Our DM likes for crits to be meaningful, and we fully agree. It's super deflating after the excitement of critting to roll poorly and do very little damage. As such, instead of rolling all the dice twice, we award max damage for 1 set of dice rolls, and you roll the others naturally. Random example, if my damage rolls are 1d8+5 (weapon) and 1d6 (Hex), then I would get 8 and 6 automatically, then I would roll the 1d8+5 and the 1d6 and add whatever those rolls are.
Not a major difference in terms of pure damage output. Average damage RAW: 21, Average damage our way: 27. (Yes, I'm casually referring to a 30% increase and not a major difference lol) But it makes the crit celebrations pretty awesome. As far as crit fails...we reroll the d20 and have different penalties for 1-2 and 3-4, otherwise it's just a miss. These rules apply to the bad guys as well. Hmmm, remind me never to point out to our DM that a crit hit is always good, and a crit fail is only sometimes bad :D
Anyway, what other wonderful Crit mechanics do y'all employ?
As far as crit fails...we reroll the d20 and have different penalties for 1-2 and 3-4, otherwise it's just a miss. These rules apply to the bad guys as well. Hmmm, remind me never to point out to our DM that a crit hit is always good, and a crit fail is only sometimes bad :D
We played this out for a bit and honestly extra effects on a fumble are just really disheartening. You already missed and probably accomplished nothing on your turn. You shouldn't also need to go get your sword on the next turn or whatever.
I've not settled on a better crit system than the default in 5e. I agree that PC crits can often feel underwhelming as is, but at the same time monster crits can already be devastating. Any crit buff that effects the players is going to affect the monsters too, and that's what holds me back.
I'm guessing the OP has never played with rogues or paladins. It's one thing when you have max damage + dice on weapon damage and maybe an additional rider, it's another when its max damage + dice on sneak attack or when the paladin decides to burn their highest spell slot on smite because they crit.
We typically play with standard rules, but the description of nat 1 attacks is something that could be called a crit fail (or a crit success on the opponent's defense).
Like most others, I use RAW. A critical hit (nat 20, usually), allows rolling double the dice (1D6 becomes 2D6). A critical miss (nat 1, usually), is an auto-miss regardless of bonuses. We use it only for attack rolls. Saving throws, skill checks, etc, cannot crit either up or down.
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My DM house-rules crit fails and successes on everything, and I'm not a fan.
My primary complaint about crits on attacks RAW is the seemingly arbitrary bias that dice are doubled when static amounts of damage are not, particularly since this means in the core rules proficiency bonuses added to damage don't crit, but if you use the DMG variant rule for proficiency dice, now they do. It's challenging to have any faith WotC is using this as an intentional balancing mechanic when I see things like that.
My secondary complaint is the seemingly arbitrary decision that flying snake poison can crit but poisonous snake poison can't. It means that if the poisonous snake just gave up all hope of its target passing its save and just bit for 1d4 poison (as if all targets succeeded), it would do more damage against some targets. I don't believe for an instant that ruling was thought about before it was declared.
I also go RAW on crits. Making crits do any more is very scary when the monsters do it especially at low levels. A spy (CR1) getting a crit on sneak attack does 6d6+2 (average 23) damage will nearly always insta kill a level 1 character and quite likely to insta kill a level 2 non martial character (a level 2 wizard with +1 con has 12 HP so there would be about a 50% chance of killing him even at full health. Max out one set of dice that becomces 3d6+20 (average 30) and the level 2 martials could get insta killed on a crit.
I once joined a group at level 5 where the GM played if you rolled a 1 on a save you took doube the damage. I pointed out to him that a fireball would do an average of 56 damage to anyone who rolled a 1 on the dex save and my warlock had a maximum of 38. If he rolled high for damage or if I was already to to around half health it would mean rolling a new character. Fortunately he agreed to end the practise.
I've done the "max damage plus a die roll" for crits before, and yeah it's fun to know your crit is going to be impactful. But Lunali has a point, classes that specialize in spike damage like Rogues and Paladins get kinda ridiculous. Plus, wacky crit damage rules can be a pain if you're trying to do automatic damage rolls on a VTT.
In most groups I play with we go with the "roll dice once then double" for critical hits since it can be a bit fiddly if you roll an attack with a bunch of riders or different size damage dice. Critical misses are usually just misses but the DM might throw in something funny or appropriate. Dropped weapon, getting bird poop on your face, something like that.
Since there really aren't any other critical successes or failures in the game, that's how I prefer it. Never like the "1 in 20 chance of failure or success" and I tend to discourage that when I play. When I DM I might add a bit of flourish for a nat 1 or nat 20 but it's the total result that matters.
In most groups I play with we go with the "roll dice once then double" for critical hits since it can be a bit fiddly if you roll an attack with a bunch of riders or different size damage dice. Critical misses are usually just misses but the DM might throw in something funny or appropriate. Dropped weapon, getting bird poop on your face, something like that.
Since there really aren't any other critical successes or failures in the game, that's how I prefer it. Never like the "1 in 20 chance of failure or success" and I tend to discourage that when I play. When I DM I might add a bit of flourish for a nat 1 or nat 20 but it's the total result that matters.
