll)
+2 (he is flanking the target with a teammate which grants both of them combat advantage against the target)
-2 (concealment.... maybe you are fighting in low light or your target is in a cloud of mist/fog)

ToDmg:
1d8 (for the 1[W])
+3 (for having 16 Strength and it saying Something + Strength Modifier ... Something)
+2 (for the +2 on the magical longsword)
+1 (for him using it 2handed and it being a versatile weapon)
+2 (for some power from a teammate buff which gave him +2 to next damage roll)
+1 (for some feat which grants +1 damage to all 2h attacks or heavy blade attacks)

That should be a good start.