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<blockquote data-quote="Bill Zebub" data-source="post: 8460664" data-attributes="member: 7031982">It doesn't really matter how many HP or how many encounters.&nbsp; 20% more damage* means that, by yourself, you will on average kill a monster in 4 rounds instead of 5.&nbsp; Because of fenceposting that will happen against some monsters more frequently than others.&nbsp; Or, if you're fighting monsters that die twice as fast as that, 50% of the time you will deprive the monster of its last action. The thing to remember is that it's not just the straight +1 damage; it's also the increased chance of hitting, which is computed as the relative change.&nbsp; That is, if you had a 50% chance to hit, and now you have a 55% chance, you hit 10% more often.&nbsp; Which means 1/10 attacks you get a full extra hit in.&nbsp; If you previously had a 25% chance to hit, you get an extra attack 1/5 times.This effect does not only appear over large numbers. That's nonsense. It converges on the predicted value over large numbers.&nbsp; Which means that, over small numbers (say, one adventuring day) half of us will see a diminished effect, and half of us will see a greater effect.&nbsp; (Do you feel lucky, punk?)Now, the value one places on that is subjective.&nbsp; Some people would rather have pointy ears, and that's cool.&nbsp; But that's the math.*Again, this effect increases when the AC goes up&nbsp; If you're unlucky enough to encounter an AC 19 monster at level 1, the fighter with 16 strength does 35% more damage than the one with 15.&nbsp; If you also have disadvantage it's 60%.&nbsp; If the target also has partial cover it's 80%.&nbsp; Etc.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Bill Zebub, post: 8460664, member: 7031982"] It doesn't really matter how many HP or how many encounters. 20% more damage* means that, by yourself, you will on average kill a monster in 4 rounds instead of 5. Because of fenceposting that will happen against some monsters more frequently than others. Or, if you're fighting monsters that die twice as fast as that, 50% of the time you will deprive the monster of its last action. The thing to remember is that it's not just the straight +1 damage; it's also the increased chance of hitting, which is computed as the relative change. That is, if you had a 50% chance to hit, and now you have a 55% chance, you hit 10% more often. Which means 1/10 attacks you get a full extra hit in. If you previously had a 25% chance to hit, you get an extra attack 1/5 times. This effect does not only appear over large numbers. That's nonsense. It [I]converges on the predicted value[/I] over large numbers. Which means that, over small numbers (say, one adventuring day) half of us will see a diminished effect, and half of us will see a greater effect. (Do you feel lucky, punk?) Now, the value one places on that is subjective. Some people would rather have pointy ears, and that's cool. But that's the math. *Again, this effect increases when the AC goes up If you're unlucky enough to encounter an AC 19 monster at level 1, the fighter with 16 strength does 35% more damage than the one with 15. If you also have disadvantage it's 60%. If the target also has partial cover it's 80%. Etc. [/QUOTE]

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