D&D 5E Player Facing Combat

[DemoMonkey]

Simpler way to put it:

Treat it like a saving throw.

The monsters attack has a DC (no roll) of 20+ their attack bonus.

The players roll a d20 and add their AC (instead of a stat or proficiency bonus) to save.

Automatic hits/critical damage occurs when they roll a 1, because the monsters can't "roll" a 20.



Addendum: As pointed out above, a clear ruling should be made of "No effects that apply to saving throws from any source affect this roll." or there are unintended effects.

 

[NotAYakk]

One other effect this has it it either creates a new kind of roll (the Defense roll), which isn't an ability check, attack roll or saving throw, or it creates a new kind of saving throw. Both of those create new edge case to rule on - if it's not a save, then you still have to consider stuff like Lucky, Bardic and regular Inspiration, and other die-influencing effects. I don't recommend making it a saving throw because paladins would be crazy tough.

These issues aren't hard to work through, but they will come up.

Make paladins aura and bless grant a bonus to "non-armor saving throws", and same with a Inspiration.

There are a few items that grant a bonus to AC and saving throws; drop the AC.

The luckstone becomes better.

Inspiration can be left alone.

 

[embee]

Simpler way to put it:

Treat it like a saving throw.

The monsters attack has a DC (no roll) of 20+ their attack bonus.

The players roll a d20 and add their AC (instead of a stat or proficiency bonus) to save.

Automatic hits/critical damage occurs when they roll a 1, because the monsters can't "roll" a 20.



Addendum: As pointed out above, a clear ruling should be made of "No effects that apply to saving throws from any source affect this roll." or there are unintended effects.

Shouldn't that be DC of 22 plus attack bonus?

Orc has +5 to hit. PC has AC17. So to hit, Orc needs to roll a 12 (12+5=17). That's a 45% chance to hit.

From the player perspective, that's a 55% chance to miss. On a d20, that's a 10. Add that to the AC17 and you get 27.

X + 5 = 27 ---> X=22.

Am I missing something?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Why are you trying to make the game un-fun for the DM. I want to roll my D20s, too!

 

[embee]

Why are you trying to make the game un-fun for the DM. I was to roll my D20s, too!

You still get to roll for damage. That's where the real fun happens!

 

[prabe]

Why are you trying to make the game un-fun for the DM. I was to roll my D20s, too!

Not to mention it'll bork my understanding of encounter math by not rolling myself (and bringing my legendarily bad luck into play).

 

[BookTenTiger]

Why are you trying to make the game un-fun for the DM. I was to roll my D20s, too!

Instead of rolling 1d20+7, you get to roll 17d1!

 

[Swarmkeeper]

You still get to roll for damage. That's where the real fun happens!

1/2 credit. I think the most fun with dice is seeing the players gasp when I roll a nat 20.

 

[embee]

1/2 credit. I think the most fun with dice is seeing the players gasp when I roll a nat 20.

When my players see my shocked face, it means that there's either a 1 or a 20 behind the screen.

The fun is in that moment before I reveal which one it is...

 

[Swarmkeeper]

When my players see my shocked face, it means that there's either a 1 or a 20 behind the screen.

The fun is in that moment before I reveal which one it is...

Fun.

I always roll in front of the screen (or more like on the screen - the Roll20 chat box - these days), so the laugh or cry from the players at our (virtual) table is immediate.