D&D (2024) Graze on a miss questions

[bedir than]

We'll see if Monks can do something similar.

I'd be very willing to think of a glaive as a monk weapon, maybe a maul

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Damage on a miss/graze will always be easier to explain away than how a halflings armor or shield helped them against a fire giants warhammer.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I'm actually surprised there hasn't been more discussion about this. Back during the D&D One playtest, when the topic of damage on a miss came up, there was quite a bit of uproar about how "nonsensical" such a thing would be.

The uproar was mainly 4e haters doing what they were used to.

 

[CleverNickName]

Damage on a miss/graze will always be easier to explain away than how a halflings armor or shield helped them against a fire giants warhammer.

I mean, it's not hard to imagine the fire giant's warhammer hitting the ground next to the halfling...missing, as it were...maybe because the giant's aim was poor, or maybe the halfling was too nimble.

The part I struggle with is the assumption that the fire giant is always going to connect with the halfling in some way, every single time it swings that hammer, and so the halfling is always going to get "hit" by it in some way and there's nothing Pippin can do about it.

Lots of people sound okay with that, but it will always be strange to me. So I won't use it.

 

[Charlaquin]

I mean, it's not hard to imagine the fire giant's warhammer hitting the ground next to the halfling...missing, as it were...maybe because the giant's aim was poor, or maybe the halfling was too nimble.

But what did the halfling’s leather armor and shield have to do with that?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I mean, it's not hard to imagine the fire giant's warhammer hitting the ground next to the halfling...missing, as it were...maybe because the giant's aim was poor, or maybe the halfling was too nimble.

The example was: how the hell does the heavy armor and shield help. Not how the halfling dodges. Actually I think the armor and shield should give a penalty to dodging.

So maybe, grace should only work cs heavy armor users...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

But what did the halfling’s leather armor and shield have to do with that?

There is "please don't hit me" written all over it.

 

[CleverNickName]

But what did the halfling’s leather armor and shield have to do with that?

Absolutely nothing. Armor and shield aren't the only things that can make an attack miss.

 

[Vaalingrade]

But what did the halfling’s leather armor and shield have to do with that?

That's the best part: Nothing!

We're simulating an action scene in fantasy game. AC is just a number to help the game go tagged to the armor because it's convenient.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Absolutely nothing. Armor and shield aren't the only things that can make an attack miss.

A fire giant and his pal roll to hit two halfling opponents. Both roll and get a total of 15 to hit their opponent.

Halfling A and B are identical except for B has a shield. Halfling A is barely hit but B is missed because of the extra shield bonus. Did the 2lb shield deflect the 50lb hammer blow without any damage to the halfling?