Advantage/disadvantage and critical hits/fumbles

JWO

First Post

• Mar 6, 2015

• #1

This is actually stolen from one of the rules of Malifaux, I thought it could be quite and interesting thing to bring into D&D with all the advantage and disadvantage rules.

Basically, the way it works is that if you roll a natural 20, you can always use that die, unless you roll a natural 1, in which case you would always have to use that die.

So for example, if you are rolling with disadvantage and you roll a 4 and a 20, you get to use the 20, even though you're at a disadvantage. Conversely, if you roll a 1 and a 17, you have to use the 1, even if you're rolling with advantage. If you roll a 1 and a 20, you have to take the 1 if you're rolling with advantage or disadvantage.

I guess you could have it so that 20 trumps 1, but this way is meaner...which makes it better

What d'you think?

 

log in or register to remove this ad

jodyjohnson

Adventurer

• Mar 6, 2015

• #2

It only tweaks the probabilities a little.

It may shift play in that when you are rolling with advantage you would prefer to stop rolling if the first die is a success because the second die has a 5% chance of making it a failure.

Instead of speeding play it slows play in order to debate whether the second roll is worth the risk.

Or in those instances where the adv/dis comes after the fact (advantage remembered to change a miss, or disadvantage remembered to possibly make a failure) it becomes mandatory because a success or failure can always be reversed by the second die.

 

bedir than

Full Moon Storyteller

• Mar 8, 2015

• #3

jodyjohnson said:

Instead of speeding play it slows play in order to debate whether the second roll is worth the risk.

Click to expand...

Don't you roll both dice at the same time?

 

S

SirAntoine

Banned

Banned

• Mar 8, 2015

• #4

I don't think it makes quite enough sense to be a good rule, but the natural 1 should be a fumble if the natural 20 is a critical hit.

 

P

Paraxis

Explorer

• Mar 8, 2015

• #5

Fumbles are bad mmkay..

 

delericho

Legend

• Mar 8, 2015

• #6

bedir than said:

Don't you roll both dice at the same time?

Click to expand...

Often, but not always. Suppose, for example, you only had one d20 to roll.

As for the proposed rule: It's not for me. It adds an extra wrinkle to a rule I don't think needs it.