TWF question

[Rama_Lei]

Alright, feel free to correct me on this. I have a 4th level afflcited lycanthrope elven ranger (ECL 6). I have a base attack of 9 (4 from ranger, 1 from lycanthrope, 4 from weapon finesse). With the TWF feat, I take a 4 penalty to both attacks. Since wielding a light weapon, that decreases to 2 each. So I'd attack at +6 to hit?

[ishi]

Careful with the base attack bonus versus just attack bonus. Weapon Finesse shouldn't give you base attack bonus, just a to-hit bonus.

Let me see if I get this right:

+4 Base Attack from Ranger 4
+1 Base Attack from animal Hit Dice
+4 Attack bonus from Dexterity with Weapon Finesse
-2 for Fighting with 2 weapons with TWF feat

attacks made at +7/+7.

[oriong]

Well keep in mind that base attack is only 5 (it only counts attack bonuses gained from levels). And if your penalty is only -2 for each attack and your final attack bonus is nine it would be +7 to hit.

[Arbitrarity]

+7 to hit I think...

so 18 dex, 5 BAB, or +9 to hit.

TWF with a light off-hand, and feat, so -2/-2, so you can attack at +7/+7

[Zincorium]

Alright, feel free to correct me on this. I have a 4th level afflcited lycanthrope elven ranger (ECL 6). I have a base attack of 9 (4 from ranger, 1 from lycanthrope, 4 from weapon finesse). With the TWF feat, I take a 4 penalty to both attacks. Since wielding a light weapon, that decreases to 2 each. So I'd attack at +6 to hit?

You don't have a base attack of nine. You have a base attack of 4, from ranger levels, plus any additional base attack you get from the animal hit dice of your lycanthropic side (You did know you have to take those, right? And they count as class levels for experience purposes?)

Weapon finesse adds to your total attack bonus, however. On a full attack action, you would have two attacks at +6 plus any additional modifiers you have. And you only do half strength damage with your off hand, but since you're using weapon finesse that might not matter much.

[daggaz]

The difference between base attack bonus, and plain old bonus to hit, is important for a variety of things. Many fighter feats, for example, require you to have a minimum base attack bonus to take them. So you dont get to use all your +hit stuff to take feats early. Power Attack, as another example, lets you switch those base attack bonus points into damage bonuses. So you could switch out, what was it, +5 to hit max, for +5 damage, but not the entire +7 you have (after TWF). That is to say, you don't get to use the +4 from weapon finesse, nor any other bonuses you got from feats or equipment or spells, when you perform a power attack.