Comments and questions on 3.5 from a Newbie

[BeauNiddle]

The complicated version:

You have a BAB of + 10 / + 5 / 0 with your good hand, and a BAB of + 10 / + 5 with your off-hand.
You have a Strength Bonus of + 4. (It's + 2 with your off-hand.)
You have a penalty of - 4 for fighting with two One Handed Melee Weapons (you have the Two Weapon Proficiency Feat, or it would have been - 6 / - 10.)

Just a quick correction but I think the half bonus for the off hand applies to DAMAGE only - you still get the full bonus on to-hit.

You might want to double check that tho

Edit - I see Kenobi has already pointed this out. Sigh - I need the improved initiative and fast fingers feats

 

[kenobi65]

About that Spiked Chain: it has a reach of 10 feet, and it works at 10 feet and at 5 feet.
So that means you get an AOO when your opponent enters the 10 foot hex AND an AOO when your opponent enters the 5 foot hex, right? ...

Not really. Entering a threatened square doesn't provoke an AoO. It's leaving one that provokes. So, if you're wielding a spiked chain, and your opponent moves into the square directly next to you, he's moved out of the outer squares that you threaten, and you do get an AoO. (That is, unless that "move" was only a 5' step; 5' steps never provoke AoOs.)

As someone else noted earlier, one of the selling points of spiked chains is that they're about the only reach weapon available to Medium-sized characters that both (a) give reach out to 10', and (b) still also let you attack the squares directly adjacent to you.

EDIT: Only one school? Ok, that Feat (Spell Focus) is useless ... (or, at least, not worth putting a Feat slot into.)

Spell Focus got nerfed in 3.5; it (and Greater Spell Focus) both used to give +2 bonuses. Apparently the design team thought that was too good.

Ever fish through your pockets for change? Trying to find that particular quarter amongst a lot of nickels, dimes, and pennies?
That's the poor mage fishing for the right spell component.
As I said, if the DM's a stickler, gotta have this one. If not, one can let it pass.

If you take a look at the illustrations of Mialee, her vest is covered with tiny little pouches. I think the idea of a spell component pouch is that it's in some way "categorized" to keep the caster from having to fish around.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(sighs)



Let me get this right ...

If I am Colossal Size, and you are Colossal Sized, I have no penalty or bonus to hit you.
If I am Colossal Size, and you are Gargantuan Sized, I have a - 4 penalty to hit you.
I am Colossal and you are Huge: - 6
I am Colossal and you are Large: - 7
I am Colossal and you are Medium: - 8
I am Colossal and you are Small: - 9
I am Colossal and you are Tiny: - 10
I am Colossal and you are Diminutive: - 12
I am Colossal and you are Fine: - 16

If I am Gargantuan Sized and you are Colossal Sized: I have a + 4 BONUS to hit you.
If I am Gargantuan and you are Gargantuan: No penalty or bonus.
Gargantuan/Huge: - 2
Gargantuan/Large: - 3
Gargantuan/Medium: - 4
Gargantuan/Small: - 5
Gargantuan/Tiny: - 6
Gargantuan/Diminutive: - 8
Gargantuan/Fine: - 12

If I am Medium Sized, it goes:

I'm Medium, you're Colossal: + 8 BONUS to hit you.
Medium/Gargantuan: + 4 bonus.
Medium/Huge: + 2 bonus.
Medium/Large: + 1 bonus.
Medium/Medium: no penalty or bonus.
Medium/Small: - 1
Medium/Tiny: - 2
Medium/Diminutive: - 4
Medium/Fine: - 8

All the way down to:

I am Fine sized, and you are Colossal sized: + 16 BONUS to hit you.
Fine/Gargantuan: + 12
Fine/Huge: + 10
Fine/Large: + 9
Fine/Medium: + 8
Fine/Small: + 7
Fine/Tiny: + 6
Fine/Diminutive: + 4
Fine/Fine: no penalty or bonus.

This, of course, DOES stack with everything else.

So, if I polymorph myself into an insect sized critter, and I attack with my + 5 sword, with another + 10 of various bonuses of various types, then when I attack the Dragon I get ...

+ 16 to hit for Size.
+ 5 for the sword.
+ 10 for the other bonuses.

That's + 31 to hit, right there.

LOL ...

Is this right? (Because if it is, I have to memorize it by rote, or I'll never get a combat done.)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Well then, with the Spiked Chain ...

Don't you get an AOO when your opponent turns tail and runs ...

From the 5 foot square next to you, AND ...
From the 10 foot square next to that which you also threaten?

Seems to me you'd get 2 AOO on said hapless opponent (if ture, said opponent wouldn't be running anywhere ...)

 

[Aaron L]

(sighs)



Let me get this right ...

+ 16 to hit for Size.
+ 5 for the sword.
+ 10 for the other bonuses.

That's + 31 to hit, right there.

LOL ...

Is this right? (Because if it is, I have to memorize it by rote, or I'll never get a combat done.)

Yes... its right... but youre going to drive yourself insane with this. Size factors are already figured into monster AC and to hit humbers. You dont have to worry about it generally. Trying to keep it in your head all the time is going to drive you nuts. Youre going way overboard with most of this stuff.


And with the above example, yes, you can polymorph into an ant sized creature, and have a great bonus to hit... and do one point of damage. Being that small will make your strength score into mush, and weapons do damage based on thier size.

 

[kenobi65]

Well then, with the Spiked Chain ...

Don't you get an AOO when your opponent turns tail and runs ...

From the 5 foot square next to you, AND ...
From the 10 foot square next to that which you also threaten?

Seems to me you'd get 2 AOO on said hapless opponent (if ture, said opponent wouldn't be running anywhere ...)