I run critical hits as normal, and describe them as being dramatic/funny, but no changes to the mechanics from RAW.
I run critical fails as misses and non-game-changing descriptions. I don't want to punish players (or monsters) for rolling a 1, they already wasted an action, so that's enough.
For example, In my most recent game, I had a bugbear roll a nat1 when attacking the monk, after 2 previous failed swings. I explain to the monk player how the bugbear is utterly enraged, and swings wildly - a blow that would have taken the monks head off - but so badly that the Monk doesn't even have to move to dodge it. The blow instead connects with the Bugbear's Bloodhawk - which was just killed by a light crossbow shot - and sends it hurtling over the trees like a grisly parody of a home-run.
The Monk then landed a critical hit within a flurry of blows, and finished the Bugbear off. I described it as "the bugbear seems, miraculously, to be unaffected by your strikes! But only for a moment. Then he spits out a mouthful of teeth, and collapses backwards like a felled tree."
However, in the case of a critical hit or miss, or the roll of a natural 20 or 1 on another check, I will normally describe something extra for the benefit of the group. A critical miss may involve the character stumbling, or finding they accidentally cut a bit of their own hair off. Similarly, a critical hit may involve a cool spin or slide. A nat 20 on a successful check to jump up to a ledge may have the character do a somersault, while a nat 1 on a failed check may result in them landing face first in the mud.
None of these have any serious mechanical effect (most don't have any), but my players find them a lot of fun.
In most groups I play with we go with the "roll dice once then double" for critical hits since it can be a bit fiddly if you roll an attack with a bunch of riders or different size damage dice. Critical misses are usually just misses but the DM might throw in something funny or appropriate. Dropped weapon, getting bird poop on your face, something like that.
Since there really aren't any other critical successes or failures in the game, that's how I prefer it. Never like the "1 in 20 chance of failure or success" and I tend to discourage that when I play. When I DM I might add a bit of flourish for a nat 1 or nat 20 but it's the total result that matters.
However, in the case of a critical hit or miss, or the roll of a natural 20 or 1 on another check, I will normally describe something extra for the benefit of the group. A critical miss may involve the character stumbling, or finding they accidentally cut a bit of their own hair off. Similarly, a critical hit may involve a cool spin or slide. A nat 20 on a successful check to jump up to a ledge may have the character do a somersault, while a nat 1 on a failed check may result in them landing face first in the mud.
None of these have any serious mechanical effect (most don't have any), but my players find them a lot of fun.
I actually do this too. No mechanical effect occurs, but just a more colorful description. The one fighter in our group last session stabbed her longsword through a Kuo-Toa and out the other side, and its heart was stuck to the end of the sword - she stabbed his heart right out of his body. The players all enjoyed it.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
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Our DM likes for crits to be meaningful, and we fully agree. It's super deflating after the excitement of critting to roll poorly and do very little damage. As such, instead of rolling all the dice twice, we award max damage for 1 set of dice rolls, and you roll the others naturally. Random example, if my damage rolls are 1d8+5 (weapon) and 1d6 (Hex), then I would get 8 and 6 automatically, then I would roll the 1d8+5 and the 1d6 and add whatever those rolls are.
Not a major difference in terms of pure damage output. Average damage RAW: 21, Average damage our way: 27. (Yes, I'm casually referring to a 30% increase and not a major difference lol) But it makes the crit celebrations pretty awesome. As far as crit fails...we reroll the d20 and have different penalties for 1-2 and 3-4, otherwise it's just a miss. These rules apply to the bad guys as well. Hmmm, remind me never to point out to our DM that a crit hit is always good, and a crit fail is only sometimes bad :D
Anyway, what other wonderful Crit mechanics do y'all employ?
RAW for me. you rolls the dice, you takes your chances...
Same as your rules but we don't have a crit fail aside from it auto misses.
I do enjoy the impactful-ness of the perfect crit rule. It does really hurt when a monster crits on you for a lot of damage though!
We played this out for a bit and honestly extra effects on a fumble are just really disheartening. You already missed and probably accomplished nothing on your turn. You shouldn't also need to go get your sword on the next turn or whatever.
I've not settled on a better crit system than the default in 5e. I agree that PC crits can often feel underwhelming as is, but at the same time monster crits can already be devastating. Any crit buff that effects the players is going to affect the monsters too, and that's what holds me back.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
https://sterlingvermin.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/critical-hits-revisited.pdf
This is a crit chart that changes depending on damage type. Works for spell crits too.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
I'm guessing the OP has never played with rogues or paladins. It's one thing when you have max damage + dice on weapon damage and maybe an additional rider, it's another when its max damage + dice on sneak attack or when the paladin decides to burn their highest spell slot on smite because they crit.
We typically play with standard rules, but the description of nat 1 attacks is something that could be called a crit fail (or a crit success on the opponent's defense).
The link as provided doesn't work. Looks like a goof string was added to your post. [Correct Link] Using the hyperlinking function corrects the issue.
