Forum Overview :: Gamerasutra
 
Re: In D&D, small numbers make a HUGE difference. by Bananadine 06/08/2011, 4:45pm PDT
Jerry Whorebach wrote:

Every +1 to Base Attack Bonus improves your character's chance to hit by a flat +5% under all circumstances. Hence, a character with 18 Strength (+4 BAB) will hit 70% of the time whenever a character with 10 Strengh (+0 BAB) would hit 50% of the time, or 30% of the time when the 10 STR guy would hit 10% of the time. If the stronger guy also gets +1 for being a Fighter, and +1 for Weapon Specialization, well, you can see how all those little bonuses would start to add up. This mechanic produces characters who are massively specialized and ability score dependent, especially at the lower levels. Most of the strategy in D&D comes down to making sure you have the right character in the right place at the right time to do the one thing he does really fucking well.


A lot of small numbers would, yeah... I don't think 5% is a big deal. I have a Resistance spell that temporarily grants some +1's to some stats. If a spell like that blocks 5% of possible attacks of some common type, then to do my best I guess I have to recast the spell once per dangerous battle, but because the benefit is so small I will never actually see it amidst the miss-miss-gentle caress-miss-beheading-miss noise of the dice. I don't want to manually cast some spell dozens of times over just to maintain a 5% benefit! I'm suspicious of Resistance. Putting on an item with a 5% bonus, now--that's the way to live! Putting it on and leaving it on.

I was playing just now and I noticed that I could click some of the terms in the die roll results listing to see some calculation details. Hooray! Now I know that my clumsy oaf person should be using a club and not a crossbow. Does strength really make it easy to hit something?? Does dexterity really help with aiming a crossbow from three feet away?? Well who cares I wasn't in this for roleplaying. To the weapon shop!
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Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale by Jerry Whorebach 05/31/2011, 1:51pm PDT NEW
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    What was the final verdict on Temple of Elemental Evil? by Mischief Maker 05/31/2011, 5:03pm PDT NEW
        I would also like to know this. by Jerry Whorebach 05/31/2011, 6:25pm PDT NEW
            Review from the past by Qt3 Reporter 05/31/2011, 11:04pm PDT NEW
                Seconding this by Entropy Stew 06/01/2011, 4:41am PDT NEW
                    Unfortunately you need .net to install the final Co8 user patch. :( NT by Mischief Maker 06/01/2011, 9:59am PDT NEW
                        It's 2011. NT by install .Net 06/01/2011, 2:31pm PDT NEW
                            Next thing you'll tell him that he has to have DirectX. NT by FoK 06/01/2011, 2:43pm PDT NEW
                                Direct9 still works great. NT by motherfuckerfoodeater 06/01/2011, 4:04pm PDT NEW
                                    Holy shit, you guys use third party graphics cards? NT by I like to keep my system clean. 06/02/2011, 10:48am PDT NEW
                                        The hip kids of Portland, Maine can hook you up NT by fabio 06/02/2011, 11:15am PDT NEW
                I just bought it by Bananadine 06/03/2011, 2:46pm PDT NEW
                    Ugh these dice games by Bananadine 06/08/2011, 11:11am PDT NEW
                        I don't understand how you're comparing a deep tactical game to Diablo by Entropy Stew 06/08/2011, 11:39am PDT NEW
                            Re: I don't understand how you're comparing a deep tactical game to Diablo by Bananadine 06/08/2011, 1:33pm PDT NEW
                                In D&D, small numbers make a HUGE difference. by Jerry Whorebach 06/08/2011, 3:34pm PDT NEW
                                    Re: In D&D, small numbers make a HUGE difference. by Bananadine 06/08/2011, 4:45pm PDT NEW
                                        Re: In D&D, small numbers make a HUGE difference. by Jerry Whorebach 06/08/2011, 5:40pm PDT NEW
                        Being level 1 is terrible in D&D by Arbit 06/15/2011, 2:01pm PDT NEW
                            Re: Being level 1 is terrible in D&D by Bananadine 06/19/2011, 6:47pm PDT NEW
                                You just attacked with laser-precision two of my least-favourite game mechanics. by Jerry Whorebach 06/20/2011, 2:25am PDT NEW
                                    What do you mean by "experiential-gamers"? NT by Bananadine 06/20/2011, 1:16pm PDT NEW
                                        Is that not a real term? I admit, I don't read a lot of blogs. by Jerry Whorebach 06/20/2011, 2:43pm PDT NEW
                                    Tetsuya Nomura: way ahead of me! by Jerry Whorebach 07/06/2011, 3:45pm PDT NEW
                                        QTE JRPGs. The perfect singularity of crap. NT by Mischief Maker 07/06/2011, 4:01pm PDT NEW
                                            They could probably still work Facebook in there, somehow. by Jerry Whorebach 07/06/2011, 4:14pm PDT NEW
                                                The facebook farm game mystifies me. by Mischief Maker 07/06/2011, 4:59pm PDT NEW
                                                    And why do people do math for fun? (Sudoku) NT by And spelling? (crosswords) OR READ 07/06/2011, 8:20pm PDT NEW
                                                        Let me finish that sentence for you: HARRY POTTER by Jerry Whorebach 07/06/2011, 9:32pm PDT NEW
 
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