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Dwarf vs Zombies: A Series of Contrived Fights (Now with orcs!)
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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5997558" data-attributes="member: 42582"><p>A follow-up calculation for orcs: when is it worthwhile using rage, if the orc has advantage on the attack (to cancel out the disadvantage)?</p><p></p><p>The chance of an orc hitting AC X is (23-X)/20. So the chance of <em>missing</em> AC X is (X-3)/20. Advantage reduces the miss chance to (X-3)^2/400. So, with advantage, the chance for the orc to hit an AC of X is (400 - (X-3)^2)/400. If this, divided by the normal hit chance, is greater than 27/17, then the orc is better off not raging, and instead benefitting from the increased hit chance from advantage. If this is less than 27/17, then the orc will increase its expected damage by raging (and simply letting the advantage cancel out the disadvantage). Solving for X:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">(400 - (X-3)^2)/400)*20/(23-X) < 27/17</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">400 - (X-3)^2 < 20*27*(23-X)/17</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">6800 - 17(X^2 - 6*X +9) < 12420 - 540*X</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">17*X^2 - 642*X + 5773 > 0</p><p></p><p>Solving for the break points:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">X = (642 +/- SQR(642^2 - 4*17*5773))/34</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">X = (642 +/- SQR(19600))/34</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">X = (642 +/- 140)/34</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">X = 782/34 or 502/34</p><p></p><p>So the break points are X > 32 or X < 15.</p><p></p><p>AC 32 is irrelevant here, as the chance to hit caps at 1/20 (and at that chance to hit, rage is no good even with advantage). So it seems that at all ACs of 15 and above, the orc is better of taking advantage of the advantage, but below that the orc is better off raging, and using the advantage to cancel the disadvantage.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, I think that the maths is complicated enough that it would be helpful for the Monster Manual entry to tell the GM when it is worth using rage, and when not: namely, never unless you have advantage, and even then only if the AC is less than 15.</p><p></p><p>Which is a bit dissapointing, really - rage is only good for charging those prone squishies. But it's no good against anyone in chain or heavier armour, even when they're prone or you've got the drop on them.</p><p></p><p>Rage might be better if it yielded advantage to opponents, rather than caused you to suffer disadvantage yourself.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 5997558, member: 42582"] A follow-up calculation for orcs: when is it worthwhile using rage, if the orc has advantage on the attack (to cancel out the disadvantage)? The chance of an orc hitting AC X is (23-X)/20. So the chance of [I]missing[/I] AC X is (X-3)/20. Advantage reduces the miss chance to (X-3)^2/400. So, with advantage, the chance for the orc to hit an AC of X is (400 - (X-3)^2)/400. If this, divided by the normal hit chance, is greater than 27/17, then the orc is better off not raging, and instead benefitting from the increased hit chance from advantage. If this is less than 27/17, then the orc will increase its expected damage by raging (and simply letting the advantage cancel out the disadvantage). Solving for X: [indent](400 - (X-3)^2)/400)*20/(23-X) < 27/17 400 - (X-3)^2 < 20*27*(23-X)/17 6800 - 17(X^2 - 6*X +9) < 12420 - 540*X 17*X^2 - 642*X + 5773 > 0[/indent] Solving for the break points: [indent]X = (642 +/- SQR(642^2 - 4*17*5773))/34 X = (642 +/- SQR(19600))/34 X = (642 +/- 140)/34 X = 782/34 or 502/34[/indent] So the break points are X > 32 or X < 15. AC 32 is irrelevant here, as the chance to hit caps at 1/20 (and at that chance to hit, rage is no good even with advantage). So it seems that at all ACs of 15 and above, the orc is better of taking advantage of the advantage, but below that the orc is better off raging, and using the advantage to cancel the disadvantage. Anyway, I think that the maths is complicated enough that it would be helpful for the Monster Manual entry to tell the GM when it is worth using rage, and when not: namely, never unless you have advantage, and even then only if the AC is less than 15. Which is a bit dissapointing, really - rage is only good for charging those prone squishies. But it's no good against anyone in chain or heavier armour, even when they're prone or you've got the drop on them. Rage might be better if it yielded advantage to opponents, rather than caused you to suffer disadvantage yourself. [/QUOTE]
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