Offence stat block explained


Rules Questions

Grand Lodge

Hello folks.

This is from the Grizzled Mercenary stat block in the GM guide:

Melee mwk heavy flail +9/+4 (1d10+3/19–20) or mwk halberd +9/+4 (1d10+3/×3) or longspear +8/+3 (1d8+3/×3) or morningstar +8/+3 (1d8+2) or cold iron kukri +8/+3 (1d4+2/18–20)

Can someone explain to me why the different attack roll bonuses? For example, "flail +9/+4". What does is signify?

Also, what is mwk?

Thanks!


Mwk is masterwork, a well-built item - and the explanation for the different attack bonuses. While masterwork items are not magical, they still grant a bonus. In the case of weapons, it's a +1 to attack rolls, resulting in +9/+4 instead of +8/+3.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

+9 is the first attack, +4 is the second attack. Multiple attacks in PF statblocks are separated by slashes.


MWK (Masterwork, add +1 to hit), +9 for first attack on a standard action. Hit with a (1d10+3) for damage (Type will be based on weapon, irrelevant for most PC's or player characters as they lack typed DR). The critical range is next (1d10+3/19-20) 19-20 is a critical threat, confirm to do x2 damage (roll twice add damage bonuses that aren't precision like sneak attacks). so if GM rolls a natural 19 or a natural 20, then confirms over PC's armor class (AC), roll (1d10+3, + 1d10+3) for damage.
Next we have +9/+4. /+4 is the second attack on a full round attack. This can only be used following a +9 attack as part of a full-round action where no other actions (except a 5ft step or a swift action) have been used. Then treat it as a second regular attack on any target in range with identical damages and critical threats.

The /x3 from the (1d10+3/x3) Halberd and long spear represent a critical range of a 20 on a d20, for x3 damage rolled. So a confirmed natural 20 on a roll will grant (1d10+3, + 1d10+3, + 1d10+3). If nothing is listed, it is simply a x2 critical on a d20 critical roll, this is common for most Natural weapons like claw/Bite/Wing/Hoof/Gore/Slam, etc.

An 18-20 critical is just a larger range to confirm a critical. So a natural 18 or 19 is a possible critical, if the confirmation fails the attack fails as normal, on a natural 20 it is a hit regardless of confirmation, confirmation only grants the bonus critical multiplier.
If an NPC has a sneak dice listed it will usually say Sneak attack (+1d6) or such, this is added as per sneak attack rules, it is usually under the weapon block under Special.

Grand Lodge

Thank you all so much for the clarifications.

The Full Attack thing threw me off. But then I noticed the Grizzled Mercenary has a BAB of 6 which is if I recall correctly the minimun requirement for full attack. So it all makes sense now.

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