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I found myself thinking about how the customer-shopkeep interaction would unfold realistically. Terms like +1 longsword or +2 chain shirt make sense when you think about it in terms of a rules set, but if you're writing a script or novel, I'm having a little trouble not envisioning the whole thing acted out by the good folks at Viva la Dirt League.

An armor clad figure walks into a shop, and sees two swords on display. The first costs 2,315 gp, and the second costs 8,315 gp. When asked about the first sword, the shopkeep explains that the sword will magically guide itself to the vulnerable spots of a quarry's armor and multiplies the force on impact. When asked about the second sword, the shopkeep nervously says that, well, it does the same thing but, more! Like, twice as much more. There are even swords that exist that does it three times more!

I cannot think of a way to role play buying a +1 piece of equipment that doesn't play out a comedy. It's even worse when I try to in-character explain the difference between a +1 and +2 piece of equipment.

In your group that is R-O-L-E play more than R-O-L-L play, how do you handle discussing basic magical equipment? Maybe it's best not to allow +2 equipment and after the initial +2 only allow the other magical bonuses (flaming, vorpal, etc..)?

Thanks!

There are a lot of threads about ways to add a PC's dexterity modifier to damage. Mostly revolving around unchained rogues, agile weapon enhancement, gunslingers and mythic weapon finesse. I feel I have a handle on the how, but now that I'm running a home game I want to understand the why.

Why shouldn't I allow a) weapon finesse to add a PC's dexterity modifier to melee damage and b) ranged attacks get the dexterity modifier to damage.

My theory revolves primarily around the fighter class both in the sense that I want a ranged fighter to be as effective as a melee fighter, as well as making sure that the fighter class doesn't become obsolete by allowing rogues or rangers to out-perform in and out of combat.

A basic fighter adds his strength modifier to attack and damage modifiers. Logically it follows that if a fighter uses a bow, should he add his dexterity modifier to attack and damage rolls it is fair and balanced when focused solely on the fighter. But when you look at the party as a whole, the melee fighter is free to take helpful feats like power attack, cleave, weapon focus, and the like to maximize his usefulness while a ranged fighter is nearly required to take point blank shot and precise shot just to be basically effective. Two feats is a steep price to pay to be a viable character, let alone the penalty of adding damage only with strength via compound bows or thrown weapons, and not threatening thus no AOOs for ranged attackers without *another* feat and even then only within 5 feet. As well, 1000+ gp to create a weapon that adds dexterity modifier to damage is a high cost when the strength fighter gets it automatically and can get a flat +1 to attack and damage for that same price.

Even when observed through the lens of Pathfinder Society, and extra 2-4 damage at low levels is mediocre at best IMHO. For home games at level 8-14 the extra 4-6 damage is low compared to the sneak attack dice of rogues or anything a wizard can do frankly.

So what am I missing? Why is not adding your dexterity to finessed weapons and ranged attacks fair and balanced? Or alternatively, why is adding your dexterity damage to finessed and ranged weapons OP?

Thanks!

I was thinking about building an Undead Lord and thought it was cool to have a mount as my undead companion so I started crunching the numbers. Horse, plus the advanced temple, plus the zombie template, realize staggered is terrible so make it a fast zombie, and done.

Take a step back and see you've made a glass cannon with 18 hp and 5 natural attacks it gets from a full-round: 2 hooves, a bite, a zombie slam, and a fast zombie extra slam, for an average damage in the 40's with +9's to hit and +6's to damage (except the secondary hoof attacks). I'm a bit confused whether the natural armors stack (+2 from advanced, +3 from zombie), but the CR table in zombie says 4 HD is a CR 1 creature... Like heck.

What am I missing? In my gut I feel this is NOT a CR 1 creature; it will down any level 1 character in one decent hit. This has the potential for a total party wipe. Did I build this wrong? Do the natural armor bonuses stack, or do you take the +3? (I can't find the "apply multiple template" rules that I remember.)

Thanks!

You can earn half your profession check in gold pieces per week of dedicated work. So a level 1 commoner with 4 points in profession (farmer) and skill focus (profession(farmer)), taking 10, makes 8gp a week. But when trying to make an authentic economy, what exactly does that mean? It could mean 800 pounds of wheat, or 400 pounds of flour...

How much land can one farmer work in a week? How much of what exactly does the farmer produce? How many farmers does it take to support a city of what size using what square footage of farm land? I'm trying to create a medieval-fantasy post-apocalyptic world and getting supply/demand just right is pivotal in the setting.

I know I've read the rules in WotC D&D 3.5 somewhere, but I can't seem to find it again. I've seen other posts that mention A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe, or the Stronghold Builders Guide, I've even checked the PHB, DMG, and DMG 2 and just can't find it again. I know it's been officially written down somewhere.