question about spell dmg and hit points

nariusseldon

Ok, it is weird.

My cold ray says it does 1D10 damage but i have hit mobs for >30 or 40 pts. What gives?

Plus, my sorcerer has like 37 hit points at L2. That is not what i remember for D&D. Isn't a sorcecer has like D4 hit dice or a L2 would have 2 to 8 hit points?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Dubhlaith

It is 1d10 per caster level. That means each level of your caster class, so if you are level 5, three levels of rogue and two of sorcerer, you will still only cast the cold ray for 2d10.

Go here: http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Spell:Niac's_Cold_Ray

The compendium has lots of information that might help you.

As for your health, DDO gives you extra health as a feat at level one so that you will not be a level one sorcerer with four health and easily killed by anything.

Let me know if you have any other questions; I love D&D.

theAsna

As you already said, a wizard/sorceror gets per level 4 hitpoints (traditionally 1d4). Plus 1 hitpoint per level per constitution bonus. Additionally you have feats that grant extra hitpoints. Every character has a +20 flat hitpoint feat at start. On top of that there are some spells like false life, greater false life, aid, heroism, etc. that increase it even more temporarily (although some items emulate some effects).

Unlike the original action points you can "buy" enhancements with the ddo actions points. There are some enhancement that will increase the damage output of offensive spells, e.g. increase damage output of fire based spells. Some items will emulate that effect, though. Further there are enhancements (e.g. Maximize, Enhance) that will "increase" the output by bypassing the random element.

In general the damage output is a formula dependant on the caster's level. Look at the descriptions of the spells and the given formula.

 

 

nariusseldon

Yeah i did look at the formula.

Cold ray was doing like 30-40 pts damage at L1 (I just started) and obviously something strange is going on. That is why beyond 1D10 .. i will check the feat .. may be that is the reason.

Papadam

Originally posted by nariusseldon


Yeah i did look at the formula.
Cold ray was doing like 30-40 pts damage at L1 (I just started) and obviously something strange is going on. That is why beyond 1D10 .. i will check the feat .. may be that is the reason.

 

This is just speculation since Im not really sure how it works but... Maybe the new dungeons scaling is scaling up spell damage when soloing on normal/hard. How much damage do you do when running a dungeon on Solo difficulty (shouldnt be affected by scaling) ?

Bah now I have to roll a caster to check myself

mindspat

Originally posted by nariusseldon


Ok, it is weird.
My cold ray says it does 1D10 damage but i have hit mobs for >30 or 40 pts. What gives?
Plus, my sorcerer has like 37 hit points at L2. That is not what i remember for D&D. Isn't a sorcecer has like D4 hit dice or a L2 would have 2 to 8 hit points?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

PnP does not work for a literal translation to a real time game in the form of an MMO.  Gameplay is a pretty big issue and it has to be fun inorder to be interested in continuing to play it. 

If you had to roll 1d4 for hitpoints on your Wizard at level 1 then fell off a ladder you would probably never play the game again.  

DDO is not a literal tranlsation of PnP D&D.  Its hard not to realize that the pnp rules have had so many issues over the years that its required a NEW ruleset which is different the previous ones which were also different then the previous ones. 

Pacing also takes over.  I've seen a lot of Kobolds in DDO, a hell of a lot more then I've ever encountered in a PNP game of D&D.  The fact is PNP is a more intimate experiance where a DM can adjust the outcome on the fly to make things more fun.  So in the advent that your single level 2 Wizard (2d4 hp) fought 3 Kobolds with short swords (1d6 dmg) there exists a very good chance that the second hit would kill the character. The live DM would inturn be able to adjust the outcome to facilitate a story without causing unwanted interuption, such as preventing the death of the single wiz inorder to have a fun day playing D&D.  DDO compensates for this in many different ways, but its not a meal ticket as further game play would show.

I used to be big into AD&D in my early teens.  It was all I knew about D&D even though I have tried several other games that were based upon it in some way or another but using different rule sets.  As I am no longer a fan of pnp games, or D&D in general, I play DDO for the high level of strategy and character dynmics that focuses on real time tactile interaction and social skills.  yes, I enjoy playing DDO even though I've not picked up a rule book that's been printed in the last 20 years. 

 

 

Goorlot

everything's scaled up