How to Modify Base Attack Bonus

[pabelfly]

A list of ways that you can improve your Base Attack Bonus:

Prestige Classes
Soulbow - +1 Base Attack Bonus at level 3, +2 at level 7 (Complete Psionic)

Spells
Curse of Lycanthropy – increase hit dice and may add BAB
Divine Power – increases BAB to character level (Player’s Handbook)
Inspire Greatness – gives 2HD (up to +9HD if you invest in the ability), which also gives BAB (but discuss with your DM)
Investiture of the Pit Fiend – set BAB to character level (Fiendish Codex II)
Tenser’s Transformation – increases BAB to character level (Player’s Handbook)

Feats
Divine Fury – increase BAB by Charisma bonus +1 (Dragon #305)
Frenzied Hunt – increase BAB to character level (Dragon #342)

Items
Skillful (+2 Weapon Enhancement) – increases BAB to medium (Complete Arcane)

Creatures
Barghest (Creature) – gain hit dice by eating corpses, which advances character level
Beasts of Xvim (Template) – gain hit dice by eating corpses, which advances character level (Monsters of Faerun)
Dusk Giant (Creature) – Cannibalize allows a character to gain extra hit dice (Heroes of Horror p147)
Maurezhi (Creature) – gain hit dice by eating corpses, which advances character level

Other
Kensai (Prestige Class) – Instil grants Base Attack Bonus up to class level to another person (Complete Warrior)
Templates (Assorted) – Templates that add racial hit dice may increase BAB. Templates that change creature type may change amount of BAB from racial hit dice
War Chanter (Prestige Class) – Inspire Legion, use Base Attack Bonus of highest person in area of effect or War Chanter’s character level (Complete Warrior)

[Telonius]

Skillful weapons (+2 bonus, from Complete Arcane) can improve BAB to 3/4. (Really only useful to characters with at least a level or two in a 1/2 BAB class).

[Zarvistic]

The feat Divine Fury from dragon 305 lets you add charisma to bab for a few rounds.

[pabelfly]

Right after making this thread, I found this old thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/archive/index.php/t-632404.html

If anyone has any other suggestions that aren't in there, add them in and I'll make a mini handbook out of it.

[tyckspoon]

Soulbow contains this utterly bizarre text:

Your mind arrows improve as you gain higher levels. At
3rd level, a mind arrow gains a +1 enhancement bonus on
attack rolls and damage rolls, and at 7th level the bonus
improves to +2. These enhancement bonuses stack with
previous enhancement bonuses gained earlier for your
soulknife class levels. Likewise, these enhancement
bonuses also improve your soulknife base attack bonus

(bolded for emphasis.)

I have no idea what the intended purpose or reading of this line actually was - I doubt whoever wrote this actually meant to modify something as fundamental as Base Attack Bonus - but that's what it says. Take 3 levels in Soulbow (or go all the way to Soulbow 7) and your Soulknife levels get a +1/+2 Enhancement bonus to Base Attack Bonus.

[pabelfly]

Soulbow contains this utterly bizarre text:


(bolded for emphasis.)

I have no idea what the intended purpose or reading of this line actually was - I doubt whoever wrote this actually meant to modify something as fundamental as Base Attack Bonus - but that's what it says. Take 3 levels in Soulbow (or go all the way to Soulbow 7) and your Soulknife levels get a +1/+2 Enhancement bonus to Base Attack Bonus.

So you've taken at least one level of Soul Knife and multiple levels of Soulbow, so you're behind several BAB, so this kinda makes up for it.

Unless you add, say, Divine Might, which would get your bab over your level (it can't get you more than four attacks per turn without extra feats, etc though)

[Darg]

Shapechange or get ASA and a way to change into a greater doppelganger. Their consume identity ability basically let's you play as the character you consumed.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

The Complete Divine version of curse of lycanthropy inflicts the lycanthrope template on the target, which raises the target's HD by an amount commensurate with the specific animal the target can take, which likewise improves BAB.

Also, just normal lycanthropy can do so, as well as any other templates that grant HD.

[pabelfly]

Okay, rewrote the opening post and I think I have the options mentioned so far. Le me know if there's anything I missed.

[loky1109]

Beasts of Bane also get extra HD from feed (Monsters of Faerûn).

And maurezhi and its consume (Fiend Folio).

[MaxiDuRaritry]

The barghest's feed ability (it's [Su]) could give you more HD if you have a way to get [Su] abilities while shapeshifting into outsider forms. Boosting your HD boosts your BAB, unless otherwise noted.

Dusk giants get something similar.

Bards grant temp HD via inspire greatness, which should grant BAB as well. Some people seem to think that the competence bonus to attack rolls is in lieu of the HD-granted BAB, but that's not what it says in the ability. HD grant BAB, unless otherwise noted, and nothing there is noted.

