New feat - Devastating Critical

[Emongnome]

I posted this table as a response to a thread in the Rules Forum, but I would like some feedback on whether this feat is unbalancing or not:

Devastating Critical: Improve the critical multiplier by 1 on the weapon of your choice.

By the numbers, comparing it to Improved Critical, it seems ok, but I only hesitate as the combination might be too powerful. Here's the calculations:
(Note on calcs: a 20/x2 means 95% chance of doing damage x1 and 5% chance of doing x2)

1) 20/x2 weapon: 2x0.05+0.95=1.05 average damage multiplier
2) 20/x3 weapon: 3x0.05+0.95=1.10 average damage multiplier
3) 20/x4 weapon: 4x0.05+0.95=1.15 average damage multiplier
4) 19-20/x2 weapon: 2x0.10+0.90=1.10 average damage multiplier
5) 18-20/x2 weapon: 2x0.15+0.85=1.15 average damage multiplier

Let's increase threat range:
1) 19-20/x2 weapon: 2x0.10+0.90=1.10 average damage multiplier
2) 19-20/x3 weapon: 3x0.10+0.90=1.20 average damage multiplier
3) 19-20/x4 weapon: 4x0.1+0.90=1.30 average damage multiplier
4) 17-20/x2 weapon: 2x0.20+0.80=1.20 average damage multiplier
5) 15-20/x2 weapon: 2x0.30+0.70=1.30 average damage multiplier

Now let's increase the multiplier:
1) 20/x3 weapon: 3x0.05+0.95=1.10 average damage multiplier
2) 20/x4 weapon: 4x0.05+0.95=1.15 average damage multiplier
3) 20/x5 weapon: 5x0.05+0.95=1.20 average damage multiplier
4) 19-20/x3 weapon: 3x0.10+0.90=1.20 average damage multiplier
5) 18-20/x3 weapon: 3x0.15+0.85=1.30 average damage multiplier

Now let's increase both:
1) 19-20/x3 weapon: 3x0.10+0.90=1.20 average damage multiplier
2) 19-20/x4 weapon: 4x0.10+0.90=1.30 average damage multiplier
3) 19-20/x5 weapon: 5x0.1+0.90=1.40 average damage multiplier
4) 17-20/x3 weapon: 3x0.20+0.80=1.40 average damage multiplier
5) 15-20/x3 weapon: 3x0.30+0.70=1.60 average damage multiplier

I think the five cases cover all the weapons in the PHB.

Poke, prod, and tinker at will!

 

[Crothian]

I think that having this as a feat ability is fine. It's more important to have the proper prerequites to this feat. Any feat is balanced with enough prerequites.

 

[Emongnome]

Ok, how's this for a feat description:

Devistating Critical (General)
Choose one weapon. With that weapon, you know how deal the more damage when striking an opponent's vital areas.
Prerequisites: Proficient with weapon, base attack bonus +8 or higher
Benefit: When using the weapon you selected, you increase the critical multiplier by 1. For example, a battleaxe has a multiplier of x3. With this feat, it becomes x4.
Special: You can gain the feat multiple times. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new weapon.

I used the same prerequisites as the Improved Critical, but I don't know how to judge whether the BAB minimum is appropriate.

 

[Crothian]

I think that's about right.

 

[Anubis]

I would only suggest that you change the name of this feat. There is already a feat called Devastating Critical.

 

[Emongnome]

Ack, I didn't realize that name was taken. I don't have much in the way of other d20 books or any FR books except the FRCS. Hmm, new name, eh? Power Critical, Improved Damage Critical? I'm not very good with this, I mostly want one that doesn't upset the balance we all so cherish. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Anabstercorian]

I'd go with "Focused Critical" or "Brutal Critical." "Devastating Critical" is from the Epic Level Handbook. Kills things instantly.

 

[Xarlen]

Destructive Blow.

Critical Rupture.

Vicious Critical.

Super-Owie Damage Increase for Weapon Critical.

 

[Humanophile]

Only worry I have about this kind of thing is that it changes the balance of critical weapons, encouraging weapons with high threat ranges over ones with high critical multipliers. Which seems to sidestep how they already put D&D together.

For example, a 20/X2 weapon has a 5% chance of doing +100% damage, for a total of 105% base damage. You already explained all that pretty well. As it stands, for every extra point of critical range or critical multiplier, you gain an extra 5% base damage, so that a 20/X4 weapon and a 18-20/X2 weapon both do 115% base damage. You already showed all this, of course.

However, all alterations are multiplicative; a 19-20/X4 weapon and a 15-20/X2 weapon, again as you've shown, are the same. But reversing that logic for critical multipliers would mean that an 18-20/X3 effective weapon would need to be counteracted by an effective 20/X7 weapon, and the existance of things like coup de graces makes that kind of critical multiplier doubling totally ludicrous. But on the other hand, if you have two fighter-types, and knowing that fighter types will want to be as good with their chosen weapons as possible, then the one with the threat-range weapon will outclass the one with the critical multiplier one every time. The greatsword will become effectively 140% damage, while the greataxe becomes 130% damage. And if you want critical fans like the falchion vs the scythe, 160% damage vs. 140% damage looks even worse. It just tilts the balance to favor threat ranges, which strikes me as being slightly ...off balance.

 

[Jeph]

hmmm. I think that either Weapon Focus with the chosen weapon or Power Attack should be added as prerequisites. But hey, that's just me.

Super-Duper-Bigfully-Damegeflly-Killing-Critical?