Hit chance mechanic in rpgs doesn't make sense

[namelessone]

It's 2 am and I can't sleep. So this is a rant.

Almost every fantasy rpg, including most MMOs has this retarded mechanic: you character must have a certain skill to hit an opponent, before the opponent gets a chance to dodge or parry the attack. WTF? Have you ever been in a fight? Unless you are smashed drunk, what are the chances that you will aim your fist at the other guys face and ... miss it? I don't mean the other guy getting out of the way or stopping you, or hitting you back, no. Just miss.

Yet every damn MMO has this. WoW is especially guilty. My epic hero has to resort to magic enhancements just to be able to NOT MISS A HUGE DRAGON RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM?! Furthermore, without magic items, my chance to miss him would be higher then a chance of him dodging or parrying my strike. I can understand missing a target with a shot or an arrow, but with a sword - it's just /facepalm.

[Renard117]

Gotta agree with you. I think Elder Scrolls IV had it right though, instead of missing you just do less damage. That's how it should be.

[namelessone]

Gotta agree with you. I think Elder Scrolls IV had it right though, instead of missing you just do less damage. That's how it should be.

Warhammer table-top mini game has great rules for melee combat. Attacker checks his combat skill vs defenders skills - if he hits - checks the strength of the blow vs toughness of opponent. If the blow is strong enough to deal wound - checks if opponents armor or magic saved him. If not - opponent gets a wound and most likely dies.

It actually helps to visualize cool vicious and bloody battles - unlike most other rpg systems where combatants miss each other more often then they hit.

[Pendulous]

Think of it this way. Your misses may not be actual misses, but instead it hit the target's armor and just did no damage.

That's how it works in D&D. It makes more sense than basic miss chance.

[nyxtyr]

If guy fully plated with one narrow weak point between his shoulder and arm. You aim for it with your sword and swing your hardest you end up hitting him in the plated shoulder missing the very narrow weak point.

With the punching someone in the face. What're you aiming for? will you meet that exact spot or something somewhere else? Or are you aiming at all? just randomly whaling at the person with no worry where you hit them, how you it them or if you hit them at all?

In theory i believe the "hit" mechanic in most games is often your offensive skill/training. Example this video "you tube.com/watch?v=RbHHLXTaJLA" let me see you do that spinning rogue attack on someone or something and hit them in the exact same spot not even a little bit off from your previous spin attack. It's not going to happen your going to be off, may not jump as high may jump to high and simply miss your target. There are many things that can go wrong when attacking in any sort of way allow you to miss your target or even not hit it exactly where you intend.

[namelessone]

If guy fully plated with one narrow weak point between his shoulder and arm. You aim for it with your sword and swing your hardest you end up hitting him in the plated shoulder missing the very narrow weak point.

With the punching someone in the face. What're you aiming for? will you meet that exact spot or something somewhere else? Or are you aiming at all? just randomly whaling at the person with no worry where you hit them, how you it them or if you hit them at all?

In theory i believe the "hit" mechanic in most games is often your offensive skill/training. Example this video "you tube.com/watch?v=RbHHLXTaJLA" let me see you do that spinning rogue attack on someone or something and hit them in the exact same spot not even a little bit off from your previous spin attack. It's not going to happen your going to be off, may not jump as high may jump to high and simply miss your target. There are many things that can go wrong when attacking in any sort of way allow you to miss your target or even not hit it exactly where you intend.

Thing is, WoW for example already incorporates armor mechanic, and it works separately from hit/miss mechanic. As for special attacks, it actually makes sense for those to have a miss chance, since your character can fail at simply executing it properly. Ironically, in World of Warcraft, special attacks actually have a SMALLER chance to miss then simple auto whack at the enemy.

[ita]

Actually hit makes a lot of sense. Maybe not with your fists but with weapons. Just try it out yourself:P Take an axe and try hit a log. I bet you will miss it many times if you haven't practiced:P Of course you wouldn't miss it half the times or something but maybe 1 out of 10 or so. And it's a stationary target that doesn't fight back.

[Cyriaa]

If guy fully plated with one narrow weak point between his shoulder and arm. You aim for it with your sword and swing your hardest you end up hitting him in the plated shoulder missing the very narrow weak point.

With the punching someone in the face. What're you aiming for? will you meet that exact spot or something somewhere else? Or are you aiming at all? just randomly whaling at the person with no worry where you hit them, how you it them or if you hit them at all?

In theory i believe the "hit" mechanic in most games is often your offensive skill/training. Example this video "you tube.com/watch?v=RbHHLXTaJLA" let me see you do that spinning rogue attack on someone or something and hit them in the exact same spot not even a little bit off from your previous spin attack. It's not going to happen your going to be off, may not jump as high may jump to high and simply miss your target. There are many things that can go wrong when attacking in any sort of way allow you to miss your target or even not hit it exactly where you intend.

I'd have to say the best part about that video was watching him/her backpeddle.
No Vbars is really annoying, I don't see how ppl can play without them but I suppose it's just a personal preference.

on topic, missing a giant dragon with melee attacks does sound pretty dumb, but as others have pointed out hitting in a spot that is much tougher than others is very possible and would happen quite a lot if you don't train for accuracy. If you ever played Monster Hunter every dragon and creature has a few weak spots but with the way they move it's pretty difficult to hit it unless you're really good (as well as dodge them flailing around and demolishing you). Some even have weakspots that are almost impossible to hit.

Plesioth from the original was ridiculous if anybody remembers him. His legs were completely armored and attacking them would do more damage to your weapon than to him, but without traps and bombs those were the only things you could attack.
I never did manage to kill him QQ

[Flaks]

You know what doesn't make sense? RNG in PvP. Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to make a 'balanced' competitive game where randomness was a major factor.

[Led ++]

You know what really doesn't make any sense? A fantasy game.

[Underskilled]

The idea of "missing" is yes, an odd mechanic. However enemies blocking, dodging, and parrying attacks are completely plausible in most situations (sans 300ft dragons dodging attacks).

I suppose there is the off chance your hero just isn't trying with his next attack, and blatantly misses whatever he's going for, but that's not very climactic now is it?

[Sant]

You know what really doesn't make any sense? A fantasy game.

^^^ This, it a game, No more ridicules than a Spinning blue hedgehog

[Entaaro]

im surprised blizz hasnt taken away the hit mechanics - everything else has been dumbed down so so so much. if you assume that anyone who needs hit will obtain that amount.. then as soon as you reach the cap its a redundant stat.. reforging all my warlock's gear for hit is not fun.