In theory, yes...but...

(1) If the fleeing opponent takes the "Withdraw" action (in which all he does is move, see PHB p. 143), the first square he's in is considered "safe". So, he'd only provoke an AoO from moving out of that second square.

(2) Unless you have the Combat Reflexes feat, you can only make one AoO per round. (Though, most PCs I've heard of that are built around Spiked Chain do take that feat.)

 

[kenobi65]

Yes... its right... but youre going to drive yourself insane with this. Size factors are already figured into monster AC and to hit humbers. You dont have to worry about it generally. Trying to keep it in your head all the time is going to drive you nuts. Youre going way overboard with most of this stuff.

Exactly; the only time you need to worry about adjusting anything is when there's been a change in a combatant's size. Otherwise, all the adjustments have already been "baked into" the characters' stats.

This is because the adjustments due to size aren't handled on a "size vs. size" basis...Small creatures get +1 on attack rolls (versus *anybody*), and +1 on AC (versus *anybody*), so if you're playing a halfling, you just add +1 to your attack bonuses, and +1 to your AC, when you create the character, and you're done. (Note that, if you're fighting against another halfling, the +1 to attack rolls you get for being small is effectively counteracted by the +1 the other halfling has to his AC for being small...but you don't need to do the calculations each time.)

And with the above example, yes, you can polymorph into an ant sized creature, and have a great bonus to hit... and do one point of damage. Being that small will make your strength score into mush, and weapons do damage based on thier size.

Exactly. When you take on a smaller form, your Strength score will almost always drop...and when your weapon gets smaller, its damage dice also shrink. So, as Aaron notes, you'll be able to hit all day long...but just not do any damage.

 

[BeauNiddle]

As Aaron L says you don't apply the modifiers for size during combat you apply them during character creation.

A small creature has +1 to hit vs EVERYTHING and +1 AC vs EVERYTHING. A large creature has -1 to hit and -1 AC vs everything. You jot it down during creation and never need to worry about it again (unless using magic to change size).

If you do change size (say small to fine) then you work out the changes by going through medium i.e. you lose your +1 to hit and +1 AC for small but instead gain +8 to hit and +8 AC for fine. Work out all your modifiers once when you first change and for all combats after that the modifiers stay the same.

(the chart you compiled is what the bonuses work out to but it is only useful as an academic exercise since that chart will NEVER be referenced in combat)


DAMN YOU KENOBI, damn you and your fast fingers

 

[kenobi65]

DAMN YOU KENOBI, damn you and your fast fingers

LOL. That's what 22 years of consistent touch-typing do for ya...

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(With what crude knowledge of 3.5 Yours Truly has, he goes where No Gamer Was Meant to Go Before.)



1 DM, 6 players, all newbies to 3.5.
No miniatures or grid maps (or maps of any kind) being used.
Standard dice, character sheets, pepsi, books on table.
Players argumentative, players only half understand rules, DM only half understands rules.

In Game Combat: 20 orcs break down door and charge party.

Player 1 (P1) I fire my bow.
P2: I charge.
P3: I stand and fight.
P4: (looks up from petting the cat) I ... uh ... hmmm ... fire an arrow at the closest orc.
P5: Pardons, but I have to go to the bathroom. Be back in time to do something.
P6: I ... hmmm ... can I wait and declare my action later?
DM to P6: Yes.
DM: Party wins initiative!
P1: (rolls 15) It's a hit!
DM: Let me see. According to this, your bow has an enhancement bonus of + 3, it is a strength bow + 2, and you had a BAB of + 4, but ...
P2: (interrupting) I chop my orc! (rolls 16) I hit! (rolls 12) I hit again.
P3: (also interrupting) Have they reached me yet?
DM: Uh ... ok, you hit the orc for ... roll damage, please for your bow.
P2: (misunderstanding) 12 points. And 15 points. Plus my enhancement bonus, which is 17 points. That's 44 points.
P1: Don't I get an AOO?
DM: Uh ...
P3: I'm tired of waiting. I charge.
P6: I fire my bow.
DM to P1: 2 orcs charge up to you to attack.
P1: I get my AOO on them! (rolls)
DM: No, that's only when ...
P1: 12 and 17 points of damage.
P2: I get AOO on those 2 also. They were within 10 feet of me! (rolls) 18 and 13 damage!
P3: I get AOO too. How many orcs are now attacking me?
P6: I rolled a 5. Does that hit?
P1: I should get AOO on every orc that charges P3, since they go right by me.
P2: And I should also.
DM: But you're carrying a bow ...
P3: A bow allows AOO.
DM: No it doesn't.
P3: Yes it does (grabs PHB.) I'll prove it.
P1: How many AOO do I get? Where are all these orcs?
DM: 5 raced by, 2 are on you ... uh ... 3 are on P1.
P1: I chop all 5 (starts rolling)
DM: They are out of range.
P1: Whadda mean, they are out of range?! They're running right by me!
P2: I still think I get AOO. Can I whack them with the bow? Better yet, I'll try Trip.
P3: I make my AOO on all 5 charging me.
DM: I didn't say they were charging you.
P3: Then I whack as many as I can.
P5: (returns from the bathroom) I throw a Fireball. I throw it 50 feet up. That should kill those orcs.
DM: That gives them AOOs on you.
P5: But weren't all my friends standing in front of me? Where are you guys standing?
P2: I know, I'll jab them with the arrows.
P1: I whack every orc that rushes by.
P3: I bull rush my orc, then trip the second one, then leap on the third.
DM: Uh ...
P4: (continues scratching the housecat, not paying attention) Can I make a sneak attack?



Edena_of_Neith

(Actually, I'm sure it would be far, far, far worse than what I just wrote ...)