4th EDITION D&D SRD (PREVIEW) - COMBAT, ATTACKS & DAMAGE

COMBAT

Combat encounters break out when the player characters run into an opposing force. That force could be a powerful solo monster, a group of terrifying creatures, or a gang of villainous nonplayer characters. The chaos of combat is organized into a cycle of rounds and turns.

Round: In a round, every combatant takes a turn. A round represents about 6 seconds in the game world.

Turn: On your turn, you take actions in any order you wish. (See 'Actions,' below.)

Combat Sequence

A combat encounter follows this sequence:

ATTACKS

You choose an attack from your suite of combat options - the three power sources – arcane, divine, and martial.
The attacker chooses an attack, rolls 1d20, adds adds any modifiers that apply, and calls out the result against the appropriate defense - AC, Fortitude, Reflex, or Will. If the result of the attack roll equals or exceeds the target number (the enemy's AC or defense), the attack hits. The attack takes effect against the target, usually dealing damage. Some attacks impose a condition or have other effects.

Multiple Targets: Attack actions involve a “to hit”, or attack roll, against any and all targets, so a power that targets all enemies within 1 square requires a separate attack roll against each enemy affected. If you make an attack against multiple targets, you don’t roll damage for each target – just roll that once.
Attacks that target multiple creatures can be used against fewer targets, at the attacker's option. For example, an attack that targets three creatures could target only one instead - the other two attacks are lost.

Attacks are divided up into different types; Melee, Ranged, Close, and Area.

Melee Attacks

Melee attacks are those you make usually when you’re adjacent to your target. A basic attack is always a melee attack.

Ranged Attacks

Ranged attacks can be made at any distance up to the maximum range of the attack; however, if you take a ranged attack next to an enemy you provoke an opportunity attack against you. This attack's entry always includes a range in parentheses, such as (range 10) or (nearest). It targets one or more creatures up to the listed range, including adjacent. A ranged attack always provokes an opportunity attack from adjacent enemies.

Typical ranges include the following:

Close Attacks

Close attacks affect an area starting with squares adjacent to you. The attack's entry includes the area and range of the effect in parentheses. An attack roll is made for every target within the effect area.

Typical areas and ranges include the following:

Close attacks don’t provoke an opportunity attack.

Area Attacks

Area attacks affect all creatures in an area at a distance. An area attack usually includes a range in squares as well the area affected, usually a radius such as (range 10, radius 2). An attack roll is made against every target within the specified area

Typical areas and ranges include the following:

Area attacks provoke opportunity attacks from adjacent enemies.

Most of the time when you take an attack, you’ll use one of your powers. However, there are some times when you’ll use a basic attack – just a regular old swing of the sword or shot from the bow. These attacks are less powerful than using powers, but they can get the job done. You’ll use a basic attack when you’re charging, making opportunity attacks, or when you use certain powers.

A Creature can attack an enemy next to it (Attacking diagonally is OK.)

Opportunity Attacks

If a creature moves while next to an enemy, or vice versa, the creature gets to make a free attack against the moving opponent. This is always a basic attack with whatever weapon, or implement is at hand. A shifting creature does not provoke an opportunity attack.

Special Attacks

Bull Rush: To initiate a bull rush, you need to make a Strength Check vs. the target's Fortitude Defense. This does not provoke an Opportunity Attack. If you succeed,you may push the target 1 space. The margin of success doesn't matter, and 1 space is the maximum that a target can be moved with Bull Rush (without taking special abilities).

Charging: This is a standard action. Move up to your speed, and make a basic attack. You get a +1 bonus on the attack roll. You have to move at least 2 squares from your starting position, and you must charge to the nearest square from which you can attack your target. You can’t charge if the nearest square is occupied, but you can charge over difficult terrain (it just costs you extra movement).

Grappling: Grappling is a standard action basic attack that requires an attack roll vs. Reflex. You can attempt a grab check with anything that is within one size category of you. This doesn't provoke an Opportunity Attack. If you fail, nothing happens. If you succeed, then you have grabbed the opponent, and they are considered immobilized for the remainder of the round - cannot move on its own, but can otherwise act normally - until you let go, or they succeed at an attempt to break the hold. To break free of a grapple is a move action that requires a successful saving throw - Athletics vs Fortitude or Acrobatics vs Reflex - as a move action. You may move the target 1 square by succeeding on an additional grab check in the following round.

