I read the rules to be as Nightbreeze said. When you inflict a multiple of damage (usually just double) you roll the dice multiple times. You never roll once and multiply. That means that a roll of twice maximum damage for one crit is EXTREMELY improbable. (Happens one time out of sixty-four crits for a longsword, or other d8 weapon. And since a crit probably only happens about one time out of 100 attacks, we're talking about a 1 in 6400 probability, if I recall my math properly, which is by no means EVER certain!)
Whoa, whoa, hold that. As a DM, I enjoy very much making my players eat criticals, and I assure that even with a longsword, crits are not so rare. At low levels, say that you have 50% chance of hitting the enemy. With 19-20 you hit and then you have 50% chance of confirming. That means that one hit on 20 is a confirmed critical.
Actually, I am more afraid from the damned 20-20-hit optional rule, and I assure you that in the last year it happened at least thrice -_-. But then, it also happened twice from for the monsters, and one of those was a rat. Yep, a rat gutted a 4th level dwarf fighter. I house ruled that it is not instant death, but hp set on -5, 10 damage to str, dex, con each.
Well, I could propose to Ja the following deal: if maximum damage in critical happens, it turns out a normal hit. In exchange, I get a +1 to hit (for every hit). Do you thing he'll accept it?
Hmmm, well, let's see ..... I've known JA for about 25 years now. In my opinion, the odds of Asmodeus successfully making a snowcone are better than what you suggest.
I'm excited! I just found out that as a Community Supporter I can disable those annyoying ads at the top and side of the screen! It's almost like traveling back in time to before the dumb ol' ads appeared!
Thank goodness for players who are rule's guru.. you save me from having to refer to the Book of Scotley ............
A proposition
I will allow you guys max damage on the first roll and then you roll normal damage for the critical...but only if the monsters get max damage for their first set of rolls also ...
A proposition
I will allow you guys max damage on the first roll and then you roll normal damage for the critical...but only if the monsters get max damage for their first set of rolls also ...
If we were playing face-to-face across your mother's kitchen table, then I KNOW my answer would be SURE, because we'd have Scotley's +57 Vorpal 20-Sider on our side! In fact, my vote is still to do it that way. I figure either I'll kick major boo-tay, or else I'll get to roll up a brand new character!
Hrrm...I would say that it would very well suit the shock-and-AAARGHthePAIN!!! style of Harstard, but if the monster keep up getting us by surprise, not even maxed hitpoints will keep us alive. All in all, I'd keep it on the normal rules
Hee hee, that twenty sider is actually only a +14 vorpal. It is the percentile dice that are artifact quality items. I must admit that were we using real dice across the table, I'd have been inclined to roll the dice on that altar in Southern Operatives. With invisible castle I'm not so bold. I've seen what IC does to Mowgli.
I agree with Nightbreeze's take on the double damage rules, but I have to say crits can be much more common. I'll be disappointed if Alvar doesn't get a crit at least every other round when he is using full attack. Of course he is really optimized for crits.
Well, of course, I was speaking about a longsword for low level soldiers. At higher levels, a 15-20 critical range is entirely possible. Whether it pays up to specialize in criticals, with multiple feats and magical abilities, is to be discussed. Personally, I enjoy it. Other people find that it is better to concentrate on overall quality of attacks.
Yes, I can see the argument in favor of a really big weapon maxed out with feats and powers too. The advantage there is that you are less at the mercy of the dice and the larger damage per blow really pays off when you encounter damage resistance and creatures not subject to crits. The rules definately allow for more than one way to skin a dragon.
Yeah, but the dragon has always twice you number of ways to eat you (dragon never skin their food, puah). Choose one: magic, breath, or claws! And if your really want to be mean, give him arcane strike :P
OK, I have not seen this question asked, so I will ask. Is there any plan for the Great North to go 4e?
I'm good either way, but it is curious to me that this has not been discussed. I'm sure that some of our more unusual characters would only be ported with changes, but in the beginning JA did ask us to avoid elaborate/complicated characters...
Good question....I have had no plans to change over to 4e for the simple fact that i have yet to look at 4e for more than five or ten minutes.......but I will run a proposal by you guys and it will apply only to the great north.......I will entertain you guys trying to convert them over and having one combat to just see the mechanics etc of 4E as we know how powerful the characters are in the current game as a compariosn....anyway just a thought..
And yes i have always requested simple characters and classess I wonder why playersa always wanna complicate things like with a dwarf ninja warmaster or a human necromancer/paladin ...... but as they say..all is good
In fact, my vote is still to do it that way. I figure either I'll kick major boo-tay, or else I'll get to roll up a brand new character! 
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