First post with a question about the crit rule.

[Blacksheepcomedy]

Thanks for the opportunity to be apart of the community. If you'd like to know why I have joined please read my bio. With that said please forgive me, I am reborn player from much earlier additions, so it's like starting a new.

So the first question I have is about the crit rule in 4e. The way the Player's Handbook reads (which I read front to back) is that if you role a natural 20 and your total attack role is high enough to hit their total defense you role a crit. Does that mean for example: If it was a melee attack (STR VS AC) and I role the natural 20 plus my mods and it beats their AC plus their mods is that critical hit or am I missing something?

I guess my confusion is that it seems that if I rolled a 20 that I almost certainly would always beat their defense unless I had some negative mods and they had a huge amount of bonuses.

Thank you in advance.
LB

 

[Trit One-Ear]

First off, welcome to EnWorld! I hope you and your sons find what you're looking for from D&D. It was a huge part of my childhood, and can be a great developmental help.

To answer your question; yes. A natural 20 is nine times out of ten (if not more often) a crit. This can lead to more crits than in previous editions, but in my experience that just adds dynamics to the encounters. Many heroes have items/powers that kick in on a crit to make them more/less brutal.

Trit

 

[Blacksheepcomedy]

Trit, thanks for the fast reply and thanks for the vote of luck. I think my sons are going to love it.

So what you are saying is that a power/item may describe something happens on the crit. So the crit may say this damage happens in addition to the max damage or less damage may occur when a crit is triggered?

Or does the description tells us this happens instead of that item/power's max crit damage?

edit:

Or does it really just matter on an individual basis when rreading that item
Thanks
LB

 

[Octangula]

First of all, on a crit, the damage dice that would normally be rolled for the power are instead set to their highest values. If the power or item specifies that it does something on a crit (most magic weapons and implements do extra damage, some have an additional effect instead; there is also the High Crit weapon property and the Empowered Crit superior implement property), or a class feature or feat (there are also some feats can give your weapon the High Crit property), then these also happen, although if any dice are specified, they are rolled normally.

 

[luide]

For example, not all magic items give the extra d6 damage per +1. Some give more, others forgo giving damage and instead make the target prone etc.

But items, powers, class features, feats etc. may have special effects when you get a critical hit. For example, barbarians can make extra melee basic attack when they score crit with barbarian power (some disclaimers apply, like only once per round)

 

[Blacksheepcomedy]

ok got. Thanks. I understood that instead of the role you just do max damage but wasn't sure about the other. So if a weapon read for example, When crit; roll 1d6. The victim would take max on the weapon plus you'd roll a 1d6 of extra damage. So if it were a weapon that had 2d8. Damage could be as much as 22 points of damage?

I know that the crit description would probable not read like that I just was giving an example in easiest terms?
LB

 

[Spatula]

Yes, that's correct. The regular damage for the attack is maximized*, and you roll any bonus critical damage as well.

* that includes bonus damage from a rogue's sneak attack or a ranger's hunter's quarry.

 

[Blacksheepcomedy]

Very cool, I fully understand the crit roll now. I'm sure that I will have more questions down the line but that one was written to sound as if there was still chance to not roll a crit, and while there is I can't imagine it happens often
Thank you all for the help.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

To answer your question; yes. A natural 20 is nine times out of ten (if not more often) a crit.

I don't think I've EVER seen a natural 20 that was not a crit. The only time I can imagine it happening is when a feeble wizard (or the like) decides to take his unarmed opportunity attack, because "I might roll a 20."

 

[Ryujin]

I don't think I've EVER seen a natural 20 that was not a crit. The only time I can imagine it happening is when a feeble wizard (or the like) decides to take his unarmed opportunity attack, because "I might roll a 20."

I was once in a situation in which I could only hit a solo on a 20, because I couldn't generate the necessary total to otherwise hit. It was a case of the DM amping up a creature to take our cheating and optimized Ranger into account, that also screwed me over. Needless to say I only managed one hit in the entire 8 round encounter, but considered myself lucky to have gotten THAT.