Reading the Basic Rules and found that they say roll your dice, then apply modifiers. I am baffled as to why wouldn't someone first apply modifiers to the target number, then roll the dice. Seems backwards but have read countless rules sets who say: Roll dice, apply modifiers
Because the DM doesn't always reveal the target number, and instead tells the players if they succeed or fail. For example, you try to hit a bandit with your sword. You roll a 12 with a +5 to hit for a total of 17. The DM tells you that hits so you know the bandits AC is 17 or less.
Deducting the modifier (which would require inverting the bonuses from +X to -X) would require the DM to reveal the AC, then subtract your modifier, then you roll.
This would also slow things down as it would require more back and forth between the player and the DM to resolve a roll. Rather than the player rolling, adding a modifier and then telling the DM a number, the player would have to tell the DM a number, then the DM would have to subtract it and tell the player a new number, then the player would have to roll.
Ultimately roll, add modifier, compare to target is a more efficient way of doing things.
As a DM, I don't (generally) want to know "what did you roll on the die?" I want to know, "What was the total amount with all modifiers included?" This isn't just for hit but damage also. I'm doing enough figuring out the results of each roll that I don't need to also be figuring out what *your* modifiers as a player are and how they factor in. Players can surely do the DM the courtesy of adding up all their own stuff.
The only exception to "I don't need to know what was rolled on the dice" would be something like a nat 1 or nat 20 for attack rolls, since those are crit fail and crit success... and something like Chaos Bolt, which has you picking the damage type based on the numbers that came up on the d8 faces. Other than that, as a DM... don't tell me what you rolled, tell me what the total is.
In short, don't make it the DM's job to deal with your character's modifiers. Deal with those yourself, and just give the DM the one number needed to resolve the action -- the total.
Reading the Basic Rules and found that they say roll your dice, then apply modifiers. I am baffled as to why wouldn't someone first apply modifiers to the target number, then roll the dice. Seems backwards but have read countless rules sets who say: Roll dice, apply modifiers
Your thoughts?
Because the DM doesn't always reveal the target number, and instead tells the players if they succeed or fail. For example, you try to hit a bandit with your sword. You roll a 12 with a +5 to hit for a total of 17. The DM tells you that hits so you know the bandits AC is 17 or less.
Deducting the modifier (which would require inverting the bonuses from +X to -X) would require the DM to reveal the AC, then subtract your modifier, then you roll.
This would also slow things down as it would require more back and forth between the player and the DM to resolve a roll. Rather than the player rolling, adding a modifier and then telling the DM a number, the player would have to tell the DM a number, then the DM would have to subtract it and tell the player a new number, then the player would have to roll.
Ultimately roll, add modifier, compare to target is a more efficient way of doing things.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
As a DM, I don't (generally) want to know "what did you roll on the die?" I want to know, "What was the total amount with all modifiers included?" This isn't just for hit but damage also. I'm doing enough figuring out the results of each roll that I don't need to also be figuring out what *your* modifiers as a player are and how they factor in. Players can surely do the DM the courtesy of adding up all their own stuff.
The only exception to "I don't need to know what was rolled on the dice" would be something like a nat 1 or nat 20 for attack rolls, since those are crit fail and crit success... and something like Chaos Bolt, which has you picking the damage type based on the numbers that came up on the d8 faces. Other than that, as a DM... don't tell me what you rolled, tell me what the total is.
In short, don't make it the DM's job to deal with your character's modifiers. Deal with those yourself, and just give the DM the one number needed to resolve the action -- the total.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.