Help Regarding Rules

[valiant_knight]

Hello everyone, I'm kinda new here. I've been out of the Dnd loop since 2nd edition, I picked up most of the needed books for 4th but I have a couple questions regarding some of the new rules.

Thac0: I know this was removed in 3.5, and replaced but I have a question as to how it works now. I know that the book says something to the gyst of roll and if your role is equal to or higher than the armor class then you hit it. how would this be calculated, considering that some of the armor classes I've seen on npc's and monsters is higher than d20+base attacks and stuff would equal.

any help would be appreciated. Thanks

VK

 

[Danceofmasks]

Err, most D20 rolls made by PCs are modified by an additional bonus:
Half their level.

Add to that the enhancement bonus in their weapon (or implement), and other incidental bonuses such as proficiency bonuses, etc.

4e design is supposed to be thus:
You always have approximately the same chance to hit regardless of your level, so long as you're facing off against "recommended" encounters.

 

[abyssaldeath]

Ok lets say you have a level 16 One-handed weapon talent longsword wielding fighter with a 24 Strength and you are fighting an enemy with an AC of 34.

First you need to figure out you base attack bonus which is:

ATTACK
To make an attack, roll 1d20 and add the following:
One-half your level
The relevant ability score modifier
All other modifiers (see page 279)
The total is your attack result.

For you you attack bonus with a basic attack(page 287) would be 8(1/2 level) +7(STR) +3(Weapon Proficiency) +1(weapon talent) +4(Enhancement bonus of magic weapon) = 23

With an attack bonus of 23 you need to roll a 11 on the d20 to hit the monster.

 

[Camelot]

Not that I've ever played 2e, but I can help with 4e.

The big thing is powers. You get powers from your class, and they tell you which ability score modifier to add to the attack. They also tell you which defense to attack. Instead of making Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saves to avoid effects, those are defenses just like AC is. When attacking, you roll a d20, add the modifiers previously mentioned, and compare it to the appropriate defense. If it is equal or higher than the defense, you hit. Defenses are calculated by 10 (to balance against the d20 attack roll) + one-half level (which is also added to attack roll) + relevant ability modifier (AC and Reflex use the higher of Dex or Int, Fortitutde uses the higher of Str or Con, Will uses the higher of Wis or Cha) + armor or shield bonus (armor adds to AC, shields add to AC and Reflex) + other modifiers (like enhancement bonuses from magic items, proficiency bonuses from weapons, feat bonuses, racial bonuses, class bonuses, etc.)

I know when I started out, I was a little confused at certain things. There are certain things that the book never clearly states. Eventually, you'll figure it out, because 4e is very logical. If it makes sense, it's probably true. Think of things in the sense of why they were created, not how they work literally. If that helps.

Hope you have fun playing this great game!

 

[DracoSuave]

Alright.

Starting with attributes:

Subtract ten from your attribute, then divide in half, round down. That's your attribute bonus for everything involving that attribute. Really simple, and no need to consult a complicated and arbitrary table. No percentile strengths. Just a clean, easy, consistant number.

Defenses (cause that's the real gist of it.)

Your old saving throw tables as well as AC have been replaced with Defenses and they all work more or less the same way.

Instead of being numbers -the defender- tries to roll above, they are numbers the -attacker- tries to roll above. They are really easy to calculate too.

Fortitude, Reflex, and Will all work the same way: You take 10, add half your level rounded down, add in one of two attribute bonuses that feed it (for example, your Fortitude uses either Strength or Constitution, you pick which one). Then add in any other bonuses that apply.

AC works similiarly, take 10, add half your level rounded down, then if you have light armor, add in your Dex or Int bonus. Lastly, add in your armor bonus, and whatever other bonuses you may have.

Powers

Every class has powers divided into five rough groups. At-will attack powers, Encounter attack powers, Daily attack powers, Utility powers, and Class feature powers.

Class feature powers vary between classes--you might get one, or many, or none at all.

The other four are gained (and replaced) as you gain levels. You start with 2 at-will powers, and those are your bread-and-butter attacks. Then you have a power that you can attack with once per fight, and an attack you can use once per day. And so on.

Forget 'What do I use to roll for a melee attack?' One class might have powers that key off of Charisma to make a melee attack. Another might use Constitution to make a ranged attack. It varies from class to class... Wizards (as you'd expect) make Intellegence based attacks, whereas a Fighter (as you'd expect) make Strength based attacks.

Each power uses a specific attribute to calculate it's attack bonus. You do this by taking half your level (rounded down), adding in the attribute bonus for that power, and then other applicable modifiers (including a bonus if you're using a weapon power with a weapon you're proficient in.)

Everyone is the same, and everyone is also different

Because all classes use the same way to activate their powers, the classes are differentiated instead by class features, and by what their powers are capable of doing. To focus a class, every class is given one of four roles, and those roles correspond to each class's role in a battle.

Strikers are your primary damage engines. While everyone deals damage as a matter of course, Strikers are simply the best at keeping damage going, either through consistancy, or through damage bonuses. Some strikers are ranged, some are melee, and some can do both roles as necessary. It depends on the class.

Defenders are your primary damage sponges. They aren't bad at damage, but their primary goal is to take the hits. In previous editions they did that 'by being at the front' but in this game they have abilities that penalize a given opponent for attacking other players. More than just being good at taking attacks, they're also good at keeping enemies away from other players. Some of them do so through sheer physical dominance (the Fighter), but others actually use teleportation magic (Swordmage) or the ability to transform into forces of nature (Warden) to accomplish this task.

Leaders are the party buffers. Now, the majority of Leaders don't just sit there, cast healing spells, and that's it... they're -also- in the thick of combat. Nor are they restricted to healing or defensive buffs... or even magic. Warlords, for example, are a completely non-magical leader that uses tactics or inspiring deeds to compel their allies to greater deeds. Bards spin tales that cause reality to warp and make those tales true. Gone are the days of 'Must have a cleric.' There's 5 different types of leaders, and each does their shtick in a completely different and interesting way.

Controllers are the complement to Leaders. They toss enemies about, set up walls, create killzones. They're masters of the art of the battlefield -itself-, either by creating barriers, by compelling behavior changes from their enemies, or simply by punishing enemy formations through large-area-effect magics.