Looking for help on a game-mechanics question

[Three_Haligonians]

Hello,

The haste spell and the speed weapon property both state that the extra attack granted comes at the end of a character's Full Attack progression. Simply put, my question is why?

A little more complex, what I mean to ask is: what is the mathmatical or mechanical difference between having that extra attack at the end as opposed to the beginning. Theme-wise it makes sense to me that an effect that makes you faster than normal would put the extra attack first but obviously, they didn't do that for a reason and I was hoping someone could help explain to me those reasons.

To give an example: If my 20th level fighter ends up in an arena with nothing but a loincloth, a shortsword, and a potion of haste, what is the difference between a +20/+15/+10/+5 Full Attack and one that is +20/+20/+15/+10/+5?

Thanks,

J from Three Haligonians

 

[Thanee]

We always do the extra attack first.

There is no real difference. Where did you find, that it is done last, anyways?
I have only checked the Haste spell now, and it doesn't say anything about that...

Bye
Thanee

 

[IcyCool]

I also do not see that language in either the Haste spell or the Speed weapon ability.

Keep in mind that both are usable in a full attack action.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

It appears that I am quite the fool.

I swear I'm not a novice game-player, I've been doing it for over 10 years now.. honest! I don't know how I missed that or how I got the impression that it had to come at the end.

Thanks.

J from Three Haligonians

 

[Templeton580]

*

 

[Sil]

Sure you have


And we all have been there too.......

 

[Infiniti2000]

I don't know how I missed that or how I got the impression that it had to come at the end.

It's because 'extra' is usually something at the end. For example, if you have an extra piece of pie, you have it last.

 

[Saeviomagy]

The big one would be that otherwise you could use all your low attacks to trip a foe, and get the advantage on your high ones.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

It appears that I am quite the fool.

I swear I'm not a novice game-player, I've been doing it for over 10 years now.

That might very well be the reason. If you had started playing D&D with third edition, you would have to learn everything from scratch. But you didn't, and thus you are encumbered with legacy knowledge.

You might have thought about how every attack beyond the first is to be made at the end of the round, instead of all attacks at once, which (as far as I know) was the way things were in AD&D 2e.