How to get the right CMB / CMD.

[Shabranigdo]

So im now trying to completely understand CMB and CMD the tricky part to me is:

Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects.These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver

So ok:

1) I understand that things like a weapon +1 enter in the CMB if you are using the weapon in the maneuver, but does the MW +1 also counts?

2) Just confirming but flanking and such bonus enter in it or only if you have a feat that changes the bonus?

3) What bonus doesnt count when making this check , anyone got examples?

Lets say i have a fighter lv1 , Str 18 and got Combat Expertise and Improved Trip.

4) Lets say a wizard cast enlarge person or i use a potion , my CMB would be:

1(BBA)+5(Str)+2(improved trip)-1(enlarge person atk penalty)+1(enlarge person size bonus) = 8.

Is that right?

5) Just confirming this also , but you dont actually need a weapon with the property to get the bonus on the maneuver right? Even without a weapon with trip i can still get the same bonus on the CMB , but the weapon with trip offer the advantedge that you drop it instead of falling prone?

[Chess Pwn]

1) yes
2) flanking counts always
3) well if you use your foot, anything that boost your weapon doesn't work. I think the hardest one to boost is your grapple, there are only a few ways to boost that one.
4) Hmm... I don't know if you take the -1 atk penalty. I never thought you did but haven't really looked at it.
5) you're correct. There was a time where this wasn't the case, but it is now.

[Nicos]

Chess Pwn wrote:

4) Hmm... I don't know if you take the -1 atk penalty. ..

No, you do not. It is not actually stated but the calculation for all the mosnter in the bestiary make this assumption.

[Bob Bob Bob]

Just to confirm some of what's already been said.

1. Yes, provided you're using the weapon.
2. Flanking almost always counts. Provided you're not using a combat maneuver through a ranged weapon, flanking always counts. It gives a +2 flanking bonus on melee attacks, all combat maneuvers (by default) are melee attacks.
3. Weapon bonuses don't count if you're not using a weapon and the only ones that allow a weapon normally are disarm, sunder, and trip (and it must be a melee weapon). Anything that gives a bonus on ranged attacks doesn't count (unless you have a way to do a combat maneuver through a ranged weapon), otherwise everything that gives a bonus on "attacks" or "melee attacks" usually adds to CMB rolls.
4. You don't double-count the size. It's a -1 penalty on attacks and a +1 bonus on CMB. This part is somewhat poorly written.
5. Yes and no. Yes you don't need a weapon with the property to use it for the three that normally allow it (trip, disarm, sunder). Usually the property gives some bonus. The no is because you can make reposition and drag combat maneuvers with a weapon, but only a weapon with the trip property. So you need the trip property to use a weapon for drag and reposition.

[zapbib]

While trip disarm and sunder can be done with weapon almost always, disty trick can be done with it sometime, depending of dm's fiat.

[Shabranigdo]

Ic , thank you for the help guys.

If you can do it with your weapon , its bonus enter , if you cant , then any bonus the weapon got stays out , but other bonus like flanking still counts.

And you only count the size once , so it gives +1 CMB and the BBA only counts for atks not maneuvers.

[wraithstrike]

BAB counts for normal attacks and maneuvers.

[Bob Bob Bob]

Base Attack Bonus (what I think you mean by BBA) is counted for maneuvers.

Combat Maneuver Bonus wrote:

CMB = Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + special size modifier

It's part of the normal combat maneuver bonus.

[Shabranigdo]

Sorry i actually mean the say the atk penalty , not BAB.

More like:

And you only count the size once , so it gives +1 CMB and the -1 penalty only counts for atks not maneuvers.

Thanks again for answering.

[thorin001]

1) Yes, all bonuses that apply to the weapon apply to your CMB when using that weapon in a maneuver.
2) Yes, you do not even have to use a weapon to get this bonus. Flanking is a bonus to your attack roll, and a CMB check is an attack roll.
3) You cannot use a weapon to grapple (mostly), so the +1 on that weapon would not add to your CMB for grapple checks. Same with overrun, and most instances of bill rush.
4) 1 (BAB) + 5 (Str) +1 (size) =+7 with an additional +2 for trip attempts.
Enlarge Person ends up giving +2 CMB and +1 CMD
5) Correct, any weapon can be used to trip.

Things like Bardic Performance, Bless, Haste, Prayer, and many other buffs all add to your CMB check as well.

[Nicos]

Shabranigdo wrote:

More like:

And you only count the size once , so it gives +1 CMB and the -1 penalty only counts for atks not maneuvers.

Yup, that is the way it works.