Help 3.5

[LordDeath666]

What happens to you Bab when you go from a level 4 fighter to a level 1 rogue or barbarian

[Catarang]

What happens to you Bab when you go from a level 4 fighter to a level 1 rogue

If you are a 4th Level Fighter and a 1st Level rogue, your BAB will be +4. 4 Levels in Fighter gives you a +4 BAB, and 1 Level in rogue gives +0. So +4 + +0 is +4.

[LordDeath666]

So their babs just add up?

[Catarang]

So they just add

Yep :smallsmile:

[LordDeath666]

Ok thank you

[KillianHawkeye]

FWIW, the same thing happens with base saving throws.

Also, you get an additional attack whenever your total BAB reaches +6, +11, or +16. You don't need to reach a specific level in any particular class to get your iteratives.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Catarang has accurately described the standard rule. Unless your DM rules different that's how it goes.

If I may, though; UA presents a variant rule that I'm -very- fond of. Good BAB classes get 1.0 points per level, average BAB classes get 0.75 per level, and poor BAB get 0.5 per level. If you do a lot of multiclassing it's really helpful.

[Catarang]

If I may, though; UA presents a variant rule that I'm -very- fond of. Good BAB classes get 1.0 points per level, average BAB classes get 0.75 per level, and poor BAB get 0.5 per level. If you do a lot of multiclassing it's really helpful.

It’s important to understand that with this variant rule, you will always round down. So a 4th Level Fighter/1st Level Rogue will have +4.75 BAB, but this is still the same as a +4 despite the fact that with normal rounding 4.75 gets bumped up to 5.

[Mordaedil]

It’s important to understand that with this variant rule, you will always round down. So a 4th Level Fighter/1st Level Rogue will have +4.75 BAB, but this is still the same as a +4 despite the fact that with normal rounding 4.75 gets bumped up to 5.

It's still helpful as certain multi-classes can then get an extra BAB when normally they'd get none.

[Catarang]

It's still helpful as certain multi-classes can then get an extra BAB when normally they'd get none.

This is true. I find it’s especially useful because I can dip into 2 less-than-good BAB progression classes and be able to get into a prestige class with a BAB requirement 1 Level earlier than normal.

I was just pointing out something that might not be obvious to OP

[Khedrac]

Important point on BAB for new players...

The PHB lists the BAB for a 6th level fighter as +6/+1 - this is actually incorrect, the BAB is simply +6, but, as with any BAB of 6 or more, a second (iterative) attack is available at 5 less than the first attack, hence it being written as +6/+1 to remind people of the second attack.

What this means is that a Fighter 4 / Thief 3 who has a BAB of +4 +2 = +6 also has an iterative attack at +1, or, as the PHB would put it, a "BAB" of "+6/+1". So, when calculating the BA for multi-class characters ignore the parts after the / and just add up the primary numbers then work out the iterative attacks afterwards. This also applies to anything else that refers to a character's BAB such as their Grapple modifier - just use the primary number.

Also, remember that barring special cases, making multiple attacks always requires a full-round action.

Note: Creatures using natural attacks (not including unarmed strike) - so most monsters, but also animal companions of druids etc. - do not get iterative attacks regardless of their BAB, though they may get multiple attacks from their basic form.

[Rijan_Sai]

Pretty much everything said upthread is true, and I have very little to add to this.
However, my (comparatively minor) OCD requires me to clarify a little about "standard" vs "fractional (UA variant) BAB:

Example character: Fighter4/Rogue1

Standard BAB: 4 + 0 = 4
Fractional BAB: 4 + .75 = 4.75

Even so far (Because you only use whole numbers in your attack.) Now, let's add another level of Rogue:

Fighter4/Rogue2

Standard BAB: 4 + 1 = 5
Fractional BAB: 4 + 1.5 = 5.5

Still (basically) the same... but what if we added a little something else:

Fighter4/Rogue2/Sorcerer1*

Standard BAB: 4 + 1 + 0 = 5
Fractional BAB: 4 + 1.5 + .5 = 6

So what have we learned? For the most part, it's the same; but, because you are adding "something" each level, multiclassing characters do come out slightly ahead using fractional BAB.

And it is quick and easy to use for all classes!
Good BAB: 1/level
Average BAB: .75/level
Poor BAB: .5/level

Then just easy math!

Not a Bard! (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html)
Yeah... pretty much the whole point of this was an excuse to link to that comic!

[CMagnum]

Just curious if this variant progression can also apply to saves?
It seems like the save progression is only either good 12 total after 20 levels or bad is 6 after 20 levels. This would be either .6 per level or .3 per level. However this would be horrible at low levels and doesn't seem to be the right way to do it.
Is there a formula or is this just not the way to do saves?
Thanks as always

[Celestia]

Just curious if this variant progression can also apply to saves?
It seems like the save progression is only either good 12 total after 20 levels or bad is 6 after 20 levels. This would be either .6 per level or .3 per level. However this would be horrible at low levels and doesn't seem to be the right way to do it.
Is there a formula or is this just not the way to do saves?
Thanks as always
Fractional saves are, indeed, a thing. Good saves give 1/2 per level (2 1/2 for first level), and poor saves give 1/3 per level. Not as many people use this variant, however, as, like with fractional BAB, it ultimately increases your save bonuses. However, multiclassing already gives you stupidly high saves, so it's kinda redundant to then use fractional saves.

[Zaq]

While it's fine to ask these questions here and what you're doing by asking them is in no way wrong, the source for the answers we've given you is PHB pg. 59, which is a good source of info. (A little dense and dry, but very useful.)