Post/Author/DateTime	Post
fhost_the_betaryer 11-03-06, 04:34 PM	i am new to D&D and the whole DM thing I'm still not clear on the DC% it go up to 100% some have told me i use 2d10 for it some says 2d20. what the rigth anwser?
Drone23 11-03-06, 04:46 PM	Use 2d10. Declare one the 10's die and the other the 1's die. If you rolled a 9 on the 10's die and a 4 on the 1's die. You've got 94%.
RK)13 11-03-06, 04:49 PM	Let me answer what I think you're asking... DC is a set number standing for difficulty class. It is the number that you set for your players to beat on a 1d20 roll +any applicable modifiers. So, for a DC 18 bluff check, your player would need to roll a d20, add his characters ranks in bluff and charisma modifier. If the total is above 18, the character succeeds at the check. Using the above example... my bard has a 16 charisma, and 4 ranks in bluff. His 16 Charisma gives him a +3 modifier. I would need to roll a 12 or better on a d20 to succeed at the check (12+3 (Cha)+ 4 (Ranks)=19). I may be wrong in what you were asking, but I hope this helps. Edit: I think between this and Drone's answer, we may have answered any possibile question you could have asked here.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-03-06, 04:57 PM	thank you for all your help.
icnivad 11-03-06, 05:27 PM	I think we're talking about two things here. DC is a a number that the player has to beat by rolling 1d20+modifier.(see RK13's post) I think what you're talking about is a percentage roll, in which case you roll two d10's (not 2d10) where the first number is the tens spot (x10) and the second number is the 1's spot. so, if you roll twice and get: 5 and 7 then your percentage would be 57 This is easier to do if you have two d10's of different colors, and can designate one as always the ten's spot. They also sell d10's where the numbers on the faces are in multiples of ten (10,20,30,etc..)
fhost_the_betaryer 11-03-06, 06:23 PM	next questions: two weapon fighting. the balance and penalty how does it effact the att. bonus?
Nickpire 11-03-06, 10:09 PM	It depends on if you take the two-weapon fighting feats. The penalties are listed on page 160 in the player's handbook. Without the feats, you can never gain more than one attack in your off-hand. Taking Improved, then Greter Two Weapon fighting allow you to make more attacks, not reduce your penalties. Bob the Fighter doesn't have any of the feats and dualwields longswords. Let's say Bob is level 1 with a 16 Strength for a +3 modifier in this simulation. Normally, Bob would have a +4 to hit, plus 1 for Base attack plus 3 for his strength. Let's say Bob's a righty too. His main hand attack would be at a -2 for the first penalty, and his off hand attack would be at -6. Bob has pretty crummy odds of hitting. Even with a longsword and a dagger, Bob's attacks bonuses would be +0 and -4 respectivally. Hardly ideal. With the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, Bob could swing two longswords with +0 to hit, (+4 attack bonus normally -4 for the feat). If he were to use a longsword and a dagger he would attack with +2 and +2 respectivally. Much better odds. Hope this helped.
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-03-06, 10:28 PM	next questions: two weapon fighting. the balance and penalty how does it effact the att. bonus? According to http://www.d20srd.org/ Two-Weapon Fighting [General] You can fight with a weapon in each hand. You can make one extra attack each round with the second weapon. Prerequisite Dex 15. Benefit Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. See the Two-Weapon Fighting special attack. Normal If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. When fighting in this way you suffer a -6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a -10 penalty to the attack with your off hand. If your off-hand weapon is light the penalties are reduced by 2 each. (An unarmed strike is always considered light.) Special A 2nd-level ranger who has chosen the two-weapon combat style is treated as having Two-Weapon Fighting, even if he does not have the prerequisite for it, but only when he is wearing light or no armor. A fighter may select Two-Weapon Fighting as one of his fighter bonus feats. That's the text of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, and it covers pretty much everything. The PHB version, in the last page of the Feats chapter, has a table right next to it. Normally, wielding two weapons lets you make an extra attack when making a full attack, but your first attack takes a -10 penalty and your second takes a -6 penalty. If the off-hand weapon is a light weapon (as opposed to a one-handed or two-handed weapon), the penalties are instead -8 and -4 respectively. If you take the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, the penalties are reduced to -4 and -4, or -2 and -2 if the off-hand weapon is light. Also note that when wielding a weapon in your off hand, you only get to apply 1/2 your Strength bonus to its damage roll.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 02:42 AM	oh...thank you for the help
White_Wizard 11-04-06, 10:07 AM	i am new to D&D and the whole DM thing I'm still not clear on the DC% it go up to 100% some have told me i use 2d10 for it some says 2d20. what the rigth anwser? There are also d10s sold in couples to specifically do that: the first has numbers from 10 to 00 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) and the second is a normal d10. So you roll without having to declare (or remeber) which dice is what: the dice with the tens is the tens, the other the units. A result of 00 and 3 means 3% A result of 00 and 0 means 100% In the same way with normal dices 0 and 3 is 3% and 0 and 0 is 100%. You just do not risk to mistake a 3% for a 30%.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 02:19 PM	thank for the help. now i need to make a campain. how do i make one?
