monster attack bonus

[SpyderTattoo]

Please help, I'm unclear of the exact rule for what monsters use for their attack bonus. If there are no parentheses and the monster has 8+2 Hit Dice, am I just supposed to use +8 for the attack bonus on the d20 roll? or do I roll 8d8 and compare that result to the AC of a player? The rule as written is unclear to me. I am brand new to this system, though I play Star Wars SAGA. I like this system, as it is much easier, especially for my younger boys who will be playing with me. Thanks for the help.

[Solomoriah]

The monster attack bonuses are given on the Attack Bonus table, and in general, the Hit Dice equal the Attack Bonus for lower-level monsters (as shown on the table).

The 8d8's rolled for an 8 HD monster are for its Hit Points; don't confuse Hit Points (which are ultimately defensive) with attack bonus (which is offensive) even though they are connected in this fashion.

I'm not sure how to help you further. Perhaps an example of combat?

[SpyderTattoo]

Ah, I see it on the table now on page 47 of the Core rules. Thank you, I missed it. Wouldn't it be easier for the GM if that AB was just stated on the stat block of each monster/animal? Maybe once I print out my copy of the rule book, I'll just go through and put it in the stat blocks myself. Thanks again for your help. I'm sure I'll be asking more questions in the futre.

[SpyderTattoo]

I have another question, in some of the monster stat blocks it shows that the monster gets multiple attacks. As far as PC's go, when is it ok for a PC to get more than 1 attack? Is there a level at which point a character gets multiple attacks? Or is there some other factor, such as a bonus skill or something (I'm thinking along the lines of D20 Feats and Talents) that allows multiple attacks?

[Solomoriah]

Ah, I see it on the table now on page 47 of the Core rules. Thank you, I missed it. Wouldn't it be easier for the GM if that AB was just stated on the stat block of each monster/animal? Maybe once I print out my copy of the rule book, I'll just go through and put it in the stat blocks myself.

As noted at the beginning of the monster section, if the AB is different than the HD, it's given in parentheses. So, if only HD is given, it's the same as the AB; if both are given, well, there you go. No need to change any statblocks.

I have another question, in some of the monster stat blocks it shows that the monster gets multiple attacks. As far as PC's go, when is it ok for a PC to get more than 1 attack? Is there a level at which point a character gets multiple attacks? Or is there some other factor, such as a bonus skill or something (I'm thinking along the lines of D20 Feats and Talents) that allows multiple attacks?

In the core rules, there is no mechanism allowing multiple attacks for player characters. The specialization and two-weapon optional rules from the Almanack allow multiple attacks for some characters, but of course they are optional rules.

[SpyderTattoo]

OK, another question... Is it true that a 1st level magic user can only cast one 1st level spell in a 24 hr. period unless multiple days go by when he doesn't cast any spells, and these spells build up? This seems very weak, but I suppose this same character could be using a wand or scrolls to cast spells while he's at lower levels.
And what does the " * " next to some of the spell names mean?

[Solomoriah]

Spells don't "build up" from day to day... a 1st level magic-user gets to cast just one spell per day, regardless. Low-level magic-users can use wands and scrolls, and I do recommend that GM's consider providing such (but not just handing them out... put 'em in a treasure the party has to work to retrieve).

Some people use optional rules giving bonus spells to magic-users having high Intelligence.

Regarding the "*", as noted elsewhere, it denotes a spell which can be reversed (light becomes darkness, for instance).

[SpyderTattoo]

OK, like with the healing spells, they can be reversed to harm. Is this ability to reverse the spell just automatic? Example: A magic user with one use of Heal Light Wounds can instead use this spell to Harm with the same dice worth of damage instead of healing?

ETA: Also, as I read it on page 15 chapter 3 Spells, it says in the first paragraph,

"Spells prepared but not used persist from day to day; only those actually
cast must be replaced. A spellcaster may always choose to
dismiss a prepared spell (without casting it) in order to
prepare a different spell of that level."

So is the character not able to prepare another spell for the next day if a spell wasn't used the previous day? Or is it that he just doesn't prepare a spell for that day because it is already prepared. ( I'm thinking of a 1st level character for sake of argument.)
And thank you again for your help. You are most patient.

[Solomoriah]

Spells must be prepared in one form or the other; a magic-user who has taken Light cannot then cast it as Darkness. Though a 2nd or higher level magic-user could prepare one of each, of course.

And Heal/Harm are clerical spells, not magic-user spells, and so not available to magic-user characters.