Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

General topics, including off-topic discussion, goes here.
User avatar
Metroknight
Posts: 1396
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:26 pm
Location: Alabama, USA

Re: Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

Post by Metroknight »

I require a confirm (additional roll to hit) for the crit to land otherwise it is just another blow. The crit damage is simple as it is normal damage rolled + the max die of the weapon.

This means if a crit is landed with a short sword, it would be 1d6 + 6.

If the attacker had a high strength (say +2) then the same attack would be 1d6+2+6.

If a magical sword is used then the magic modifier is only added once. Say the short sword is +1 and the attacker has +2 str then a crit damage would just be 1d6+1+2+6.

It works for my group.
User avatar
Boggo
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2022 7:17 pm

Re: Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

Post by Boggo »

Honestly, It's been my opinion for awhile now that Criticals and Fumbles aren't really workable in D&D based game systems, combat is really not balanced for it, the always hit on a 20 always miss on a 1 is actually emulating criticals and fumbling anyway, though YMMV
No matter where you go...there you are
Kane
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2022 4:08 pm

Re: Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

Post by Kane »

Boggo wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 8:08 pm Honestly, It's been my opinion for awhile now that Criticals and Fumbles aren't really workable in D&D based game systems, combat is really not balanced for it, the always hit on a 20 always miss on a 1 is actually emulating criticals and fumbling anyway, though YMMV
For me it's weird because D&D is so abstract. Losing hitpoints doesn't necessarily imply you even got touched, which is a problem with table-result based criticals. With damage-based criticals, it feels like it's just replicating what dice already do, create variation in damage.

In a more detailed/less abstract game they can add something, if they're interesting. Rolemaster and RuneQuestIII went a bit hog wild with all the dismemberment (fighting can be brutal, but not that brutal - most people who die in battle just got clocked on the head or run through, not butchered). I think the sweet spot is something like Mythras, where getting exceptional hits allows you to do special effects, including more damage, impalement, etc. Mythras is very much not abstract in combat, and the same goes for GURPS.

A game I haven't played but want to, HarnMaster, has all damage handled by specific location effects with their own consequences - a bit like Rolemaster, but without hit points at all. This system is way too fiddly for many players, but I have a ridiculous tolerance for crunch if the game is cool (Burning Wheel famously requires its own sheets for combat decisions, but I like the way fights go in it).

A game like HarnMaster or Burning Wheel could be a real nightmare in D&D style adventuring, though. If 'avoid combat' is an OSR maxim, it's practically a law in HarnMaster.
User avatar
Boggo
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2022 7:17 pm

Re: Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

Post by Boggo »

you're kinda wrong about RQ, the only game I know of written by experts in medieval combat, sure they use Rattan swords to avoid killing people, but I've been hit with one a few times by an SCA knight and it's as close as you're gonna get without being locked up for a LONG time
No matter where you go...there you are
Kane
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2022 4:08 pm

Re: Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

Post by Kane »

Boggo wrote: Sun Dec 04, 2022 4:48 am you're kinda wrong about RQ
I'm talking specifically about RuneQuestIII. The first two were less dismember-y, I haven't played Glorantha, and Mythras is wonderful (and also has features that RuneQuest didn't, which make combat far more interesting). Los and Pete are SCA nerds themselves, as well as some of the most talented rules writers in RPG history. I would endorse Mythras combat as much more pluasible than RQ3 or Stormbringer, which tend to have skilled fighters whiffing at each other while dancing until someone gets immediately shredded by a bad roll. That's a silly mix of high stakes and zero-effect, and the other editions of the game are not as bad with this.

Mythras is easily one of my favorite RPGs of all time, and I consider it the best version of RuneQuest (despite not being called RQ anymore).

GURPS high-detail combat is not necessarily 'realistic' (combat is just so, so chaotic IRL) but it does give a lot of verisimilitude and specificity. The downside to GURPS is that a skilled character build can create ridiculous probability curves. I played a gunfighter (think Chow Yun Fat from a Hong Kong Blood Opera) and I would literally shoot people in the eye the first round of combat. That happening occasionally is believable, but my ability to do it constantly was ridiculous.
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Critical Hits are PC Death Sentences

Post by Solomoriah »

And this discussion is now no longer about Basic Fantasy RPG. Sorry guys, this section is closed, please move along...
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], inhalvast and 40 guests