The encumbered condition imposes "a –5 penalty to Strength- and Dexterity-based checks (or you take your armor’s armor check penalty, whichever is worse)". I noticed that the wording is different from that of armor check penalty, which specifically states skill checks only.
Does that mean that the encumbered condition applies the penalty to ALL types of str and dex checks, including attack rolls, initiative, etc? Or, seeing that it immediately makes comparison to armor check penalty, the -5 only applies to skill checks? I'm inclined towards the second interpretation as that seems the RAI, but the first interpretation would be RAW?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
from page 8 of the SFCRB
Attack Roll
An attack roll is a d20 roll that represents your character’s attempt to strike another creature in combat.
Check
A check is a d20 roll that may or may not be modified by your character’s statistics or another value. The most common types are skill checks and ability checks (which determine whether you successfully perform a task), and initiative checks (which determine when you act in combat).
I believe this distinguishes an attack roll as different than a check. They are defined one after the other without saying one is the other. Attack rolls are more common than initiative rolls, or at least just as common and are not mentioned as among the most common. Also, nowhere have I seen an AC listed as the DC of an attack roll or attack check. Also, within the strength and dexterity descriptions they mention attack rolls and skill checks separately.
Whether or not there is an explicit listing, I haven't found out yet.