D&D 5E Critical Questions

[maritimo80]

I have two question about Critical Hits.


1- The Greatsword Weapon gives 2d6 damage. A critical that gun would 3d6 or 4d6 damage?


2- A Sneak Attack gives 3d6 additional damage by example, and 1d6 of the weapon. How many would if critical damage dice? 2d6 weapon plus sneak? 2d6 of Weapon and 4d6 more of sneak (1d6 extra dice of sneak by critical)? 2d6 of Weapon and 6d6 Sneak more (double number of dices of sneak)?

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Critical hits double all dice.

1. 4d6
2. 8d6

 

[Boarstorm]

Both questions are kind of the same question.

ALL dice that don't specifically say they aren't doubled on a crit, are doubled on a crit.

1) Greatsword critical: 4d6

2) 2d6 from weapon, 6d6 from Sneak Attack.

 

[Tormyr]

A fun example is the CR 8 assassin. It gets 1d6 for the weapon, 7d6 for poison damage on a weapon hit, and 4d6 when sneak attack applies. It also gets advantage plus automatic critical hits on surprised targets. Next time you need to eliminate a level 8 PC, give the PCs a chance to notice the assassin lurking, and when they fail, have the assassin strike for 87 (24d6 + 3) damage. Oh, and the assassin has multiattack for another hit with advantage and critical for 67 (16d6 +3) damage. Roll high enough, and the PC is dead outright on the first hit. Otherwise the second hit is available.

 

[Piratecat]

A fun example is the CR 8 assassin. It gets 1d6 for the weapon, 7d6 for poison damage on a weapon hit, and 4d6 when sneak attack applies. It also gets advantage plus automatic critical hits on surprised targets. Next time you need to eliminate a level 8 PC, give the PCs a chance to notice the assassin lurking, and when they fail, have the assassin strike for 87 (24d6 + 3) damage. Oh, and the assassin has multiattack for another hit with advantage and critical for 67 (16d6 +3) damage. Roll high enough, and the PC is dead outright on the first hit. Otherwise the second hit is available.

Holy crappola. Noted. Sorry, my players.

 

[Paraxis]

A fun example is the CR 8 assassin. It gets 1d6 for the weapon, 7d6 for poison damage on a weapon hit, and 4d6 when sneak attack applies. It also gets advantage plus automatic critical hits on surprised targets. Next time you need to eliminate a level 8 PC, give the PCs a chance to notice the assassin lurking, and when they fail, have the assassin strike for 87 (24d6 + 3) damage. Oh, and the assassin has multiattack for another hit with advantage and critical for 67 (16d6 +3) damage. Roll high enough, and the PC is dead outright on the first hit. Otherwise the second hit is available.

Wow, an 8th level fighter with an 18 con has 84 hit points, say good bye.

I would start by assassinating the priestly looking guy first though.

 

[pming]

Hiya.

A fun example is the CR 8 assassin. It gets 1d6 for the weapon, 7d6 for poison damage on a weapon hit, and 4d6 when sneak attack applies. It also gets advantage plus automatic critical hits on surprised targets. Next time you need to eliminate a level 8 PC, give the PCs a chance to notice the assassin lurking, and when they fail, have the assassin strike for 87 (24d6 + 3) damage. Oh, and the assassin has multiattack for another hit with advantage and critical for 67 (16d6 +3) damage. Roll high enough, and the PC is dead outright on the first hit. Otherwise the second hit is available.

Personally, I rule that "extra bonus damage" sources don't count. So the Assassin would have 1d6 for weapon plus 4d6 for sneak, doubled, with an additional 7d6 poison (that's some killer poison, btw!); Total of 17d6. My reasoning is that the poison is a specific damage booster in the form of a range as opposed to a flat bonus. If the poison had been listed as "+22 from poison" then that wouldn't get doubled (just as a bonus from magic, strength, etc. doesn't get doubled). I can see some magic items giving a bonus damage range type...like a Frost Brand type sword that gives +2d6 Cold damage. I don't think that extra 2d6 cold damage should be doubled as the general idea behind a critical hit is a perfect or more powerful strike...that precision shouldn't suddenly make poison more deadly, or cold more cold. IMHO, of course.

By reading the rules as "ALL dice double" I fear that players will start down the dark path of trying to find (and VASTLY favor) virtually anything that can give them "+1dX" over anything else....and once you give in to the dark side, forever will it dominate your ability to make interesting characters (or something like that, I forget the exact quote... ).

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Tormyr]

Hiya.



Personally, I rule that "extra bonus damage" sources don't count. So the Assassin would have 1d6 for weapon plus 4d6 for sneak, doubled, with an additional 7d6 poison (that's some killer poison, btw!); Total of 17d6. My reasoning is that the poison is a specific damage booster in the form of a range as opposed to a flat bonus. If the poison had been listed as "+22 from poison" then that wouldn't get doubled (just as a bonus from magic, strength, etc. doesn't get doubled). I can see some magic items giving a bonus damage range type...like a Frost Brand type sword that gives +2d6 Cold damage. I don't think that extra 2d6 cold damage should be doubled as the general idea behind a critical hit is a perfect or more powerful strike...that precision shouldn't suddenly make poison more deadly, or cold more cold. IMHO, of course.

By reading the rules as "ALL dice double" I fear that players will start down the dark path of trying to find (and VASTLY favor) virtually anything that can give them "+1dX" over anything else....and once you give in to the dark side, forever will it dominate your ability to make interesting characters (or something like that, I forget the exact quote... ).

^_^

Paul L. Ming

Sure, you can house rule it that way if you want. I generally look for a story reason to fit the mechanics (which does not always work). so my explanation is that the more lethal strike of the critical hit creates a more efficient vector for the poison or cold damage. The rules do state that if an attack involves other damage dice that you rule those twice as well and the "all dice double" interpretation has been confirmed by Mearls if I recall correctly, so let your players know about the change ahead of time.

Personally, I think the Assassin is mostly a special case, and I would not worry about player abuse in general. Something like frost brand or flame tongue, the most obvious PC examples, will only do a couple damage dice of elemental damage. The assassin is a special case who is supposed to do extra damage, and pays for it by having slightly fewer hit points, similarly to a spell caster. I figure they wanted the Assassin to do extra damage without placing an uber weapon in the PCs' hands. Having the Assassin add extra damage through poison does the trick rather than having the short sword do 8d8 piercing or giving it more than two attacks.

 

[Paraxis]

When I play I want to get my hands on some of this 7d6 poison, thats some good stuff.

Just like the lizard man spiked shields, these monsters get all the good gear.

 

[Psikerlord#]

i would rule the poison doesnt double