Dice rolls: Difference between revisions

Some rolls need to reach a certain value to be considered a success.  This is usually done with a {{D20}}, and the target value is called the [[Difficulty Class]] of the roll.  Rolling a 1 on a D20 is referred to as a Natural 1 and rolling a 20 is referred to as a Natural 20.  On some rolls, these can have special effects, such as automatically failing or succeeding the roll, ignoring Modifiers and Difficulty Class.

[[File:karmic dice setting.png|right|thumb|The optional Karmic Dice setting, located in Gameplay Options]]

In Baldur's Gate 3 Early Access, the '''Karmic Dice''' option (previously referred to as 'Loaded Dice') is enabled by default. When this option is enabled, the game will avoid frustrating streaks of very low rolls in a row.

The exact algorithm for Karmic Dice is not presently known and may be changed between versions of the game.

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Beyond the general principles explained above, the details of rolls depend on the type of roll that is being made.  Following are the types of rolls in the game.

''Main page: [[Attack Roll]]''

The Attack Roll should not be confused with the Damage Roll, which instead determines the amount of damage done to a target by a successful attack.

As a special case, a roll of 1 means that the attack fails regardless of bonuses or the target's Armour Class.  This is called a Critical Miss.  Likewise, a roll of 20 means the attack succeeds regardless of the target's Armour Class.  This is called a Critical Hit.  A critical hit also affects the result of the Damage Roll. Currently, a critical hit doubles all damage dice involved in the damage roll (including additional dice such as those from Smites or Combat Maneuvers), but not the bonuses from modifiers or other flat damage bonuses such as [[Great Weapon Master: All In]].

The [[Ability Score]] used for the Ability Score Modifier depends on the type of attack that's being made.  Melee and ranged weapon attacks use Strength or Dexterity, depending on the weapon.  For spells, the Ability Score used for the Modifier generally depends on the class of the caster; see the main [[Attack Roll]] page for details.

Attack Rolls can also have [[Advantage|Advantage / Disadvantage]].

''Main page: [[Damage Roll]]''

For example, a successful hit with a [[Dagger]] will lead to a D4 being rolled to determine the damage (referred to as 1d4 damage), whereas a successful attack with a [[Greatsword]] will lead to two D6 being rolled (referred to as 2d6) for a total damage of 2 to 12.  Being caught in a [[Fireball]] will cause 8d6 points of damage, though a successful Saving Throw (see below) can reduce it to half.

For attacks made with weapons, the total value resulting from the roll is affected by the attacking creature's [[Ability Score Modifier]].  For the damage of spell attacks, no such modifier applies, except when explicitly granted by a magical item or class feature, such as the [[Warlock]]'s [[Eldritch Invocation|Agonizing Blast]] invocation.

''Main page: [[Saving Throw]]''

  Result = {{D20}} + Ability Score Modifier + Proficiency Bonus (if Proficient)

Which [[Ability Score]] is used for the Modifier depends on the source of danger against which the save is being made.  For example, evading a spike trap may require Dexterity, whereas trying to resist the effects of a poisonous gas would require Constitution.

Depending on the Ability Score, the Saving Throw may be referred to as a Strength Saving Throw, Dexterity Saving Throw, Constitution Saving Throw, and so on.  (Further shortened to Strength Save, Dexterity Save, etc.)  The Proficiency Bonus is only added if the creature has [[Proficiency]] in the corresponding type of Saving Throw.  Each [[Class]] grants a creature two Saving Throw Proficiencies.

The Difficulty Class is also determined by the source of danger.  If a creature casts a spell that imposes a Saving Throw on another, the Difficulty Class is determined by the '''spell caster's''' Modifiers, using the following formula:

In other scenarios, such as traps, the game chooses an appropriate Difficulty Class, depending on how serious the danger is.

A successful save could mean completely avoiding negative effects, or it could mean reducing the damage received.  For example, successfully saving against a spike trap could mean that a creature takes no damage at all, because it successfully evaded the spikes.  On the other hand, if it's caught in the area of effect of a [[Fireball]], then a successful save will merely halve the damage.  Some effects don't allow for a Saving Throw at all, for example the damage taken from [[Magic Missile]].

''Main page: [[Ability Check]]''

Ability Checks can be based purely on an [[Ability Score]], in which case they can only benefit from the Ability Score Modifier, but not the Proficiency Bonus.

More commonly, the check will be related to a specific [[Skill]], which not only determines the Ability Score used for the Modifier, but also lets the creature use its Proficiency Bonus if it happens to be Proficient in that particular Skill.  In this case, the check may be called a '''Skill Check''' rather than an Ability Check.

Once the trap is seen, the creature may want to disarm it.  This will require a Sleight of Hand Check, which is related to Dexterity.  So, a creature that both has high Dexterity, and Proficiency in Sleight of Hand, can benefit from both types of bonuses when attempting to disarm the trap.

A '''Contest''' is a special type of Ability Check in which two creatures both roll an Ability Check or Skill Check to oppose each other, and one wins over the other.  The creatures don't necessarily roll the same type of check.

