Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Klaggal 12-30-05, 08:52 PM	My friends and I are looking to start playing D&D. We have two people with minor experience in D&D, but I was looking for help from people more experienced. I have some questions, and answers to any would be appreciated. I have the PHB and DMG, but there are some things I either can't find or understand too well. 1) What is a misc modifier? Can I have an example? 2) How do I determine Damage Reduction and Spell Resistance? 3) In the "Attack" sections of the Official Character Record Sheet, how do I determine the Attack Bonus? is it just my character's Base Attack Bonus? 4) How do I determine the Weight Load Values for my character? 5) Under the "Other Possessions" column, what does "Pg." stand for? Also, should I list the character's weapons here, or just under the "Attack" sections (I'm guessing I'll put the weapon's weight in the "Notes" section then)? 6) The boxes next to the "Ammunition" label, do they mean that a character can only have 30 of this type of ammunition with them at a time? 7) When should a DM award experience? Throughout the campaign, or at the end of the session / campaign? I think that's about it. Any help would be great. Thanks.
ressurrector 12-30-05, 09:03 PM	My friends and I are looking to start playing D&D. We have two people with minor experience in D&D, but I was looking for help from people more experienced. I have some questions, and answers to any would be appreciated. I have the PHB and DMG, but there are some things I either can't find or understand too well. 1) What is a misc modifier? Can I have an example? misc=miscellaneous, pretty much anything that dosen't have it's own space. for skills I put synergy bonuses there. 2) How do I determine Damage Reduction and Spell Resistance? Dmg reduction and Spell resistance are only availavble to players via class, special races, and spells. The details should be listed next to whatever gives them these qualities, for how these work, consult the DMG. 3) In the "Attack" sections of the Official Character Record Sheet, how do I determine the Attack Bonus? is it just my character's Base Attack Bonus? This is the attack bonus listed on the character tables. For example there's an attack bonus progression for fighters, thei have +1 per level. A level 6 fighter would have base attack bonus +6 4) How do I determine the Weight Load Values for my character? chapter 9 has a streingth vs weight carried table. 5) Under the "Other Possessions" column, what does "Pg." stand for? Also, should I list the character's weapons here, or just under the "Attack" sections (I'm guessing I'll put the weapon's weight in the "Notes" section then)? pg. means page, for referrencing how they work/what they do. either or not to list armor/weapons there, is up to you. 6) The boxes next to the "Ammunition" label, do they mean that a character can only have 30 of this type of ammunition with them at a time? You can have as much ammunition as you can carry, generally you don't need too much though. 7) When should a DM award experience? Throughout the campaign, or at the end of the session / campaign? I generally assign after each encounter, though characters are not supposed to be able to "level up" without returning to town, or taking a week off. This is not a strict rule, ask your DM, it's his choice. I think that's about it. Any help would be great. Thanks. Hope that helped. Remember rule #0, the DM is allways right, no matter what the books say.
Klaggal 12-30-05, 09:12 PM	That's awesome, thank you a lot. However, I know where to find the Base Attack Bonus on the tables for each class, but is there nothing else that affects the Attack Bonus? I mean, why do they call it Base Attack Bonus if there are no changes to it depending on weapon and the like?
ressurrector 12-30-05, 09:31 PM	That's awesome, thank you a lot. However, I know where to find the Base Attack Bonus on the tables for each class, but is there nothing else that affects the Attack Bonus? I mean, why do they call it Base Attack Bonus if there are no changes to it depending on weapon and the like? there is the bab (base attack bonus) and there are other modifiers. Base means base, many things reference/require base only, and you only get bab from your classes (or hit-dice, if you have monster hit-dice) the other things that modify the attack bonus are added to the bab, but they do not affect the bab. For instance, you get extra attacks at 6bab, 11bab, 16bab. 6/1 11/6/1 16/11/6/1 if you have a 4bab, and +2 to hit from your sword, you do NOT get a second hit, though you do get +6 to your roll.
psionicbattousai 12-30-05, 10:31 PM	if its a melee weapon, you add your str mod, plus any bonuses from things like weapon focus feat
shadowfox628 12-31-05, 04:22 AM	Misc. Modifier: Any modifier to something (Save, AC, etc.) that doesn't go in any of the other modifiers. Damage Reduction: Damage reduction consists of a number, a slash, and something after the slash. For example, a Level 20 Monk gets a 20/+1 Damage Reduction. The 20 means that the first 20 non-magical damage delt is nullified (not done, as if the damage was less). The "/" stands for "is countered by." The +1 means that any Masterwork weapon of +1 or higher ignores the Damage reduction. However, it's not always Masterwork. Werewolves, I believe, have a damage reduction that can be ignored by Silver Weapons. A Barbarian's Damage Reduction is ignored by nothing! Notice: ALL damage reductions are ignored by magic spells. Spell Resistance: I think it's similar to Damage Resistance, but with spells. I'm not quite sure. Attack Bonus: The final Attack Bonus is made up of the Base Attack Bonus (given by class and level), the coresponding Attribute Mod. (usually STR for Melee, and Dex for Ranged, but there are other cases), and a Misc. Modifier (Masterwork weapons give a bonus to attack, Feats, spells, etc.). If your base attack bonus reaches a +6, then you can use a Full Attack Option to make a second attack with the Base Attack Bonus of +1 (bonuses also apply). Notice: With the Full Attack option, you CAN make a 5-foot step, but no more. Also, Two Weapon Fighting gives you an additional attack. Therefore, if you can make 2 attacks (granted by Base Attack Bonus), and you're using Two Weapon FIghting, then you make a combined total of 3 attacks. Weight Load Values: There's a table for it in the PHB, page 142 in V.3, I believe. For weapon weight, put it in your "Possessions" table things. Makes it easier to keep track of, and less likely to forget about it. Ammunition: You can have as much as you want (but not over the total weight limit, and, if you do that, don't forget to add in everything else). Experience: You can award it after every quest, randomly, after every battle, or at the end of every session. Personally, I prefer it that everyone levels up at the same time. Allows me to throw what I want at them and reduces risk of complaining.
Klaggal 12-31-05, 08:50 PM	Awesome, thanks for all the help you guys. I was a little confused about the attack bonuses with different weapons, because I guess I missed a section of the PHB on them. I'm going to go flip through that a bit more. Once again, thanks a lot!
StormCrow42 01-01-06, 06:20 PM	Attack bonuses for melee weapons are BAB + strength modifier (unless using weapon finesse, then dex modifier instead) + additional bonuses from weapon focus or masterwork or magical weapons. Ranged weapons use all the same bonuses, but substitute your dex modifier instead of your strength modifier.
LugWrench 01-01-06, 07:49 PM	Spell resistance is just what it sounds like. Typically monsters have spell resistance, but some bits of equipment can grant this to players as well. Spell resistance is the chance that the spell targeting the monster simply fails. When attacking, the spellcaster rolls d20 and adds their caster level (i.e. +1 for first level, +2 for second level +3 for third, and so on). If the total is equal to or greater than the monsters spell resistance, the spell goes off as normal. If it is lower than the spell resistance, the spell fails, but is expended as normal.