Base Attack Bonus Help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Base Attack Bonus Help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Decepticons
02-25-04, 06:54 PM I'm a little confused on how Base attack Bonus is supposed to work for multi-classed Characters. The PHB gives a brief explanation, but it left me with some questions.

My example in this case is a 12th level wizard, 6th level fighter. Both classes provide an attack bonus of +6/+1. Does this mean the character would have a base attack of +12/+7/+2, or am I doing something wrong here?

If I am doing something wrong in my calculations, please give me a brief explanation of how it's supposed to work.

Thanks!
Nagol
02-25-04, 07:07 PM You are correct. BAB (Base Attack Bonus) is cumulative from all class levels. In programming terms, BAB and iterative attacks in a full-attack action work as follows:

DO
ATTACK
SUBTRACT 5 FROM BAB
UNTIL BAB <= 0

As you noted, your example gets an attack at +12 then at +7 then at +2.
Decepticons
02-25-04, 07:16 PM Good deal, thank you for the assist.
airhead
02-26-04, 08:30 AM The easy way is to add up everything from the tables (as you have done) This also works for saves.

Or you can look at the progression for the class.

Mage/Sorcerer = 1/2 BAB per level (round down)
Fighter = +1 bab per level.
etc.

You can carry this forever past the charts.

It gets more fun when you have 2 classes plus a PrC to deal with.
Sir_Jack_Sparrow
02-26-04, 09:45 AM When you hit epic levels your bab increases by one every other level, and you cant get more than 4 attacks per round with a single weapon.

so level 21 bab +1
level 22 bab +0
level 23 bab +1

regardless of class
Nagol
02-26-04, 10:36 AM When you hit epic levels your bab increases by one every other level, and you cant get more than 4 attacks per round with a single weapon.

After 20th level your BAB never increases.

You receive epic bonuses to hit. The difference being is you never receive more attack per round than you had at 20th.

From the 3.5 SRD
Epic Attack Bonus: A character’s base attack bonus does not increase after his character level reaches 20th. However, he does receive a cumulative +1 epic bonus on all attack rolls every odd-numbered level after 20th, as shown on Table: Epic Save and Epic Attack Bonuses. Only base attack bonus is used to calculate iterative attacks. In addition, base attack bonus never grants a creature more than four attacks with any given weapon using the full attack option, though special abilities and class features may provide additional attacks.

So a Wizard at 20th has a BAB of +10 for 2 attacks a round.

A fighter at 20th has a BAB of 20 for four attacks a round.

A 40th level character (Wizard 20 / Fighter 20) has a BAB somewhere between 10 and 20 depending on which class levels were taken by 20th level. So the same levelled character could have between 2 attacks and 4 attacks a round with a potential +10 swing in to-hit bonus as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Decepticons 02-25-04, 06:54 PM	I'm a little confused on how Base attack Bonus is supposed to work for multi-classed Characters. The PHB gives a brief explanation, but it left me with some questions. My example in this case is a 12th level wizard, 6th level fighter. Both classes provide an attack bonus of +6/+1. Does this mean the character would have a base attack of +12/+7/+2, or am I doing something wrong here? If I am doing something wrong in my calculations, please give me a brief explanation of how it's supposed to work. Thanks!
Nagol 02-25-04, 07:07 PM	You are correct. BAB (Base Attack Bonus) is cumulative from all class levels. In programming terms, BAB and iterative attacks in a full-attack action work as follows: DO ATTACK SUBTRACT 5 FROM BAB UNTIL BAB <= 0 As you noted, your example gets an attack at +12 then at +7 then at +2.
Decepticons 02-25-04, 07:16 PM	Good deal, thank you for the assist.
airhead 02-26-04, 08:30 AM	The easy way is to add up everything from the tables (as you have done) This also works for saves. Or you can look at the progression for the class. Mage/Sorcerer = 1/2 BAB per level (round down) Fighter = +1 bab per level. etc. You can carry this forever past the charts. It gets more fun when you have 2 classes plus a PrC to deal with.
Sir_Jack_Sparrow 02-26-04, 09:45 AM	When you hit epic levels your bab increases by one every other level, and you cant get more than 4 attacks per round with a single weapon. so level 21 bab +1 level 22 bab +0 level 23 bab +1 regardless of class
Nagol 02-26-04, 10:36 AM	When you hit epic levels your bab increases by one every other level, and you cant get more than 4 attacks per round with a single weapon. After 20th level your BAB never increases. You receive epic bonuses to hit. The difference being is you never receive more attack per round than you had at 20th. From the 3.5 SRD Epic Attack Bonus: A character’s base attack bonus does not increase after his character level reaches 20th. However, he does receive a cumulative +1 epic bonus on all attack rolls every odd-numbered level after 20th, as shown on Table: Epic Save and Epic Attack Bonuses. Only base attack bonus is used to calculate iterative attacks. In addition, base attack bonus never grants a creature more than four attacks with any given weapon using the full attack option, though special abilities and class features may provide additional attacks. So a Wizard at 20th has a BAB of +10 for 2 attacks a round. A fighter at 20th has a BAB of 20 for four attacks a round. A 40th level character (Wizard 20 / Fighter 20) has a BAB somewhere between 10 and 20 depending on which class levels were taken by 20th level. So the same levelled character could have between 2 attacks and 4 attacks a round with a potential +10 swing in to-hit bonus as well.