Posted August 22, 2011
When a weapon says in M&M6 that it has attack: +X and damage xDx +x what does that mean? So for example, if it says Attack: +1 Damage 3d4 + 2 what is it telling me?
Post edited August 22, 2011 by tellville
tellville
New User
Registered: Nov 2010
From New Zealand
Kezardin
Debt propelled
Registered: Dec 2009
From Australia
Posted August 22, 2011
It's a carry over from tabletop RPGing.
In games like D&D they use a variety of dice for specific purposes.
The number after the d is the number of sides the dice has. A d6, for example, is the usual 6 sided gaming dice, and you can roll a number between 1 and 6. A d4 is a four sided dice, and can roll a number between 1 and 4.
Same for D8, (roll 1 to 8), D10 (roll 1 to 10) and so on.
The number in front of the D is the total number of dice that are rolled.
In your example, 3d4 means rolling a total of three four sided dice.
Since each of those four sided dice can roll a number between 1 and 4, this would mean generating a number between 3 (1+1+1) and 12 (4+4+4).
A number listed after a plus sign is *added* to the total rolled, so the final result, continuing your example, would be between 5 (1+1+1)+2 and 14 (4+4+4)+2
With the attack: +X, the number after the plus sign improves your change of hitting your opponent. Higher numbers improve your chances accordingly.
In games like D&D they use a variety of dice for specific purposes.
The number after the d is the number of sides the dice has. A d6, for example, is the usual 6 sided gaming dice, and you can roll a number between 1 and 6. A d4 is a four sided dice, and can roll a number between 1 and 4.
Same for D8, (roll 1 to 8), D10 (roll 1 to 10) and so on.
The number in front of the D is the total number of dice that are rolled.
In your example, 3d4 means rolling a total of three four sided dice.
Since each of those four sided dice can roll a number between 1 and 4, this would mean generating a number between 3 (1+1+1) and 12 (4+4+4).
A number listed after a plus sign is *added* to the total rolled, so the final result, continuing your example, would be between 5 (1+1+1)+2 and 14 (4+4+4)+2
With the attack: +X, the number after the plus sign improves your change of hitting your opponent. Higher numbers improve your chances accordingly.
Post edited August 22, 2011 by Kezardin
tellville
New User
Registered: Nov 2010
From New Zealand
Posted August 22, 2011
Wow, that is a really great answer!
So, lets say, after I roll the 3 dice, I get a '7'. What does that '7' mean? That I deal '7' damage? And would the attack number affect that '7'? So if I had '2' attack, how would that affect the '7'?
So, lets say, after I roll the 3 dice, I get a '7'. What does that '7' mean? That I deal '7' damage? And would the attack number affect that '7'? So if I had '2' attack, how would that affect the '7'?
klaymen
Just as planned!
Registered: Sep 2008
From Slovakia
Posted August 22, 2011
If the damage range is, say, 3d4 (broadsword) and you roll 7 in total, you do 7 damage (excluding enemy's damage resistance, character's strength bonus, etc.).
But if he damage range is 3d4+3, then you deal 7+3=10 damage.
Attack increases your hit chance, it doesn't affect the damage.
But if he damage range is 3d4+3, then you deal 7+3=10 damage.
Attack increases your hit chance, it doesn't affect the damage.
Kezardin
Debt propelled
Registered: Dec 2009
From Australia
Posted August 22, 2011
So, lets say, after I roll the 3 dice, I get a '7'. What does that '7' mean? That I deal '7' damage? And would the attack number affect that '7'? So if I had '2' attack, how would that affect the '7'?
The attack +x improves your chance to hit, only - it doesn't affect the amount of damage you do.
The number that is rolled after the attack, is the amount of damage you do - it is deducted from the available hit points of your opponent.
This total is cumulative - when your opponent is reduced to 0 hit points, you win :)
Things such as healing spells and potions change the equation, of course.
tellville
New User
Registered: Nov 2010
From New Zealand
Posted August 23, 2011
Thanks, this is all excellent information. It boggles my mind why this info isn't in the manual.
I would imagine that your enemy's armour class would also affect how much damage is dealt to said enemy?
I would imagine that your enemy's armour class would also affect how much damage is dealt to said enemy?
zf.8
New User
Registered: Apr 2009
From Germany
Posted August 23, 2011
While the basic damage roll is straightforward, the formula to hit something is a tad more complex than most tabletop RPGs.
Chance that your character will hit monster is (15 + PlayerAttack*2)/(30 + PlayerAttack*2 + MonsterArmorClass).
Chance that monster will hit your character in a physic attack is (5 + MonsterLevel*2)/(10 + MonsterLevel*2 + PlayerArmorClass).
(Source: http://sites.google.com/site/sergroj/mm/mechanics#TOC-Chance-To-Hit-and-Resistances )
On the site GreyFace also shows how resistance works, which explains why sometimes damage dealt to monsters fluctuates a lot. (Remember, monsters can have resistance to physical damages.) There seems, however, to be no effect of armor class on damage received.
Chance that your character will hit monster is (15 + PlayerAttack*2)/(30 + PlayerAttack*2 + MonsterArmorClass).
Chance that monster will hit your character in a physic attack is (5 + MonsterLevel*2)/(10 + MonsterLevel*2 + PlayerArmorClass).
(Source: http://sites.google.com/site/sergroj/mm/mechanics#TOC-Chance-To-Hit-and-Resistances )
On the site GreyFace also shows how resistance works, which explains why sometimes damage dealt to monsters fluctuates a lot. (Remember, monsters can have resistance to physical damages.) There seems, however, to be no effect of armor class on damage received.
Waltorious
New User
Registered: Dec 2008
From United States
Posted August 23, 2011
But if he damage range is 3d4+3, then you deal 7+3=10 damage.
Attack increases your hit chance, it doesn't affect the damage.
It's also important to note that by using "dice" in this way, the probability of certain damage rolls can be weighted. For example, 2d6 will give between 2 and 12 damage, but not all of those are equally likely; since there are two dice, the most likely result is 7. However, a 1d10 weapon will give between 1 and 10 damage with each value being equally likely. If you are curious about how these probabilities work I'm sure there are many resources on the web telling the probabilities for various dice combinations.
It is a bit weird that this is never covered in the game manual, but these dice systems were popularized by Dungeons and Dragons to such a degree that I guess the game designers felt they didn't need to bother explaining it, because they thought everyone would already know.
gammaleak
New User
Registered: Jan 2009
From United States
Posted August 24, 2011
Yeah, back in 1998 video games were only starting to become "cool" instead of "nerdy" and RPGs were still firmly in the "nerdy" category. To the extent that if you were making RPGs, you could depend on your audience to be familiar with DnD.
tellville
New User
Registered: Nov 2010
From New Zealand
Posted August 24, 2011
@zf.8
Thanks for the link to that page! I had downloaded the patch from that site but I didn't notice the mechanics page. Thanks for that!
And thanks everyone else as well!
Thanks for the link to that page! I had downloaded the patch from that site but I didn't notice the mechanics page. Thanks for that!
And thanks everyone else as well!