Need help with Critical Hits

[Delak]

I need help with Critical Hits and the damage.
It says that normal weapon damage is multiplied. Does str and enhancement bonus get add to each damage roll.

For example - A cleric (10) with a str bonus of +4 is using a quarterstaff with the spell spike on it for a total damage on hitting to be 1d6 +14 (+10 from Spike and +4 from Str.) critical x2.
If this cleric hits and scores a critical would it be for damage
1d6 +14
+
1d6 +14?

 

[Infiniti2000]

It says that normal weapon damage is multiplied. Does str and enhancement bonus get add to each damage roll.

Yes.

For example - A cleric (10) with a str bonus of +4 is using a quarterstaff with the spell spike on it for a total damage on hitting to be 1d6 +14 (+10 from Spike and +4 from Str.) critical x2.
If this cleric hits and scores a critical would it be for damage
1d6 +14
+
1d6 +14?

Note that most likely the cleric is using the weapon two-handed and not has a double weapon, so the damage should be 1d6+6 (1 1/2 x 4)+10. A critical would make it 2d6+32. Now you begin to understand why this spell is broken. I suggest houseruling it, perhaps like I did.

 

[Goldmoon]

Since the topic is critical hits, I would like to add a question here:

A roll of 20 always hits according to the PHB. In the example in the PHB it uses a weapon that only crits on 20. If you are using a longsword and roll a 19 which is a threat; do you hit, regardless of AC like when you roll a 20? If so, would that include keen weapons or the improved critical feat?

 

[IcyCool]

Since the topic is critical hits, I would like to add a question here:

A roll of 20 always hits according to the PHB. In the example in the PHB it uses a weapon that only crits on 20. If you are using a longsword and roll a 19 which is a threat; do you hit, regardless of AC like when you roll a 20? If so, would that include keen weapons or the improved critical feat?

No. Only a roll of a natural 20 always hits. It just so happens that this is also a critical threat.

 

[Goldmoon]

No. Only a roll of a natural 20 always hits. It just so happens that this is also a critical threat.

Thats what I thought. Can you help me out with an arguement for my DM? My only other thought is to abuse the hell out of this rule (always have a rapier and improved critical) and hit all the time until my DM sees the absurdity of this rule.

 

[Ferrix]

Now you begin to understand why this spell is broken. I suggest houseruling it, perhaps like I did.

Bah... not broken at all. The only change it needed was the one provided by Spell Compendium which declared that the bonus to damage became a typed Enhancement bonus to damage so that it didn't stack with Brambles.

 

[Ferrix]

Thats what I thought. Can you help me out with an arguement for my DM? My only other thought is to abuse the hell out of this rule (always have a rapier and improved critical) and hit all the time until my DM sees the absurdity of this rule.

Perhaps reading him the rules from the books might help. PHB, pg. 140, Critical Hits sidebar at the bottom of the page.

Important text is bolded.

Critical Hits
When you make an attack roll and get a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20), you hit regardless of your target’s Armor Class, and you have scored a threat. The hit might be a critical hit (or "crit"). To find out if it’s a critical hit, you immediately make a critical roll—another attack roll with all the same modifiers as the attack roll you just made. If the critical roll also results in a hit against the target’s AC, your original hit is a critical hit. (The critical roll just needs to hit to give you a crit. It doesn’t need to come up 20 again.) If the critical roll is a miss, then your hit is just a regular hit.

A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together. Unless otherwise specified, the threat range for a critical hit on an attack roll is 20, and the multiplier is ×2.

Exception: Extra damage over and above a weapon’s normal damage is not multiplied when you score a critical hit.

Increased Threat Range
Sometimes your threat range is greater than 20. That is, you can score a threat on a lower number. In such cases, a roll of lower than 20 is not an automatic hit. Any attack roll that doesn’t result in a hit is not a threat.

Increased Critical Multiplier
Some weapons deal better than double damage on a critical hit.

Spells and Critical Hits
A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit.

 

[Goldmoon]

Perhaps reading him the rules from the books might help. PHB, pg. 140, Critical Hits sidebar at the bottom of the page.

Important text is bolded.

Thanks for pointing out the right passage.
Now I feel like a dork.

 

[werk]

Thats what I thought. Can you help me out with an arguement for my DM? My only other thought is to abuse the hell out of this rule (always have a rapier and improved critical) and hit all the time until my DM sees the absurdity of this rule.

Again, I'd quote him the rules: "Automatic Misses and Hits: A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on an attack roll is always a miss. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also a threat—a possible critical hit." and "Increased Threat Range: Sometimes your threat range is greater than 20. That is, you can score a threat on a lower number. In such cases, a roll of lower than 20 is not an automatic hit."



Delak,

"A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together." or "When your character scores a critical hit, roll the damage two, three, or four times, as indicated by its critical multiplier (using all applicable modifiers on each roll), and add all the results together."

So go with I2K...


Edit: I take too long to write posts...

 

[Dross]

Thats what I thought. Can you help me out with an arguement for my DM? My only other thought is to abuse the hell out of this rule (always have a rapier and improved critical) and hit all the time until my DM sees the absurdity of this rule.

I'll also add something here. Ask if that is a house rule. Your DM (for some to me at least very strange reason) might have changed it. If not, quote the rules provided.