Help with trap damage...Maybe just damage in general

[AidenDuke]

Hey, me and a few friends are running a game of D&D for the first time, (we've gone with 3.5). None of us have ever played before and we're kind jumping in at the deep end.
I have a question about trap damage, say for instance you take the basic arrow trap:

CR 1; mechanical; proximity trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 ranged (1d6/×3, arrow); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20.

What exactly is the damage for this trap? Is it: 10 (melee damage) + (result of 1d6 roll, lets say "5") times the roll by 3 so the damage would hit for 25?
Also does it bypass your AC and hit straight for damage?

This has me confused for enemy damage too, some animals have +11 melee before their roll. Is this added onto the overall score of the roll?

Sorry if i'm being stupid, we have no reference to go off and have spent months learning as many rules as we can before we actually got together and played. Just a few things like this would be great to have clarified.

[johnbragg]

Hey, me and a few friends are running a game of D&D for the first time, (we've gone with 3.5). None of us have ever played before and we're kind jumping in at the deep end.
I have a question about trap damage, say for instance you take the basic arrow trap:

CR 1; mechanical; proximity trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 ranged (1d6/×3, arrow); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20.

What exactly is the damage for this trap? Is it: 10 (melee damage) + (result of 1d6 roll, lets say "5") times the roll by 3 so the damage would hit for 25?
Also does it bypass your AC and hit straight for damage?

This has me confused for enemy damage too, some animals have +11 melee before their roll. Is this added onto the overall score of the roll?

Sorry if i'm being stupid, we have no reference to go off and have spent months learning as many rules as we can before we actually got together and played. Just a few things like this would be great to have clarified.

OK, I see the issue here. This is how you read the entry.

Atk +10 ranged (1d6/×3, arrow)

Atk The trap makes an attack roll against a character.

+10 Roll d20 for the attack roll and add 10. It hits an Armor Class equal to or less than that number.

ranged means that it's a ranged attack, if you have abilities or conditions or immunities or whatever that apply to ranged attacks they come into play here. (There are all kinds of special cases in 3.5, so they try to cover common ones.)

1d6 Roll 1d6 for damage

/×3 Unless you roll a natural 20, in which case you may have a critical hit. Roll another attack to confirm, and if it hits, multiply the damage by 3.

Attack rolls (used to be called "to hit" rolls in earlier editions, sometimes I still do) and damage rolls are handled separately.

[Deeds]

Think of attack as an accuracy bonus. Atk +10 is added to your d20 roll to attempt to equal or exceed the target's AC (armor class)

The damage is the d6.

[AidenDuke]

Brilliant, thank you. Explained perfectly. Glad I checked before I made a huge mistake.

[denthor]

Everything starts with a d20 roll.

+10 plus 1d20 roll

Your roll comes up a 1 on the d20 you miss period no need to think any more

You roll a 2+10=12. If the character armor class is 12 or less roll damage 1d6.

If you roll 2 - 19 you add +10 max armor class you can hit is 29. Roll 1d6

If you roll a 20 things get intense you hit no need to think. then reroll a d20. If you roll a 1 you hit 1+10 = 11 if your target has an a/c of 11 or less. You scored a critical hit

You can do one of two things but be consistent :

1) pick up 1d6 and roll take the #X3 1 becomes 3 2 becomes 6 3 becomes 9

2) pick up 3d6's and add together.

Second question

1d20 plus to hit bonus. Add result that is the armor class you hit

Your strength causes more or less damage a strength of 10 or 11 adds nothing

12 or 13 adds +1 to the dice roll

8 or 9 subtract -1 to the dice roll

Find the chart in the front of the book that shows the numbers and explains what each stat does the +/- is the second column to the right