THAC0 etc.

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I have played BG for quite some time, but burt I dont know how the THAC0 works, the way i understand it then the lower your THAC0 is the higher the chance there is to hit, but when you get a new weapon then it allways say +4 THAC0, that gives -4 in your THAC0 right??
I never played roleplaying games where it were descriped, I have played BG I and BG II ToB and nowhere in the guide it is explained.
its only mentioned shortly

 

Yes, you are right. A weapon that says it gives you +4 THACO in its description will in effect lower your THACO by 4. Just as the ring of Protection +1 gives you +1AC according to description, but in effect lowers it.

Anywhere in the game where it says that something gives you +## to an attribute, it will give you the bonus, not a hindrance.

 

Yeah that is something which i'm completely confused about as well. THACO? What does it mean? or even more helpful how does it work?
(Edit: oh thanks, i was half way through writing the above when u wrote that. Its a great help. One less thing i don't understand )

 

Correct. If a weapon improves your THAC0 (To Hit Armor Class 0), then it will improve your chances to hit.

Let's say you have a THAC0 of 3. This means that in order to hit an enemy with an AC of 0, you need to roll a 3 or higher to successfully hit and damage them. Let's now say that you acquired a sword that improves your THAC0 by 4 (+4). Now you have a THAC0 of -1 (3 for normal THAC0 minus 4 for the weapon improvement equals -1).

Of course it's impossible to roll a negative number so once your THAC0 gets to a certain point, you will most assuredly always hit something... unless you roll a 1. If that happens, you have rolled "fumble crit". In the PnP days, this could end up being anything but for BG2, I think your penalty is loss of attack for the next round. When I used to play PnP, there were a whole host of things that could occur -- drop your weapon, trip over your feet, your character sneezed or even struck one of your own party members instead of your intended enemy. A bit , and I apologize.

Hope it helps out.

<edit> see what happens when I start to wax poetic

 

The post above contains all the info you need, for the lack of delete this post of mine still lies here for nothing.

Edit: Or not. This is an excellent opportunity to memorize the past times in PnP when every 20:th time you went to the bathroom could prove your death as you made a critical failure sitting down on the WC, slipped and broke your neck. Ahh.. the good old days.

[ May 02, 2003, 14:16: Message edited by: Foradasthar ]