[Thurbane]

Just a note on the OP: some templates change BAB directly, rather than just by adding HD.

Some that change type, also change BAB, saves and/or skills, which affects existing RHD.

So if a Bugbear got one of these templates, for instance, and it changed type to Outsider, it might* also change the BAB for the 3 RHD to good.

*Note: not all type-changing templates do this; in fact, the vast majority specifically say they don't.

[Anthrowhale]

Divine Fury is sort of fascinating. If you have a BAB of 20 and a charisma of 30, does that mean you get 7 iteratives?

[pabelfly]

Divine Fury is sort of fascinating. If you have a BAB of 20 and a charisma of 30, does that mean you get 7 iteratives?
I read up on BAB rules and even if you get 21+ BAB you don't get extra attacks

The value is the boost to attack rolls, getting higher BAB benchmarks earlier than intended, and not worrying about losing BAB benchmarks from multiclassing or not getting enough levels in higher BAB-progression classes

EDIT: Fixed up the OP, thanks for the suggestions.

[Rebel7284]

Inspire Greatness – gives 2HD, which also gives BAB (in addition to bonuses from ability, but discuss with your DM)


There are a number of ways to boost this ability to 3HD - 9 HD

[pabelfly]

There are a number of ways to boost this ability to 3HD - 9 HD

Okay, added this. Thanks.

[Biggus]

Inspire Greatness – gives 2HD (up to +9HD if you invest in the ability), which also gives BAB (but discuss with your DM)


I've never heard this interpretation before. How do you decide what type of BAB those extra HD give (1/1, 3/4 or 1/2)? If those HD were meant to give you BAB wouldn't it specify what type like it does for how many HPs they give you?

Edit:



Investiture of the Pit Fiend – set BAB to character level (Heroes of Horror II)


Just noticed there's a typo here, it's in Fiendish Codex II.

[pabelfly]

Just noticed there's a typo here, it's in Fiendish Codex II.

Thanks for the typo correction.


I've never heard this interpretation before. How do you decide what type of BAB those extra HD give (1/1, 3/4 or 1/2)? If those HD were meant to give you BAB wouldn't it specify what type like it does for how many HPs they give you?

The argument isn't mine (and I don't agree with it), which is why I'd put it in the "ask your DM" basket. Just because I don't agree with it, though, doesn't mean everyone else thinks that.

Now, if I were to make the argument in favour of it, it would be, because you have extra hit dice, you get extra BAB, and it would be according to type, like Humanoid or Fey dice. However, I think that the bonus the ability gives to attack rolls covers it (although the ability doesn't explicitly rule out extra BAB from extra hit dice).

[Darg]

I've never heard this interpretation before. How do you decide what type of BAB those extra HD give (1/1, 3/4 or 1/2)? If those HD were meant to give you BAB wouldn't it specify what type like it does for how many HPs they give you?

Bonus HD specify the exact benefit a character receives from them. There is a reason inspire greatness does not mention feats or normal saving throws like companion bonus HD does.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Bonus HD specify the exact benefit a character receives from them. There is a reason inspire greatness does not mention feats or normal saving throws like companion bonus HD does.HD follow the general rules for HD unless otherwise stated. Inspire greatness does not mention those things (aside from additional bonuses), so you go with the general rules for HD, which grant you bonus feats 1/3 levels, BAB, save bonuses, skill points, etc.

[holbita]

What BAB? What saves? racial?

I'm not saying you are not in RAW here, but I can see plenty of possible interpretations.

[Chronos]

Is there a general rule that HD always give BAB? There are certainly some exceptions: War Hulks, for instance, gain HD that don't give BAB. Those could just be examples of specific-trumps-general, but where's the general rule?

I suspect that there isn't any general rule for all hit dice. There's probably one for racial hit dice, and one for class hit dice, but the hit dice from Inspire Greatness aren't either of those.

[holbita]

There is none. It's an implied rule that HD will give you BAB, but not a real thing written in the books. Survivor and War Hulk are two very good examples, heck! Wizard 1 if you are not playing with fractional does not give you any BAB.

[Rebel7284]

I usually see Inspire Greatness HD being combined with Divine Power and such.

[Darg]

HD follow the general rules for HD unless otherwise stated. Inspire greatness does not mention those things (aside from additional bonuses), so you go with the general rules for HD, which grant you bonus feats 1/3 levels, BAB, save bonuses, skill points, etc.

