can someone explain D&D3 to me?

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 3:08 am

Would you expect a cat to take down an Orc?

Every once in a while, it'll get a Critical and do real Hit Point damage!

Cinder_Lizard · Post by **Cinder_Lizard** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 4:43 pm

Nope. You still need to roll a modified 1 to do real damage. -2*2=-4

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Fri Sep 14, 2001 10:29 am

You roll the dice twice, then add Strength modifiers.

Cinder_Lizard · Post by **Cinder_Lizard** » Fri Sep 14, 2001 8:27 pm

*smacks forehead* shoot, in 3E you roll more, not multiply. But you only add streghth to one of the dice, right?

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 6:07 am

Right. Both for backstab and critical hits.

Cynik · Post by **Cynik** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 6:12 am

Actually you do not provoke an AoO if all you do is move and you move out of a threatened area. That is, you can allways retreat without provoking AoOs, unless of course you retreat into another threatened area.

See the "Double move" paragraph on page 126 (PHB).

I must say I'm having lot's of problems with 3rd ed, it's great but it's not allways evident how things work.

Like free actions, how many can you do in one round? We started out with unlimited as they are "free" but that had some seriously unbalancing effects.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 12:12 pm

You can walk (single move action) out of a threatened area without suffering AoOs, but you can't run (double move action) without suffering said AoOs, right?

Cynik · Post by **Cynik** » Tue Sep 18, 2001 2:53 am

I think it's the other way around, you can double move (hustle) out of threatened area but not with a single move.

"However, since all you do is move when you take a double move action is to move, the space where you begin your move is not considered threatened"

That sounds to me that you can move out of a threatened are without provoking AoOs anyway way you please as long as you do nothing but move in that turn.

The only example they mention is an actual double move but it seems silly to me that if you start a hustle from a square you won't be able to stop until you moved 60' (or whatever your movement rate is x2).

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » Wed Sep 19, 2001 11:30 pm

Attacks of opportunity are basically an opponent's chance to disrupt whatever it is you're trying, like casting a spell. Since PnP is turn-based, to disrupt spellcasting the enemy would have to attack during your turn (if he waits for his turn, you've already cast your spell and its too late), which is what an AoO basically is. Since you're used to real-time in BG this can be confusing.

With the d20 system, winning a challenge (from hitting an enemy to picking a lock) involves comparing the power of your attempt vs the difficulty of the challenge. The power of your attempt is equal to 1d20 plus whatever bonus modifiers your character has (more powerful characters have better modifiers). The difficulty of the challenge is measured by a Difficulty Class (a DC of 10 is considered easy, a DC of 20 is tough).

So, say you're walking in a dungeon, you trigger a trap, and you're hit by a poison arrow. If you succeed a Fortitude saving throw vs a DC of 15, you can shake off the effects. So you roll a d20 and get an 8. Then you add your modifiers to that roll (say, +5 because you're a 6th-lvl bard and +3 because you have 16 Constitution). So your final saving throw value is 16. Since 16 is higher than the DC of 15, you've succeeded your throw and you shake off the poison, and you continue on your way.

Then you meet a red dragon, and your only weapon is your banjo. But that's another story...

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Wed Oct 03, 2001 4:03 am

Originally posted by Cinder_Lizard:
I have been struggling with familiers. Most have a strength penlty that makes it immpossible to do damage. See, for example, mammal:cat in the mosterous manual.

i had the same problem with a halfling druid of mine

anyway i think there is a rule that says you always do atleast one point of damage on a succesful hit.

chemdem · Post by **chemdem** » Wed Oct 31, 2001 5:27 pm

Doh... I answered my own question. NM

[ 10-31-2001: Message edited by: Darisha ]

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 12:55 pm

Originally posted by Cynik:
I think it's the other way around, you can double move (hustle) out of threatened area but not with a single move.

"However, since all you do is move when you take a double move action is to move, the space where you begin your move is not considered threatened"

That sounds to me that you can move out of a threatened are without provoking AoOs anyway way you please as long as you do nothing but move in that turn.

The only example they mention is an actual double move but it seems silly to me that if you start a hustle from a square you won't be able to stop until you moved 60' (or whatever your movement rate is x2).

