How often should a Ftr 7 hit a CR 7 opponent?

[Nail]

I was looking over some of monsters of CR 7. In the MM (3.5e), the average AC is 18.

I've got 3 PCs that are built for combat. Their attack bonuses are +14(archer), +12(Ftr), and +10 (WB/Mnk). So, on average, they should hit a typical CR-appropriate target 65% to 85% of the time with their first attack.

Is this typical? In your games, do the fighter-types easily hit same CR opponents? Not so easily? How should this change with level?

In your ideal game, how often should the fighter types hit same CR opponents?

 

[James McMurray]

That seems about right.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Lets see,
BAB +7, +3 Stregnth, +2 Weapon, +1 Weapon Focus = +13.

It wouldn't be hard to get higher with a better strength/dexterity or equipment and spells.
Your players are fine, and the system in this regard is fine.

 

[blargney the second]

Generally the first attack of a full-BAB character should have a good chance of hitting. It's the iteratives that are tougher to pull off.
-blarg

 

[Darklone]

Yupp. If the first attack doesn't hit with at least 50%, my players will get unhappy ...

 

[phindar]

Short Answer, 50%. As a general rule, in a "balanced" system, an equal challenge should be about 50%.

Monsters, as a general rule, tend to be on the low-side of AC (unless they're based around it, but most are based around hitting hard, having a lot of hit points, or a special ability). And Attack Bonuses tend to outstrip AC as you go up, so that the primary attack will be very likely to hit, the secondary attack will be about even, and the tertiary attack will most likely not hit (say 75/50/25% just to make it simple).

I look at it this way. For a 7th level Fighter, a +14 to hit is not outside the realm of possibility, nor is a 24 AC. So that's pretty balanced.

Most monsters are designed to be hit. It's like Crash says in Bull Durham, you can't strike everybody out. It's facsist. You have to throw some ground balls, its more democratic.

 

[Goolpsy]

You might say there is 2 kinds of HP... There is the HP, and the Armor class...
If you look through the monstermanual, the monsters with low acc often have more HP, and vice versa... its hard to find a monster with alot of HP and a very high ac, without severely lacking in the attack section...

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Short Answer, 50%. As a general rule, in a "balanced" system, an equal challenge should be about 50%.

I'd say that it should usually higher than 50% for a *fighter's* primary attack (or that of a raging barbarian or smiting paladin). Maybe more like 75% for the fighter's main attack, which would leave the iterative attacks, rogues, clerics, and fighter/mages hitting about 50% of the time. The fighter will normally be quite a bit above everyone else on hit rolls.

The MM "monster design" guideline is that AC should be about 13+CR, so an equal-level fighter needs only +3 in non-BAB bonuses to have a 50% chance of hitting. This is easily done at 1st level with just a 15 Str and Weapon Focus.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm, Melee Weapon Mastery soon...

 

[frankthedm]

IIRC Wotc did say an appropriate CR foe should be hit about 50% the time by the Full BAB's first attack. I didn't think weapon focus was assumed in that statement. Focus, Smite and Rage are 'expendable' resources, some more expendable than others. The rouge is not just supposed to need flank to sneak against a significant foe, he needs flank to hit.

"Beat-Down" monsters tend to exchange their AC, sentience and Will saves for HP and damage output.

Classed NPCs will often look weak in comparison. Especially if the DM fails to have them use a good portion of their gear GP in potions and expendable items. A classed character must basically chug potions like they were liquid crack to approach "monster" damage output