Shouldn't a tie go to the defender?

[The Outlaw Josie Whales]

If an attacker without any bonus's attacks a defender without a base armor class (10) isn't the mechanic designed so that the attacker has a equal chance of missing and hitting? If so then why does a tie go to the defender? On a D20, 10 rolls should be a miss (1-10) and 10 a hit (11-20) The same would apply to skill checks.

Am I misunderstanding the basic assumptions?

[Fatespinner]

No, because hitting is cooler than missing, so you're more likely to hit.

In all actuality, I don't really know the reasoning behind it, but a base AC of 10 is easy to remember. 11 isn't. It makes the math awkward since human brains are programmed to like round, even numbers better.

[Hunterofthedusk]

If you did that, you would have to apply it to everyone. The PCs would get hit less often, but they would probably also miss more often themselves. Combat would just take a little bit longer. Just like we don't confirm for critical hits at my table, so I've seen quite a few PCs cleaved in half by someone with a greataxe. But on that same note, it's very anticlimactic when you roll a 20 on the attack roll only to not exceed the targets AC on the confirm hit. It's very disheartening.

[Crowheart]

I have a DM who uses this rule.

In the end, it really doesn't change much, but it DOES favor the monsters over the players. Chances are, monsters in general will have higher attack ratings than players, so giving everyone that -5% to hit somewhat slightly hurts the players more than it does the monsters.

But only slightly. Typically unnoticable.

[Matthew Morris]

Well on saving thows, ties -do- go to the defender.

[Cato Novus]

Matthew Morris wrote:

Well on saving thows, ties -do- go to the defender.

There's a difference, saving throws are different each time, due to you rolling them. AC are normally static, changing only from outside effects(Mage Armor, Amulet of Natural Armor, etc.).

A number that is randomly generated(attacks, skill checks, and so forth, numbers that depend on chance and are effectively different each time) trumps a static number(a number that is regularly the same, excluding outside influence, such as buffs and debuffs). There may be some exception, but I can't think of any right off hand.

Its kinda like the sign outside of a circus ride. The sign states you have to be a certain height to ride. You don't have to exceed the height requirement, you simply have to meet it.

[Matthew Morris]

good way to explain it cato Novus. Thank you.

[Deathedge]

The tie should ALWAYS go to the Defender......

If you're playing Midnight.

Sorry, I had to. :P