The Art of Combat - critical rolls

Have you played DnD for a while and now feel like combat is repetitive and stale?

Perhaps as a whole, combat encounters now feel like nothing more than a monotonous drudgery.

Why not spice things up a bit with the flexible Critical Rolls?

Here are a few of the basic rules for Critical Rolls:

 Critical Hit

• 5e – Roll a nat 20 (20 on the 20-sided die) and it is considered an automatic critical hit which results in bonus damage.

• PF1 (Pathfinder) – occurs when an attack roll lands within the weapon’s critical threat range and is confirmed by a second attack roll; if the second roll also hits, the attack is a critical hit which results in doubled damage.

• PF2 – when you make an attack and succeed with a nat 20, it’s a crit, but if you attack and miss with a Nat 20 it’s just a hit. When you make a Strike with a weapon (or unarmed attack) and succeed with a nat 20, or if the result of your attack exceeds the target’s AC by 10, you achieve a critical hit and your attack deals double damage.

Critcal Failure/Fumble

• Rules are similar but in the opposite direction with rolling a natural 1 on a 20-sided die.

These seem simple enough and can add a bit more pizzaz to your combat, but there are a lot more creative ways to add some variety to your combat if your group is willing to give it a try!

Enter the Critical Hit and Failure Tables!

There are a variety of tables that are available for use in your campaign, but the GM needs to first make sure that all of the players are aligned with the idea. Some players find the added chaos more tedious than regular combat flow, so check in with the group. If there is a split in those who do and don’t want to use the tables, you can always give them an individual option during combat to use the crit table or choose to simply do the double damage as normal.

Examples of Crit Hit Tables

•  Crippling Blow – target suffers a permanent limp (-5 ft speed) until healed magically.

•  Sever Artery – target bleeds 1d4 per round until healed.

•  Break Weapon Arm – target drops weapon and has a disadvantage using it until healed.

•  Intimidating Roar – gain advantage on your next Intimidation or combat-based Persuasion check.

And just so you don’t think these all have to be serious, here’s a fun one – you hit so hard that your or your enemy’s pants fall down; everyone within 30 ft makes a Will save or they laugh (become distracted).

All of these options allow and encourage the players to get more detailed and creative about describing their part of the battle. All of this is an opportunity to add a bit more fun and variety into your gaming sessions, but if it becomes too laborious then you can always drop it from the future sessions!

Oh, and if you’re curious about the fun you can have with fumbles and fails, here you go!

Examples of Crit Fumbles/Fails

•  Overcommit – you fall prone and provoke opportunity attacks.

•  Weapon Breaks – roll a d6

  • on 1 – it breaks

  • on 2-3, it’s damaged (disadvantage)

•  Fun one – a random chicken appears and clucks angrily at you in the midst of the battle; be careful not to attack the chicken or you will face the wrath of the CHICKEN SWARM!!!!

Hahaha, we hope that you enjoy the nod to The Legend of Zelda! If you enjoyed this week’s look into Critical Hits, leave a comment on our YouTube video, or join the conversations on our Discord Channel.

Until next time!

Credit: Written by Meraki Forest