On an attack roll (rolling to hit the elemental with a sword in this case) it should be 1d20 + base attack bonus + strength modifier + any other pertinent modifiers (halflings get +1 to hit because they are small for example) add it together and try to equal or exceed the AC of the target (a ranged attack would be the same replacing the strength modifier with the dexterity modifier).
for damage roll the damage die of the weapon plus the the characters strength modifier, plus any other pertinent modifiers (there doesn't seem to be any in the example cited). Note that thrown weapons allow the user to add his or her strength bonus to damage, but most projectile weapons (bows, crossbows etc) do not.
in the example cited, assuming that the halfling was using a longsword sized correctly for him, if he hit the elemental he would roll 1d6 + strength modifier for damage.
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My halfling PC wanted to slide between the legs of the PC infront of him, run up the back of the PC infront of the other PC and attack an earth elemental.
You can move through a space occupied by an ally, as long as you end up in a legal square.
If, during that movement, you want to avoid provoking an attack of opportunity for leaving a threatened square, you would need to make an acrobatics check (and use double movement for those squares).
Then I had him roll for AC.
If you mean the halfling made an attack roll, then yes. You roll to attack, with the goal of meeting or exceeding the AC value of your target.
I have characters roll 1d20+STR for their AC when using a melee weapon, and 1d20+DEX when using a ranged weapon.
Your attack bonus with a melee weapon is the following:
Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier
With a ranged weapon, your attack bonus is the following:
Base attack bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier + range penalty
So the halfling hits and I have him roll for damage, where I have him roll 1d6+str for his sword or whatever.
Sounds right. Damage
Lets say the Halfling is a level 2 fighter with 16 strength, 14 dexterity, and no relevant combat feats. (He loves skill focus or something) He's got one regular non-magical longsword, sized for a small creature.
He wants to attack our example Gnoll, who has AC 15.
He moves up to the gnoll, and attacks. He makes an attack roll.
Attack Bonus: BAB (+2) + Strength modifier (+3) + size modifier (+1)
So he rolls a d20, and adds 6 to the result.
Lets say he rolls a 10 on the die, his attack roll is 16, and he has successfully hit the gnoll.
Now he rolls damage. A small longsword deals 1d6, and he gets his strength modifier (+3) on damage, so if he rolls a 4 on the die, he deals 7 points of slashing damage to the gnoll.
Lets say it kills the gnoll. Next round he wants to shoot another gnoll up on a cliff or something. He draws his small Longbow, then fires. He makes a ranged attack roll.
Ranged Attack Bonus: BAB (+2) + Dexterity modifier (+2) + size modifier (+1)
So he rolls a d20, and adds 5 to the result.
Lets say he rolls a 9 on the die, his attack roll is 14, which means his attack missed.
So when do I add the Base Attack Bonus Ranged or Base Attack bonus Melee or are those both encompassed in the regular BAB score?
You only have one total base attack bonus value.
It's the number listed in the chart at the top of whatever class you are.
A level 7 Bard has a base attack bonus of +5.
(If you multiclass, you add the BAB values together for whatever levels you have in each class, that's more advanced, though)
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advice? stop reading R.A. Salvatore books.
Example: My halfling PC wanted to slide between the legs of the PC infront of him, run up the back of the PC infront of the other PC and attack an earth elemental.
One of the best parts of playing with new people is they still have that cinematic roleplay excitement, instead of just thinking in terms of squares and numbers.
(If that was actually a reference from a book, I missed it)
I have to agree with Grick. It can be amazingly refreshing when you have new players come in and want to do crazy stuff like that. I generally let them, or tell them what rolls would be needed and let them decide if they still want to. Makes everyone a little more excited compared to I 5 foot step and attack.
I love my players. They often try crazy stuff like this. I generally just quickly make up an Acrobatics check DC and run with it.
Our group had been playing Exalted for years before switching to Pathfinder for a change of pace; crazy stunts are pretty much written into that game and have become habit, so bizarre stunts happen almost by default in our Pathfinder games too. I've been cooking up some house rules to reward players with a small bonus when they try something imaginative.
I hope we don't end up thinking just in squares and numbers. It sounds a bit boring.