A few questions... [Archive] - Wizards Community

A few questions... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JulioNavarro90
08-20-06, 09:55 AM I used to play D&D in my previous school, i went to my first session and though i was extremely anxious to play i didnt find it entertaining, after a while i realised that the game is much more exiting, but the DM wasn't exactly a 'good' one, he over-simplified things and we merely rolled dices withought knowing anything, people getting and recieveing attacks of opportunity withought knowing since there was no grid or battle map or anything, it was all in his head and we just rolled dices cluelessly.

I moved to a new community and got a few new friends of mine interested in it and i'm prepairing my things for a session, and i wish to ask a few questions that have been plaguing my mind and my old DM didn't clarify since we never got farther than a 1 hour session after school.

1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+?

2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5?

3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20?

4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items?

5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100?

those are the questions that i have in mind right now, i think i may have forgotten some, but i'll post the next ones when they come to mind

*I thought the base attack bonus was used for damage, i just want to make sure, to calculate damage you roll the dice(s) the weapon specifies and add yor STR modifier, but it's hard to believe that a lvl 15 will be doing more or less the same damage using a normal attack, is there a way of that increasing other than magical items?*
Deathmond
08-20-06, 10:43 AM I used to play D&D in my previous school, i went to my first session and though i was extremely anxious to play i didnt find it entertaining, after a while i realised that the game is much more exiting, but the DM wasn't exactly a 'good' one, he over-simplified things and we merely rolled dices withought knowing anything, people getting and recieveing attacks of opportunity withought knowing since there was no grid or battle map or anything, it was all in his head and we just rolled dices cluelessly.

I moved to a new community and got a few new friends of mine interested in it and i'm prepairing my things for a session, and i wish to ask a few questions that have been plaguing my mind and my old DM didn't clarify since we never got farther than a 1 hour session after school.

1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+?

2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5?

3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20?

4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items?

5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100?

those are the questions that i have in mind right now, i think i may have forgotten some, but i'll post the next ones when they come to mind

1- Whatever you roll on a d20 gets added to your attack bonus. that's how you hit +20 ac

2- yes

3- No. The spell would have a Spell Level of 8 (being an 8th level spell) and the Caster Level would be whatever level the sorcerer is at the time (16th when he gets it, 17th when he levels up, etc.)

4- There are also magical tomes and manuals that permanently increase a stat. also the Wish spell can grant a +1 bonus per wish cast. there are also a few feats that add to certain scores.

5- there is a die labeled by 10s (00, 10, 20, 30, etc.) up to 90. roll that and a d10 die to get d%

To the best of my knowledge everything I have said is correct. If someone else wants to correct me if I'm wrong I'd appreciate it.
Edheldūr
08-20-06, 10:46 AM 1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+?
Simple... an attack roll uses a d20 (as you've said) plus your Strength (or Dexterity, if you have the Weapon Finesse feat) bonus plus your BAB (which only increases as you increase in levels and some other modifiers (feats, magical weapons, and so on). So, as AC scales up, so do your attack rolls.

2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5?

Yep. But you can only make more than one attack per round if you take the full-attack action. Otherwise, you just make one attack at your highest bonus.

3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20?

Nop. The difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer -besides the way they cast spells- is that a Wizard normally has access to spells before the sorcerer. Basically, a sorcerer gets access to Xth level spells when he is 2 times X level, and a wizard gets accesso the the same Xth level spells when he is (2*x) - 1 levels.

4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items?

Or by reading manuals that increase stats, but these manuals are magical items that you don't need to wear.

5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100?

You can use 2 d10 for a d% check. One for the tens and one for the units. A roll of 0 and 0 equals a 100%.

those are the questions that i have in mind right now, i think i may have forgotten some, but i'll post the next ones when they come to mind

Feel free to ask. There are a lot of people here willing to answer your questions.
X-Codes
08-20-06, 10:50 AM 1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+?
There are hundreds of ways to give yourself a bonus on attack rolls. Note, however, that critical threats and automatic hits still only occur on a "natural" roll. (i.e. You only score an automatic hit when the d20 you rolled shows 20, and you only threaten a critical hit with a longsword when the d20 roll shows 19 or 20.)

2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5?
Yes, with your primary hand. Ranger also often allows for Two-Weapon Fighting which gives more attacks at varying penalties on attack rolls. Note that this is all based off your Base Attack Bonus, which as a Ranger is equal to your level.

3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20?
Caster Level and Spell Level are 100% independant. Sunburst is always an 8th level spell, regardless of your Sorcerer's caster level. Caster level only affects the variables of the spell, often only range, duration, and/or the damage delt by damage dealing spells.

