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

[clearstream]

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.

Based on observation of player reactions to being critted when I am GM, I think players enjoy it. It adds to the tension.

So for me it would be a step backwards to remove crits. The hit point pillow is already a bit too much in 5e - one of the oft-remarked weaknesses of the design. In research on difficulty in games (in 2016 or so) it was found that players engage more strongly with a game that they struggle to immediately master... provided they can see how to do better next time. That chimes with the observations and intuitions of game designers.

The better approach might be to offer crit-protection at the cost of some dimension of efficacy. A 2nd-level spell slot, perhaps, or a feature of armor that reduces speed.

 

[not-so-newguy]

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.

I understand that this idea has merit for different play styles.
Here's my opinion on using this idea...

Spoiler

 

[Andvari]

I generally prefer combatants play by the same rules. If it's to rebalance damage input due to other abilities, I would prefer they rebalance the monsters otherwise or drop those special abilities.

Pathfinder 2nd edition manages to give monsters interesting abilities without needing to crit proof PCs.

If the change is to make PCs feel special, I think Inspiration already accomplishes this better.

 

[Lanefan]

I don't think it is about "easy" so much as it is about "predictable" from the GMs perspective.

And from either the DM's or players' perspective, "predictable" almost always equals "boring".

 

[cbwjm]

I generally prefer combatants play by the same rules. If it's to rebalance damage input due to other abilities, I would prefer they rebalance the monsters otherwise or drop those special abilities.

Pathfinder 2nd edition manages to give monsters interesting abilities without needing to crit proof PCs.

If the change is to make PCs feel special, I think Inspiration already accomplishes this better.

While I like to also use the same rules for crits and such, it should be noted the PF2e has a different system for crits, you need to roll 10 above the target number for something to be a crit so in some cases, a crit simply won't be able to happen.

 

[cbwjm]

And from either the DM's or players' perspective, "predictable" almost always equals "boring".

Yep, fully agree with this. I used the static damage numbers for monsters in my first game of 5e and players preferred that damage be rolled instead. I think they liked the idea that a hit against them could be minor due to a low roll, or major due to a high roll. Even when I'm playing I like it. Getting hit by a crit and almost dropping (or hitting 0 hit points) certainly makes for a more entertaining night.

 

[Li Shenron]

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.

For my preferences, it is necessary to have a basis of consistency on how the world works for everyone whether they are controlled by players or not, and "only PCs crit" is an idea that breaks that basis too much for me.

Besides, Ogres are one of my top favourite and most used low-level monsters, and they have no special ability other than a scary critical hit damage, representing the fact that they are big dumb brutes swinging their arms wildly, and occasionally landing a lucky hit that can be deadly. How to deal with a foe like that is one of the first tactics beginners have to think about.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Totally depends, how it is handled for monsters instead.
What I liked about monster crits was that it inflicted two failed death saves and brought tension if you could not get a fallen comrade up immediately.
But we also have not seen unconsciousness rules. I bet we will get an upgrade there too, to reduce the whack-a-mole talks.

 

[dave2008]

My attitude is if you don't want an uncertain result, don't roll dice. It is totally legal to have monster "taken 10" while attacking and do average damage if they hit.

A hit or miss is uncertain. A crit is something different. It isn't based on the monsters ability or anything, it is just luck. Which is kinda of silly if you think about it. Now, if crits were like PF2, that would be a different story.

 

[dave2008]

Random die rolls are sort of why the dice are there.

That is what the hit or miss roll is for. However, that hit or miss is also based on skill (the to hit bonus of the monster). There is some logic to it. Crits are just luck. Does it really make sense that 5% of your attacks deal extra damage, no mater what? No, it really breaks a certain sense of verisimilitude (or at least it does to me if I think about it). Now that is OK because it is a game, but that makes it also OK to be a player only resource where you get the most fun out it. Now, if crits were like PF2, also based on skill, that would be a different story.