An example of this is the [[Shove]] action, where the creature attempting the Shove must roll Athletics, and the defending creature is allowed to roll either Athletics or Acrobatics to contest the Shove.  If the attacker's roll is higher than the defender's, the Shove succeeds, otherwise it fails.

Rolls can be modified by various bonuses and penalties.  These can take the form of adding or subtracting a value from the result, or requiring two rolls instead of one and taking the lower or higher of the two values.

''Main page: [[Advantage]]''

Advantage and Disadvantage cannot stack.  In other words, you never roll more than twice.  Additionally, they cancel each other out, no matter how many sources of Advantage or Disadvantage you have.  For instance, if you had three sources of Advantage and only one source of Disadvantage, they would still cancel each other out, causing you to roll normally.

''Main page: [[Ability Score Modifier]]''

A creature's [[Ability Score]]s can modify the result of rolls, depending on how high or low the Ability Score is.  Which Ability Score is used to determine the Modifier depends on the roll that's being made.  The Ability Score Modifier for a specific [[Ability Score]] can also be referred to by the name of that Ability Score, such as: Strength Modifier, Dexterity Modifier, etc.

Weapon attacks will generally use Strength or Dexterity, depending on the weapon and the type of attack made.  See [[Attack Roll]] for details.

Spell attacks will use an [[Ability Score]] depending on the [[Class]] of the creature making it.  Again, see the Attack Roll page for details.

For Weapon attacks, the same rules apply to Damage Rolls as for Attack Rolls.  If the Damage Roll involves multiple dice, such as the 2d6 damage of a Greatsword, then the Modifier is applied to the total value, not to each individual die.

For the damage of Spells, there is generally no Ability Score Modifier, though there are exceptions to this rule.  For example, [[Eldritch Invocation|Agonizing Blast]] allows the [[Warlock]] to add its Charisma Modifier to the damage of [[Eldritch Blast]].

For saves against various threats, the threat in question determines which Ability Score is used to make the save.  For example, the {{SmallIcon|Web_Spell_Icon_2.png}} [[Web]] spell requires you to make a Dexterity Save, whereas {{SmallIcon|Crown of Madness Icon.png}} [[Crown of Madness]] requires a Wisdom Save.

Note: The Ability Score used to determine the Spell Save DC is not necessarily the same as the type of Saving Throw imposed on targets.  Instead, much like for Attack Rolls, it uses the caster's [[Spells#Spellcasting_Ability_Modifier|Spellcasting Ability Modifier]]. For example, a [[Wizard]]'s Spell Save DC is determined by their Intelligence modifier, but a creature targeted by a {{SmallIcon|Web_Spell_Icon_2.png}} [[Web]] spell cast by a Wizard must still make a ''Dexterity'' Save.

An Ability Check is always based on a specific [[Ability Score]], which determines the Modifier that will be used.  The Skill Check also uses an Ability Score Modifier, since each [[Skill]] is based on a specific Ability Score.  For example, an Athletics Check uses Strength, whereas a Sleight of Hand Check uses Dexterity.

''Main page: [[Proficiency Bonus]]''

Creatures can have Proficiency in a number of different areas, allowing them to add their {{SmallIcon|Proficiency Icon.png}} [[Proficiency Bonus]] to related rolls.  Proficiencies can be granted by a creature's [[Background]], [[Race]], [[Class]], and [[Feats]] chosen when leveling up.

Attack Rolls made with [[Weapons]] can benefit from Proficiency with the type of weapon that's being used.  This kind of Proficiency can be granted by the creature's [[Race]], [[Class]], or [[Feats]] chosen when leveling up.

Attack Rolls made for spells benefit from Proficiency in spell casting, which all creatures capable of casting spells have.  The creature could have spell casting capabilities due to its [[Class]], or from a [[Feat]] it chose when leveling up.

A creature can have Proficiency in a specific type of Saving Throw, like Strength Saving Throws or Dexterity Saving Throws.  Each [[Class]] gains Proficiency in two such types of Saving Throw at level 1, and can add their Proficiency Bonus to those types of Saving Throws.

A creature's Proficiency Bonus also affects the Difficulty Class of the Saving Throw that enemies must roll when affected by that creature's spells (and some non-spell abilities).  The formula for this is: {{code|<nowiki>Spell Save DC = 8 + Spellcasting Ability Modifier + Proficiency Bonus</nowiki>}}.

An Ability Check may be based directly on an Ability Score rather than a [[Skill]], in which case no Proficiency Bonus is possible.  If it's based on a Skill, however, a creature will get a Proficiency Bonus in the corresponding Skill Checks if it's Proficient in that Skill.

Proficiency in a [[Skill]] can be granted by [[Race]], [[Class]], or a [[Feat]] chosen when leveling up.  For example, all Elves have an innate feature called Keen Senses which grants them Proficiency in Perception.  Rangers can gain Proficiency in a number of skills based on class features they choose: Bounty Hunter grants Proficiency in Investigation, Keeper of the Veil and Mage Breaker both grant Proficiency in Arcana, and so on.  The [[Skilled]] Feat, if chosen when leveling up, allows a creature to gain Proficiency in any three Skills.