Critical Hits [Archive] - Wizards Community

Critical Hits [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
QuantumSteve
09-21-07, 03:00 AM A friend recently showed me the exact wording on critical hits in the PH:

A critical hit means you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together.
Exception: Extra damage over and above a weapon's normal damage, such as that dealt by a sneak attack or the special ability of a flaming sword, is not multiplied when you score a critical hit.

The exception suggests that no modifiers are multiplied, (much like 2nd Ed), but the sentence before mentionsusual bonuses.
Just which bonuses are usual? Is strength multiplied? What about other stat bonuses if you get to add them for some reason? Power Attack? Weapon Specialization?

I used to consider a crit like an extra attack. You got to deal all your damage twice. (Or three or four times). This would make a huge difference in how characters in our games deal damage.
Colmarr
09-21-07, 03:13 AM The general wisdom (although I don't think there has ever been a RAW ruling on it) is that any bonus damage expressed in terms of added dice (eg. sneak attack, or the fire damage from a flaming sword) is not multiplied by a critical hit.

Flat bonuses (such as the +1 from a magic sword, or the added damage from Power Attack) are multiplied.
QuantumSteve
09-21-07, 03:55 AM Good enough for me, thanks!:D
Some_call_me_Tim
09-21-07, 11:51 AM The general wisdom (although I don't think there has ever been a RAW ruling on it) is that any bonus damage expressed in terms of added dice (eg. sneak attack, or the fire damage from a flaming sword) is not multiplied by a critical hit.Well, there isn't a general "extra dice aren't multiplied" rule, but in the two case you cite both explicitly say in their descriptions that the dice don't multiply.
Frugal
09-21-07, 02:24 PM Actually, it is plainly stated in the SRD, not sure if it is in the core rulebooks:

Multiplying Damage

Sometimes you multiply damage by some factor, such as on a critical hit. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results. Note: When you multiply damage more than once, each multiplier works off the original, unmultiplied damage.

Exception: Extra damage dice over and above a weapon’s normal damage are never multiplied.
Some_call_me_Tim
09-21-07, 03:07 PM Actually, it is plainly stated in the SRD, not sure if it is in the core rulebooks:I thought there was but could not find it, I looked for it and only found under critical hits: "Exception: Extra damage over and above a weapon’s normal damage is not multiplied when you score a critical hit" (PHB 140). Note it doesn't say damage dice but rather just damage.

However, you are correct that it does state "damage dice," under the section on combat statistics (PHB 132).

I guess text trumps sidebars.
Nom
09-22-07, 09:32 AM Read the definitive rules on PH pg 134. "Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times, and total the results. ... Exception: Extra damage dice over and above a weapon's normal damage ... are never multiplied." (underlining mine).

The rules are quite clear. All modifiers, except for extra dice.
Colmarr
09-23-07, 11:21 PM Well there you go! :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
QuantumSteve 09-21-07, 03:00 AM	A friend recently showed me the exact wording on critical hits in the PH: A critical hit means you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together. Exception: Extra damage over and above a weapon's normal damage, such as that dealt by a sneak attack or the special ability of a flaming sword, is not multiplied when you score a critical hit. The exception suggests that no modifiers are multiplied, (much like 2nd Ed), but the sentence before mentionsusual bonuses. Just which bonuses are usual? Is strength multiplied? What about other stat bonuses if you get to add them for some reason? Power Attack? Weapon Specialization? I used to consider a crit like an extra attack. You got to deal all your damage twice. (Or three or four times). This would make a huge difference in how characters in our games deal damage.
Colmarr 09-21-07, 03:13 AM	The general wisdom (although I don't think there has ever been a RAW ruling on it) is that any bonus damage expressed in terms of added dice (eg. sneak attack, or the fire damage from a flaming sword) is not multiplied by a critical hit. Flat bonuses (such as the +1 from a magic sword, or the added damage from Power Attack) are multiplied.
QuantumSteve 09-21-07, 03:55 AM	Good enough for me, thanks!:D
Some_call_me_Tim 09-21-07, 11:51 AM	The general wisdom (although I don't think there has ever been a RAW ruling on it) is that any bonus damage expressed in terms of added dice (eg. sneak attack, or the fire damage from a flaming sword) is not multiplied by a critical hit.Well, there isn't a general "extra dice aren't multiplied" rule, but in the two case you cite both explicitly say in their descriptions that the dice don't multiply.
Frugal 09-21-07, 02:24 PM	Actually, it is plainly stated in the SRD, not sure if it is in the core rulebooks: Multiplying Damage Sometimes you multiply damage by some factor, such as on a critical hit. Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results. Note: When you multiply damage more than once, each multiplier works off the original, unmultiplied damage. Exception: Extra damage dice over and above a weapon’s normal damage are never multiplied.
Some_call_me_Tim 09-21-07, 03:07 PM	Actually, it is plainly stated in the SRD, not sure if it is in the core rulebooks:I thought there was but could not find it, I looked for it and only found under critical hits: "Exception: Extra damage over and above a weapon’s normal damage is not multiplied when you score a critical hit" (PHB 140). Note it doesn't say damage dice but rather just damage. However, you are correct that it does state "damage dice," under the section on combat statistics (PHB 132). I guess text trumps sidebars.
Nom 09-22-07, 09:32 AM	Read the definitive rules on PH pg 134. "Roll the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times, and total the results. ... Exception: Extra damage dice over and above a weapon's normal damage ... are never multiplied." (underlining mine). The rules are quite clear. All modifiers, except for extra dice.
Colmarr 09-23-07, 11:21 PM	Well there you go! :D