Then you roll the damage dice (1d8+1 or whatever). You compare this total to the target's AC and if it's greater than equal, you have a hit. To use this, when you make an attack (melee or spell), you roll 1d20 and then add the modifier to the result. Represents what we call the 'To hit modifier'. The number under the 'To hit' column on the character sheet, (and followed by the phrase 'to hit' in monster blocks). Putting this all together, you can interpret the notation on the character sheet too: '+4, 2d6 + 2 slashing' means that the attack roll gets +4 to hit, and (if it hits) does 2d6+2 slashing damage. The '+X to hit' is what you add to the d20 roll to hit a target AC. Since taking the average for damage isn't an option for players, no average is listed beside die expression for damage on character sheets and they always roll for it. The average is the same, so it's up to you. You can either just deal 13 damage, or you can roll for it (but not both). So 'Hit 13 (2d8 + 4)' tells you what happens after you've already made a to-hit roll and it landed: an average of 13 damage, which is the average of 2d8 + 4 damage.

As DM, you have the option of taking average damage or rolling the damage for this reason, both the average damage and the die expression are presented. Any damage or other effects that occur as a result of an attack hitting a target are described here. I want to bring your attention in particular to the text in the heading Actions (p. This section explains how to read the monster's stats.

Flip back to pages 54 and 55 of the Starter Set's adventure booklet, at the beginning of Appendix B: Monsters.

D&d monster sheet