Natural 20's & 1's?

[Smoke Jaguar]

I am fairly new to this still but I thought that most groups did crit fail's on 1's. I am kind of surprised by the results I am getting in this discussion.

My group really likes them. Nothing is super terrible. They all think that it adds a little extra spice and find it really funny. Usually nobody receives more than 6 damage or they drop their weapon and that is a move to pick it up. It is nothing to earth shattering terrible that they can't overcome.

So what happens when a PC throws a natural 1 on their first death saving throw?

 

[Smoke Jaguar]

Rawr!

 

[Jhaelen]

Personally, I feel that crits in 4E are kind of whack and flavorless. Max damage? I can get that without rolling a 20...

... but only until you get your first magic weapon/implement.

 

[abyssaldeath]

... but only until you get your first magic weapon/implement.

Or are using a high-crit weapon or have feats that do something special on a crit or have class/PP features that do something special on a crit.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I am fairly new to this still but I thought that most groups did crit fail's on 1's. I am kind of surprised by the results I am getting in this discussion.

It's opinion only, but I would guess most dislike them. Its only natural to dislike them unless you're a masochist. "Hey, let's think of ways to screw our characters!" What's super terrible about them is that they make zero mathematical sense. If you're one of those people who dislike the 'feat tax' for expertise or the (original) skill DCS, then you're also one of those people who realize critical fumbles are stupid. Or, at least you should be.

But, hey, for a beer and pretzel game dropping your prized ancestral weapon into the acid pit and watching it disintegrate is frickin' hilarious.

 

[Katana_Geldar]

I do rather silly annoying things on crit failures that don't cause any bad things but are some sort of conequence of bad luck. You drop your sword, you unstring your bow, you conjure up doves and streamers instead of a fireball and for the first two, it's a free action to correct it though for the unstrung bow I have them roll a Strength check.

 

[P1NBACK]

... but only until you get your first magic weapon/implement.

Yeah. You get a few extra points of damage? *yawn*

Like I said, it's kind of a wasted design space. Something more creative than than "max damage" and "max damage plus a few more with magic!" would have been preferable.

Also, why do bad things have to happen on a 1? Why not do something good or give the player a choice (something akin to Reckless Breakage in Dark Sun)?

What about, "On a 1, you can miss as normal. Or, you can choose to roll on this fumble chart. If you do, you also get to recharge an encounter power"? Obviously, let's assume the fumble chart has minor complications and not "you die" as options.

 

[Jhaelen]

Yeah. You get a few extra points of damage? *yawn*

Well, which edition of D&D offered something more 'interesting'?

Besides, I just wanted to point out that you cannot get the same amount of damage from a non-critical hit.

I think the forthcoming Fortune Cards might provide something similar to what you're looking for.

 

[P1NBACK]

Well, which edition of D&D offered something more 'interesting'?

We're talking about 4E right (this is the 4E forum)? Who cares about other editions?

Are you saying because older editions only did "more damage" that's what it should be in 4E (and future editions)?

 

[Shin Okada]

Yeah. You get a few extra points of damage? *yawn*

Like I said, it's kind of a wasted design space. Something more creative than than "max damage" and "max damage plus a few more with magic!" would have been preferable.

Also, why do bad things have to happen on a 1? Why not do something good or give the player a choice (something akin to Reckless Breakage in Dark Sun)?

What about, "On a 1, you can miss as normal. Or, you can choose to roll on this fumble chart. If you do, you also get to recharge an encounter power"? Obviously, let's assume the fumble chart has minor complications and not "you die" as options.

Because, say, within a combat which lasts for 3-4 rounds, it is likely that at least 1 or more PCs will roll 1 (or 20). It will happen really frequently.

A combat involves a lot of dice roll. Adding something "more interesting" to natural 1 and 20 will make this game surely much complex (thus, take more time), while not everyone will agree that such extras to be "interesting" or "fun".