_plucky 11-04-06, 04:49 PM	thank for the help. now i need to make a campain. how do i make one? You can either use pre-made worlds (like Forgotten Realms), not use a world at all and just go Module to Module for kicks until you get ideas of what you'd like to do, OR, you can head over to the Campaign Workshop Board (http://boards1.wizards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=295). -plucky
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-04-06, 05:56 PM	thank for the help. now i need to make a campain. how do i make one? I would recommend you pick up a campaign setting sourcebook if you don't feel like taking the time to make your own. The DMG has guidelines on this process if you want to do it yourself. However, you should probably run a few trial sessions to figure out what your players want before you solidify the setting.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 06:46 PM	thanks for all the help.do you think grave robbing is a good start to campain? oh,traps for coffins that are CR 1
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-04-06, 06:49 PM	thanks for all the help.do you think grave robbing is a good start to campain? oh,traps for coffins that are CR 1 Whatever makes your players happy. Zombies make good traps, but I'm wondering why anyone would trap a coffin. I can understand trapping catacombs, but not graveyards.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 06:59 PM	there more like cyphs for past kings
Spacefrog 11-04-06, 07:03 PM	Coffins wouldn't normally be trapped, but the occasional one might be, especially one that has something in it that's worth looting. Some of the CR 1 sample traps in the Dungeon Master's Guide could be adapted to fit in a coffin. Poison dart shoots out as soon as the lid is opened, or something. Alternatively, I seem to recall that people who were worried about being buried alive by mistake would sometimes have a bottle of poison buried in the coffin with them, so that if they woke up in a buried coffin they would at least not have to suffocate slowly. You could say there was a bottle of poison in the coffin, but it has since smashed so that some things in the coffin are smeared in contact poison, or the coffin is full of poison gas. Magical traps casting low-level spells might also be a way to go. A magical trap could have 'exposure to light' as the triggering condition. The spell could even be 'animate dead'... which leaves us back with a zombie.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 07:06 PM	would a CR13 hydra be to much for lvl 8 player?
Spacefrog 11-04-06, 07:29 PM	I would think so, unless you provide some easy way to beat the hydra rather than beating it in normal combat. A CR13 hydra should be a good match for a party of four level 13 characters.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 07:35 PM	but it the final fight or "boss battle" still to much?
Thubby 11-04-06, 08:24 PM	iether is the right answer, 2d10 makes 1 die the 10 digit, the other the 1. 2d20 only works with older die (generaly speaking) because they had 2 of each number from 1 to 9, and a 0. the idea was the person who baught the die painted 1 of the 2 of each number. the colored was a +10, so painted 2 was 12, not colored was 2. when using 2d20, you take the number regardless of color.
Thubby 11-04-06, 08:28 PM	but it the final fight or "boss battle" still to much? yes, hydra is still too much. hydra, (IMO) is on the higher end of its cr, has regeneration, long reach, and attacks like crazy, and has high hp. my rule of thumb, the bbeg is 2-3 higher than the party highest lvl, and usualy with minions, but not always.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 08:41 PM	so what should use as a boss?
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-04-06, 09:29 PM	so what should use as a boss? Since your party is already going to be in a crypt, an undead guardian of some sort would be appropriate. Look through the skeleton and zombie entries for a CR 10 monster, or make your own.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 09:39 PM	vampire? do you that good? i dont understand the CR system
wizarddog 11-04-06, 09:41 PM	so what should use as a boss? If you want the hydra just use with a CR of 7-9. wizarddog
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 09:44 PM	the only thing i understand about the CR system is CR 1 is 300 EXP and any other CR is time by 300
wizarddog 11-04-06, 09:45 PM	Thr CR challenge rating shows the average level of party of adventures for which one creature would make an encounter of moderate difficulty. Four exmpl 4 fresh characters (full Hitpoints, full spelsl and equiptment appropriate for their levels) should be able to dispatch it with some damage and no causalties. wizarddog
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 09:50 PM	so CR 5 for three characters that are lvl 8 and lvl 3.