4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items?
Most of the time, yes. At higher levels there is also a spell called Wish that can permanently increase your ability scores by as much as 5 points. There are also Tomes and Manuals at these levels that have the same effect as multiple Wish spells used in this manner.

5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100?
There is a 100-sided die, but it's not worthwile at any price. The best way is to simply take 2d10 of different colors, pick which one is the 10's digit, and roll them. If they both come up "10" or "0" (some say 10, others say 0, both are the same) then the result is 100. Otherwise, simply put the two dice in the 10's and 1's digits according to which you selected before the roll.
Free1983
08-20-06, 11:21 AM I support all the other answers and won't tell the same another time.

Only you can improve your ability scores by taking certain prestige classes. Prestige classes are classes that you can't take on level 1. They all have certain prerequisites and only if your character can fulfill all those prerequisites it is entitled to level into that prestige class AND of course your DM has to agree (and better ask him first).

You'll find an example of such a prestige class at page 184 "the dragon disciple".

have fun
Millennium
08-20-06, 11:45 AM 1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+?
Almost every character recieves bonuses to their attack rolls. For example, each class has a base attack bonus based on the character's level. This bonus is what allows you to achieve higher results than 20 on a d20 roll. You can also get bonuses from having a high Strength score or magical weapons.

It's also worth noting that a "natural 20" (the d20 comes up 20 before any bonuses or penalties are applied) is always considered a hit.
2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5?
That is correct.

3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20?

[quote]4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items?
The only ways to truly increase your stats are the four-level bonuses, the class features of some PrCs, and modifying your race by acquiring templates.

Magic items, as well as some powerful spells, can provide bonuses to your statistics. For most intents and purposes this is the same as if the stat had actually been raised, but there are a few cases where the difference can be important. For example, these magical bonuses do not function inside of an antimagic field.

Note that magical bonuses to your stats do count when considering the requirements for prestige classes and feats. However, if the bonuses stop working and you don't have any way to meet the requirements "naturally," then you cannot use feats or class features that require stats you no longer have. When and if the bonuses start functioning again, you will regain access to those feats and class features.

This means that you can theoretically use an item to qualify for feats and prestige classes. Doing so, however, is usually unwise. It's a quicker path to power, but it gives you an easily-exploitable weakness: if the item is lost or destroyed, you lose access to the powers you gained, which puts you at a severe disadvantage. It is best used by DMs, as a means to create weak points in an otherwise-powerful NPC.
5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100?
You can buy actual 100-sided dice, but the most common way to do this is to use 2d10. Before you make the roll, you select one die as the tens digit and one die as the ones digit: a roll of 00 is considered 100. Some d10s are even marked with 00-90, rather than 0-9, and it is common to find d10s sold in pairs with one of each type.
JulioNavarro90
08-20-06, 07:02 PM I thought the base attack bonus was used for damage, i just want to make sure, to calculate damage you roll the dice(s) the weapon specifies and add yor STR modifier, but it's hard to believe that a lvl 15 will be doing more or less the same damage using a normal attack, is there a way of that increasing other than magical items?
Mitchell
08-21-06, 03:00 AM I thought the base attack bonus was used for damage, i just want to make sure, to calculate damage you roll the dice(s) the weapon specifies and add yor STR modifier, but it's hard to believe that a lvl 15 will be doing more or less the same damage using a normal attack, is there a way of that increasing other than magical items?

Through the use of feats, magic items, spells...

Power attack allows you to trade accuracy for damage. Improved critical allows you to double the threat range of a wepon (so a longsword would have a chance to get a critical hit on a 17-20 instead of 19-20). More critical hits=more damage, as long as the enemy is subject to them.
A magic weapon (+1, +2, etc) will add that same amount to both your attack and damage rolls. Many magic weapons may also have a secondary ability (or two, or three...) that also add damage. A +2 flaming longsword will do 1d8+2+str bonus+1d6 fire damage. There are a lot of effects that you can add on.
Multiple attacks give you more chances to do damage in the 1st place. A 1st level fighter with a longsword can hit you once. A 20th level fighter can hit you four times.
Attribute increases. Every four levels you get one, items can provide them, spells can give them to you temporarily, and you can use powerful spells or special books to gain them permanently. The stronger you are, the harder your weapons hit.