As pointed out there are no general rules for HD. At best the definition in the glossary literally says die for hit points and "synonymous with character level for the sake of spells, magic items, and magical effects that affect a certain number of Hit Die of creatures." Whether inspire greatness or companion or special mount, the bonus HD state the size the die are (not based on class or racial). It's much more believable for bonus HD to state their bonuses just like how negative levels aren't actually reducing your level.

[holbita]

I usually see Inspire Greatness HD being combined with Divine Power and such.

I'm curious, given that divine power is tied to character level... if you are playing that Inspire Courage works with it... would you receive less experience from a fight since you were higher level than your actual level on that fight?

[pabelfly]

I'm curious, given that divine power is tied to character level... if you are playing that Inspire Courage works with it... would you receive less experience from a fight since you were higher level than your actual level on that fight?

I don't see how that exploit works. Getting extra racial hit dice doesn't increase your character level, so you don't get extra BAB if you manage to combine it with any of the abilities I've listed, which all seem to be based on character level, not hit dice.

[Darg]

I'm curious, given that divine power is tied to character level... if you are playing that Inspire Courage works with it... would you receive less experience from a fight since you were higher level than your actual level on that fight?

If one wants to abuse something, I say they need to take that abuse all the way instead of picking and choosing. Buuuut, that's just an opinion. Gaining 2 BAB AND another +2 competence bonus, 2d10s, 2d10 temp HP, up to +2 fort and +1 reflex/will, extra feats, unlocked class features (hurry and write those spells into your book), extra skill ranks, possibly a +1 to an ability score, etc sounds perfectly acceptable if they can lose up to 40% of the xp from an encounter.

[pabelfly]

If one wants to abuse something, I say they need to take that abuse all the way instead of picking and choosing. Buuuut, that's just an opinion. Gaining 2 BAB AND another +2 competence bonus, 2d10s, 2d10 temp HP, up to +2 fort and +1 reflex/will, extra feats, unlocked class features (hurry and write those spells into your book), extra skill ranks, possibly a +1 to an ability score, etc sounds perfectly acceptable if they can lose up to 40% of the xp from an encounter.

If someone wanted to use that logic, I'd say that negative levels would also result in loss of BAB, feats if applicable, caster level, and so forth, for the exact same reason they'd argue that extra hit dice gives them extra benefits.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If someone wanted to use that logic, I'd say that negative levels would also result in loss of BAB, feats if applicable, caster level, and so forth, for the exact same reason they'd argue that extra hit dice gives them extra benefits.Keep all of your high level gear, reduce yourself down to level 3, then start offing big rats for lots of XP!

[pabelfly]

Keep all of your high level gear, reduce yourself down to level 3, then start offing big rats for lots of XP!

Not a bad idea, but for the fact that the creatures giving you negative levels are still alive and you've taken a whole bunch of other negative effects besides what's written in the negative level status text.

[holbita]

If one wants to abuse something, I say they need to take that abuse all the way instead of picking and choosing. Buuuut, that's just an opinion. Gaining 2 BAB AND another +2 competence bonus, 2d10s, 2d10 temp HP, up to +2 fort and +1 reflex/will, extra feats, unlocked class features (hurry and write those spells into your book), extra skill ranks, possibly a +1 to an ability score, etc sounds perfectly acceptable if they can lose up to 40% of the xp from an encounter.

That's how I see it as well, you want to cheese like this? be prepared to lose exp. If you do that I have no issue with the reading.

[Darg]

That's how I see it as well, you want to cheese like this? be prepared to lose exp. If you do that I have no issue with the reading.

Who are we kidding? This isn't an MMO or RPG where you can just "grind" levels; well for most groups anyways. Doing something like that can throw everything off. But for a benefit a few times per campaign? Might be worth the long term cost for the short term power gain. But if I allowed it I'd have to be less flexible on XP rewards... Or on the fly send in "hidden" reinforcements....

[Chronos]

Hit Dice do change character level, but negative levels don't. At least, not until 24 hours pass and you fail the save, but then it's not a negative level any more; it's just you being lower level.

[bean illus]

If one wants to abuse something, I say they need to take that abuse all the way instead of picking and choosing. Buuuut, that's just an opinion. Gaining 2 BAB AND another +2 competence bonus, 2d10s, 2d10 temp HP, up to +2 fort and +1 reflex/will, extra feats, unlocked class features (hurry and write those spells into your book), extra skill ranks, possibly a +1 to an ability score, etc sounds perfectly acceptable if they can lose up to 40% of the xp from an encounter.

Damn that's good.


If someone wanted to use that logic, I'd say that negative levels would also result in loss of BAB, feats if applicable, caster level, and so forth, for the exact same reason they'd argue that extra hit dice gives them extra benefits.

You've got my attention ...


Keep all of your high level gear, reduce yourself down to level 3, then start offing big rats for lots of XP!

Maxi for the win!