Opinions needed: Several house rules in conjunction

[Emirikol]

Doesn't really fix it. You are still much more likely to fumble as you get BETTER and have more attacks.

Fumbles are like AC's: They do not change with levelling. They are much more of a role-playing opportunity than criticals

Regarding the "option" to break and do an auto-crit, that's an incentive to start chewing through weapons while making a cool strike. Weapons are not universally strong..plus a higher level character is more likely to do more damage, which can be hard on weapons....but mostly this rule is to get players to do heroic stuff at heroic times. CHOOSING to snap your weapon off at the hilt is different from luck of rolling a d20. It's self-sacrifice.

As for dropping weapons, this is just the other option. It could be because of the sweat on your hand, loose grip, blood, a lucky blow by the opponent that wasn't necessarily a disarm, etc.

jh

 

[Emirikol]

this addition does nothing...
with your fumble rules, once you fumble your hand is empty (dropped or broken weapon) so there's no way to fumble with that hand again (without Quick Drawing a weapon)

I modified it to "first attack per round."

Anyways, don't get me wrong. Fumbles are not, and have not been instituted in our game for 'unluck.' Players don't mind the fumble as it's not a punishment, it's an opportunity.

In a typical D&D game, this would seem stupid. In a typical D&D game, your 10th level fighter just got his +5 sword and doesn't EVER want to break that thing. You'd rather die and pay for raise dead than have to "pay" for that sword.

In our games, your fighter character just escaped from a slave ship and is carrying an array of dagger, masterwork marine sword, spear and a shoddy normal short sword. He's battling the remaining slaver of the ship who's been wounded. The fighter is down to about 10% of his hits and just scored a "1." A fumble. What's he going to do? HE'S GONNA TAKE THE CRITICAL & BREAK and kill the remaining slaver. The crowd goes wild and he has a great tale.

That's a lot more heroic than....
PC Fighter - 10 hit points remaining
Slaver - 20 Hit points remaining

Round 7...PC rolls a 15. Hits for 6 points of damage.
Round 8...PC rolls a 8. Hits for 9 points of damage.
Round 9...PC rolls a 18. Hits for 5 points of damage. Slaver dies.
yawn...
...

By the way everyone, this discussion has been very helpful. Although we'd been using that rule for years, we hadn't even realized how much multiple-attack fighters were affected.

jh



..

 

[Felnar]

In our games, your fighter character just escaped from a slave ship and is carrying an array of dagger, masterwork marine sword, spear and a shoddy normal short sword. He's battling the remaining slaver of the ship who's been wounded. The fighter is down to about 10% of his hits and just scored a "1." A fumble. What's he going to do? HE'S GONNA TAKE THE CRITICAL & BREAK and kill the remaining slaver. The crowd goes wild and he has a great tale.

i like playing in games like this (low magic & escaping from captivity is one of my favorites)
i wasnt saying to remove the break weapon option, just make the dropped weapon option avoidable by higher skilled characters

 

[Emirikol]

i like playing in games like this (low magic & escaping from captivity is one of my favorites)
i wasnt saying to remove the break weapon option, just make the dropped weapon option avoidable by higher skilled characters

That would make a lot of sense. Rather than having an opposed dice roll however, it might be an interesting way to use up action points or just have a check-off. Every 4th or something.

Thanks,

Jay