Calculating spell bonuses? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Calculating spell bonuses? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Perun
10-11-03, 05:23 AM I've a question regarding the rounding up or down the various bonuses granted by spells. For example, the Spiritual Weapon spell specifically states that the weapon deals "1d8 force damage per hit, +1 point per three caster levels (maximum +5 at 15th level)". Spiritual Weapon is a Clr 2 spell, and the earliest a cleric can cast it is at 3rd level. At that point the spell deals 1d8+1 points of damage to target. At 6th level it's 1d8+2, at 9th 1d8+3, at 12th 1d8+4, and finally at 15th level it deals 1d8+5 points of damage. It's obvious that the bonus damage is caster_level/3, rounded down. So, if it were somehow possible to cast the spell below caster level 3, it would deal only 1d8 points of damage on a successful hit, right?

The Clr 1 spell Shield of Faith is identical in it's bonus calculation. Here, it's +2 deflection bonus to AC, +1 per every six levels the caster has, to a maximum of +5 deflection bonus at 18th level. So, it's +2 at levels 1 through 5, +3 at 6th level, +4 at 12th, and +5 at 18th level. The formula is 2 + (caster_level/6), rounded down.

But then there's the Divine Favour spell, also Clr 1. This one is a bit odd. The recipient gains +1 luck bonus on attack and wepaon damage rolls for every three levels of the caster (at least +1, maximum +6). If we apply the round down idea, it's +1 at levels 1 and 2 (normally, there wouldn't be any bonus on those levels, but the spell specifically states the bonus is always at least +1), then it's +1 again at levels 3 through 5, and then +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th, +4 at 12th, +5 at 15th, and finally +6 at 18th level. This gives the weird +1 bonus for five levels.

The other option would be to actually round up, which would give +1 at 1st level, +2 at 3rd, +3 at 6th, +4 at 9th, +5 at 12th, and +6 at 15th level. Now the advancement is a bit more logical, but it uses rounding up, which is not generally used in D&D.

There are spells that use rounding-up method, though, but it's explicitly mentioned in the spell description (the number of Magic Missiles, for example, you get one at 1st level, two at 3rd, 3 at 5th, 4 at 7th, and 5 at 9th level).

How do you handle this? I always presumed the bonus should be rounded down, but I was going through my character's spell list last night, and I noticed that Divine Favour looked a bit odd, so I thought I'd ask here.
Sacrusha
10-11-03, 05:31 AM The other option would be to actually round up No, fractions are always rounded down in DnD, unless it is specifically stated to round up.
Seeker95
10-11-03, 08:23 AM Magic Missile does not round up. It does not round down. It does not round at all. It is delivered at certain levels. You could derive a forumla to calculate the elvels at which you receive the extra missiles, but it is easier to just remember.

The other elements also are not really "rounding" anything. Damage is assessed based on the level of the caster. At certain levels (again, which can be derived from a forumla) a jump in bonus occurs. There are no "half-hit point damage" effects that, if doubled (due to critical hit, etc) result in a full extra point of damage.

Divine favor is +1 for levels 1-5.
It is +2 for levels 6-8.
It is +3 for levels 9-11.
etc.

No partials. No dividing. No rounding.
Sir Ferdinand
10-12-03, 03:36 PM From 3rd edition FAQ:

When a spell description, such as divine favor or greater magic weapon, says the spell gives a bonus for every 3 levels (or some other number of levels), do you round up or down? For example, divine favor gives a +1 luck bonus per 3 caster levels; do you get +2 at caster level 4 or caster level 6?

If a spell gives a bonus per X caster levels, divide the caster's level by X and round down to determine the bonus. (You always round down in the D&DŽ game unless you're specifically told to round up.) You'd have to be a 6th-level caster to get a +2 bonus from divine favor. (Note that the spell always gives a bonus of at least +1.)
Seeker95
10-12-03, 07:42 PM There you go Ferdinand, getting all official quote happy on us! :P

