There's clearly been a lot of discussion over the critical hit rules in the 1D&D UA, so I figured it couldn't hurt to throw an idea onto the ever-growing pile of demands.
What if critical hits didn't have any effects on their own, but instead certain classes had features that opened up unique abilities when you roll a 20? Barbarians could keep Brutal Critical or gain temp hp, monks could get a couple of temporary ki points that disappear after a round or two, fighters could get effects based on their subclass, Paladins could get a free smite, rangers could do something cool (I can't think of anything), and rogues could get extra Sneak Attack dice equal to proficiency bonus. This would make monsters capable of critting, provided they have some sort of feature that says they gain additional effects, but it also means that life and death isn't so binary at low levels; let's be honest, we've all either seen somebody at our tables get one-shot by a monster crit, or even experienced it ourselves. If lower level monsters simply can't crit, then that's less of a problem.
Maybe some subclasses could give crit effects to classes that normally have none. Bladesingers could add their Intelligence modifier to damage, Pact of the Blade or Hexblade could steal some hp, War Domain (and others) could deal extra radiant damage, and College of Swords could get/spend an inspiration die instantly. Subclasses like School of Evocation and Light Domain might even allow spells to crit, although I'm more hesitant on that idea.
Please note that I'm making this post to see what people think AND for suggestions regarding crit effects for certain classes.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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That's simply too much work for something that occurs on one hit out of 20. Though I'd definitely let crits double static damage bonus, not just dice, because most of martials' damage comes from that.
That's simply too much work for something that occurs on one hit out of 20. Though I'd definitely let crits double static damage bonus, not just dice, because most of martials' damage comes from that.
Barbarian's Brutal Critical already exists, so clearly it isn't.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
What if critical hits didn't have any effects on their own, but instead certain classes had features that opened up unique abilities when you roll a 20? Barbarians could keep Brutal Critical or gain temp hp, monks could get a couple of temporary ki points that disappear after a round or two, fighters could get effects based on their subclass, Paladins could get a free smite, rangers could do something cool (I can't think of anything), and rogues could get extra Sneak Attack dice equal to proficiency bonus.
Nah, crits are too cool already and classes shouldn't have to have a whole feature just so they can do something. Also, these would all have to be level 1 features and couldn't interact with level 2 features like Ki immediately, because classes shouldn't have to go multiple levels without any effects on crits. But how about having each class get additional benefits on crits, in addition to the effects they already get in 5e?
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Barbarian's Brutal Critical already exists, so clearly it isn't.
So? Doesn't mean that every class needs it.
This response has no relevance to what I was replying to. Whether or not every class needs it doesn't pertain to what you originally said, which is that it's unrealistic for a class feature to reference such an uncommon thing. I told you that this was false because of Brutal Critical; if it's not too much work for Barbarians, I don't see why it should be too much work for any other class.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
If it exists, doesn't mean you have to design 12 more types of it. Randomly cleaving an enemy in half sometimes is a barbarian thing. Should it be everyone's thing? Should there be 12 more different variations of this ability? What should the barbarian get as a compensation?
It's like, "let's give every class Wild Magic Surge feature with a separate table for every class" - "why?" - "because why not?".
That's simply too much work for something that occurs on one hit out of 20. Though I'd definitely let crits double static damage bonus, not just dice, because most of martials' damage comes from that.
Barbarian's Brutal Critical already exists, so clearly it isn't.
A feature that comes in so late that most groups never even play it... but definitely doesn't need each class to have it's own style of crits or crit bonuses.
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There's clearly been a lot of discussion over the critical hit rules in the 1D&D UA, so I figured it couldn't hurt to throw an idea onto the ever-growing pile of demands.
What if critical hits didn't have any effects on their own, but instead certain classes had features that opened up unique abilities when you roll a 20? Barbarians could keep Brutal Critical or gain temp hp, monks could get a couple of temporary ki points that disappear after a round or two, fighters could get effects based on their subclass, Paladins could get a free smite, rangers could do something cool (I can't think of anything), and rogues could get extra Sneak Attack dice equal to proficiency bonus. This would make monsters capable of critting, provided they have some sort of feature that says they gain additional effects, but it also means that life and death isn't so binary at low levels; let's be honest, we've all either seen somebody at our tables get one-shot by a monster crit, or even experienced it ourselves. If lower level monsters simply can't crit, then that's less of a problem.
Maybe some subclasses could give crit effects to classes that normally have none. Bladesingers could add their Intelligence modifier to damage, Pact of the Blade or Hexblade could steal some hp, War Domain (and others) could deal extra radiant damage, and College of Swords could get/spend an inspiration die instantly. Subclasses like School of Evocation and Light Domain might even allow spells to crit, although I'm more hesitant on that idea.
Please note that I'm making this post to see what people think AND for suggestions regarding crit effects for certain classes.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
That's simply too much work for something that occurs on one hit out of 20. Though I'd definitely let crits double static damage bonus, not just dice, because most of martials' damage comes from that.
Barbarian's Brutal Critical already exists, so clearly it isn't.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Nah, crits are too cool already and classes shouldn't have to have a whole feature just so they can do something. Also, these would all have to be level 1 features and couldn't interact with level 2 features like Ki immediately, because classes shouldn't have to go multiple levels without any effects on crits. But how about having each class get additional benefits on crits, in addition to the effects they already get in 5e?
BoringBard's long and tedious posts somehow manage to enrapture audiences. How? Because he used Charm Person, the #1 bard spell!
He/him pronouns. Call me Bard. PROUD NERD!
Ever wanted to talk about your parties' worst mistakes? Do so HERE. What's your favorite class, why? Share & explain
HERE.So? Doesn't mean that every class needs it.
This response has no relevance to what I was replying to. Whether or not every class needs it doesn't pertain to what you originally said, which is that it's unrealistic for a class feature to reference such an uncommon thing. I told you that this was false because of Brutal Critical; if it's not too much work for Barbarians, I don't see why it should be too much work for any other class.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
If it exists, doesn't mean you have to design 12 more types of it. Randomly cleaving an enemy in half sometimes is a barbarian thing. Should it be everyone's thing? Should there be 12 more different variations of this ability? What should the barbarian get as a compensation?
It's like, "let's give every class Wild Magic Surge feature with a separate table for every class" - "why?" - "because why not?".
A feature that comes in so late that most groups never even play it... but definitely doesn't need each class to have it's own style of crits or crit bonuses.