Thank you!
Thanks for this info I'll study on it.
I ordered the Dungeons and Dragons Starter Kit, having no idea it includes The Lost Mine of Phandever.
All the following comes out of the Starter Set Rulebook that is included with it. As far as the scenario, I will read it up through this first Goblin attack to see what goes on from the DM perspective, but I'll stop there, because I want to enjoy the rest of this scenario when I finally get in.
Now I've been working on novice notes off and on today, I jump on an airplane tomorrow to fly to Tampa, Fl for the weekend, but will be back on Sunday. But I'll have internet (I think) while I'm gone.
I'm trying to get a handle on rolls AC (Armor Class) and DC (Difficulty Class) rolls actually the sequence of combat or attempting an action in list from steps 1-10. The difficult part is trying to determine for each circumstance, what the target number you are trying to match to be successful. I have a feeling this Starter Rule Book does not go into these things in depth.
If this wall of text is too much, please ignore. But I'm trying to put this into words that make sense to a novice, and alluded to it in my first post of this thread. Now you know why I wanted a separate thread to discuss technical aspects of the game.
The goal is to keep the explanations simple and to the point for novice digestion.
From here on are my not so organized notes: I'm trying to establish a list to run down for each encounter to check the various things that must be checked. Here is a rough start of a list:
Encounter Step by Step (My version)
*An encounter requires a DC (Ability Difficulty Check)-
*Roll the d20 die.
*Advantage or Disadvantage? If there is Advantage or Disadvantage present roll the d20 die twice. With advantage use the highest number, with disadvantage, use the lowest number.
*Add the
Ability Chart Modifier Using the number rolled, reference the Ability Chart and add or subtract the appropriate modifier.
Is this being used in this game as shown in Post #1 or is the modifier just the number found on the character sheet?
- Ability Chart Numbers- The first number is the Ability (die roll) score and the modifier is second number. My understanding is that although it’s a d20 die being thrown, the numbers go up to 30 to represent the max monster level, although I’m not sure at this point how that is facilitated.
*Is the Player Proficient in the applicable skill?
*End of constructed list
Players Have Abilities- that are defined by six qualities which are represented by numbers/levels. Some values will increase for players as they gain experience. They are:
Strength- physical power (forcing a door open or fighting an opponent).
Dexterity- agility.
Constitution- endurance.
Intelligence- reasoning and memory (make sense of clues in a riddle).
Wisdom- perception and insight (to notice Goblins laying in wait beside the road).
Charisma- measuring force of personality.
Players will interact with the world in a variety of ways- from routine observation and dialog, to taking actions, in some cases violent action, where the outcome is far from certain. The result of such actions are calculated using die (dice) along with player and monster stats to determine the outcome. Will an attack succeed, and if so, how much damage will result? Will a bluff be believed? Can a character swim across a raging river?
I don't know if the following is the right way to describe this. The Starter Rule book references "Target Number.
Ability Check vs Target Number Not sure how to apply this. To determine the outcome of an uncertain encounter, violent or yet to be violent, two numbers are compared, the calculated
Ability Check, represents the ability of the action-taker turned into a number. While the
Target Number, represents the level of difficulty that must be overcome, ie, the ability of the Target to resist the intended action or a number that represents the difficulty of scaling a cliff. For Ability Checks and Saving Throws, two types of die rolls, the target number is called a
Difficulty Class (DC), (how hard would a lock be to pick). For an
Attack Roll it’s the Armor Class (AC), the armor rating of the target being attacked. During an action initiated by the player or the monster, this is the threshold the challenger is trying to equal or best.
Ability Check P5.
Strength Check- Strength (Athletics)- Attempt to climb a sheer cliff, avoid hazards while scaling a wall, cling to a surface while something is trying to knock you off.
Character attempts to climb a cliff. DM calls for a Strength (Athletics) Check.
How is the strength to climb the cliff determined?? How is the target number determined?
Dexterity Checks-
Dexterity (Athletics)- stay on your feet while trying to run across a sheet of ice or stay upright on a rocking ship’s deck.
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)- pick a pocket, plant something on an individual
Dexterity (Stealth)- Required when you try to hide, Sneak past guards, conceal yourself from enemies. This is compared against the Wisdom (Perception) check of any creature actively searching for a sign of your presence. See Page 6 box-
Passive Perception- One of the few examples that actually explains how to determine if an action will be successful. Someone may notice you even if they are not looking. To determine if you’ll be discovered, compare the NPC’s passive Wisdom (Perception) score, which equals 10+ the creature’s Wisdom modifier, as well as any other bonuses or penalties??? Advantage/Disadvantage- If the NPC has Advantage add 5, for disadvantage -5.
Example: 1st level character has a proficiency bonus of +2, a Wisdom of 15 (a +2 wisdom modifier) and a proficiency in Perception, it has a passive Wisdom (Perception) of 14. In lightly obscured areas, creatures have a Disadvantage for Wisdom (Perception). In heavily obscured areas, dark, heavy fog, vision is blocked, imposing a blinded condition. See blinded condition in appendix.
Constitution Check- The Starter Kit description is inadequate. Health, Stamina, and vital force. Uncommon and no skill applies, because the endurance of this ability represents is largly passive rather than involving a specific effort on the part of the character or monster.
- Constitution Link You must make a Concentration check whenever you might potentially be distracted (by taking damage, by harsh weather, and so on) while engaged in some action that requires your full attention. Such actions include casting a spell, manifesting a power, concentrating on an active spell or power, directing a spell or power, using a spell-like or psi-like ability, or using a skill that would provoke an attack of opportunity. In general, if an action wouldn’t normally provoke an attack of opportunity, you need not make a Concentration check to avoid being distracted
Intelligence Check- Measures mental acuity, strength of recall, and ability to reason, deductive reasoning.
Intelligence (Arcana)- Ability to recall lore about spells, magic items, symbols, magical traditions, planes of existence, and inhabitants of those planes.
Intelligence (History)- Ability to recall lore about historical events, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past disputes, recent wars and lost civilizations.
Intelligence (Investigations)- Ability to spot clues and make deductions, deduce the loction of a hidden object, discern what kind of weapon was used to cause a wound, determine the weakest point in a tunnel to make it collapse.
Wisdom Checks p7- How attuned you are to world, perceptiveness and intuition. Wisdom check could be used in effort to read body language, understand someoe’s feelings, noticing things about the environment, and caring for an inured person.
Wisdom (Animal Handling)- calm an animal, intuition about an animal’s feelings, control your mount when trying a risky maneuver.
Wisdom (Insight)- Decide true intentions of a creature, identify a lie.
Wisdom (Medicine)- try to stabilize an injured/dying creature or diagnose an illness.
Wisdom (Perception)- General awareness, spot, hear, detect presence (goblins hiding along road), eavesdrop under an open window, listen through a door.
Wisdom (Survival)- Follow tracks, hunt wild game, guide group through wasteland, identify signs, predict weather, avoid quicksand.
Charisma Checks P7- Ability to charm, entertain, and deceive others.
Charisma (Deception)- Deceive.
Charisma (Intimate)- Intimidate.
Charisma (Performance)- Entertain.
Charisma (Persuasion)- Persuade.
Saving Throw P7- Not well explained. An attempt to resist or avoid a spell, a trap, a poison a disease, or a similar threat. How does this compare to combat?
*Throw a d20 dics and add the appropriate ability modifier. For example, use Dexterity modifier for a Dexterity saving throw.
*Is effected by Advantage and Disadvantage.
