Quote:
A quick glance at the progression of numbers on the COMBAT TABLES will reveal that 20 is repeated. This reflects the fact that a 20 indicates a "perfect" hit. lt also incidentally helps to assure that opponents with high armor class value are not "hit proof" in most cases. Should any DM find that this system of fends his or her sensibilities, the following modification is suggested: Consider the repeated 20 as a perfectly-aimed attack which does not gain any benefit from strength or magical properties of any sort - spell, missile, or weapon. That is, the 20 must be attained by a roll of natural 20. All bonuses accrue only up to and including a total of 20, so that even if a character attacked with a bonus for strength of +3 and a +3 magic sword he or she would have to roll a natural 20 in order to score a hit on any creature normally hit by the second or successive repetitions of 20, i.e. the bonus (+3 in the example) could not exceed a total score of 20 unless an actual 20 is rolled. Thus, the COMBAT TABLES could be amended to read like this:
21 (natural 20 plus at least + 1 bonus)
20 (natural)
20 (natural)
20 (naturai)
20 (natural)
20 (natural)
20 (die result + bonuses to total)
19 (die result + bonuses to total)
In my screenshot, you can see that Brenton (level 1 thief) hits AC -4 with the 18 (+2 =20) whereas according to the rules he only hits AC 1.