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-04-06, 10:16 PM	so CR 5 for three characters that are lvl 8 and lvl 3. The challenge rating system is used to gauge the difficulty of encounter for PCs, and for the experience point guidelines. This is described in the DMG, can't remember the page... What levels are your PCs?
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 10:18 PM	two of them are lvl 8 and one is a lvl 3
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-04-06, 10:34 PM	two of them are lvl 8 and one is a lvl 3 Okay, you should be fine throwing a CR 8 or 9 monster at them as a boss. Average encounters should be CR 7 or 6, and easy encounters can be as low as 5 to 3. Remember, that third level character is going to get a lot more experience than the other two. Is there any Level Adjustment involved?
fhost_the_betaryer 11-04-06, 10:38 PM	lvl Adjustment?
Thomar_of_Uointer 11-05-06, 12:03 AM	lvl Adjustment? Are any of your characters playing anything besides the races listed in the PHB? Drow, hobgoblins, ogres?
fhost_the_betaryer 11-05-06, 12:29 AM	oh...MM race. no just half elfs so the CR system and El system how dos it work?
Spacefrog 11-05-06, 08:42 AM	A boss battle could have a tougher CR than the average party level, but I'd still say a CR 13 hydra is on the tough side. With a hydra you can always give it fewer heads to make it a smaller CR.
Captain Casualty 11-05-06, 01:08 PM	oh...MM race. no just half elfs so the CR system and El system how dos it work? ok there are a lot of concepts to absorb.:teach: The key principle is that an encounter should be "balanced" for the group that is meeting it and as a measure to calculate that by various numbers are used. The two terms being thrown about here are CR which means challenge rating and EL which means encounter level.It is important to know what each means and what the difference is between them. CR - Challenge rating. This is simply a number given to indicate how tough or diificult a monster is likely to be in a neutral enviroment that favours niether side. The higher the number the more difficult the base creature is. It is (iirc) based on an average party of four adventurers at the same level. The number indicates at what level there is a 50/50 chance of the party dying to a man if they encounter it. So taking the example of a CR13 monster like a hydra what they are saying is that there is a 50/50 chance that if it was attacked by four adventurers of level 13 that the hydra would win. On the face of it a party of three (two at eight and one at 3) should probably dip themselves in breadcrumbs first. EL - Encounter level. The problem with challenge rating is that there is very rarely a neutral enviroment. Taking the example of a multi headed hydra somebody suggested cutting off all but one of its heads before the battle. Obviously this would make it much easier to deal with and much less challenging. So though the monster is still quite hard the actual encounter with it is quite easy. Another example could be 5 kobolds and a 5th level mage. If they attack one at a time then its a good laugh and the CR gives a good guide for XP but if they attacked as a group using traps (a bunch of five kobolds with bows screening a mage whilst standing just behind a concealed pit for example) then this would be a much tougher encounter and the party would need extra xp as a reward. The problem with Encounter level is that it is very subjective. You will get it wrong. At least once you will be sitting embarrased as a bunch of shocked players stare at you with glassy eyes mumbling "what did we do wrong?". Deal with it and learn not to repeat the mistake next time. Keep coming here for help advice and clarification, i still do. But make choices and see how they work out-be prepared to apologize for foul ups and work with your players to see if you give them a game they enjoy.
