How to read damage???

[Asha'man]

I managed to read the gameplay manual of D&d edition 3.5.
Unfortunately I have run across some parts which I can't comprehend,
and would be really grateful if I can find my answers here because I
can't seem to find it on the internet. :smallsigh:

My first question is range increment, I read the spear has 20 and I know that
each block is 5 so does that mean I can poke the spear from so far away or
something else? I saw the bow has 100. :smalleek:

Second is this: The x does X over X per level, or The y spear does +5/+4 damage. I Have completely no idea how that works. :smallannoyed:
I need to know this since it looks like if I'm ever going to play I will have to be a GM and a PC, is that possible?

Thanks in advance

[Spiryt]

Range increment is for when you throw/shoot stuff, not when you stab/hack with it.

[Asha'man]

So if I throw a spear it is lost forever?

[The-Mage-King]

I managed to read the gameplay manual of D&d edition 3.5.
Unfortunately I have run across some parts which I can't comprehend,
and would be really grateful if I can find my answers here because I
can't seem to find it on the internet. :smallsigh:

Sure thing, though this thread should probably be in the 3.5 subforum.


My first question is range increment, I read the spear has 20 and I know that
each block is 5 so does that mean I can poke the spear from so far away or
something else? I saw the bow has 100. :smalleek:

No. Range increment is how far you can throw or shoot the weapon without penalty. So a longbow can be fired at anywhere within a hundred feet without penalty, and the spear can be thrown at anything within 20 feet without penalty. If you throw the spear 25 feet, it counts as two range increments, and you take penalty of -2 to the attack roll.


Second is this: The x does X over X per level, or The y spear does +5/+4 damage. I Have completely no idea how that works. :smallannoyed:
I need to know this since it looks like if I'm ever going to play I will have to be a GM and a PC, is that possible?

Hm... Could you give some more specifics? Giving the book and page number would help us answer that question more easily.



EDIT: No, the spear is not lost forever. You can retrieve it to use it again. Arrows, though, are, because ammunition breaks on hit.

[DoctorGlock]

So if I throw a spear it is lost forever?

lost until you pick it up

range increments are how far you can fire before penalties, a weapon has 10 increments maximum, -2 per increment after first

[Knight13]

Typically, no. Unless the spear breaks for some reason you can just walk over and pick it up. Some DMs count ammunition, like arrows, as "used" once you fire them, so those are indeed lost.

As for damage, that column of the table shows how much damage the weapon inflicts when you attack with it. For instance, a Medium spear deals 1d8+Str damage. That means that you roll one d8 die and then add the character's Strength modifier to determine how much damage it inflicted. If you're talking about the X2 and X3 stuff, that's the critical multiplier. That's how much you multiply the damage by when you get a critical hit.

[Asha'man]

Cool info, thanks. :smallsmile:
For The magic : Melf's magic arrow, Ranged touch attack: 2d4 damage for 1
+1 round/ three levels

Burning hands : 1d4/ (level fire damage)max 5d4 page 192 of 3.5 handbook

[DoctorGlock]

Cool info, thanks. :smallsmile:
For The magic : Melf's magic arrow, Ranged touch attack: 2d4 damage for 1
+1 round/ three levels

Burning hands : 1d4/ (level fire damage)max 5d4 page 192 of 3.5 handbook

the burning hands spell does 1d4 per level of the caster, up 5
so a 3rd level wizard casts for 3d4
a 5th for 5d4
a 10th fr 5d4 because it's capped

the acid arrow is 2d4 and lingers for a round every 3 levels of the caster

so the 3rd level caster gets 2d4 twice
6th level gets it thrice

[Asha'man]

Well i think the par where i saw +5/+4 was on a monsters page saying thats what damage he does, thats what i think anyhow...:confused:

[DoctorGlock]

Well i think the par where i saw +5/+4 was on a monsters page saying thats what damage he does, thats what i think anyhow...:confused:

odd

a stat block will generally have an attack roll and a damage number

example: 2 claws +15 (2d6+10) means there are 2 attacks with a +15 bonus (1d20+15) that each do 2d6+10 actual damage if they hit on the attack

this clarify anything?

[Asha'man]

yup thanks. my memory was just foggy.
That's some damage, don't think small weapons for halflings will ever do that hahaha:smallbiggrin:

[RandomNPC]

+5/+4

seems like a two sided weapon, a double weapon like a staff can be enchanted on both ends, so you can make one end do cold damage and the other acid, so if you run into something resistant to one you've already got the other on hand.

If it was in a monster entry it was probably base attack/grapple. Base attack is the base number used to attack. You add strength (melee) or dexterity (most ranged) to it, as well as any bonus from feats/magic/things. Grapple is what happens when you start to wrestle, basically don't.

[Asha'man]

Thanks everyone my questions have been answered.
But from all the replies it looks like complicated stuff allover.
Any advice for GMing your first time when everyone else you are playing with
has my campain as their first as well?

