Criticals

[Supplement Four]

The Critical Check has always bothered me in d20 games. It seems to break the "flow" and "rhythm" of an exciting combat.

And, I wonder, why not do it this way? It's the same number of dice throws, but it seems, to me anyway, to make combat flow better, without breaking the rhythum, because you're making an extra attack throw, not a check.

Maybe, in the end, its half a dozen of one, six of another--the same thing to some people. I see a difference, though.



Vanilla way is to roll a natural 20 or a weapon's critical number, then make the critical check to see how much damage to apply.

My thought is to roll a natural 20 or a weapon's critical, then make a second, free attack (like an AoO), at a reduced damage multiplier.



For example: With a simple club, on a natural 20, the weapon does x2 damage if the critical check is made. My way, you'd throw a natural 20, then just get a freebie attack.

Works out to about the same thing, huh?



For example: A primitive war spear does x3 damage if the check is made and a natural 20 is thrown. My way, when a natural 20 is thrown, the attacker gets a second free attack, and if he hits, he does x2 damage.

Again, same results, just a different (more intuitive way, I think) of playing through the critical.





This method I propose shouldn't change anything about the game except Massive Damage. And, in that case, you can either go with the less number of times Massive Damage is checked, or you can simple add the damage from the two attack throws, considering it a quick, one-two, attack routine (in which case, the game is not changed at all).

 

[Clovenhoof]

You're also forgetting Damage Reduction. If you have, say, DR6, it's much more convenient to get hit 3 times for 10 damage each than once for 30 damage.

And anyway, it's kind of misleading to say it would change "nothing except MD", when Massive Damage is pretty much _the_ defining feature of Conan combat.

If, however, you add up the damage from the regular and the free attack, then it's indeed _exactly_ the rules-as-written critical hit, just explained differently.

FWIW, in our games we've simply scratched the confirmation roll. Yes, that has numerous implications and changes the game significantly. For one thing, iterative attacks become much more valuable, because even on your 4th attack you have 10% chance to roll double damage.
On the other hand, the distortion is not that big, since in Conan the DVs are rather low anyway, so confirmation rolls usually succeed and you can just as well save the trouble.
(Personally I would have just kept the confirmation rolls, but my fellow players didn't want it.)

 

[tarkhan bey]

When my group were still playing D20 Conan, our houserule was that if a crit was rolled, then a crit it was. The only time that it was regarded as a 'threat' of a crit was when the target was wearing a helmet. It made the oft seen comic book art of 'Helmet only' viable(there may be no damage reduction but it could be the difference between a character taking a critical damage hit or not).
As there are no location hits in D20 it seemed perfectly reasonable.

We will be starting playing Conan using MRQ2 rules in the next few weeks. :shock:

 

[Supplement Four]

You're also forgetting Damage Reduction. If you have, say, DR6, it's much more convenient to get hit 3 times for 10 damage each than once for 30 damage.

Ah. Well, I'm still learning the game.

But, as I said above, just consider it an "attack routine" and add the two attacks together. That way no rules are affected at all--the game plays the same.

If, however, you add up the damage from the regular and the free attack, then it's indeed _exactly_ the rules-as-written critical hit, just explained differently.

Yup.

(Personally I would have just kept the confirmation rolls, but my fellow players didn't want it.)

Yeah, there's just something about it that doesn't sit well with me.

 

[Supplement Four]

When my group were still playing D20 Conan, our houserule was that if a crit was rolled, then a crit it was. The only time that it was regarded as a 'threat' of a crit was when the target was wearing a helmet. It made the oft seen comic book art of 'Helmet only' viable(there may be no damage reduction but it could be the difference between a character taking a critical damage hit or not).

That's not a bad call at all. I like your thinking on this.

 

[Clovenhoof]

there's just something about it that doesn't sit well with me.

The old bromide about removing the confirmation roll, although my co-players don't acknowledge this, is that it works against the players in the long run, as with any mechanism that can produce extreme results.
Sooner or later some clown with a battle-axe (or worse, bardiche) _will_ roll a 20, and then it's a huge difference whether that automatically does triple damage or if he has to roll again to beat your 25 Defense with his lousy third iterative attack at +5 bonus.

 

[Supplement Four]

Sooner or later some clown with a battle-axe (or worse, bardiche) _will_ roll a 20, and then it's a huge difference whether that automatically does triple damage or if he has to roll again to beat your 25 Defense with his lousy third iterative attack at +5 bonus.

Which is why I like the way I did it. The second attack roll serves as the check. I'm just calling it an "attack roll".

It's still the exact same throw.

I guess I just feel better about the description of it.

 

[Clovenhoof]

Good for you, then. ^^ It is a workable rationalization.

 

[strategos14]

we use an older version of a critical hits chart from that involves rolling for placement, weapon type, and percentages that are base on the number or the DV was exceeded and the points of damage. it takes a tad more time but the players don't mind especially when it's them doing the critting. the threat role must be used here because our crits are more deadly. this is one of, if not the only, non-conan d20 rule type thing we use. i like it though because it makes crits not only more exciting for the player but also more terrible for them if they are the ones getting hit. many times have one of the players critted my villain and they jump up and while flicking me and dancing about scream, "bust out the crit chart mutha f#$cka!!"