Separate Crit consequences for different damage types sounds like a lot of fun, but also a lot of extra work. Have you tried using this in a game?
Sorry, this should work.
When you roll a crit, you get to roll a second d20. This determines the strength of your crit and can carry special effects.
My only good homebrews: Races, Subclasses.
An aspiring DM and Homebrewer. Ask me if you need anything.
I just use normal crit rules in my game.
Like most others, I use RAW. A critical hit (nat 20, usually), allows rolling double the dice (1D6 becomes 2D6). A critical miss (nat 1, usually), is an auto-miss regardless of bonuses. We use it only for attack rolls. Saving throws, skill checks, etc, cannot crit either up or down.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
My DM house-rules crit fails and successes on everything, and I'm not a fan.
My primary complaint about crits on attacks RAW is the seemingly arbitrary bias that dice are doubled when static amounts of damage are not, particularly since this means in the core rules proficiency bonuses added to damage don't crit, but if you use the DMG variant rule for proficiency dice, now they do. It's challenging to have any faith WotC is using this as an intentional balancing mechanic when I see things like that.
My secondary complaint is the seemingly arbitrary decision that flying snake poison can crit but poisonous snake poison can't. It means that if the poisonous snake just gave up all hope of its target passing its save and just bit for 1d4 poison (as if all targets succeeded), it would do more damage against some targets. I don't believe for an instant that ruling was thought about before it was declared.
I also go RAW on crits. Making crits do any more is very scary when the monsters do it especially at low levels. A spy (CR1) getting a crit on sneak attack does 6d6+2 (average 23) damage will nearly always insta kill a level 1 character and quite likely to insta kill a level 2 non martial character (a level 2 wizard with +1 con has 12 HP so there would be about a 50% chance of killing him even at full health. Max out one set of dice that becomces 3d6+20 (average 30) and the level 2 martials could get insta killed on a crit.
I once joined a group at level 5 where the GM played if you rolled a 1 on a save you took doube the damage. I pointed out to him that a fireball would do an average of 56 damage to anyone who rolled a 1 on the dex save and my warlock had a maximum of 38. If he rolled high for damage or if I was already to to around half health it would mean rolling a new character. Fortunately he agreed to end the practise.
I've done the "max damage plus a die roll" for crits before, and yeah it's fun to know your crit is going to be impactful. But Lunali has a point, classes that specialize in spike damage like Rogues and Paladins get kinda ridiculous. Plus, wacky crit damage rules can be a pain if you're trying to do automatic damage rolls on a VTT.
In my games, a crit just automatically does maximum damage.
In most groups I play with we go with the "roll dice once then double" for critical hits since it can be a bit fiddly if you roll an attack with a bunch of riders or different size damage dice. Critical misses are usually just misses but the DM might throw in something funny or appropriate. Dropped weapon, getting bird poop on your face, something like that.
Since there really aren't any other critical successes or failures in the game, that's how I prefer it. Never like the "1 in 20 chance of failure or success" and I tend to discourage that when I play. When I DM I might add a bit of flourish for a nat 1 or nat 20 but it's the total result that matters.
I hope that goes for when enemies crit as well. :P
On average that is less brutal than RAW. 2d6+4 on a crit RAW is 4d6+4=18, where max damage is 12+4=16.
I run critical hits as normal, and describe them as being dramatic/funny, but no changes to the mechanics from RAW.
I run critical fails as misses and non-game-changing descriptions. I don't want to punish players (or monsters) for rolling a 1, they already wasted an action, so that's enough.
For example, In my most recent game, I had a bugbear roll a nat1 when attacking the monk, after 2 previous failed swings. I explain to the monk player how the bugbear is utterly enraged, and swings wildly - a blow that would have taken the monks head off - but so badly that the Monk doesn't even have to move to dodge it. The blow instead connects with the Bugbear's Bloodhawk - which was just killed by a light crossbow shot - and sends it hurtling over the trees like a grisly parody of a home-run.
The Monk then landed a critical hit within a flurry of blows, and finished the Bugbear off. I described it as "the bugbear seems, miraculously, to be unaffected by your strikes! But only for a moment. Then he spits out a mouthful of teeth, and collapses backwards like a felled tree."
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We generally go RAW, mechanically.
However, in the case of a critical hit or miss, or the roll of a natural 20 or 1 on another check, I will normally describe something extra for the benefit of the group. A critical miss may involve the character stumbling, or finding they accidentally cut a bit of their own hair off. Similarly, a critical hit may involve a cool spin or slide. A nat 20 on a successful check to jump up to a ledge may have the character do a somersault, while a nat 1 on a failed check may result in them landing face first in the mud.
None of these have any serious mechanical effect (most don't have any), but my players find them a lot of fun.
Yeah, I'm thinking more that it would be tough for the players if their crits were different fromt the enemies. :)
I actually do this too. No mechanical effect occurs, but just a more colorful description. The one fighter in our group last session stabbed her longsword through a Kuo-Toa and out the other side, and its heart was stuck to the end of the sword - she stabbed his heart right out of his body. The players all enjoyed it.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.