How to deal with Thac0?

[Wizardawn]

Don't explain it. THAC0 is a pointless exercise in trying to make the game simpler by using math instead of tables. Stick to the tables and let it ride. The best character sheets have a full "to hit" progression on them for the standard ACs from 9 to 0 or lower. Just tell them that they have to roll to hit based on that table on their character sheet, and if ACs are below 0, then the AC number is applied as a penalty to the attack roll. Or something.

Personally, I don't explain it. I just point to the hit progression on the sheet and give them an AC to hit.

I have my own custom character sheet for OSRIC, but I do the "to hit" progression bar at the bottom of the 1st page. It does work the best in my opinion. I use THAC0 only for monster stats on the adventures I create...but that is for my use. I don't mind telling the players the armor class of the monster...and then they reference their "to hit" bar themselves. Just makes combat move along quicker.

- Djeryv

[bathwizard]

If the THAC0 is, say, 17, then one would roll d20 and add the opponents AC. If it's equal or higher, it's a hit.
Look at the combat chart in B/X (or LL) and you can see that to hit AC 5 the roll required is 12.

This is my approach as well. Addition seems easier than subtraction. Roll to hit and add target AC.

[Aplus]

All these solutions require the player to know the target's AC, which I personally don't like telling players. I have no problem if they figure it out, but I'm not just going to tell them.

The easiest way I've seen it done is to have the player tell you what AC they hit. This is easily calculated by subtracting the attack roll from THAC0. For example, a third level fighter has a THAC0 of 18 and a STR of 16 (+2). He rolls a 12 on the die and with his STR bonus its a 14. Subtract that from THAC0 (18-14) and he hits AC4.

THAC0 minus Your Roll - I think that's the easiest way to do it. They don't even need to understand it.

[greyarea]

Agreed, Aplus. That's how I've done it in the past. It tends to work out well.

[Dyson Logos]

All these solutions require the player to know the target's AC, which I personally don't like telling players. I have no problem if they figure it out, but I'm not just going to tell them.

The easiest way I've seen it done is to have the player tell you what AC they hit. This is easily calculated by subtracting the attack roll from THAC0. For example, a third level fighter has a THAC0 of 18 and a STR of 16 (+2). He rolls a 12 on the die and with his STR bonus its a 14. Subtract that from THAC0 (18-14) and he hits AC4.

THAC0 minus Your Roll - I think that's the easiest way to do it. They don't even need to understand it.

Again, THAC0 isn`t needed for this. Keep to the true old school and use the combat matrix on the character sheet instead of trying to explain THAC0. Roll and look up what AC you can hit.

[Lord Kilgore]

Again, THAC0 isn`t needed for this. Keep to the true old school and use the combat matrix on the character sheet instead of trying to explain THAC0. Roll and look up what AC you can hit.

Yes. If you don't want to tell players the opponent's armor class BUT you don't want to do the math yourself, just use the old-style table on the character sheet and tell you what AC they hit with their roll.

[jasmith]

All these solutions require the player to know the target's AC, which I personally don't like telling players. I have no problem if they figure it out, but I'm not just going to tell them.

The easiest way I've seen it done is to have the player tell you what AC they hit. This is easily calculated by subtracting the attack roll from THAC0. For example, a third level fighter has a THAC0 of 18 and a STR of 16 (+2). He rolls a 12 on the die and with his STR bonus its a 14. Subtract that from THAC0 (18-14) and he hits AC4.

THAC0 minus Your Roll - I think that's the easiest way to do it. They don't even need to understand it.

Again, THAC0 isn`t needed for this. Keep to the true old school and use the combat matrix on the character sheet instead of trying to explain THAC0. Roll and look up what AC you can hit.

Totally agree, here. I always just print out a copy of their PC's combat chart and let them keep it with their character sheet.

[kibosh]

Again, THAC0 isn`t needed for this. Keep to the true old school and use the combat matrix on the character sheet instead of trying to explain THAC0. Roll and look up what AC you can hit.

This is what I do as well.

None of the character sheets I use has more then one row for the combat matrix though. I would love one that had a couple rows so I could fill in a couple of weapon-specific matrices though (along with a column for weapon-specific damage).

[Pelendor]

I'm with you Dyson, every character sheet comes with a table; AC 9 to -6, along with the To Hit values. Old School is not my groups regular (3.5 & 4ed), so whenever we play I just spoon feed them a table specific to their character.

[YHWH]

I find it easiest to convert to ascending AC on the fly! Which is really the same thing, just a different way of thinking about it.

ex. AC 3 becomes AC 16, which is also the target number. The PCs don't get a bonus to-hit until level 3, so it'll be a while before you have to worry about that.