D&D 4e - combat encounters

Attack Types and Defense

Attack Type		Attack Ability	Defense Ability
Spells		Intelligence	Reflex
Melee		Strength	Armour Class

Attacking

Summary

Attacks, like most check involve a d20 roll. Your modifiers are added to your dice roll, and if you score higher than your target's defense-type for your attack, you score a hit.

# Ex:  A sword-strike is a strength attack.
#      Strength attacks are defended by your armour class.

- If you roll a 12,
  and the sum of all of your attack bonuses is 3,
  your attack score is 15

- Since we are attacking an enemy's armour class,
  they add their defense with their abilities.

- If that number is less than 15, you score a hit.
  If it is more than 15, you do not score a hit.

Modifiers

• +1/2 of your level to attack rolls
• ( primary-ability // 2 ) -5
• Weapon's modifier (+1 bow gets +1 to all attack rolls)
• + Weapon Proficiency

Defense

Abilities Score

Different attack types correspond to different types of defenses. Your defense is determined by the highest of two possible abilities.

Defense Type		Score-by-highest ability-modifier
Armour Defense		Armour Totals?? (if light-armour, add Dexterity or Intelligence)
Fortitude Defense		Strength or Constitution
Reflex Defense		Dexterity or Intelligence
Will Defense		Wisdom or Charisma

Total Ability Score		Resulting Ability Modifier
1		-5
2-3		-4
4-5		-3
5-6		-2

The formula for this is:

( Ability_Score // 2 ) -5  == Ability_Modifier

Example:

str 10       # If using Reflex Defense against the attack,
con  5       # we choose the highest of DEX or INT (in this case, INT)
dex  3       #
int  9       #    now we take the formula:
wis 12       #    ( Ability_Score // 2 ) -5  == Ability_Modifier
chr  2       #    (  9            // 2 ) -5   = (4-5)
             #                                = -1
             #  -1 is our Defense modifier

Second Wind

Once per encounter you can use second-wind as a primary action which heals your character.

Death/Second Wind

When your hit points have depleted (I think?), you continue playing and perform a saving throws each round (start?finish?). After 3 failed saving throws, you're dead.