Combat Module A: Hitroll and damroll changes.

[Burzuk]

One of the problems we’ve had is strength-based races dominating on the offensively in combat, such as fully stacked fire giants with ludicrously high hit/dam rolls. Likewise, lowbie PKing giants wipe the floor with their competition even without much eq due to their natural hit/dam bonuses.

So what has changed? First off, hitroll and damroll used to be based entirely on STR. Hitroll is now based on DEX, while damroll is now based on STR. Fire giants used to receive +12 hitroll and +14 damroll. Under the new change, they will now receive +6 hitroll and +15 damroll instead. Halflings, however, will receive +15 hitroll and +7 damroll, giving them a much more equal footing in combat against giants (giants still have a huge size advantage, physical resistances, etc). Most non-giant races will have received hit/dam boosts across the board now to varying degrees.

The other major change involving hitroll and damroll: hitroll and damroll bonuses from STR and DEX now scale according to level. This means that a level 15 fire giant (or any other lowbie PKing character) will NOT receive their full hit/dam bonuses when they try to lowbie PK. This gives fighting classes an incentive to level up since they’ll be making fuller use out of their race potential, while giving a low-level spellcasters a little more time to flee, since their small hp pool won’t be knocked down as quickly. This won’t affect spellcasting classes much, since they already have a strong incentive to level up for new spells and to better beat their opponent’s spell saves.

Feedback and further discussion are welcome.

[time]

When to we get our full hit/dam bonus?

Another question from another change post, Can giants still dual wield two two handed weaps, and if so are the affects put in so that they now count as single handed weaps?

[Burzuk]

[Mendek]

I really thought halflings did pretty well against giants... Have defenses been tweaked also?

[Burzuk]

You thought halflings did well against giants until giants started being able to wield bows to completely negate a halfling's dodge (save for rogue classes with counterbalance of course).

[Hilemal]

Haven't been able to try it (don't have a giant, sorry). But here's what I'm seeing:

Giant wields bow: Now he has only dodge as a defense. Low dex = dodge probably not too reliable.

Halfling:
Option 1: Wield two handed weapon. Double grip. Now hard to disarm, has parry to deflect the arrows (how effective will this be?), and gets extra damage from double grip.
Option 2: Wields a one handed weapon and shield. Gets to block arrows (again, how effective?), gets to choose a weapon.

Not to sure which side is better off here. Any feedback on how effective the skills will be?

[Burzuk]

You forgot about point blank, giving the giant back parry and an extra attack to boot.

[Brains]

What do bows count as in terms of weapon type (I assume a new type: 'bow') and hand count (one-handed, two-handed)?

Would dirt/disarm be a valid tactic for a halfling facing a stabby, bow-bearing giant? I can't think of a 'cursed' (aka non-disarmable) bow offhand...

[divsky]

Any changes on how hitroll interacts with AC? Or is AC still a relativly useless stat at the higher levels?

[Green Elephant]