Critical Effects: Critiques Wanted

[DnDChick]

Hi all!

Ive been working on a system for critical effets which can make combat more realistic and deadly without having to go to a VP/WP system.

I appreciate any and all critiques and suggestions! This has never been playtested, so Im sure there will be things that must be addressed.

Thanks!

Critical Effects

 

[Ravellion]

It doesn't seem to be available at this point in time. Perhaps ctrl-a, ctrl-c, ctrl-v ?

Rav

 

[Skullfyre]

It prompts me to save or open the file

 

[trentonjoe]

Seems well thought out but overly complicated for my taste.

My group got into the Combat and tactics critical rules in 2E but we found it slowed down play alot.

I would suggest streamlining it a bit. But a very sound idea,

 

[DnDChick]

Seems well thought out but overly complicated for my taste.

My group got into the Combat and tactics critical rules in 2E but we found it slowed down play alot.

I would suggest streamlining it a bit. But a very sound idea,

Any specific streamlining suggestions? What exactly didnt you like about it? Too many rolls?

 

[trentonjoe]

Well, there are to many words. I think maybe a chart with the actually damage as opposed to a description would make things go quicker.

The rolls tend to add up too.

Lastly, instant death stuff only leads to more PC death and sheer randomness of combat.

Really lastly, if you are going to increase the severity to criticals (which is what you're doing) you have to introduce things to decrease the frequency of criticals.

I would suggets looking at thread called don't leave home without them in the house rules forum. It was started by a man with a VERY scandavian name. Full of K's, V's, and J's.

 

[trentonjoe]

here is the link:

http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=912


His main point is that wearing a helmet decreases the likelyhood of suffering a critical. Maybe you could invent similare rules for other parts oif the body or have an amulet of critical AC which would add 5 or so to your Ac when determining critical rolls.

 

[Berandor]

I don't like crit systems as a D&D concept...

if I did, however, I would like your take.

I think it is quite easy, and streamlined, to a point.
Minor gripes:
*the only table where the second most damaging effect doesn't cause "dying" is bludgeonig effects. Why is that? Many people are killed by bludgeoning weapons; even today (think base-ball bat or hammer)

*run through, while sounding nice, is sooo hard to imagine with a dagger. Perhaps you should implement modifiers based on weapon size?

Of course, that's the point where such a system gets clumsier and clumsier, so better leave it as is.

Berandor

 

[trentonjoe]

I think you defineatly need weapon size modifiers too!.

 

[DnDChick]

I don't like crit systems as a D&D concept...

if I did, however, I would like your take.

I think it is quite easy, and streamlined, to a point.

Thanks! I was shooting for something that would be fairly quick to implement, without bogging down combat too much. Crits are still pretty rare, so its not like every hit in combat makes you roll a hit location, stun save, what have you. Glad you like it overall!

Minor gripes:
*the only table where the second most damaging effect doesn't cause "dying" is bludgeonig effects. Why is that? Many people are killed by bludgeoning weapons; even today (think base-ball bat or hammer)

Umm...an editing error from a previous version. I have fixed the error.

*run through, while sounding nice, is sooo hard to imagine with a dagger. Perhaps you should implement modifiers based on weapon size?

Of course, that's the point where such a system gets clumsier and clumsier, so better leave it as is.

Berandor

Well...the effect of the damage is more important than the name. "Run Through" could simply mean that the dagger nailed the heart, a lung, juggular vein, what have you. It doesnt necessarily mean that youve been completely pierced by the weapon and its sticking out your back. "Run Through" was just the only thing I could think to call a piercing wound severity worse than "Impaled."

And youre right about weapon modifiers to the crit roll: thats an added complication in a system thats already close to being overly complicated and slow to keep up with the "need for speed" simplicity that D20 provides.