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

[Maxperson]

I don't think that solves the problem. Then monsters are "just medium sized bags of hit points." If you don't give monsters interesting things to do -- either by adding monster abilities, or by widening the selection of meaningful maneuvers and tactics in general -- they just suck for a shorter period of time. Especially if the goal is to reduce combats in favor of story, the combats that are there need to be interesting, dynamic, and tense.

Yep. As I mentioned in my prior post, they will have to compensate somehow. What I realized after I hit post reply on that post, though, is that this theoretical change to monsters could also be why monsters aren't critting. If damage output is increased, including through new interesting abilities, crits would be a lot more deadly.

Another side effect is that by making monsters die quicker, but be more of a challenge in other ways, they can drop or reduce the horrible 6-8 encounter adventuring day. Fights won't just be about damage vs. hit points any longer.

 

[Maxperson]

Ambivalent. Waiting to see how the compensate monsters before I form a real opinion.

Oh yeah! At this point we're all just talking into the wind with our ideas. We have about as much real idea about what is coming as those, "So what do you all think the 2026 setting is going to be?" threads.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't think that solves the problem. Then monsters are "just medium sized bags of hit points." If you don't give monsters interesting things to do -- either by adding monster abilities, or by widening the selection of meaningful maneuvers and tactics in general -- they just suck for a shorter period of time. Especially if the goal is to reduce combats in favor of story, the combats that are there need to be interesting, dynamic, and tense.

Is reducing combats the goal? Do we have any evidence of this?

 

[Bill Zebub]

Ambivalent. Waiting to see how the compensate monsters before I form a real opinion.

You will never have a career in politics with a poor attitude like that.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Even with crits, most monsters are currently just bags of hit points (notwithstanding the ability of DMs to do something interesting with them, i.e. “The Monsters Know What They Are Doing.”)

And, let’s face it, in many/most fights the monsters don’t crit. I suppose the fear of crits is worth something, but I’d rather have them do something interesting more reliably.

If that could be mitigated with new abilities I’d much rather have active abilities than a 5% chance of a crit.

Why can't it be both? Are monsters uninteresting now because they can potentially crit?

 

[jerryrice4949]

Why can't it be both? Are monsters uninteresting now because they can potentially crit?

Exactly.

For me the play test doesn’t matter. I have been doing critical hits for players and monsters/adversaries since 1984 and regardless of the design directions will continue to do so. Honestly my players love the sense of danger and excitement. A 20 really means something regardless of who roles it.

 

[Reynard]

Why can't it be both? Are monsters uninteresting now because they can potentially crit?

Again I think it is about uncertainty -- for the GM. How many times do we see complaints about how a random crit can kill a character and interrupt the "story"? A lot. I think what they are trying to do is put those big hits under the control of the GM rather than the dice -- and hopefully with something more interesting than just bigger damage.

Just to reiterate: I love crits and I love chaos in combat. Uncertainty is a feature, not a bug, to me, but I don't think that is a universal feeling, especially with many new players who see D&D as a narrative experience by coming in by way of streams.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Again I think it is about uncertainty -- for the GM. How many times do we see complaints about how a random crit can kill a character and interrupt the "story"? A lot. I think what they are trying to do is put those big hits under the control of the GM rather than the dice -- and hopefully with something more interesting than just bigger damage.

Just to reiterate: I love crits and I love chaos in combat. Uncertainty is a feature, not a bug, to me, but I don't think that is a universal feeling, especially with many new players who see D&D as a narrative experience by coming in by way of streams.

I feel the same. It's one of many examples of how the gaming community has fallen out of step with me.

 

[Reynard]

I feel the same. It's one of many examples of how the gaming community has fallen out of step with me.

They still exist, but many of them have embraced the OSR -- which is a good way to go IMO if what you want is essentially old school style fun. 5e can do it but it takes work.

 

[Micah Sweet]

They still exist, but many of them have embraced the OSR -- which is a good way to go IMO if what you want is essentially old school style fun. 5e can do it but it takes work.

Oh sure, that's what I want. In order for that to matter, however, you also need group of like-minded players.