Canonfire!

Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:23 pm Critical Hits in 4th edition

Critical hits in 4th edtion have gone back to the "natural 20" roll. There no longer is a confirmation die roll to be made. Damage is maximum die damage, so for example, on a d8, you score 8 points of damage. There are a couple of bells and whistles added to the system as well. Seems there are extra dice rolled for magic weapons. My understanding is 1 extra die for each +1 bonus of the weapon (it wasn't explained well but that is what I got out of it). Also some individual weapon modifiers of some sorts which add to the die. Here's the link if your interested in reading about 4th edition critical hits.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drdd/20080104&authentic=true

I must say though, out of all the 4th edition game change posts, this is the most direct one made. It doesn't go into quite enough information but you don't need to read a lot of nothing before getting to the heart of things. Perhaps this author should be writing all of the 4th edition updates.

Let me know what you think!
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Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods

Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:29 pm

I think that I've always disliked critical hits and always will. So I'm not overly fond of any mechanics for it. But automatic max damage is better than "multiple times normal damage" mechanisms.

Critical hits just make low level gameplay far too much of a crapshoot, imho, in 3e. "Oops, the kobold rolled a natural 20. Guess I shouldn't have given him an hand ax as weapon.."

Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:47 pm

I've always enjoyed critical hits in my game systems. With D&D, for some strange reason, critical hits have always seemed to be difficult to work into the game system.

When I first started playing D&D, the DM (my older brother) had a critical hit occur on a roll of a natural 20, with damage being doubled, plus bonuses; you roll an 8, you score 16 plus str. bonus for example, you roll a 1, you score 2 plus str. bonus (if you had one). That's what I grew up on. You would then roll again and if a natural 20 came up it was triple damage, etc. etc. etc. until you stopped rolling 20's. I think I once saw 4-5 20's in a roll once ever. Double damage was very rare and triple was unbelivable. Although it wasn't mechanically a very good system it did have one thing I still appreciate....critical hits were something special.

While adventuring through Whiet Plume Mountain (3.5 rules) I was attacked by a troglodyte. The darn thing took it's spear and lunged it through my chest for an instant kill. I've been afraid of troglodytes ever since and I'm 11th level. Several levels later we were adventuring through the Return to The Temple of Elemental Evil. One of the passageways lead to a troglodyte lair, clearly the least dangerous choice we had. Being afraid of troglodytes I insisted we go a different direction (which of coarse was much more dangerous). I turned the terrible White Plume Mountain situation into a role playing trait, which made it well worth it.

I tried a couple of my own systems but they never really panned out well. In my Top Secret/S.I. game I rewrote the critical hit system and must have rolled a natural 20 so to speak, because it turned out perfect. Different system provides different options.

With D&D, critical hits have always been a bit of a crap shoot (to borrow Vormaerin's phrase). Would I like the 4th edition version....probably better than the 3.5 version. I don't know how many times I have missed a critical hit against a character because of the threat range. Never could break myself of the old "natural 20" habit.

I guess I'll blame my brother. It's all your fault.
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Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods

Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:45 am

I've always liked critical hits precisely because of what happened to you with the Troglodyte, Eileen. You've turned it into memorable moment for both your character and campaign. 11th level characters are generally not overly concerned by Troglodytes as enemies so in 3.5 they allowed you to "advance" the bog-standard creatures or give them classes, which was okay but time consuming. The problem was that it quickly became tiresome and stretched credulity; "how come all the Orcs in this adventure are 4th level Barbarians?"

Critical hits keep pc's thinking about combat and never taking anything for granted. Warfare should be deadly and not subject to health and safety commitees triggered by players' whinging "my poor character, I've invested so much time," etc. Shouldn't have been so cocky about those "only Orcs", then. Short, bloody and unpredictable is the order of the day.

As for this proposed change; deal max damage on a critical? Okay. Simple enough. Pc's have "extra tricks up their sleeves, monsters don't". Why? The same whinging power players as above. Lets pander to the flat track bullies, we don't want them having to experience the trauma of death and reality now, do we? Or even having to role-play how a nasty incident affects a character after the event. As if raising and resurrection aren't common events in many games (not mine, as if you wondered).

Crits will be more common, but hit points will be higher anyway; so what's the point, then. Ah! I get it. We'll have more people wetting themselves with excitement because a 20 appeared on a dice roll. Cool. And to think all this time I've been trying to provide an exciting balanced and sometimes brutal campaign to keep people entertained. I should save myself the bother of all that. Let's just roll dice for thrills. I make it that 1 time in 20 I should be able to leap to my feet and yell "'ave it you mugs."

Finally, we've made it simple but you can add things to make it more complicated with extra effects. Excellent.

I like the basic idea. Max out on a crit. Simple, and could well be worth experimenting with in my 3.5 game. But the power gaming connotations that accompany this and other articles is depressing. The kids may love it, however. And they are the future of the game. Or, rather, the future purchasers of supplements. Maybe.

Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:13 am

Ragr said:

Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:18 am

Did someone just say +3 Mithral Shirt. Hey, I could fence that for you. I'll guarantee a great price. There'll be a small fee, naturally. Maybe I could advertise it; magical armour, one careful Prophet owner, slight damage to front midriff area, some red staining. Bargain!!!!! Cool

Net? Is there something you're not telling us about your rituals?

Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:22 am

Darn you fast, I was still editing my post and suddenly you appeared. Must be magic you got from the Eternal Tower of rogue suck ups.

Umm....that would be a net to throw over vultures like you. Any other nets I have are in my private collection.
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Eileen of Greyhawk, Prophet of Istus, Messenger of the Gods

Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:41 am

Look, I'll voluntarily come to church and bolster the congregation, you don't need to rope me up. I wanted to check the place out anyway. I'll even promise to laugh in all the right places during your sermon. Or whatever it is you're supposed to do during a long winded pompous lecture on stuff that just gets in the way of enjoying a prosperous life.

Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:57 am