Attack bonus advice
From NWNWiki
Attack bonus (AB) could be the single most important aspect of a melee character. Although armor class (AC) can always be overcome about 1 time in 20, if a character is relying upon this and an opponent is hitting them regularly they will be at a huge disadvantage, being able to hit on a 19 would almost double their damage potential.
Attack bonus consists of four factors. Base attack bonus BAB is dependent upon levels and classes. One of the attributes will also affect AB, though which attribute this is can change depending upon feats and weapons. Feats and abilities can grant bonuses depending upon classes and feats. And can also gain magical bonuses, which can come from many different sources but can often become confusing due to stacking rules and limits.
Base attack bonus depends entirely upon classes and levels. Real BAB only happens in the first 20 levels of a characters development and is affected by class. Classes come in three different varieties: 1 BAB per level, 3/4 BAB per level, and 1/2 BAB per level. If a class grants martial weapon proficiency it will probably be 1 BAB per level, but if it grants simple proficiency and no other proficiencies it is probably only 1/2 BAB per level. Real BAB is tracked separately for each class, and doesn't share fractions, and only whole numbers count so 3 levels of a 3/4 class and 1 level each in two 1/2 classes would result in (3x3/4=2+1/4)=2 (1x1/2=1/2)=0 (1x1/2=1/2)=0 for a total of 2, instead of 3x3/4+1x1/2+1x1/2=3+1/4, alternatively tables could just be drawn up listing at which levels each class grants a point of BAB.
Extra attacks are gained based upon how much BAB a character has. Their fist attack will use all of their BAB and each successive attack will be made as though they had 5 fewer points of BAB and they don't get extra attacks unless they would be made with at least 1 point of BAB, so additional attacks are gained when BAB reaches 6, 11, and 16. (Monks using monk weapons only lose 3 points of BAB with successive attacks, so can have many more attacks at the same BAB and are more likely to hit with extra attacks.)
At epic levels an unnamed bonus to AB is gained that is tracked with BAB. This fake BAB increases by one at each odd level but is not affected by classes and does not contribute to getting more attacks.
Attributes also affect AB. Typically strength will increase melee AB and dexterity will increase ranged AB, though the feats weapon finesse and zen archery change these to dexterity and wisdom respectively. The relevant attribute can be increased at character creation up to a +4 bonus, by race up to +1, through level bonuses (maximum of + 10 total), magic can add a +6 bonus, and some feats and abilities can also increase attributes. note that it is only possible to acquire 7 'great strength' feats.
There are also feats and abilities that directly affect AB. Notably epic weapon focus and epic prowess. These are small and expensive, but stack with everything so are well worth it.
Magic bonuses also contribute to AB. These include weapon enhancement or attack bonuses, the effects of spells like divine favor and true strike, and other things like bard song. These magical bonuses cannot contribute more than 20 points to AB and the character sheet quite deceptively doesn't take this into account, a much better way of determining your AB is to check the combat logs in the combat dialogue window when you attack something, which should be accurate. While magic cannot directly grant more than +20 to AB there are a couple of other ways of using it, spells that increase your attributes can increase your attribute bonus to AB which will stack with magic bonus to AB, though magic bonuses to attributes only go up to +12 (for a +6 bonus to AB) additionally some abilities, such as curse song, called shot, and taunt, can lower a target's AC, either directly or by reducing attributes that affect AC, which will have the same effect as increasing AB would, but does not count towards the +20 limit.
[edit] Specific ways to increase AB by class
The taunt skill can be used to lower an opponent's AC by up to 6. The following classes possess taunt as a class skill: barbarian, *bard, blackguard, paladin.
*The bard's ability to raise their skills and lower their opponents skills using songs deserves special mention.
The hide and move silently skills can be used to attack an opponent while they are flat-footed, effectively reducing their AC. The following classes possess both of these as class skills: arcane archer, assassin, bard, Harper scout, monk, pale master, ranger, rogue, shadowdancer.
The following are divided into 4 types of bonus
- Capped: These are capped at a combined total of +20 bonus to AB, some of these will be marked with a (W) and will not stack with each other or enhancement and attack bonuses on weapons, which also contribute to the +20 cap.
- Ability: These are capped at a combined total of +12 and stack with ability increases from items, which also contribute to the +12 cap. These increase abilities which may increase your attack bonus by their bonus, which will be half of the total ability score - 10 rounded down.
- Buffs: These can increase attack bonus and have no maximum combined cap.
- Debuffs: These can lower an opponents AC.
| Class | Capped | Ability | Buffs | Debuffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbarian BAB 1/1 level | rage +4-6 strength mighty rage +8 strength | |||
| Bard BAB 3/4 levels | bard song +1-2 magic weapon(W) +1 greater magic weapon(W) +1-5 war cry +2 | bull's strength +2-7 strength cat's grace +2-7 dexterity eagle's splendor +2-7 charisma owl's wisdom +2-7 wisdom | summoning +2 if flanking | curse song +0-+7 bestow curse -2 dexterity, wisdom slow +2 |
| Cleric BAB 3/4 levels | battle mastery +1-9 bless +1 divine favour +1-5 magic weapon(W) +1 aid +1 prayer +1 divine power +0-11 greater magic weapon(W) +1-5 battletide +2 | divine strength +2-15 strength battle mastery +1-9 dexterity bull's strength +2-7 strength cat's grace +2-7 dexterity eagle's splendor +2-7 charisma owl's wisdom +2-7 wisdom divine power 18 <= strength aura of vitality +4 strength, dexterity | summoning +2 if flanking | slow +2 bestow curse -2 dexterity, wisdom |
| Druid BAB 3/4 levels | Blood frenzy +2 strength Bull's strength +2-7 strength Aura of vitality +4 strength, dexterity Wild shape 27 or 31 base strength Elemental shape 30 or 34 base strength or dexterity Dragon shape feat 48 base strength | Nature sense +2 in wilderness areas Summoning +2 if flanking | ||
| *Fighter BAB 1/1 level | ||||
| Monk BAB 3/4 levels | Unarmed Base attack bonus successive primary attacks at -3 instead of -5 | |||
| Paladin BAB 1/1 level | Bless +1 Bless weapon(W) +1 Deafening clang(W) +1 Divine Favour +1-5 Magic weapon(W) +1 Aid +1 Greater magic weapon(W) +1-5 Prayer +1 Holy sword(W) +5 | Aura of Glory +4 charisma Bull's strength +2-7 strength Eagle's splendour +2-7 Charisma | Smite Evil +charisma against Evil | |
| Ranger BAB 1/1 level | Blade thirst(W) +3 Aid +1 | Cat's grace +2-7 dexterity | Bane of enemies feat +2 against favoured enemies | |
| Rogue** BAB 3/4 levels | Opportunist feat +4 if attack of opportunity | |||
| Sorcerer Wizard BAB 1/2 levels | Magic weapon(W) +1 True strike +20 Greater magic weapon(W) +1-5 Tenser's transformation(in theory) Blackstaff(W) +4 on quarterstaff only | Bull's strength +2-7 strength Cat's grace +2-7 dexterity Eagle's splendour +2-7 charisma Owl's wisdom +2-7 wisdom | Summoning +2 if flanking | Bestow curse -2 dexterity, wisdom Slow -2 |
*While fighters have no intrinsic ability to increase ab, their bonus feats make them more able to attain feats and prestige classes that will increase ab. **While Rogues have little ability to increase their ab, their sneak attack ability allows them to focus on small, dexterous characters without sacrificing damage.
