Critical hits on area attacks

[Weisshaupt]

I searched around for this but I didn't find any posts on it. Hopefully this isn't a duplicate question.

This came up last night in a game of ours. Our cleric used turn undead which is a close burst, an area effect. So it's an individual attack-roll against each undead and a unified damage-roll for all who are hit.
So the cleric rolls a 20 for the first skeleton. Hmm, does that constitute a critical hit? Is the crit just for that one skeleton or does he get maximum damage to each of them?

The way we played it out was that the cleric rolled damage and applied it to the skeletons who were hit but gave maximum damage to the skeleton he rolled a 20 on.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The way we played it out was that the cleric rolled damage and applied it to the skeletons who were hit but gave maximum damage to the skeleton he rolled a 20 on.

Right.

-Hyp.

 

[Ravingdork]

I searched around for this but I didn't find any posts on it. Hopefully this isn't a duplicate question.

This came up last night in a game of ours. Our cleric used turn undead which is a close burst, an area effect. So it's an individual attack-roll against each undead and a unified damage-roll for all who are hit.
So the cleric rolls a 20 for the first skeleton. Hmm, does that constitute a critical hit? Is the crit just for that one skeleton or does he get maximum damage to each of them?

The way we played it out was that the cleric rolled damage and applied it to the skeletons who were hit but gave maximum damage to the skeleton he rolled a 20 on.

Whenever you make an area attack of any kind, roll damage first, than roll the attack roll for each valid taret within the area. If you hit, deal the damage to that target. If you get a natural 20 on your attack roll die, ignore your previous damage roll and apply max damage for that particular target.

In other words, you did it correctly.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I have a question:

do I roll the attack rolls against every foe at the same time? If I have a striker damage ability that applies, can I roll all my attacks and then choose to apply the damage to a foe that I crit, after I've determined which attacks crit?

 

[abyssaldeath]

That depend on the ability. Sneak attack for instance lets choose after you roll damage. So with sneak attack you can.

 

[Nifft]

can I roll all my attacks and then choose to apply the damage to a foe that I crit, after I've determined which attacks crit?

Yep.

That depend on the ability. Sneak attack for instance lets choose after you roll damage. So with sneak attack you can.

All the Striker abilities have been errata'd (or "updated") to work similarly now.

Cheers, -- N