is this a rule?

[evilbob]

I had always thought that if you have multiple attacks and you roll a natural one on your initial attack, the penalty (in addition to missing) was that you could not make any additional attacks that round.

Upon a review of the combat chapter in the PHB, I cannot find this rule anywhere. I may have just overlooked it.

Is this actually a rule or just one of those sly house rules that has been around so long everyone just uses it? If so, where is it, please?

 

[Darkwolf71]

It's not an official rule. I'm not sure it's even that common of a house rule.

It may be a holdover from 1st or 2nd edition. I don't remember it from then, but it's been many years and my memory of the systems is spotty.

 

[gtJormungand]

A natural one just means that the attack automatically misses.

I have never heard of this idea before, so your group may have had strange house rules.

 

[rexartur]

I had always thought that if you have multiple attacks and you roll a natural one on your initial attack, the penalty (in addition to missing) was that you could not make any additional attacks that round.

Upon a review of the combat chapter in the PHB, I cannot find this rule anywhere. I may have just overlooked it.

Is this actually a rule or just one of those sly house rules that has been around so long everyone just uses it? If so, where is it, please?

It would appear to be a house rule.

I use a hybrid system.
Roll a natural 1 and you get a choice. Make a DEX check DC10 or lose your next standard action as you regain your balance

OR

make another attack roll. If you miss I use the Dragon Compendium's revision of Good Hits and Bad Misses.

Soon I will also add Paizo's Critical Fumble Deck, but I likes me some effects.

 

[evilbob]

It would appear to be a house rule.

Thank you, all.

 

[Piratecat]

A natural one just means that the attack automatically misses.

I have never heard of this idea before, so your group may have had strange house rules.

We do something similar, where if you fumble -- roll a natural 1 and then miss with your confirmation attack -- you lose the rest of your attacks for the round. It's a house rule, and I think it's partially a carryover from 2e.

 

[Nail]

I had always thought that if you have multiple attacks and you roll a natural one on your initial attack, the penalty (in addition to missing) was that you could not make any additional attacks that round.l

This is a similar house rule to that which my group(s) have used over the years.

Recently we decided to drop it. It added nothing, and slowed play. Kinda like the "critical hit confirmation roll" does.

I can't wait for 4e's "just maxiumum damage, no confirm roll". It's a worthwhile change, IMO.

 

[krupintupple]

I can't wait for 4e's "just maxiumum damage, no confirm roll". It's a worthwhile change, IMO.

heh, back when we played 2e, that's how we ruled it: just add up all bonuses and use the maximum possible damage.

we used to play a natural 1 as follows: re-roll the attack and use this to attack nearest ally, should they be within range/reach, and then roll regular damage, or, should no-one be within range it's a DC10 or your weapon goes skittering across the floor.

in-game, we'd usually just say you had an exceptionally bad sword thrust and the foe capitalized upon this and managed to unbalance and disarm you.

 

[moritheil]

We do something similar, where if you fumble -- roll a natural 1 and then miss with your confirmation attack -- you lose the rest of your attacks for the round. It's a house rule, and I think it's partially a carryover from 2e.

Yup, it sounds like a house rule to preserve 2E feel.

When I ran a campaign using a critical fumble table, there was one character who actually took more damage from fellow PCs than enemies over the course of the campaign!

 

[Darklone]

I heard it more than once before, we use a similar rule... yes, it appears to be a rather common houserule.