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Message: <blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 9508292" data-attributes="member: 3400">I guess, in a lot of ways, it depends on what the randomness is for and how it's implemented. A good implementation, I feel, is the way D&D 3e set up critical hits to roll dice multiple times rather than simply multiplying the end roll. This means that critical damage tends to cluster toward the mean result rather than skew out to extremes, both low and high. 5e improved the implementation by leaning heavier on multiplying the number of dice rolled, removing triple/quadruple damage, and curtailing and omitting the flat damage modifiers from being doubled.A bad implementation was character gen in Recon. You rolled % and used the raw number for your stats, your base proficiency with weapon skills, etc. That meant that PC abilities could skew very widely. A hot set of rolls on a stat or two or a main weapon meant you were pretty unlikely to fail under normal circumstances, a poor set meant you REALLY sucked in play.I generally like randomness but with opportunities to put a thumb on the scale with meta currency - whether it's hero points, legendary saves, rerolls, bardic inspiration, brownie points, force points, whatever. It gives players and DMs a better chance to have some control of the pace of the game or the events they feel are important.I am also not doctrinaire about letting the dice fall where they may. If I overlook a modifier or ignore a critical hit because it would hose the pacing of what's going on right now, I'll do so with a perfectly clear conscience. Though, thanks to 5e's improvement over 3e crits, I haven't had to do that in a long time (particularly compared to 3e). But then, we have been playing over 10th level for the last few years. Tonight, we're starting a new campaign at 1st level - so I may be scrutinizing critical hits and how they'll affect the game's mood and pacing for a few levels. I'd rather character death come from a sequence of events rather than a lucky spike on my dice's part.</blockquote>

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