GameBanshee Forums

What exactly is THACO? I couldn't find it in my manual, and some of the swords I have have a bonus to THACO... Not sure if it's worth it if they do slightly less damage, or what. Thank you!

It is...

To
Hit
Armour
Class
Zero(0)

It is the D20 score you would need to roll to hit a target that was AC0. A natural 20 is always a hit, a natural 1 always a miss. So if your THAC0 was 10, you'd need a 6 to hit an AC4 target, a 12 to hit an AC-2 one. Get it?

Ahhh thanks. So it's just your chance to hit. Thanks a bunch.

The lowest your Thac0 is, the better it is! (Same for your Armor Class - AC)

One thing about the description for Thac0 bonuses in BG2: bonuses are always listed as positive values, i.e. Thac0 bonus of +5 for Carsomyr, for example, but these bonuses ALWAYS subtract from your base Thac0 value. There should be two (three if you're dual-wielding) Thac0 values in your character screen: one refers to your base, which is dependent on your class, level and race, while the other is the final value when the base has been modified by strength (or dexterity for ranged weapons), equipment and buffing spells. Therefore, as SP said, the lower the Thac0, the better.

IIRC, the math works like this...

A fighter with a THAC0 of 12 is trying to hit a target with an AC of 3.

If the target had an AC of 0, the fighter would need to roll at 12 to hit it. Since the target has an AC of 3, that value is subtracted from the fighter's THAC0. The fighter must roll a 9 to hit the target. If the target had an AC of -5, then the fighter would have to roll a 17 to hit. Get it?

Now, don't ask me to explain Saving Throws...

something somewhat related to thac0, does anyone else favor 2nd edition rules to 3rd? i think thac0 is a great system.

and i would love to have saving throws explained if you wouldn't mind

[QUOTE=takemeaway]something somewhat related to thac0, does anyone else favor 2nd edition rules to 3rd? i think thac0 is a great system.

and i would love to have saving throws explained if you wouldn't mind [/QUOTE]

So would I ...

There is no difference between Thac0 in 2E DnD and Attack Bonus in 3E DnD. For 2E, Die roll > Thac0 - AC for a hit, but in 3E, Die roll > AC - Attack Bonus. However since in 2E the lower AC or Thac0 is the better, while in 3E the greater AC or Attack Bonus is the better, therefore the two above equations are logical equivalents.

For saving throws, every class has its own saving throw progression (just like thac0 progression), and the lower a character's saving throw the better. There are five types of saving throws, Paralysation / Poison / Death, Spells, Breath Weapon, Rod / Staff / Wand, and Petrification / Polymorph. Any spell or weapon effect etc that requires a save will specify which particular saving throw to roll against. If not mentioned, then the saving throw will usually be versus spells. However exceptions include things like dragons' breaths, obviously a save versus breath and a basilisk's gaze versus petrification.
To save versus an effect, a d20 die will be rolled and if the die roll is above your saving throw, then the character has made the save. I'm not sure if rolling 1 or 20 for the save indicates a critical save failed or made - I think it does, because I have probably seen it happen to my character before. Some effects have no saving throw, like Imprisonment and the ubiquitous Magic Missile.