D&D 3E/3.5 Crit Tables: Dumb idea in 3e?

[JesterPoet]

Okay... My buddy and I are having an argument.

I want to use Critical Hit and Miss tables in my D&D 3e adventure. Tables along the lines of dropping weapons or disarming characters, which will be rolled for. A good example (though for 2e) can be found here:

http://www.mortalwombat.enta.net/ADD/CombatTwo.htm

My buddy is telling me that it's a bad idea. According to him, it will screw up the weapon balance in a big way. He thinks I should implement a rule that would allow them to choose to trip or disarm rather than do double damage.

While that would work, it doesn't really create the effect I am going for. I want more interesting combat, and I feel pretty sure the players will always choose to deal the heavy damage. Plus, it'd be nice for them to be able to do those things occasionally, without having the trip or disarm feats.

Anyone have suggestions or opinions on this?

 

[Crothian]

I like the idea. I usually have them a little less specific so I can tailor them to situations.

 

[Henry]

If you are going to do it, I would suggest doing it like critical hits in 3E: if you roll a 20, roll to confirm, and if you roll a 1, roll another miss to confirm that, before you go dropping bombs on them. In 2nd edition D&D i once made players roll every time they rolled a 1 or a 20; the critical hit was an automatic doubling for damage dice only, not dice and plusses; in critical fumble, a "1" resulted in a % dice roll, in which a 76-00 was no problem, but 1-75 was some pretty nasty stuff.

We had some really fun combats, let me tell you.

Later, upon reflection, this was what I now refer to as a "mistake."

 

[Jeph]

I'd probably not use a table, just play it by ear, and do whatever you think is cool. If they get a crit, and have the Improved Disarm feat, maybe their opponent's sword flies up into the air, and lands in a pit of lava or acid, a dark crevice, becomes lost in the fog, stuck in a tree, etcetera. Whateveer seems neat at the time.

 

[Jeph]

And shouldn't this go in House Rules?

 

[Henry]

Y'know, you may be on to somethng, Jeph!

 

[Nifft]

I'd probably not use a table, just play it by ear, and do whatever you think is cool. If they get a crit, and have the Improved Disarm feat, maybe their opponent's sword flies up into the air, and lands in a pit of lava or acid, a dark crevice, becomes lost in the fog, stuck in a tree, etcetera. Whateveer seems neat at the time.

This makes me want to combine the idea of table and play-by-ear...

Critical Fumble Table (1d20):
1-8: Attract Attacks of Opportunity from nearby foes
9-15: Make Balance Check or Reflex Save vs. environmental hazard
16-18: Make a Will Save or Concentration Check or lose a few points of Initiative
19: Make a Fort Save or be flat-footed until next initiative
20: Weapon somehow gets stuck or dropped


-- Nifft

 

[the Jester]

I have a "colorful critical hit" system that simply adds to the current 3e system. Based on the damage you take vs. your current hp, the crit's severity is determined; then you roll on a little table to see where you got hit and there are usually 4-6 options on the table for that severity to that location (again, roll randomly). Basing the severity on the damage taken vs. current hp ensures that nobody's head gets cut off unless it's already a lethal blow anyway; and it also helps ensure that even high-hp creatures can take really telling blows when they've been worn down a little.

 

[Corwin]

I have a "colorful critical hit" system...

OK... so when do we get to see it already?

You're such a tease.

 

[the Jester]

OK... so when do we get to see it already?

You're such a tease.

I know, I know. Well, I just got my stuff back last night- I'll have to go through it all and find the darn thing...

Besides, I think I've posted it in the past, but I couldn't tell you which thread it was in or when.