White_Wizard 11-05-06, 02:26 PM	vampire? do you that good? i dont understand the CR system It is very simple indeed, though it may require some time to be fully mastered. The whole CR system is based on the assumption that a given CR is a challenge for a group formed by four characters that are of a level equal to the number of CR. Example: a CR 4 is a challenge for a group formed by four adventurers of 4th level. If there are characters in the group with different levels (which happens often in a campaign, since not all players are present every session, thus gaining different experience points) you have to calaculate the average level of the group. Example: 4 adventurers; 2 are level 4, 2 are level 6; the average group's level is 5: (4+4+6+6)/4=5. Each time you plan an encounter, you have to compare the encounter's CR against the group's level: if the CR is lower, then the encounter will be probably easy, if it's higher it will be probably difficult. If it is too high (CR 5+ than group's level) it will be probably impossible. On the DMG you will find useful tables on how to organize encounters by CR during an adventure. One final advice: if you are so early in your DMing career do not rush into starting a campaign. I know it is a strong temptation, but for the time being just play an adventure that helps both you and your player to handle the game's basics (pre-made adventures are excellent starting points, have a look at those downloadable from the wizards' site). When you will have the rules clear in your mind, then start a campaign: it will be much more rewarding, I can assure you.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-05-06, 04:08 PM	I bad reading comprehension skills so very helpful to "dum things down" for me
White_Wizard 11-06-06, 08:42 AM	I bad reading comprehension skills so very helpful to "dum things down" for me And I'll be glad to help you out :) Level adjustment: some races (which do not appear in PHB) are stronger than other races. Let's take drow for example: they are ECL+2 (ECL= Equivalent Character Level). This means that a 2nd level drow is as strong as a 4th level human, because the drow has powers the human cannot afford (the drow is capable of using some magic even without being a spellcaster: they are part of his natural skills and are born with the ability of using them). It is a rule studied to allow players to play a wider range of races without being too unbalanced with players who just want to use a good old-fashioned human hero. A race with ECL gives up a few class levels in favor of higher ability modifiers and/or rare skills (which usually come in the form of spell-like abilities). As an advice: until you have mastered the basics use the core races (those that are in the PHB). A party with 2 lvl8 and 2 lvl3 characters is about a 5 level equivalent, so you should plan encounters and challenges for a 5th level group. Anyway it is a huge gap: the lvl8s will have an easy life, while the lvl3s will have a hard time. Try to balance levels (set up a few separated sessions for the two lvl3 characters so they have the chance of raising two or three levels). As a rule of thumb make sure the gap of levels in the party isn't greater than two or three (so, if the highest character is a level 8, the lowest should be at least level 5). Otherwise the game could come out very difficult to run.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-06-06, 11:59 AM	oh.. thank you for the help. now on to my next questions.spell how do i go about managing them? like for ex: a player castes burning hand what does he have to roll?
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 11:06 AM	Next question arcane spell failure percentage? How does work. What is it?
White_Wizard 11-07-06, 11:25 AM	Well, if a player casts a spell he usually casts it without having to roll. Arcane spell failure is a notable (and the most common) exception. There are others, but it's better not to consider them now. If the caster of a spell is an arcane caster (bard, sorcerer or wizard from the PHB) and he wears an armor that has an arcane failure percentage he will have to roll a d00 each time he wants to cast a spell with somatic (S)components. If he rolls equal or lower than the percentile number, the spell fails, if he rolls more, the spell works normally. Bards are an exception because they can ignore light armors' spell failure. However you'll find very detailed descriptions of all these things in the PHB.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 11:33 AM	I must remind everyone that have fourth-grade reading comprehension skills (small exaggeration) and it's very difficult for me to understand what's in the player's handbook, monster manual and dungeon Master's guide
Scraelig277 11-07-06, 11:35 AM	A caster need not roll any thing to cast a spell, but the creature he is casting it on may get a saving throw based on which spell it is. Also, certain creatures have a quality called spell resistance, then the caster must roll a d20 plus his caster level to hit with that spell. Oh and some spells aren't subject to spell resistance. Some spells do require an attack roll.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 11:48 AM	oh..that explain alot.thank you guys very much. I think that all the help i need. If not i'll post some more questions.
Mandarbgrim 11-07-06, 11:49 AM	I would suggest starting with playing in a game under an experienced DM & watching how the game goes under him/her. If that is not an option... Start off with D&D Basic Game or D&D for Dummies. I would also suggest starting everyone at lvl 2 & running them through a lvl 1 adventure. Use a prepublished adventure or a free download... http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20050329a http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20000801a You shouldn't allow characters with such a large gap inbetween their character levels. Try to keep them close to the same level.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 11:58 AM	D&D for dummies i didn't think they made those. sounds like a good idea where do i go about finding a copy?
