Variant to Critical Hits from DMG [Archive] - Wizards Community

Variant to Critical Hits from DMG [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
toucanbuzz
12-10-07, 12:53 PM I am considering adopting the DMG variant to critical hits and misses, the -10, +30 rule. Anyone use it, have feedback? Does this render the excitement of rolling a 20 or groans of rolling a 1 moot?

Thanks.
Sinis
12-10-07, 01:00 PM I rather like it, though I haven't played with it. I really don't think that an ancient red wyrm should ever miss a peasant with his claw, nor do I think that a peasant with a magic pitchfork should ever manage to hit and injure an ancient red wyrm.
PenderGrass
12-10-07, 08:28 PM I am considering adopting the DMG variant to critical hits and misses, the -10, +30 rule. Anyone use it, have feedback? Does this render the excitement of rolling a 20 or groans of rolling a 1 moot?
I prefer using an open-ended variant.

Roll a natural 1, roll again at -20.

Roll a natural 20, roll again at +20.

Keep rolling until neither a natural 1 nor a natural 20 is the die result.

Add all the -20s and the +20s to the last die roll to get the result of the die roll.

It works fantastically at my table and the players love it.

:dragon:
*****
Mock26
12-10-07, 09:33 PM I've never used it but I highly suggest that you give it a try. You won't know if you truly like it or not unless you use it for a while. So, talk to your group, let them know you're going to give this a go, and give it a test period of X number of sessions and then after the designated number of sessions meet with the group and discuss it and either keep it as is, make changes, or scrap it. Good luck with it!

Take care and have a great day....

ciao,
john.
pmurray@bigpond.com
12-10-07, 11:25 PM I like: a critical hit does CON damage according to the crit multiplier of the weapon (minus one).

I also like: negative HP don't exist.

Thus, instead of "being reduced to -10" to die, to kill someone you reduce them to 0 CON - either they bleed out, or you CDG them untl they die either by failing the fort save or because of all the automatic criticals.

Yes, that does mean that it takes a while to finally kill a dragon after you drop it. As it should.

HP, in this system, simply represent your ability to continue to defend yourself in melee. Physical death is always means having your CON reduced to0, by whatever means that may occur. If you are reduced to "nearly dead" and revived with a Cure spell, you are still in very, very bad shape. As it should be.
toucanbuzz
12-11-07, 12:35 PM Just to confirm, critical hits still work like normal I presume.

If Mike the Fighter rolls a 20, he adds 30 to his attack of +2 to hit AC 32. Assuming the orc has AC 15, Mike hits. Now, he moves to confirm the crit and rolls a 14 (+2 = 16). Mike confirms the crit does double damage. If Mike rolls another natural 20, he would add +30 to confirm the crit.

If Mike had the misfortune of running up against a red dragon (assume AC 30), he might be able to hit it with a natural 20, but he'd have to roll another 20 to crit. If Mike ran into the red dragon's papa (assume AC 35), he could never hit the dragon no matter how hard he smacked his club against its hide.

The more I read it the more I like it. Hope this is how it goes.
Meles_Meles
12-12-07, 03:47 PM I like: a critical hit does CON damage according to the crit multiplier of the weapon (minus one).

I also like: negative HP don't exist.

Thus, instead of "being reduced to -10" to die, to kill someone you reduce them to 0 CON - either they bleed out, or you CDG them untl they die either by failing the fort save or because of all the automatic criticals.

Your ideas interest me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

:D

Seriously, though, I'd like to try this in my games. The killing via CdG makes sense, but how do you deal with "bleeding out"? Is there a round-by-round save for the Con damage, and if so what's the DC?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
toucanbuzz 12-10-07, 12:53 PM	I am considering adopting the DMG variant to critical hits and misses, the -10, +30 rule. Anyone use it, have feedback? Does this render the excitement of rolling a 20 or groans of rolling a 1 moot? Thanks.
Sinis 12-10-07, 01:00 PM	I rather like it, though I haven't played with it. I really don't think that an ancient red wyrm should ever miss a peasant with his claw, nor do I think that a peasant with a magic pitchfork should ever manage to hit and injure an ancient red wyrm.
PenderGrass 12-10-07, 08:28 PM	I am considering adopting the DMG variant to critical hits and misses, the -10, +30 rule. Anyone use it, have feedback? Does this render the excitement of rolling a 20 or groans of rolling a 1 moot? I prefer using an open-ended variant. Roll a natural 1, roll again at -20. Roll a natural 20, roll again at +20. Keep rolling until neither a natural 1 nor a natural 20 is the die result. Add all the -20s and the +20s to the last die roll to get the result of the die roll. It works fantastically at my table and the players love it. :dragon: *****
Mock26 12-10-07, 09:33 PM	I've never used it but I highly suggest that you give it a try. You won't know if you truly like it or not unless you use it for a while. So, talk to your group, let them know you're going to give this a go, and give it a test period of X number of sessions and then after the designated number of sessions meet with the group and discuss it and either keep it as is, make changes, or scrap it. Good luck with it! Take care and have a great day.... ciao, john.
pmurray@bigpond.com 12-10-07, 11:25 PM	I like: a critical hit does CON damage according to the crit multiplier of the weapon (minus one). I also like: negative HP don't exist. Thus, instead of "being reduced to -10" to die, to kill someone you reduce them to 0 CON - either they bleed out, or you CDG them untl they die either by failing the fort save or because of all the automatic criticals. Yes, that does mean that it takes a while to finally kill a dragon after you drop it. As it should. HP, in this system, simply represent your ability to continue to defend yourself in melee. Physical death is always means having your CON reduced to0, by whatever means that may occur. If you are reduced to "nearly dead" and revived with a Cure spell, you are still in very, very bad shape. As it should be.
toucanbuzz 12-11-07, 12:35 PM	Just to confirm, critical hits still work like normal I presume. If Mike the Fighter rolls a 20, he adds 30 to his attack of +2 to hit AC 32. Assuming the orc has AC 15, Mike hits. Now, he moves to confirm the crit and rolls a 14 (+2 = 16). Mike confirms the crit does double damage. If Mike rolls another natural 20, he would add +30 to confirm the crit. If Mike had the misfortune of running up against a red dragon (assume AC 30), he might be able to hit it with a natural 20, but he'd have to roll another 20 to crit. If Mike ran into the red dragon's papa (assume AC 35), he could never hit the dragon no matter how hard he smacked his club against its hide. The more I read it the more I like it. Hope this is how it goes.
Meles_Meles 12-12-07, 03:47 PM	I like: a critical hit does CON damage according to the crit multiplier of the weapon (minus one). I also like: negative HP don't exist. Thus, instead of "being reduced to -10" to die, to kill someone you reduce them to 0 CON - either they bleed out, or you CDG them untl they die either by failing the fort save or because of all the automatic criticals. Your ideas interest me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. :D Seriously, though, I'd like to try this in my games. The killing via CdG makes sense, but how do you deal with "bleeding out"? Is there a round-by-round save for the Con damage, and if so what's the DC?