An alternative to "instant kill" [Archive] - Wizards Community

An alternative to "instant kill" [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Crusher Nate
10-28-03, 08:28 PM I like the "instant kill" optional rule... to an extent. One of my players likes the rule, and wanted me to implement it, but I figured that if the players had the capability, so would their enemies. I didn't want a PC to hit 10th level and get greased by a lucky shot from a 4-year-old kobold with a slingshot. I hadn't planned on using it.

But a sudden flash of inspiration struck at a very comical moment. Maybe I'll tell you kids about it later, if you behave.

Rather than being an instant, automatic kill, I decided that rolling two nat 20's in a row and hitting on a third roll adds +1 to your critical multiplier for that attack. If you roll another 20, you add another +1. And so on, until you stop rolling 20's.

It seems like a nice compromise.
Dasein
10-28-03, 09:27 PM I'll be implementing pretty much the same system on the next campaign I'm running, and I think that sort of open-endedness makes things a lot more interesting.

Dasein
Peter Bergholtz
10-28-03, 09:48 PM Sounds good to me. Might as well try it and see how it works out.
Lewin
10-29-03, 02:47 AM pretty reasonable idea. If you have a weapon that criticals on 19-20, does a double-threat threaten the increased multiplier? This combined with 3.0-style stacking keen/improved-critical/greater-critical could get really broken though.
Mister Mayhem
10-29-03, 02:47 AM We used an instant kill varient that works as normal, except that instaed of killing the target it dropped them to exactly zero HP.

Any further exertion on their part, or any succesful attacks on their opponents part will drop them, but there is still a chance for them to try to retreat or be healed.

It also allows for those last stand heroic moments where you know full well that hitting the badly wounded badguy will drop you to -1, BUT you are the only thing standing between him and victory :D
Dasein
10-29-03, 11:35 AM pretty reasonable idea. If you have a weapon that criticals on 19-20, does a double-threat threaten the increased multiplier? This combined with 3.0-style stacking keen/improved-critical/greater-critical could get really broken though.

I only allow extra rolls on natural 20s.

Dasein
Crusher Nate
10-29-03, 12:37 PM Yep, only on a natural 20 is what I was thinking myself. My campaign is 3.5 (with 3.0 weapon size rules), so Improved Crit doesn't stack with Keen, but this rule could still get outlandish if you use the full threat range for a weapon. A keen rapier has a threat range of 15-20; to allow open-ended criticals in that sort of range would break the system. Everyone would want to wield scimitars, rapiers, falchions, or kukri, and everyone would constantly be on the lookout for keen versions of them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Crusher Nate 10-28-03, 08:28 PM	I like the "instant kill" optional rule... to an extent. One of my players likes the rule, and wanted me to implement it, but I figured that if the players had the capability, so would their enemies. I didn't want a PC to hit 10th level and get greased by a lucky shot from a 4-year-old kobold with a slingshot. I hadn't planned on using it. But a sudden flash of inspiration struck at a very comical moment. Maybe I'll tell you kids about it later, if you behave. Rather than being an instant, automatic kill, I decided that rolling two nat 20's in a row and hitting on a third roll adds +1 to your critical multiplier for that attack. If you roll another 20, you add another +1. And so on, until you stop rolling 20's. It seems like a nice compromise.
Dasein 10-28-03, 09:27 PM	I'll be implementing pretty much the same system on the next campaign I'm running, and I think that sort of open-endedness makes things a lot more interesting. Dasein
Peter Bergholtz 10-28-03, 09:48 PM	Sounds good to me. Might as well try it and see how it works out.
Lewin 10-29-03, 02:47 AM	pretty reasonable idea. If you have a weapon that criticals on 19-20, does a double-threat threaten the increased multiplier? This combined with 3.0-style stacking keen/improved-critical/greater-critical could get really broken though.
Mister Mayhem 10-29-03, 02:47 AM	We used an instant kill varient that works as normal, except that instaed of killing the target it dropped them to exactly zero HP. Any further exertion on their part, or any succesful attacks on their opponents part will drop them, but there is still a chance for them to try to retreat or be healed. It also allows for those last stand heroic moments where you know full well that hitting the badly wounded badguy will drop you to -1, BUT you are the only thing standing between him and victory :D
Dasein 10-29-03, 11:35 AM	pretty reasonable idea. If you have a weapon that criticals on 19-20, does a double-threat threaten the increased multiplier? This combined with 3.0-style stacking keen/improved-critical/greater-critical could get really broken though. I only allow extra rolls on natural 20s. Dasein
Crusher Nate 10-29-03, 12:37 PM	Yep, only on a natural 20 is what I was thinking myself. My campaign is 3.5 (with 3.0 weapon size rules), so Improved Crit doesn't stack with Keen, but this rule could still get outlandish if you use the full threat range for a weapon. A keen rapier has a threat range of 15-20; to allow open-ended criticals in that sort of range would break the system. Everyone would want to wield scimitars, rapiers, falchions, or kukri, and everyone would constantly be on the lookout for keen versions of them.