Captain Casualty 11-07-06, 12:09 PM	I must remind everyone that have fourth-grade reading comprehension skills (small exaggeration) and it's very difficult for me to understand what's in the player's handbook, monster manual and dungeon Master's guide Well I hope I am clear enough then! oh.. thank you for the help. now on to my next questions.spell how do i go about managing them? like for ex: a player castes burning hand what does he have to roll? ok - Quick answer nothing. It is assumed that the majority of the time a caster has the material components available and has the ability to perform the actions/activities/rituals required to complete the spell. So far so simple. Now lets make it a bit more complicated. There are circumstances where you need to roll a dice when casting a spell and times when you want to cast a dice to cast a spell. The most common are Spell resistance Arcane spell failure Concentration checks Defensive casting So Spell resistance. Some beasts are very hard to hurt with magic. They might be so innately magical that they just absorb the attacks or they might be so wierd that its hard to know what you are actually aiming at. The reason why they resist spells is actually unimportant. The important thing is is the spell resistance number. SR and then a number. The way it works is that when casting a spell at a target that has spell resistance the caster rolls a twenty sided die and adds his spell casting level. This is then compared to the SR and if it is lower then the spell fails. It might not happen at all or it might hit to no effect. Either way the spell is gone and the caster got no benefit from it. If it is equal or higher than that number the spell is resolved as normal. Next arcane spell failure. Arcane spells are difficult to cast and intricate to perform. If something stops your free movement then there is a chance that you will not do the movements correctly and so the spell will not work. There can be any number of reasons why this might be applied (tied in a net, covered in tanglefoot glue etc) but the most usual reason is armour. Armour is big and clunky and frankly there a reason why you wont see many ballerinas in full plate. If you look at Armour in the PHB you will see an arcane spell failure chance listed with it. This Percentage is cumulative ie if you are wearing two pieces of armour one with a 5% chance and one with a 10% chance your total arcane spell failure chance is 15%. Once your arcane spell failure chance is worked out every time you cast a spell you need to roll a percentile dice and get more than or equal to chance for the casting to complete. Otherwise the spell fails and the caster lost it. On to Concentration checks now. Again the problem is that Arcane spells are difficult to cast and intricate to perform. You can be distracted and get it wrong. Now it's assumed that minor annoyances are not enough so somebody humming in the background will not require it. Being hit by a Greatsword or being dipped in acid on the other hand will need a concentration check. The calculation of the DC varies but in each case roll a D20 and add the characters concentration score (its on the skill list) and if they get more than or equal to the DC then everything is fine, otherwise the spell fails . Lets take the first example for calculation of DC, this is a sudden stab (no pun intended) of pain which you cannot prepare yourself for. Therefore the DC is 10 + damage inflicted so if you were hit for 10 damage the DC would be 20 (10+10). For the second example - you know its coming (reffered to in the rulebook as continuous damage)allowing you to brace yourself for it. In that case the DC is 10 + Half the damage dealt so if hit with 10 points of damage the DC would be 15 (10+(10/2)). Now last but not least is Defensive casting. Nobody so far has mentioned attacks of opportunity for the simple reason they are a complex subject that cause lots of arguments. The simple principle of an attack of opportunity is that if you dont defend yourself then you are easier to hit and this is represented by an extra attack roll against people who make themselves vulnerable. The complexity comes from determining who gets attacks, why and when. One thing though that everyone agrees on is that a caster who sticks one finger in his ear twirls around a couple of times and closes his eyes whilst standing next to a raging barbarian trying to kill him is simply begging to get beat on. In order to be able to cast something without getting a waraxe through his head the mage may attempt to cast defensively. To do this he must declare it and then he must make a concentration check. As always he is trying to get equal to or higher than the DC and if he makes it the spell goes off. If he fails then the spell is not cast. Either way the barbarian does not get a free whack at him. The DC is calculated as 15 + spell level, so if the above mage was trying to dimension door away (a fourth level mage spell) the DC would be 19 (15+4) ok - so thats what you roll to cast a spell. If you meant what do you roll as a result of casting (ie how much damage from a fireball) thaats a whole different post.
Mandarbgrim 11-07-06, 12:35 PM	D&D for dummies i didn't think they made those. sounds like a good idea where do i go about finding a copy? Barnes & Nobles, Borders or Books a Million. Amazon online. I have heard it is a very good reference for new players.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 12:49 PM	Amazon has good prices i just checked it out. as soon as it get, i think i don't need to post on this forum any more.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 04:22 PM	in the meantime waiting for me book.i have some more questions. after a player lvl up how do you find out there new HP?
Mandarbgrim 11-07-06, 06:01 PM	They roll their HD. Example: d4 for Wizard, d10 for Fighter. Then they add their Constitution modifier to the result rolled. That total is added to their current total HP.
fhost_the_betaryer 11-07-06, 06:13 PM	oh..thanks