Critical hit exception

[Zappo]

The following is from the 3.5 SRD, in the combat, critical hits section:

From the SRD:
Exception:Extra damage over and above a weapon’s normal damage is not multiplied when you score a critical hit.

Uh... what does that mean? Is this the usual rule about not multiplying extra random damage?

 

[melkoriii]

A Weapons normal damage is xdx+Str+magic bonus

So anything that does not fit into that formula would not be multiplied on a crit.

Flamming
Sneak Attack
Wounding

All are not multiplied

 

[Nail]

Dude.

What's up with the Black font?

 

[Kershek]

What about Power Lunge (Sword & Fist) and Headlong Rush (Races of Faerun)? Would they multiply in a crit?

 

[Xavim]

A safe way to go is if it adds dice to the damage, it isn't multiplied with the crit.
ex. Sneak attack, Iron Fist, Flaming, Holy, ect.

 

[Kershek]

Power Lunge adds to the strength modifier. Headlong Rush does double damage on a charge. Not sure if those count as "adding dice to damage" or not.

 

[Ryan Koppenhaver]

I believe that's a typo, and should read "extra dice of damage..."

 

[Xavim]

Then they both count. Note that in the rules a double + a double=a triple
so this charge would do x3 normal damage with the STR bonus being included in the damage that is multiplied.

 

[Li Shenron]

A Weapons normal damage is xdx+Str+magic bonus

So anything that does not fit into that formula would not be multiplied on a crit.

Are you sure? What about Power Attack bonus to damage, Weapon Spec damage, bonus damage from spells or Inspire Courage and so on...?

In 3.0 it was quite clear that bonuses are multiplied in a critical (together with the weapon damage from the chart "xdy"), while extra damage dice are not multiplied. I think the 3.5 is a typo, but it's a very bad one: most of the people who haven't been playing 3.0 will just think that normal damage is exactly the typical xdy written in the weapon's description. I don't think there's a definition in the new PHB of "normal damage", at least not in the SRD AFAIK. "Over and above the weapon's normal damage" just makes me think that even your Str bonus is, which has always been multiplied in a crit.

 

[hong]

I believe that's a typo, and should read "extra dice of damage..."

Yeah. It's been mentioned before.