View source for Attack sequence

When a [[character]] attacks another player a number of calculations are made to determine how successful that attack was. The following is from the perspective of the attacker:

==Attacker's swing==
A [[d20]] is rolled to produce a number between 1 and 20. This will be refer to as Die A.
*Add the [[attack bonus]] (AB) of the character
**The initial AB is based on the character's [[base attack bonus]]
***Characters with multiple [[attacks per round]] get lower AB for each subsequent attack in the sequence.
**Add the following:
***[[ability modifier]] depending on the type of attacks.
****[[strength]] modifier if using a [[melee weapon]].
*****If the character has the [[weapon finesse]] [[feat]], is using a [[light weapon|light]] or otherwise appropriate melee weapon and has a greater [[dexterity]] modifier than strength modifier, add dexterity modifier instead of strength.
****dexterity modifier if using a [[ranged weapon]].
*** [[size modifier]]
*** '''+1''' if using a [[weapon]] the character has the [[weapon focus]] feat for.
*** '''- 4''' if using a weapon the character is not [[proficient]] in.
*** deduct the character's [[armor check penalty]] if wearing [[armor]] the character is not proficient in.

The final value is known as the character's [[attack roll]].

==Defender's armor==
To calculate the [[armor class]] (AC) of the defender.
*The base AC value is '''10'''. Add the following:
**[[Armor bonus]]. From armor worn, this does not [[stack]] with itself.
**[[Shield bonus]]. From a held shield, this does not [[stack]] with itself.
**Dexterity modifier. This cannot exceed the [[maximum dexterity bonus]] of the currently worn armor.
**Size modifier. Smaller things are harder to hit.

**[[Deflection bonus]]. Usually gained from magic items, this does not [[stack]] with itself.
**[[Natural armor bonus]]. Armor-like skin and toughness, this does not [[stack]] with itself. 
**[[Dodge bonus]]. This is the ability of a character to evade the attack. It stacks with itself.

===Touch attacks===
The defender's armor bonus, shield bonus, and natural armor bonus (including any enhancement bonuses to those values) do not apply to AC against a touch attack. 

===Flat-footed===
When a defender is attacked while unaware, or incapable of protecting themselves, they are considered [[flat-foot]]ed. The defender's dexterity modifier and dodge do not count towards AC. [[Uncanny dodge]] allows the dexterity modifier to be retained.

==The impact==
If the character's attack roll exceeds the defender's [[AC]], the character has been succesful.

===Automatic results===
If the character's attack roll dice (die A) is a [[natural 20]] then the attack has automatically succeded irrelevant of the actual modifiers.

If die A is a [[natural 1]] then the attack has automatically failed irrelevant of the actual modifiers.

==Damage==
The amount of damage done to the defender after when successfully attacked is:

The damage-dice is dependant on the weapon used with the following modifiers:
*Melee or thrown weapons add strength modifier, however:
**Off-hand weapons only add &frac12; strength.
**Two-handed weapons (except light weapons) add 1&frac12; strength.

===Minimum damage===
The modified damage roll is considered to be at least 1 even if the actual modified value was lower.

===Critical hit===
If a character's successful attack roll dice (Die A) was within the critical [[threat]] [[threat range|range]] of the weapon he was using this can mean a critical hit has been scored. A second d20 attack roll is made (called a [[critical roll]]), including the same modifiers. If this also exceeds the defender's AC then the attack is a [[critical hit]]. If the dice roll was a miss, then the attack is still a normal hit.

Critical hits mean additional damage rolls equal to the weapon's [[critical multiplier]].

===Multiplying damage===
When multiplying damage, the damage is additional rolls of the weapon damage roll with the same modifiers. All multiplication is derived from the original damage roll dice.

'''e.g.'''<br />
A [[d6]] damage roll which has scored a critical hit of &times;2 is the same as 2d6. If the same dice recieves an additional &times;3 the total damage will be 5d6 ''(2d6 + 3d6)'' not 6d6.

===Additional damage===
Additional damage rolls from other sources (e.g. [[sneak attack]]) are not affected by damage multiplications.

'''e.g.'''<br />
A [[d8]] damage roll which has scored a critical hit of &times;2 is the same as 2d8. If the same dice recieves an additional +d6 from a sneak attack, the damage becomes 2d8+d6 not 2d8+2d6.

===Damage reduction===
If the defender has [[damage reduction]] it is possible that the final damage value can be reduced to 0.

[[Category:Game rules]]