Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: Tue,  6 Oct 1992 16:14:54 -0400 
From: "Peter F. Delaney" <pd1x+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Critical Hits

THE RULES PART:

	Well, we use a relatively simple system for crit hits and crit fumbles,
although we don't always have it in effect.  Depends on the game.  Only
player characters and NPC's using weapons are allowed to get these extra
swings, to save some time.

	Rolling a 20: Immediately roll a second d20.  (1) If you "couldn't hit"
the creature (i.e. you needed more than a 20 based on the THAC0
computation), you have to beat the part number minus twenty that you
needed.  So if you needed a 25, you would need a 5 on the second die (no
bonuses!).  (2) If a 20 would have hit, the second d20 is a second
attack roll. It's like getting an extra swing.

	Rolling a 1:  Immediately roll a second d20.  If you roll less than
your DEX score, nothing happens.  Otherwise, you lose your grip on your
weapon.

	As for critical *damage*, when the damage you take from a single blow
is very high (depends on your level and DM whim), it is sometimes ruled
that this injury is something serious, like a broken bone, a
dislocation, or a concussion.  The specific game effects are made up on
the spot.  To heal this, you must heal the damage that was taken - it
heals at the normal rate, and can be cured with the usual priest heal
spells.  Thus far, I've had no player complaints with this system, due
to the high prevalence of healing spells.  

	Example of Critical Damage:  Grond the 2nd-level dwarf fighter, from
"The Dark Continent" game, was fighting a much higher level drow
swordsman.  The swordsman hit him for 8 damage, plus a strength bonus of
+1, plus a magical bonus of +2 -- 11 damage.  It was ruled that Grond
had had his leg cut badly, and was having difficulty moving around.


THE DISCUSSION PART:

	Yes, I *am* going to argue that this has a purpose.  It adds (1) a
certain excitement during combat, since you don't just have "hit" and
"miss" results - you also have slip ups and lucky extra attacks, and (2)
a certain amount of *fantasy* realism.  This business of I swing, you
swing, I swing, you swing is kind of predictable after a while, even if
your combats have interesting terrain, unusual/unidentified monsters,
and tricky stuff to spice them up.  I'm not going to claim it adds
objective realism, but it makes combats more believable for participants
- I guess it just gets them more into the fight, so it seems to matter
more.

	This last is just my opinion, of course.  If you don't like even this
simple crit system, ignore it.  No point in wasting your time telling me
I'm wrong, is there?

	I have to admit, most crit systems are just plain annoying.  Playing a
fighter or thief is hosey enough as it is, without silly results like
"67 - 69  Facial Scar!!  Charisma reduced by 1d4-1 points!" and "70 - 71
Permanent mental damage!! INT and WIS reduced by 1d2 points each!". 
I've played in one game like that, and it was just a PITA - no advantage
to *us*, just a hose, especially since the DM in question didn't have
healing spells...

Pe+eR
.
Pe+eR Delaney, CMU, Pittburgh, PA ... Compuserve: 73750,3667
Internet: blackclove+@cmu.edu ...  Local: pd1x
Me:  "I like quantum physics.  It has a good beat, and you can dance to it."
Professor:  "...but do you understand the lyrics?"