This list isn't meant to be exhaustive. It is just a few of the ways that you can get more damage out of your character on a per round basis.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JulioNavarro90 08-20-06, 09:55 AM	I used to play D&D in my previous school, i went to my first session and though i was extremely anxious to play i didnt find it entertaining, after a while i realised that the game is much more exiting, but the DM wasn't exactly a 'good' one, he over-simplified things and we merely rolled dices withought knowing anything, people getting and recieveing attacks of opportunity withought knowing since there was no grid or battle map or anything, it was all in his head and we just rolled dices cluelessly. I moved to a new community and got a few new friends of mine interested in it and i'm prepairing my things for a session, and i wish to ask a few questions that have been plaguing my mind and my old DM didn't clarify since we never got farther than a 1 hour session after school. 1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+? 2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5? 3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20? 4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items? 5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100? those are the questions that i have in mind right now, i think i may have forgotten some, but i'll post the next ones when they come to mind I thought the base attack bonus was used for damage, i just want to make sure, to calculate damage you roll the dice(s) the weapon specifies and add yor STR modifier, but it's hard to believe that a lvl 15 will be doing more or less the same damage using a normal attack, is there a way of that increasing other than magical items?
Deathmond 08-20-06, 10:43 AM	I used to play D&D in my previous school, i went to my first session and though i was extremely anxious to play i didnt find it entertaining, after a while i realised that the game is much more exiting, but the DM wasn't exactly a 'good' one, he over-simplified things and we merely rolled dices withought knowing anything, people getting and recieveing attacks of opportunity withought knowing since there was no grid or battle map or anything, it was all in his head and we just rolled dices cluelessly. I moved to a new community and got a few new friends of mine interested in it and i'm prepairing my things for a session, and i wish to ask a few questions that have been plaguing my mind and my old DM didn't clarify since we never got farther than a 1 hour session after school. 1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+? 2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5? 3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20? 4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items? 5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100? those are the questions that i have in mind right now, i think i may have forgotten some, but i'll post the next ones when they come to mind 1- Whatever you roll on a d20 gets added to your attack bonus. that's how you hit +20 ac 2- yes 3- No. The spell would have a Spell Level of 8 (being an 8th level spell) and the Caster Level would be whatever level the sorcerer is at the time (16th when he gets it, 17th when he levels up, etc.) 4- There are also magical tomes and manuals that permanently increase a stat. also the Wish spell can grant a +1 bonus per wish cast. there are also a few feats that add to certain scores. 5- there is a die labeled by 10s (00, 10, 20, 30, etc.) up to 90. roll that and a d10 die to get d% To the best of my knowledge everything I have said is correct. If someone else wants to correct me if I'm wrong I'd appreciate it.
Edheldūr 08-20-06, 10:46 AM	1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+? Simple... an attack roll uses a d20 (as you've said) plus your Strength (or Dexterity, if you have the Weapon Finesse feat) bonus plus your BAB (which only increases as you increase in levels and some other modifiers (feats, magical weapons, and so on). So, as AC scales up, so do your attack rolls. 2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5? Yep. But you can only make more than one attack per round if you take the full-attack action. Otherwise, you just make one attack at your highest bonus. 3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20? Nop. The difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer -besides the way they cast spells- is that a Wizard normally has access to spells before the sorcerer. Basically, a sorcerer gets access to Xth level spells when he is 2 times X level, and a wizard gets accesso the the same Xth level spells when he is (2*x) - 1 levels. 4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items? Or by reading manuals that increase stats, but these manuals are magical items that you don't need to wear. 5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100? You can use 2 d10 for a d% check. One for the tens and one for the units. A roll of 0 and 0 equals a 100%. those are the questions that i have in mind right now, i think i may have forgotten some, but i'll post the next ones when they come to mind Feel free to ask. There are a lot of people here willing to answer your questions.
X-Codes 08-20-06, 10:50 AM	1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+? There are hundreds of ways to give yourself a bonus on attack rolls. Note, however, that critical threats and automatic hits still only occur on a "natural" roll. (i.e. You only score an automatic hit when the d20 you rolled shows 20, and you only threaten a critical hit with a longsword when the d20 roll shows 19 or 20.) 2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5? Yes, with your primary hand. Ranger also often allows for Two-Weapon Fighting which gives more attacks at varying penalties on attack rolls. Note that this is all based off your Base Attack Bonus, which as a Ranger is equal to your level. 3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20? Caster Level and Spell Level are 100% independant. Sunburst is always an 8th level spell, regardless of your Sorcerer's caster level. Caster level only affects the variables of the spell, often only range, duration, and/or the damage delt by damage dealing spells. 4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items? Most of the time, yes. At higher levels there is also a spell called Wish that can permanently increase your ability scores by as much as 5 points. There are also Tomes and Manuals at these levels that have the same effect as multiple Wish spells used in this manner. 5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100? There is a 100-sided die, but it's not worthwile at any price. The best way is to simply take 2d10 of different colors, pick which one is the 10's digit, and roll them. If they both come up "10" or "0" (some say 10, others say 0, both are the same) then the result is 100. Otherwise, simply put the two dice in the 10's and 1's digits according to which you selected before the roll.
