D&D 4E Number of attacks and 4E

[A'koss]

Another possibility...

One house rule I was toying with when I played 3e was a "Player Choice" iterative attacks.

1. Everyone has a single BAB and a base 1 attack.

2. If you want to make multiple attacks, you reduce your BAB by 4 for each attack, for every additional attack you wish to make. The limit is that you cannot reduce your BAB to less than +0.

For example, a Fighter with a +14 Attack Adj (+9 BAB, +3 Str, +1 WF, +1 Weapon) can make:
1 Attack @ +14.
2 Attacks @ +10 each.
3 Attacks @ +6 each.

If you face a tough AC opponent, you just opt to make fewer attacks. That way you don't have to waste your time making a bunch of attack rolls that will likely never hit anyway. If you're facing weak opponents you can choose to make more attacks which will, in turn, allow you to resolve the combat on the whole faster.

 

[J-Buzz]

I don't have a problem with lots of attacks from high level characters. What I have a problem with is players that are slow and not ready to take 8 attacks. Don't fix the game, fix the player.

I agree....

I usally have 15 attacks rolled, 15 damage rolls rolled, and 15 sneak damages rolled. As I use them I scratch them off and add more. The math still slows it a little bit (its hard to add 17 + 16 with background noise and feeling a little preasured... ).

This saves mucho time since my full attack, can be 7 attacks. It usally takes all the time between my moves to roll up 7 more attacks and damage when I hit with all attacks. Does not happen often, but is slow when it does.

 

[LostSoul]

How about this:

You make 1 attack. If it's a full attack (and you hit), you get extra damage.

A 5th level fighter with 18 str + Greatsword + Weapon Spec. does 2d6+8 on a successful hit.

So a 6th level fighter with 18 str + Greatsword + Weapon Spec. does 2d6+8(+7) on a successful hit. (That +7 is 1/2 base damage + 1/2 modifier.)

I still think that this would be better served if all classes did a set amount of damage and didn't bring weapons into consideration.

 

[Warbringer]

These people should probably not be playing characters that require so many dice rolls and need to add things fast since the player cannot do it.

Now there is the true shift from 2e->3e; You're too dumb to play a fighter, play a mage

 

[Warbringer]

It's still in testing, but it's much faster. The problem I am having is making different weapons be interestingly different.

RW

In my house rules I've implemented something that does this, a new critical system.

Every time you beat an oppoentent by the Critical Factor (see next) you do an extra damage die. If you beat the oppoent by multiples of the CF, you do multiples of die damage.

The CF is caluclated simply by the threat range of the weapon:

20 --> 10
19-20 --> 7
18-20 --> 5

So a 10th (+18) level fighter strikes with his longsword at an opponent AC 21. He rolls a 17, total 35. This beats the AC by 14. With a longsword the crit range is 19-20, so he does an extra two damage die.

Additionally, weapons that do more than x2 damage do an extra die of damage whenever they critical.

If you roll a 20, roll again and add the new result (repeat ad nausea). So, our fighter rolls a 20, followed by a 13, total 51. Subtract the AC, and this leaves 30, or 4 extra damage die.

The real kicker in the homebre is that critical do CON damage equal to the damage die rolled, so criticals are really dangerous from that perpespective.

 

[DerHauptman]

Math - Chalenged

I think 20 dice is a bit on the high side for anyone, but you are right about basic math. It can only be done so fast, and some people though they usually hate it when it is pointed out to them are not good at basic math. These people should probably not be playing characters that require so many dice rolls and need to add things fast since the player cannot do it. Not all character typeos are for all players.

There is always someone in the group though that just loves to "help" out in this situation. In one game I played (even though none of us fit into the slow catagory) one guy usually just whipped out the math first. It was something he liked to do and helped speed things up a lot. If a player sux at math, let somene do it for him faster. I think in interest of speedy play the group as a whole will go for it.

Saying a player becasue of a lack of real life ability should not be allowed to play a certain type character is like saying only those with good acting skills should play a bard. I wouldn't limit somene like that. It's thier game as well.

Anyways not trying to argue with ya just making an observation - we can gladly agree to disagree - always the best option.

 

[Torm]

Saying a player becasue of a lack of real life ability should not be allowed to play a certain type character is like saying only those with good acting skills should play a bard. I wouldn't limit somene like that. It's thier game as well.

I don't think the point is whether or not the player can do it. More a matter of whether ANYONE can do it - even record holders. And even then, I tend to be more than generous - it IS fantasy, after all. But there DOES come a point......

 

[Crothian]

Saying a player becasue of a lack of real life ability should not be allowed to play a certain type character is like saying only those with good acting skills should play a bard. I wouldn't limit somene like that. It's thier game as well.

Yes it is. But that doesn't mean everyone can play everything. I'm not saying forbid the player, I'm saying find a character that is best suited for the player. If one person is slowing the game down and causeing problems for the group, it then becomes which is more important that one player or the group. It's the group's game as well.

 

[Mercule]

Er... is my group the only one that has a couple of calculators at the table? We're all pretty good at math, but sometimes, it's quicker/easier to just add up the 10 dice from the fireball with a machine.

Same principle applies here. For cryin' out loud, it's a static number. If your character's iterative attacks are +37/+32/+27/+22, then write the numbers down on your character sheet. Roll the die, add the static number, ask DM if you hit, rinse, repeat.

Now, what's really making my mind boggle is this: Iterative attacks are static, five-point steps. If your group can't deal with that, does everything come to a screeching halt for the night when someone attacks defensively or uses Combat Expertise, Power Attack, or some other sliding scale ability?

 

[jmucchiello]

I've actually been looking toward implementing something like this:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=103168