D&D (2024) DM's no longer getting crits on PC's

[SakanaSensei]

I like it, personally, with the caveat that it depends on these controllable burst, recharge abilities and their design. My table focuses a lot on the players’ stories, and while we’re mostly fine with PCs dying, death shouldn’t feel cheap or random in our opinion.

 

[Guest 7034872]

I will absolutely be ignoring that rule.

Ditto, and same for 1s and 20s auto-failing or auto-succeeding on abilities, etc. We use those for and only for combat to-hits and will continue to do so.

 

[Reynard]

Crits from the monsters interfere with cooperative story telling.

If you don't like interference with cooperative storytelling, D&D is probably not your game. I would direct you toward PbtA and FitD games, but even then you are going to have to accept the results of die rolls.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Crits from the monsters interfere with cooperative story telling. If a player overcomes great adversity to achieve their story arc, the last thing they generally want is to die to a few lucky/unlucky rolls. This is especially true when you consider that monsters often outnumber the PCs, allowing them not only more actions but more crit chances. This often leads to DMs having to fudge damage or hit results.
To me this means that the default rules should be more on the controlled side, knowing that experienced players will use whatever rule they prefer at that point and for their group.

That’s understandable if that is what you are into.

A lot of just play. We have guiding principles and personalities but the dice and the game are bigger than us. Maybe they serve us and maybe they hurt us.

We don’t have story arcs a priori. The happenings happen.

 

[RobJN]

Crits from the monsters interfere with cooperative story telling. If a player overcomes great adversity to achieve their story arc, the last thing they generally want is to die to a few lucky/unlucky rolls. This is especially true when you consider that monsters often outnumber the PCs, allowing them not only more actions but more crit chances. This often leads to DMs having to fudge damage or hit results.
To me this means that the default rules should be more on the controlled side, knowing that experienced players will use whatever rule they prefer at that point and for their group.

If the PCs don't want to potentially get splatted by monsters, maybe they shouldn't be fighting the monsters.

 

[Reynard]

If the PCs don't want to potentially get splatted by monsters, maybe they shouldn't be fighting the monsters.

^^^This. Adventuring is dangerous business.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I like swingy effects in combat so on first blush I am not on board. But it has been suggested there are compensatory recharge abilities so maybe it's okay.

I’ll just use both lol

Like, oh hey this bugbear can do explosive damage and then disappear (recharge 6), sweet. Y’all better hope he don’t crit.

My table uses the somewhat popular “max normal damage and then roll damage dice again” houserule for crits, so…these crit changes are dead opposite how we roll.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

If the PCs don't want to potentially get splatted by monsters, maybe they shouldn't be fighting the monsters.

Nah. Folks should play how they want.

 

[dave2008]

How do you all feel about the proposed change to crits affecting the PC's?
I know my players and I will not be following that bit of advice but I was curious about how everyone else feels about this.

It depends. If they make monsters stronger to compensate for the reduction in damage, I'm all for it. But I don't really think that will happen.

Generally, I don't think it is a bad idea. Crits don't make sense to my simulationist side and my gamist side, as a DM, doesn't find them very fun. So, wouldn't be sad to see them go. They are really only fun for players IMO, so I am fine if they stay on that side.

However, crits are a crucial part of our houserules, so for my own game I can't give them up.

 

[dave2008]

If the PCs don't want to potentially get splatted by monsters, maybe they shouldn't be fighting the monsters.

It is great if PCs get splatted by monsters. Less so, IMO as a DM, if it is a random die roll.