Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Xaielao2 Jun 10, 2008 14:38:30	I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around what appears to be the new combat system. Primarily, the attack system. For ages now in D&D your attack was based on your weapon (and it's bonuses) and augmented by your ability scores and any skills/feats/etc. Now it seems the other way around. Attacks are based off your skill and augmented by your weapon. Is that correct? Lets use an example, a simple Fighter at-will attack; Cleave At-Will - Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee Weapon Target: One Creature Attack: Strength vs AC Hit: 1[W]W + strength modifier damage, and an enemy adjacent to you takes damage = to your strength modifier Pretty strait forward. But look at that attack. It's no longer 'weapon + modifiers + ability modifier = attack bonus. It's Ability = attack bonus. I can get that, it's quite the paradigm shift, but I get it. Heres the question though. In that Strength vs AC attack do you use weapon modifiers? What about Feat modifiers (being Proficient in the weapon.) Or is it simply strength modifier is your attack bonus vs AC of opponent? I like the way powers are laid out in 4th ed but it seams even at high level it's all Ability vs AC with zero mention of adding modifiers for weapons, feats, buffs, temporary bonuses, etc etc. Now I'd assume it DOES factor in these things, but I figure I best ask. Anyway so far I'm liking 4th ed. The Half-Elf is awesome and I'll be playing one for the first time since 1st edition, (could have been the original red box from the early 80's even, cant remember if that had Half-Elves lol.) The variety of powers and such is quite fun and I like that clerics are no longer plate wearing chain healing auspices of doom The Burst and Blast power descriptor had me a bit boggled for for a bit lol, until I finally settled that 'burst' means pbaoe, 'blast' is basically the new 'cone' only it takes up so many squares now. Thanks in advance for filling me in. I gotta say the switch to your ability being the primary factor in attacks and not your weapon makes sense, but it's been the other way around for so long it's almost hard to wrap my mind around it.
#2 serphet Jun 10, 2008 16:33:20	At-Will - Martial, Weapon Standard Action Melee Weapon the first line idictes weapon, so whatever the weapon type, you add its 'prof' bonus, plus and modifiers you for using that weapon type. Strength vs AC this simply indicates which attribute to use with said attack, and which defense it targets. so this attack =str mod+1/2 level+class bonus (for weapon type)+prof bonus+miscs and enhancements