Does the one-point minimum damage per hit apply ...

[Christian]

... before or after bonus dice?

To clarify-a halfling with a 6 Strength does 1d6-2 with a shortsword. With a +2 shortsword, he does a flat 1d6. So, if he rolls a one with a normal shortsword, he does one point of damage; with the magic shortsword, he would still do one point of damage, as the +2 enhancement bonus is added before the 'minimum one point' rule is applied.

Suppose instead that the halfling has a normal shortsword, but is a 3rd level rogue? Does he do (1d6-2, minimum 1) plus 2d6 sneak attack damage, or 3d6-2?

Not really relevant to anything I'm doing, I'm just curious & don't see a rule ... By default, I'd say 3d6-2 myself, but I was wondering if anyone had seen a definitive rule/ruling.

 

[Dog Faced God]

Generally the 1-point minimum is considered at the end of your damage roll after all modifiers have been applied. So you should figure your damage with all modifiers, and if the damage zero or less, then it is 1.

 

[AuraSeer]

The rule says a hit does a minimum one point of damage. It does not say that special abilities change the minimum. So if your halfling rogue rolls 1 on his regular damage and 2 on his sneak attack dice, he still does only 1 point total.

 

[AGGEMAM]

The rule says a hit does a minimum one point of damage. It does not say that special abilities change the minimum. So if your halfling rogue rolls 1 on his regular damage and 2 on his sneak attack dice, he still does only 1 point total.

No, bonus damage should be handled seperately.

 

[CRGreathouse]

No, bonus damage should be handled seperately.

I tend to agree with Aggemam. Why should a weak character get less benefit from flaming than a stronger character? (There's really nothing in the rules to support either position, and the default is to do it the other way - but somehow it feels wrong.)

 

[Mahali]

The 1 point minimum is for weapon dice damage. So you'd roll you're 1d6, -2 from strength modifier if thats <1 then it does 1 point + sneak attack + weapon bonus ect...

 

[AGGEMAM]

I tend to agree with Aggemam. Why should a weak character get less benefit from flaming than a stronger character? (There's really nothing in the rules to support either position, and the default is to do it the other way - but somehow it feels wrong.)

Oh yeah, I forgot the rules reference:

From the PHB, page 277

critical hit: ... (Any bonus damage dice, such as from a rogue's sneak attack, are not rolled multiple times, but added separately to the total at the end of the calculation.) ...

 

[AuraSeer]

Hmm... I didn't think about flaming weapons. It seems obvious that the energy damage would be tracked separately. In that case it'd be logical for sneak attack damage to also be tracked separately.

Should it work the same way for enhancement bonuses? If that halfling were using a +2 shortsword, would the modifiers cancel, leaving him with a flat 1d6? Or would he roll 1d6-2, modify to a minimum of 1, and then add two more? And why?

 

[Christian]

Well, now that's helpful.

'... end of the calculation.' Presumably meaning, '... end of the initial damage calculation, including applying the 'one hit point minimum' rule.'

Kind of thin, but it works for me.

 

[Zerovoid]

Hmm... I didn't think about flaming weapons. It seems obvious that the energy damage would be tracked separately. In that case it'd be logical for sneak attack damage to also be tracked separately.

Should it work the same way for enhancement bonuses? If that halfling were using a +2 shortsword, would the modifiers cancel, leaving him with a flat 1d6? Or would he roll 1d6-2, modify to a minimum of 1, and then add two more? And why?

The +2 enhancement bonus is part of the basic physical damage done by the strike, and just goes onto the pile with all the other modifiers. It is not "bonus" damage.