Roll to Hit
Describes the roll necessary to hit an opponent with a weapon, touch an opponent or — sometimes — to hit with a magically propelled force such as Melf's arrow or spiritual hammer. The success of a given roll is determined by THAC0, in which the chance to hit is determined by the attacker's experience level and the opponent's armor class.
Note that rolls of 1, 2 or 20 are important as they invoke critical hit & fumble rules.
Penalties and bonuses to hit modifies the die roll, or rather the number needed to hit. Below is a list of the most common modifiers (with expectations that this list will eventually be complete):
- Attacks with Two Weapons: provides penalties to attacks with a weapon in each hand depending on the character's ability stats.
- Cover: defenses offered by fortifications, vegetation or terrain can offer varying attack modifiers depending on the position of the combatant.
- Dexterity: subtracts or adds to the attack die when using missile weapons, depending on the ability stats of the attacker.
- Grenade Missiles: special rules in which the target is sometimes not the defender but the combat hex. Typically the attacker need only hit armor class 10 to have a direct effect.
- Groggy: applies when the character initially awakes from sleep; -2 to hit.
- Helpless Defenders: creatures that are magically held, paralysed or sleeping can be hit without the combatant making a roll to hit, so that damage caused is automatic. This damage may dispel the spell affecting the recipient of the attack, freeing or awakening the defender.
- Illumination: the amount of illumination and comparable darkness affects the chance of combatants to hit, particularly with missile weapons.
- Invisibility: if an invisible creature is detected but is not actually seen, rolls to hit are made at -8. If the invisible defender's combat hex is positively identified, then attacks are made at -4. With improved invisibility, when the character shimmers translucently, attacks are made at -2. [unlike AD&D specifies, no % bonus is given for leveled persons to identify invisibility according to their experience.]
- Magic: many different spells offer adjustments to hit and damage that affect both attackers and defenders; these are noted under their spell descriptions.
- Missile Ranges: when attacking opponents with missile weapons at a range of 2 hexes, the modifier is +1 for the attacker. Attacks at medium range are done at -2 and at long range at -5.
Multiple Defenders in One Hex: when attacking a hex with two defenders in it (when neither are adequately skilled at Tactics), attacks are done at +2. Paladin Class: paladins are continuously protected by protection from malevolence, subtracting 2 from all attacks against them. Rear & Flank Attacks: rear attacks normally receive a +2 bonus to attack; thieves and assassins will receive +4 when the opponent is surprised. Flank attacks receive a +1 bonus to attack. Spell (defensive): may subtract from the attack die, when employing spells such as protection from malevolence, barkskin, stoneskin, armor or phantom armor. Spells such as mirror image may cause the attack die to fail due to striking an illusion. See invisibility, above. Spell (touching to discharge): spells that bestow an effect by touching need only hit AC 10 to affect an opponent, regardless of the opponent's armor class. Spell (offensive): may add to the attack die, in the form of weapon bonuses (flame blade, spiritual hammer) or by increasing an attribute of the attacker (strength). Chromatic orb can affect opponents like a grenade missile (see above). Strength: subtracts or adds to the attack die when using hand-to-hand weapons, depending on the strength possessed by the attacker.
See Attacking in Combat