[Urpriest]

Thanks everyone my questions have been answered.
But from all the replies it looks like complicated stuff allover.
Any advice for GMing your first time when everyone else you are playing with
has my campain as their first as well?

I know it's probably harder to do this in the Philippines, but you should probably try to find someone experienced with D&D to DM your first game. This really isn't the sort of game that you can just pick up from the books and be fine.

If you're really set on DMing with no prior experience, at least read the monster guide in my sig. A proper understanding of how monsters work can go a long way towards understanding the rest of the rules.

[Knight13]

Do you have the Dungeon Master's Guide? That explains the DMing side of things and I think it has a short sample campaign that already has everything laid out for you.

[Funky Goose]

Thanks everyone my questions have been answered.
But from all the replies it looks like complicated stuff allover.
Any advice for GMing your first time when everyone else you are playing with
has my campain as their first as well?

I would definatly recommend running yourself (Playing both sides of the battle) though a couple of small battles/modules to let yourself get the hang of the system, and you can check what still confuses you during that

Overall though, Don't worry if you don't fully understand or have rules for the excact situation players are in at all times. As long as you act like you know what you are doing, you can get away with a suprisingly large amount of stuff :smalltongue:

[Knight13]

Also keep Rule Zero in mind: the DM is always right. You are not required to follow the rules, so if you don't like how something works or find it too confusing, just ignore it.

[Jergmo]

I managed to read the gameplay manual of D&d edition 3.5.
Unfortunately I have run across some parts which I can't comprehend,
and would be really grateful if I can find my answers here because I
can't seem to find it on the internet. :smallsigh:

My first question is range increment, I read the spear has 20 and I know that
each block is 5 so does that mean I can poke the spear from so far away or
something else? I saw the bow has 100. :smalleek:

Second is this: The x does X over X per level, or The y spear does +5/+4 damage. I Have completely no idea how that works. :smallannoyed:
I need to know this since it looks like if I'm ever going to play I will have to be a GM and a PC, is that possible?

Thanks in advance

The range increment is how far you can throw something without a penalty. You can throw a spear 20 feet (or 4 squares). If you take a -2 penalty, you can throw it another 4 squares. There is a maximum amount of range increments, which vary for missile weapons (like a dart or spear) and something like a bow, but I'm afraid I don't remember the maximums. I think it might be 5 for something like a bow.

I don't understand the way your other scenarios have been portrayed. Is the second one a spell? My closest guess is a spell - like, say, acid arrow.

Let's say you're a sixth level wizard. You're thinking "Yeah, I'm hardcore, now. I know third level spells. But I'm going to use a 2nd level one instead on this guy that slighted me. I am a wizard. I can do whatever I want."

So this guy who inconvenienced you is the target of Acid Arrow and he fails his Reflex save. He takes 2d4 acid damage initially - then, because you have a caster level of 6, you gain an additional two rounds (1 round +1 per 3 levels). So the next round he takes an additional 2d4 damage, and so on.

[Jergmo]

The d20SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm) is an excellent reference tool that you may want to use, as well. It makes my life so much easier as a DM.

[GnomeGninjas]

a weapon has 10 increments maximum, -2 per increment after first

A thrown weapon(like a spear or dagger)only has five.

[Reynard]

EDIT: No, the spear is not lost forever. You can retrieve it to use it again. Arrows, though, are, because ammunition breaks on hit.

*Arrows have a 50% chance to be made unusable when fired. It's not a flat "Every you arrow you fire is gone for good, thing." Though considering their cost and the amount of extra rolls that requires, it's probably a common houserule that they are.

[Jeraa]

*Arrows have a 50% chance to be made unusable when fired. It's not a flat "Every you arrow you fire is gone for good, thing." Though considering their cost and the amount of extra rolls that requires, it's probably a common houserule that they are.

Its only 50% if they miss their target. Those that hit are automatically destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable again.

[The-Mage-King]

*Arrows have a 50% chance to be made unusable when fired. It's not a flat "Every you arrow you fire is gone for good, thing." Though considering their cost and the amount of extra rolls that requires, it's probably a common houserule that they are.


Its only 50% if they miss their target. Those that hit are automatically destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable again.

Hence, "on hit". :smallamused:

[AslanCross]

OP> As a fellow Filipino, I can probably help you out while I'm still on vacation.

[Asha'man]

Well I have The player's handbook 3.5 and a monster manual in my computer but I do not have a Dungeon Master's Guide. Maybe I'll look for one somewhere, I already have a handmade game board and I can use my figures from Runewars for the PCs.

Hey AslanCross do you know a time and place where people hold D&d conventions, if any. Kasi walang tulong yung mga kalaro ko gusto nila maglaro pero tinatamad magbasa.

[ericgrau]

You may want to read the entire player's handbook, make up a couple characters and set up a fight. Then after trying that a couple times it would probably be best to find an existing gaming group and have them help get you started.

If you want to GM then you'll need to read the dungeon master's guide all the way through too.