Damage - yet another n00b question

[Wraith Form]

Looking at the Melee Basic Attack on p. 287 of the PHB:

Hit = 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.

Do I get to add my 1/2 level to damage too, like I can with the attack roll?

 

[Sir Brennen]

Nope. That's the way it's done in the latest Star Wars game, but not in 4E, where there are other ways to boost your damage (like magical bonuses.)

 

[Wraith Form]

Bah.

Bah, I tell you!

 

[DracoSuave]

That's fine tho, your damage is already scaling through Attribute increases, feats, and magic equipment, not to mention powers themselves get beefier as you swap the old for the new. It's hard to chart out exactly, but you're definately going to see increases in damage as you gain levels and get better shineys.

 

[ValhallaGH]

Also, some feats will increase your damage. So, at any given level, your damage output, even with a basic attack, can increase 1 to 5 points as you enter the new level.

Crazy....

 

[Nail]

FWIW:

If you graph a PC's expected damage per level against a typical monster of his level, you find that for levels 1 - 10, it takes longer and longer to kill a monster. Put another way: for levels 1 -10, increasing your damage every level doesn't keep up with monster hp.

But after 10th? From 11th on up there's a big boost in damage output, and you are once again on equal footing with the monsters.

D&D decided to increase raw damage with all sorts of little modifiers that you have to go out and get (feats, magic, etc), rather than just the PCs level. It's a design decision that gets to more or less the same place....at least after level 10.

 

[Nikosandros]

Unless I missed some exceptions, I think that a good rule of the thumb is this one:

When you make a roll that is modified by an ability score, add half your level only if you roll a d20.

 

[KarinsDad]

FWIW:

If you graph a PC's expected damage per level against a typical monster of his level, you find that for levels 1 - 10, it takes longer and longer to kill a monster. Put another way: for levels 1 -10, increasing your damage every level doesn't keep up with monster hp.

But after 10th? From 11th on up there's a big boost in damage output, and you are once again on equal footing with the monsters.

But, doesn't the issue arise all over again Nail?

It takes longer and longer to kill a monster as one goes from level 11 to 20, and then again from level 21 to 30?

 

[Nail]

But, doesn't the issue arise all over again Nail?

It takes longer and longer to kill a monster as one goes from level 11 to 20, and then again from level 21 to 30?

Surprisingly: Not really. That fact grabbed me too when my friends showed it to me.

From levels 12 to 30, the graph is suprisingly flat. For a ranger (a killing machine, eh? ...in 3.xe, who'd a thunk?), over levels 12 thru 30, the "Rounds to kill a monster" only rises from 3.4 to 4.6. Whereas from levels 1 thru 10, it goes from 1.3 to 3.9.

A steep rise from levels 1 - 10, a big drop at level 11 (easier to kill monsters at level 11 because of paragon powers), then a gentle rise from 12 - 30. There's no level 21 bump like there is for level 11.

I guess I should qualify all o' this: my friends and I have focused on strikers, rather than on other classes.

 

[KarinsDad]

Surprisingly: Not really. That fact grabbed me too when my friends showed it to me.

From levels 12 to 30, the graph is suprisingly flat. For a ranger (a killing machine, eh? ...in 3.xe, who'd a thunk?), over levels 12 thru 30, the "Rounds to kill a monster" only rises from 3.4 to 4.6. Whereas from levels 1 thru 10, it goes from 1.3 to 3.9.

1.3 at level one???

Not sure I buy that when first level PCs only have about a 50% to 70% hit chance.

Fire Beetle has 32 hit points. Even with an AC of 13, how can a PC kill it in 1.3 rounds?

Ditto for other 1st level creatures in the MM.

Hit point average: ~29
AC average: ~15

I didn't count minions because there is no way for most PCs to kill 4 minions in 1.3 rounds. I also didn't count horses or halflings since most PCs typically do not fight those, but it changes little.

I think your friend needs to redo his spreadsheet. The 1.3 appears to be skewing the appearance of the data quite a bit.

A steep rise from levels 1 - 10, a big drop at level 11 (easier to kill monsters at level 11 because of paragon powers), then a gentle rise from 12 - 30. There's no level 21 bump like there is for level 11.

I guess I should qualify all o' this: my friends and I have focused on strikers, rather than on other classes.

Hunter's Quarry adds an additional D6 (or D8) at level 21.

Sneak Attack adds an additional 2D6 at level 21.

Curse adds an additional D6 at level 21.

Level 21 adds an even number of stat bonus.

How can level 21 not be a boost again? Do the monsters really gain that many extra hit points and improved defenses at Epic level (realizing that high Paragon level PCs fight Epic monsters and low Epic level PCs sometimes fight Paragon monsters)?