Multiple "to hit" rolls

[crashy]

Hi Everyone,

I have an idea for a house rule. For full disclosure, I don't know if this has been proposed before because I'm not allowed to search the forum. Also, I have never played a game of DnD 4ed; I only own the core rule books.

My proposal: A player can choose to roll a d20 per damage multiple or die of damage instead of one d20 for all the damage. For example, a Paladin uses Fearsome Smite which has 2[W] + Charisma Mod. Instead of rolling one d20 to see if they hit. The player can choose to roll two d20s, one for each "[W]." The Cha Mod would be multiplied by (# of d20s that hit)/(total # of d20s) and rounded down. If a Wizard cast Fire Burst he could roll three d20s to see if they hit. This way you have a better chance of hitting, but more often it would be a "glancing blow" or the monster dodged "almost" in the nick of time.

I believe the average damage works out to be the same. One problem is lasting effects that trigger on a hit. This method would give those effects a greater chance of happening. Maybe for those powers or any power where it's too complicated or doesn't seem to make sense you have to roll the standard way.

This would be totally optional and the player could choose either the standard way or this multiple "to hit" die each time they use an attack power.

Food for thought.

Regards,
Crashy

 

[aco175]

You would have more hits in each round of combat, but doing less damage. Maybe this evens out over the course of a fight, although most things that do more than 1 dice of damage are encounter or daily powers. This would help with the times you try and smack with a power that does 3 wpn damage and miss, at least with your idea you might hit with one or two of the dice for a bit of damage.

My first thoughts are to stay away from this idea.

I can see a few problems with this, not the least is the one you brought up with powers that have extra things like stun or push. Would you want to hit with any of the atks for the extras to take effect, or half, most, or all.

This may pose time limits on the players and lead to slowing down the fights, when every fight opens with 3 or 4 rounds of multi-dice powers, and esp if monsters do this as well.

Another point to think about is with the strikers and extra damage with a hit, weather is quarry,curse, backstab. How would you split up the damage, first roll, divided evenly, none unless all hit?

I'm guessing that there are a few more that I'm missing but good luck if you can make it work. I just don't know if the time put into it is worth the return is terms of speeding up play and having fun.

 

[Camelot]

I like the idea of glancing blows; however, this way would slow down combat a lot, and it's already dangerously slow as it is, unless the group is very experienced.

I think that glancing blows are already sort of worked into the system. First, you either hit or you don't (the d20 attack roll). If you don't hit, then you don't do any damage (unless it has a miss effect). If you hit, you might hit full on (critical hit or lucky max damage), or hit but not very hard (mid to low on the damage dice). So, you could think of it that way when playing next and see how it works.

If that's not good enough for you, I don't think there's a better way. If you try multiple attack rolls, tell us how it works. If it doesn't slow it down, I'd like to try it, though I doubt it wouldn't slow it down.

 

[Turtlejay]

Doesn't pose a huge problem for some characters, but for others. . .

Fighter might roll 1-3 die per attack, but a Sorcerer doing say, 3d6 to 5 different enemies, you have just sentenced him to a ton of rolls, and the DM to a ton of bookkeeping.

"Okay, roll damage die for the ones with one hit. Which was that? The green orc, right? Okay, now roll the second one. . .I think that hit this guy behind Carl, is that all? Oh, right, you used Elven Accuracy, I think it hit that skeleton too. Oh man, so that is two die. . .7+4, right? Okay, now roll the third one. . .Did that hit anyone? Oh, right you *crit* on this guy, what does that do? It was on the first one, yeah, so just roll this third dice and we'll max the first one. What was that again? Did you roll crit die? Let's just let you roll 1/3 of them. What is 1/3 of 2d6. . .how about I'll have you roll 2d4, is that fair? Oh, you want to use an action point? Does anyone have some Draino I can drink?"

This is after, of course, you rolled three times the number of to-hit rolls, which took forever. It also interacts poorly with powers that have awesome effects (which you mentioned) and makes feats that increase spell area even more tasty. You might as well not use minions at all. Crits become a mess, as do things that do half damage on a miss.

I'd strongly advise you stay way, way away from this. I see nothing but tears in the future.

Jay

(Except my 4th level assassin prototype that is looking at an attack with 9d6 damage on a hit. He'd like that many chances to crit, so let him do it. Everyone else back off.)