Yes and No

First off, A character threatens all area within a 5 foot radius around him.

You can single move out of a threatened area and not provoke an attack of opportunity IF you only move during the turn OR the movement is only 5 feet.

For instance, you can attack a character and then take a 5 foot step back out of his threatened area. Or, you can decide only to move during your turn and NOT PROVOKE an AoO. You can't, however, attack a character and then move your full distance (unless you have the appropriate feat SPRING ATTACK). Doing so provokes an AoO.

You can double move (move twice your normal distance) out of a threatened and NOT PROVOKE an attack of opportunity. If, however, you move into or through another threatened space during the double move, you do provoke attacks of opportunity.

If you chose to run from an opponent (moving 4 times your speed or 3 times if wearing heavy armor) the handbook specifically states You do not get a 5-foot step. You do get a five foot step during a double move. Therefore, when you run from a threatened area, you DO PROVOKE an attack of opportunity. Also, just like a double move, if you run through or into a threatened area, you DO PROVOKE an AoO.

Post any questions you have over this

[ 11-08-2001: Message edited by: average joe ]

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 1:05 pm

Originally posted by Cynik:
it seems silly to me that if you start a hustle from a square you won't be able to stop until you moved 60' (or whatever your movement rate is x2).

I don't think you are correct here. I don't see under the DOUBLE MOVE description that it says you have to move the FULL 2X your speed.

From my interpretation:

If your normal speed is 30, you can only move 30 feet. If, however, you perform a double move, you can move anywhere between 31 and 60 feet. You can stop anywhere in between if you wish.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 1:10 pm

In regards to TOTAL DEFENSE, all you do is move your normal speed. You make no attacks or other actions, but as you move you gain a +4 dodge bonus to your AC.

So, if you are moving through a room where many fights are taking place amongst your party and your foes, you can use TOTAL DEFENSE, allowing you to walk your normal distance and gain +4 AC advantages to any AoO you provoke by moving through the numerous threatened areas found in a spread out fight.

It doesn't state, but I would assume that, just like any other "movement-only" action, you do NOT PROVOKE an AoO if the initial space you move from is threatened.

Aramant · Post by **Aramant** » Thu Nov 08, 2001 10:33 pm

About Familiars...

Sure, in the Monstrous Manual, cats do like 2 damage maximum... however, Familiars are magical animals, which give them more power. I think they're somewhat larger, too, but I could be confusing sources. But anyway, Familars are not always useless, especially when you go up in levels. But regardless of how strong you or they are, if you use them right, they make for good roleplaying. For example, one of the abilities of a raven is that it can speak one language. So, of course, I picked Common. (Thinking back now, I bet it would be more interesting to have rolled a random language... Can't understand my own bird.. haha). Anyway, my sorceress was something of the antisocial type, so she went to sleep in her inn room early. The rest of the group eventually got to arguing, loudly, so I consulted secretly with my DM via notes, and basically, he said as follows:
"Okay, while you are all arguing, you notice Leah's (my sorceress) pet raven hop down the stairs, onto a table, tilt its head to look directly at you all, and say in a soft, croaking voice, 'In the name of Boccob, if you people don't shut up, I'll peck your eyes out! SOME people are TRYING to SLEEP!'"

It was fun.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Nov 20, 2001 3:53 am

So if you score a critical hit you don't strength bonus to the second roll? I thought you did.

zorac · Post by **zorac** » Tue Nov 20, 2001 4:46 am

You do add the strength bonus for each roll when you get a critical. (see 3e rules)

There is also some more confusion about familiars damage. Remember that a hit always deal minimum 1 hp damage. (Edit: Like Dottie said)

[ 11-20-2001: Message edited by: zorac ]

Saigo · Post by **Saigo** » Wed Nov 21, 2001 7:44 am

Originally posted by average joe:
I don't think you are correct here. I don't see under the DOUBLE MOVE description that it says you have to move the FULL 2X your speed.

From my interpretation:

If your normal speed is 30, you can only move 30 feet. If, however, you perform a double move, you can move anywhere between 31 and 60 feet. You can stop anywhere in between if you wish.

You are correct. See Partial Actions in the PH.