Darkness8Me
First Post
I'm going to be starting a new campaign soon, and the DM informed us that he plans on using a critical hit table for the game. I'm REALLY opposed to most house rules in the first place, but this particular one is a sore spot for me.
What I'm trying to figure out is how such a change affects gameplay. Below is a list of what I've noticed, and anything you could add would be appreciated.
1) High threat range weapons become decidedly better then their high damage modifier counterparts (i.e. greatsword vs. greataxe). The "benefits" of the critical hit table are activated by scoring a critical hit and the critical damage modifier of the weapon isn't taken into account in most cases.
2) Hit points are partially negated and classes with larger hit dice are penalized. An arm severing critical hit that inflicts 16 points of damage would affect a 120 hit point barbarian the same as a 40 hit point wizard in regards to the added effect (the severing of the limb).
3) When a monster loses a limb it isn't a earth shattering event. As pointed out in the DMG, an individual creature usually makes one appearance before it is slain (or runs away). However, the same event happening to a player character is extremely debilitating until healed.
Furthermore, if anyone knows of a critical hit table that doesn't destroy the D&D combat system as mentioned above I would be happy to hear it (as an alternative suggestion to the DM).
What I'm trying to figure out is how such a change affects gameplay. Below is a list of what I've noticed, and anything you could add would be appreciated.
1) High threat range weapons become decidedly better then their high damage modifier counterparts (i.e. greatsword vs. greataxe). The "benefits" of the critical hit table are activated by scoring a critical hit and the critical damage modifier of the weapon isn't taken into account in most cases.
2) Hit points are partially negated and classes with larger hit dice are penalized. An arm severing critical hit that inflicts 16 points of damage would affect a 120 hit point barbarian the same as a 40 hit point wizard in regards to the added effect (the severing of the limb).
3) When a monster loses a limb it isn't a earth shattering event. As pointed out in the DMG, an individual creature usually makes one appearance before it is slain (or runs away). However, the same event happening to a player character is extremely debilitating until healed.
Furthermore, if anyone knows of a critical hit table that doesn't destroy the D&D combat system as mentioned above I would be happy to hear it (as an alternative suggestion to the DM).
