[UA] Players Roll All Dice Variant - broken??

[DragonThorne]

I couldn't find anything about this on Google or WotC and can't search EnWorld at the moment. If you have a link to discussion on this, I'll gladly take it.

When I plug actual numbers into the Defense Check and Attack Score and compare them to the normal attack resolution, the monster actually has a 5% less chance of hitting using the alternate rules. The same is true for Saving Throws in that the monster has a 5% less chance of making his saving throw. This discrepancy seems to be due to the fact that the tie now goes to the defender instead of the attacker (or to the caster instead of the target).

A simple example:

--- Standard Resolution ---
Orc --> Atk: Falchion +4 melee
1st-level Fighter --> AC: 16

Orc misses on d20 roll of 1-11. Miss Chance = 55%.
Orc hits on d20 roll of 12-20. Hit Chance = 45%.
---------------------------

--- Alternate Resolution ---
Orc --> Attack Score: 15
1st-level Fighter --> Defense Check +6

Orc misses on d20 roll of 9-20. Hit Chance = 60%
Orc hits on d20 roll of 1-8. Hit Chance = 40%
---------------------------

You can run similar scenarios for Saving Throws with the same result. I haven't checked Spell Resistance yet, but I suspect it's similar.

Can anyone help me out? Am I missing something here? If I'm correct, surely somebody else spotted this before I did.

 

[Thanee]

Maybe you need to roll higher not equal or higher?

Bye
Thanee

 

[dcollins]

He's right, and this has been discussed here a few times before. On a side tangent, it resembles when they converted 1st/2nd Edition Magic Resistance to 3rd Edition Spell Resistance in just the same way, which gave an extra 5% advantage to the attacker.

 

[DragonThorne]

Thanks for replying.

The rules as stated indicate that ties go to the roller. I could change it to do as Thanee indicated. That would be too confusing for me personally. My mild dislexia would be getting me all mixed up about when the tie goes to the player and when it goes the other way.

I'm considering just modifiying the rules to state that the Attack Score is 12+modifiers instead of 11+modifiers. This would rebalance everything, allowing you to use the rules without modifiying the math.

Links to previous discussion would be much appreciated if anyone has them.
DT

 

[Aaron2]

I'm considering just modifiying the rules to state that the Attack Score is 12+modifiers instead of 11+modifiers. This would rebalance everything, allowing you to use the rules without modifiying the math.

Just use 12+ and all will be right in the world. The 11+ is a mistake since they specifically mention that the roll is still >= instead of >.

Its the same for saving throws.


Aaron