How does 1 / 2 level work? Round up or Down?

[JoCa]

So I've always been a bit iffy on this. Let me give you an example.

Let's say we have a 3rd aasimar oracle of life who is using the favored class bonus given in Advance Race Guide to add half of the oracle's level for the purpose of determining one revelation. The revelation chosen is Channel. Would the Oracle be able to channel energy of 3d6 (as if he were level five) or 2d6, as a fourth level oracle would do? And then at fourth be able to channel as if he were sixth?

Please help!

Thanks!

[Level 1 Commoner]

Always rounded down. There's only exception but it eludes me right now.

[Eric the Alesmith]

Round down. Pathfinder (and D&D) are always round down by default.

[Bizbag]

Level 1 Commoner wrote:

Always rounded down. There's only exception but it eludes me right now.

The only major exception I can think of is no longer relevant in pathfinder, because there are no more half-ranks in skills.

[Level 1 Commoner]

Yeah, I meant HP calculation in PFS. But otherwise I know no cases of rounding up.

[Bizbag]

Level 1 Commoner wrote:

Yeah, I meant HP calculation in PFS. But otherwise I know no cases of rounding up.

Ah. While you are correct in a broad sense (they rounded up the average roll from x.5 to x+1), I didn't think of that because it's not a math instruction to the player; it's just a flat number on a list. They could give everyone max HP if they wanted. Good catch, though.

[Cheapy]

The exception is when rounding average party level. Then it can be rounded down OR up.

[Dalebert]

I made a first level magician (bard) using Hero Lab. They get half their level as a bonus to spellcraft and use magic device. Half of 1 is .5 which rounds down to 0 but I still got +1.

I wonder if this is an exception and it just has a minimum bonus of 1 and it would round down at future levels. I don't know. I like it though because this is the only level I'm taking as a bard.

[Bizbag]

Dalebert wrote:

I made a first level magician (bard) using Hero Lab. They get half their level as a bonus to spellcraft and use magic device. Half of 1 is .5 which rounds down to 0 but I still got +1.

I wonder if this is an exception and it just has a minimum bonus of 1 and it would round down at future levels. I don't know. I like it though because this is the only level I'm taking as a bard.

Many such abilities do indeed have minimums of 1: see cleric domain powers for examples. Note that this means the bonus doesn't actually increase to 2 until level 4.

[The Sweater Golem]

Sometimes exceptions may be phrased differently, so that they don't appear to be exceptions.

e.g. The number of missiles you get when you cast magic missile is half your level rounded up (max 5), but it is phrase as getting one 1 missile at first level and an additional missile every two levels after first.

The same could be said for sneak attack damage dice and channel energy dice. You get half your level in dice, rounded up. I'm not saying I would say that, but someone could say that if they wanted to be annoyingly pedantic.

[Nefreet]

I don't see the need to round.

If you're 3rd level, and you took the +1/2 bonus three times, that makes your effective level 4.5. If you're 5th level, your effective level is 7.5.

And so on.

If a feat, Prestige Class, or something required you to be 8th level, but you were only 7.5, you wouldn't qualify.

[Bizbag]

The Sweater Golem wrote:

Sometimes exceptions may be phrased differently, so that they don't appear to be exceptions.

e.g. The number of missiles you get when you cast magic missile is half your level rounded up (max 5), but it is phrase as getting one 1 missile at first level and an additional missile every two levels after first.

The same could be said for sneak attack damage dice and channel energy dice. You get half your level in dice, rounded up. I'm not saying I would say that, but someone could say that if they wanted to be annoyingly pedantic.

While those are mathematically equal to a rounded dividend, they are not phrased that way, so shouldn't be viewed that way - especially since some spell, classes or prestige classes may progress those abilities at a slower rate.

For example, Resist Energy's "equation" could be expressed mathematically, but it's not about rounding.

[PathlessBeth]

Cheapy wrote:

The exception is when rounding average party level. Then it can be rounded down OR up.

Also when calculating the CR of a mechanical trap.

[Vod Canockers]

Level 1 Commoner wrote:

Always rounded down. There's only exception but it eludes me right now.

First level. Many 1/2 per level things, include the phrase "minimum 1."

[blahpers]

Only when "minimum 1" is specified. If not, even 1st level means a zero effect.