Question about the "to hit" rolls

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I turned the "to hit" rolls on this time. I never actually bothered to look at them before.

I am wondering what exactly part of it means though.

An example:

It will show something like "x+y=z : Hit"

I know the x is the d20 roll, but what is y?

I thought it might be random modifiers like a Bless spell, but even if I don't have any positive or negative modifiers such as that, then y will still be a non-zero.

 

The modifiers come from strength, dexterity (for missile weapons), magical bonuses from weapons and spells, and bonuses the weapons have to types of armor.

 

Strength, dexterity, and weapon enchantments are applied to the THAC0 on the stats screen. So if they are also added to the d20 roll, doesn't that mean they are applied twice?

I just fought the hobgoblins in the Friendly Arm Inn area. My character is a human archer with 18 dex and using a longbow. I have Imoen with a shortbow and she has 18 dex as well.

On the x+y thing, my y is +6 and Imoen's is +1.

I have two proficiency points in longbow which gives a +1 bonus to hit. 18 dex gives me another +2 bonus. The longbow has an innate +1 bonus. I believe the hobgoblins wear leather armor which gives them a -2 penalty against piercing weapons. Okay that makes sense because those would all add up to be a +6 bonus for me.

However, Imoen's +1 doesn't make sense. She has 18 dex for a +2 bonus. She only has one proficiency point and no innate bonus on the short bow, so no bonuses there. With the hobgoblin's leather armor -2 penalty, Imoen's total bonus should be +4 though, not +1 as it shows up. What is going on there?

Plus, as I mentioned first, if strength/dex and weapon enchantments are already applied to the THAC0 on the stat screen, then why are they applied again to the d20 roll....

 

Being pretty rusty on the subject I doubt I'll be much help, but with missile weapons in 2e rules, don't you add dex AND str bonuses for 'to hit' rolls? Perhaps that could explain it?

 

Could the hobgoblins are wearing studed leather and you're not counting your bonuses from being an archer? What level are you and do you have any magic items which could add to you 'to hit' amount?

The stat screen shows THAC0 -- a relative value which gives an indication of how often you hit with the weapon in hand. The d20 (x) roll adds the bonuses (y) which were applied to the stat screen and compares that total to the actual armor class of the target. One value is informational, the other is tactical.

Strength only determines whether or not you can use a specific missile weapon -- it does not factor in 'to hit' or damage.

 

What about slings? don't they get a strength bonus to hit?

 

Only two specific slings use strength bonuses, one is an error and the other states it uses strength bonuses in the description.

 

I am not an archer as in the ranger kit. I am a basic fighter class that specializes in bows. Sorry for not being more clear. I am level 1 (playing BGTutu) and right now I don't have any equipment besides a longbow and leather armor (both non-magical).

I have another question. The description of the Tuigan bow in SoA says that it gives 3 attacks per round. Does it set the number of attacks at 3 or will it stack with the fighter's additional attacks?

My plan is to dual at fighter level 13 to a mage (to become somewhat of an arcane archer). If the Tuigan bow stacks with the fighter's extra attacks, then I could get 5 attacks per round with it.

3 from the bow, 1 from fighter levels 7 and 13, and 1 from grandmastery (with the fix) = 5 attacks per round.

 

I'm reasonably certain the Tuigie sets APR to 3.

 

It stacks. You get another attack from Haste as well -- double the number of attacks with Improved Haste. Mazzy is simply awesome with the Tuigan Bow.

 

But keep in mind that the Tuigan bow is a short bow! You said you're sticking your points into large bows, and that won't help you with the Tuigan bow.

 

For a large bow, keep the Strong Arm in mind. Excellent damage.

 

What about The Seeker? Isn't that better than Strong Arm?

 

For all long bows the magical plusses only add 'to hit'. With a few exceptions:

Ripper is +2 to hit, +2 damage.
Heartseeker is +4 to hit, +2 damage.
Strong Arm is +3 to hit, +3 damage.

All composite long bows give +1 damage.

At low levels Heartseeker is a good choice. At higher levels Strong Arm is better. I tend to use Strong Arm (although it requires a 19 strength to use) because it's so easy to obtain very early in SoA. It's in the Adventurer's Mart.

 

Yeah. I started at level 1 with two points in both long and short bows. At level 3, I will put a third point in long bows to become a master with long bows. After that, at levels 6, 9, and 12, I will put all the rest of the points in short bows to become a grandmaster with short bows.

I plan on using a long bow for most, if not all, of BGTutu, then switching to short bows for SoA since I can get the Tuigan bow almost as soon as I escape from Irenicus' dungeon.

I won't be able to use the best long bows anyway because my strength is too low.

My stats are:
Str: 14
Dex: 18
Con: 8
Int: 18
Wis: 11
Cha: 17

With the strength increasing tome, I will have 15 strength which will put me at the minimum to dual to mage at level 13. A 15 strength isn't enough to use the good composite long bows though.

 

You'll easily be able to increase your strength in BG2. A belt of hill giant strength (19 str) is available very early in the game.

 

Even though it is WAYYY overpriced.