(Thanks for pointing us to an easy answer. We probably would have nitpicked each other's answers for days!)
Sir Ferdinand
10-13-03, 08:45 AM Heh, that's my job here :)
Perun
10-13-03, 01:13 PM Well, thanks all! Special thanks for the FAQ quote.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Perun 10-11-03, 05:23 AM	I've a question regarding the rounding up or down the various bonuses granted by spells. For example, the Spiritual Weapon spell specifically states that the weapon deals "1d8 force damage per hit, +1 point per three caster levels (maximum +5 at 15th level)". Spiritual Weapon is a Clr 2 spell, and the earliest a cleric can cast it is at 3rd level. At that point the spell deals 1d8+1 points of damage to target. At 6th level it's 1d8+2, at 9th 1d8+3, at 12th 1d8+4, and finally at 15th level it deals 1d8+5 points of damage. It's obvious that the bonus damage is caster_level/3, rounded down. So, if it were somehow possible to cast the spell below caster level 3, it would deal only 1d8 points of damage on a successful hit, right? The Clr 1 spell Shield of Faith is identical in it's bonus calculation. Here, it's +2 deflection bonus to AC, +1 per every six levels the caster has, to a maximum of +5 deflection bonus at 18th level. So, it's +2 at levels 1 through 5, +3 at 6th level, +4 at 12th, and +5 at 18th level. The formula is 2 + (caster_level/6), rounded down. But then there's the Divine Favour spell, also Clr 1. This one is a bit odd. The recipient gains +1 luck bonus on attack and wepaon damage rolls for every three levels of the caster (at least +1, maximum +6). If we apply the round down idea, it's +1 at levels 1 and 2 (normally, there wouldn't be any bonus on those levels, but the spell specifically states the bonus is always at least +1), then it's +1 again at levels 3 through 5, and then +2 at 6th level, +3 at 9th, +4 at 12th, +5 at 15th, and finally +6 at 18th level. This gives the weird +1 bonus for five levels. The other option would be to actually round up, which would give +1 at 1st level, +2 at 3rd, +3 at 6th, +4 at 9th, +5 at 12th, and +6 at 15th level. Now the advancement is a bit more logical, but it uses rounding up, which is not generally used in D&D. There are spells that use rounding-up method, though, but it's explicitly mentioned in the spell description (the number of Magic Missiles, for example, you get one at 1st level, two at 3rd, 3 at 5th, 4 at 7th, and 5 at 9th level). How do you handle this? I always presumed the bonus should be rounded down, but I was going through my character's spell list last night, and I noticed that Divine Favour looked a bit odd, so I thought I'd ask here.
Sacrusha 10-11-03, 05:31 AM	The other option would be to actually round up No, fractions are always rounded down in DnD, unless it is specifically stated to round up.
Seeker95 10-11-03, 08:23 AM	Magic Missile does not round up. It does not round down. It does not round at all. It is delivered at certain levels. You could derive a forumla to calculate the elvels at which you receive the extra missiles, but it is easier to just remember. The other elements also are not really "rounding" anything. Damage is assessed based on the level of the caster. At certain levels (again, which can be derived from a forumla) a jump in bonus occurs. There are no "half-hit point damage" effects that, if doubled (due to critical hit, etc) result in a full extra point of damage. Divine favor is +1 for levels 1-5. It is +2 for levels 6-8. It is +3 for levels 9-11. etc. No partials. No dividing. No rounding.
Sir Ferdinand 10-12-03, 03:36 PM	From 3rd edition FAQ: When a spell description, such as divine favor or greater magic weapon, says the spell gives a bonus for every 3 levels (or some other number of levels), do you round up or down? For example, divine favor gives a +1 luck bonus per 3 caster levels; do you get +2 at caster level 4 or caster level 6? If a spell gives a bonus per X caster levels, divide the caster's level by X and round down to determine the bonus. (You always round down in the D&DŽ game unless you're specifically told to round up.) You'd have to be a 6th-level caster to get a +2 bonus from divine favor. (Note that the spell always gives a bonus of at least +1.)
Seeker95 10-12-03, 07:42 PM	There you go Ferdinand, getting all official quote happy on us! :P (Thanks for pointing us to an easy answer. We probably would have nitpicked each other's answers for days!)
Sir Ferdinand 10-13-03, 08:45 AM	Heh, that's my job here :)
Perun 10-13-03, 01:13 PM	Well, thanks all! Special thanks for the FAQ quote.