Combat Modifiers

  Table: Combat Modifiers:
  Situation                 Attack Modifier
  ---------------------------------------------
  Charges                   +1
  Has combat advantage      +2
  Defender helpless         +4 (automatic crit)
  Defender has minor cover  -2
  Defender has major cover  -5
  Prone                     -2
  ---------------------------------------------

Combat Advantage: This gives you a +2 bonus to attack rolls when you're flanking, or when the target is under one of a number of conditions (dazed, surprised, immobilized etc.). Being on fire, however, does not grant foes combat advantage. Running gives your enemies combat advantage. You must be able to see your enemy to take combat advantage.

Cover: Normal Cover gives enemies a flat -2 penalty on attack rolls, and can prevent adjacent foes from "threatening" (for opportunity attack purposes). Total Cover (such as firing through an arrow slit) gives enemies a -5 penalty. Your allies don't provide cover, but enemies do. There's also no penalty for making ranged attacks into melee.

Flanking: Flanking provides a simple combat tactic for you and an ally to use against an enemy. To flank an enemy, you and an ally must be adjacent to the enemy and on opposite sides of the enemy's space. You and your ally must be able to attack the enemy with a melee or ranged weapon, or with an unarmed attack. If there's a barrier between your enemy and either you or your ally, you don't flank. If you are affected by a condition that prevents you from taking actions, you don't flank. You have combat advantage against an enemy you flank.

DEFENSES

There are four Defense Values; Armor Class (AC), Fortitude (Fort), Reflex (Ref), and Will (Will). These are expressed as static values and modified by both ability values and class. All attacks, checks, and saves are made against these static values. All defenses increase by 1 every other level (+ ½ level, rounded down).

Armor Class = 10 + Armor Value + Shield Bonus (+if wearing Light Armor either Dex or Int modifier, whichever is highest) + ½ character level

Fortitude Defense = 10 + [higher of Str or Con Modifier] + Class Bonus + ½ character level

Reflex Defense = 10 + [higher of Dex or Int Modifier] + Class Bonus + Shield Bonus + ½ character level

Will Defense = 10 + [higher of Wis or Cha Modifier] + Class Bonus + ½ character level

Defense Modifiers

Defenses are modified at level 1 by class as follows:

Table: Class Defense Modifiers
  Class Defense Modifiers
  Cleric   +2 Will
  Fighter  +2 Fortitude
  Paladin  +1 Fortitude, Will
  Ranger   +1 Fortitude, Reflex, Will
  Rogue    +2 Reflex
  Warlock  +1 Reflex, Will
  Wizard   +2 Will


Full Defense: You don't take any actions, but you get a +2 to all defense scores until the start of your next turn.

HIT POINTS & DAMAGE

Sucessful attacks deal Damage, listed in the power, weapon, or implement's stats. A creature's Hit Point (HP) number shows how much damage it can withstand. Each time a creature takes damage, subtract the amount of damage from its current HP total.

If a creature's HP total is reduced to 0 or below, that creature is dead or dying (See Death & Dying).

Rolling a 20: If your attack roll is a natural 20 (a "20" shows on the die), the attack is a critical hit and deals double damage!

Bloodied: When a creature reaches half it's hit points (rounded up), it is considered bloodied.

Conditions and Ongoing Effects: Some attacks impose a condition or ongoing effect on creatures. Unless otherwise stated in the attack power used, a condition or effect automatically ends at the end of the affected creature's next turn. Many ongoing effects may be ended with a Saving Throw (See Saving Throws).

Bonus Damage: Some attacks deal bonus damage, shown by a "+" sign. For example a Yound Silver Dragon's Bite attack deals "+10 Cold" damage. Bonus damage is also doubled on a critical hit. However, additional effects (such as ongoing damage) are not increased on a critical.

Sources: D&D Miniatures Game Battle Rules∞, What You Need to Know About D&D - Quick Rules Primer∞, d20 System SRD∞, D&D Glossary∞

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