Attacks in combat are not a sure thing. People
are moving around, trying really hard not to be hit. Armor deflects
blows that otherwise would have done damage. Weapon attacks will often
refer to a "chance to hit." The number is the percentage chance,
after modifiers, of actually hitting the target. The higher this number,
the more likely you will be able to hit. Some examples: 10% chance to
hit - You should only be able to hit the target one out of every ten
times. 50% chance to hit - You should hit half the time and miss the
other half. 95% chance to hit - You should hit 19 out of 20 times, so
you will rarely miss. This, by the way, is the maximum chance to hit.
Even with super high skills, and all the modifiers, you have a maximum
chance of 95% to hit. Your chance to hit is based on the appropriate
weapon skill and it is modified by the range, light level, armor, cover
your target has, and if the attack is targeted, the specific location
you are trying to hit. For ranged weapons, the distance between your
character and your target is critical.
The closer
your character is to the target, the better the chance to hit. Your
Perception is the base factor for how far away a target can be before
it gets harder to hit it. If the target is really close, you will even
have a positive modifier to your to hit chance. If your target is in
the dark, it will be harder to see them accurately. Targets that are
hard to see are hard to hit. The light level of the target will modify
your chance to hit. The darker it is, the harder it will be to hit them.
Armor provides protection by actually deflecting the attack. Attacks
that are deflected, or bounce in the case of really heavy armor, do
no damage. The negative modifier to a to hit roll is the Armor Class
of the armor. Any obstacle between you and your target is considered
cover. People, barrels, trees are all cover. You cannot shoot through
walls, but it might be possible to shoot through a window. The different
locations on the target may be selected. Each location may have a different
modifier to the to hit chance, but offers the opportunity to increase
the amount of damage done. The modifiers differ from Daylight to Night
or in dark areas. The following Chart will give you an idea of the modifiers
to be taken in consideration: (Done by Gavin).
Download
Probability chart.