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Old Feb 27th, 2019, 10:14 AM
Viktor Von Vox Viktor Von Vox is offline
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Alternate Critical Rule [Pathfinder]

I like to run an alternate critical hit which eliminates weak critical hits. I never liked confirming a critical hit that's weaker than a normal attacked. Since two or more dice are rolled on a successful critical, I tell my players to roll one less die and treat that die as if it were maximized.

Example Longsword Attack with 12 strength (Default Rules)
2d8+2 slashing damage

Example Same Attack with Alternate Rules
1d8+10 slashing damage
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Old Feb 27th, 2019, 12:44 PM
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One of the alternate methods I have seen is that a crit is automatically max damage.

-me
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Old Mar 16th, 2019, 01:33 PM
Auron3991 Auron3991 is offline
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Well, one method I've considered, if you're not afraid to get into some basic location damage, is to set up a table of body locations and apply a -2 circumstance penalty to enemy actions (or something similar) based on the location. It's not more damage, but it does make the critical strictly better than a normal attack and it kind of fits the flavor, as someone's not going to be fighting at full capacity after a heavy war hammer hit to the ribs.
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Old Mar 17th, 2019, 04:44 PM
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I also have some crit and fumble charts that I use, but they can cause some power balance issues but I think they are fun. I have mine filled out to require 2 d100 rolls and can do from regular crit damage to insta-kill.

I use a modified one against the PCs to avoid insta-killing them - that bit isn't fun for anyone.

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Old Mar 18th, 2019, 08:33 AM
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I wrote out a critical hit deck that we use in Pathfinder. 21 cards, and each one has a simple description on it "regular critical", or "critical at +1 multiplier" or "artery blow, critical +1 multiplier plus 2d6 bleed". You get one for a crit, choice of one from two on a natural 20, and an additional draw if they roll a natural 20 on their critical confirmation roll.

Each card has slightly different effects for melee, ranged, and magical saving throw - three sets of seven, with seven cards having 'regular' critical effects of one kind, improved critical effects of a second, and amazing critical effects of a third. And my friends added a 22nd card that is stellar in all three varieties.

And, on a player's birthday, I always give them a draw from the deck at the start of the session that they can save and play instead of rolling a dice.
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Old Mar 23rd, 2019, 11:15 AM
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I have found this chart to be both fun, realistic, and very entertaining!
Crit and fumble chart
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Old Aug 29th, 2019, 02:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Totentanzen View Post
I have found this chart to be both fun, realistic, and very entertaining!
Crit and fumble chart
It seems like fun, but I like the idea of having total creative license to roleplay causing some unique mayhem if my critical deals enough damage to be a killing blow. And I like the idea of a DM being creative about my fumbles, too. If the outcome is predictable, is it really fun for everyone?
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Old Aug 30th, 2019, 12:07 PM
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I created one that takes a few extra rolls, but takes character size into account.
The table goes from -30 to 130 on percentiles, but each size increase is -15.
The crits are then arranged with the lower numbers be lower on the body (feet, legs) and the higher numbers further up (head).

Ex: halfling crits a human then rolls 48, the final number is 33.

-me
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Old Aug 30th, 2019, 03:17 PM
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Yes, because halflings taking a Small Weapon damage roll penalty in the first place clearly hasn't nerfed them enough. We need them to be totally worthless so nobody ever plays them.
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Old Aug 31st, 2019, 02:25 AM
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It isn't in place to nerf things, but to adjust the location to make it more realistic-ish.
Small size creatures can easily reach the chest of critters up to Large and Huge, but chopping off a leg and causing them to bleed out or puncturing a lung is worse than taking out an eye in most cases. Also, ranged weapons don't take the penalty to adjust location.

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Old Aug 31st, 2019, 07:19 AM
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Oh, I see the point now. You know, even severing the Achilles tendon can be worse than taking an eye now that I think of it. Without that thing, a mob could end up kneeling or even prone.

Last edited by Sagira; Aug 31st, 2019 at 07:20 AM.
  #12  
Old Sep 14th, 2019, 09:06 PM
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I feel like severing a tendon shouldn't happen unless the character is at 0 hitpoints and useless in the fight anyway. Even if an enemy isn't technically 'dead', changing them so severely in such a way should be a big deal.

But that's just me.
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