Free1983 08-20-06, 11:21 AM	I support all the other answers and won't tell the same another time. Only you can improve your ability scores by taking certain prestige classes. Prestige classes are classes that you can't take on level 1. They all have certain prerequisites and only if your character can fulfill all those prerequisites it is entitled to level into that prestige class AND of course your DM has to agree (and better ask him first). You'll find an example of such a prestige class at page 184 "the dragon disciple". have fun
Millennium 08-20-06, 11:45 AM	1-I noticed that many monsters have a AC higher than 20, and i want to clarify that since attack rolls are used with the D20 dice, how do i hit one with a AC 20+? Almost every character recieves bonuses to their attack rolls. For example, each class has a base attack bonus based on the character's level. This bonus is what allows you to achieve higher results than 20 on a d20 roll. You can also get bonuses from having a high Strength score or magical weapons. It's also worth noting that a "natural 20" (the d20 comes up 20 before any bonuses or penalties are applied) is always considered a hit. 2- i noticed in my Ranger chart that my base attack bonus shows +16/+11/+6/+1, so that means i can make 4 consecutive attacks each with the attack bonus -5? That is correct. 3- i want to ask about a spell's Caster level? to a sorcerer and a wizard that means two class levels beyond that of the spells? for example: Sunburst is a lvl 8 spell so you obtain it as a 16th lvl sorcerer, and it obtains it's second class level at 18th and becomes a 3rd level Sunburst at 20? [quote]4-Are the only ways to increase your stats like Str, Cons, Dex, etc. by means of every 4th level and by wearing certain magic items? The only ways to truly increase your stats are the four-level bonuses, the class features of some PrCs, and modifying your race by acquiring templates. Magic items, as well as some powerful spells, can provide bonuses to your statistics. For most intents and purposes this is the same as if the stat had actually been raised, but there are a few cases where the difference can be important. For example, these magical bonuses do not function inside of an antimagic field. Note that magical bonuses to your stats do count when considering the requirements for prestige classes and feats. However, if the bonuses stop working and you don't have any way to meet the requirements "naturally," then you cannot use feats or class features that require stats you no longer have. When and if the bonuses start functioning again, you will regain access to those feats and class features. This means that you can theoretically use an item to qualify for feats and prestige classes. Doing so, however, is usually unwise. It's a quicker path to power, but it gives you an easily-exploitable weakness: if the item is lost or destroyed, you lose access to the powers you gained, which puts you at a severe disadvantage. It is best used by DMs, as a means to create weak points in an otherwise-powerful NPC. 5-i've noticed that several times i've seen the d%, what dice is that or what calculates a random number from 1-100? You can buy actual 100-sided dice, but the most common way to do this is to use 2d10. Before you make the roll, you select one die as the tens digit and one die as the ones digit: a roll of 00 is considered 100. Some d10s are even marked with 00-90, rather than 0-9, and it is common to find d10s sold in pairs with one of each type.
JulioNavarro90 08-20-06, 07:02 PM	I thought the base attack bonus was used for damage, i just want to make sure, to calculate damage you roll the dice(s) the weapon specifies and add yor STR modifier, but it's hard to believe that a lvl 15 will be doing more or less the same damage using a normal attack, is there a way of that increasing other than magical items?
Mitchell 08-21-06, 03:00 AM	I thought the base attack bonus was used for damage, i just want to make sure, to calculate damage you roll the dice(s) the weapon specifies and add yor STR modifier, but it's hard to believe that a lvl 15 will be doing more or less the same damage using a normal attack, is there a way of that increasing other than magical items? Through the use of feats, magic items, spells... Power attack allows you to trade accuracy for damage. Improved critical allows you to double the threat range of a wepon (so a longsword would have a chance to get a critical hit on a 17-20 instead of 19-20). More critical hits=more damage, as long as the enemy is subject to them. A magic weapon (+1, +2, etc) will add that same amount to both your attack and damage rolls. Many magic weapons may also have a secondary ability (or two, or three...) that also add damage. A +2 flaming longsword will do 1d8+2+str bonus+1d6 fire damage. There are a lot of effects that you can add on. Multiple attacks give you more chances to do damage in the 1st place. A 1st level fighter with a longsword can hit you once. A 20th level fighter can hit you four times. Attribute increases. Every four levels you get one, items can provide them, spells can give them to you temporarily, and you can use powerful spells or special books to gain them permanently. The stronger you are, the harder your weapons hit. This list isn't meant to be exhaustive. It is just a few of the ways that you can get more damage out of your character on a per round basis.