Question about Critical Hits

[NobleAmberDragon]

The definition in the glossary is not very clear IMO.

"Maximum Damage: Rather than roll damage, determine the maximum damage you can roll with your attack. This is your critical damage."

Suppose I have a dagger-wielding rogue with an encounter power that deals 2[W] + 1d6 damage. I roll a 20, and have combat advantage, so I get Sneak Attack. How much damage does it deal (trying to be both vague enough to not get in trouble and specific enough to not confuse)?

1) 8 + 6 + 12 (I doubt it is this one, but the wording...)
2) 8 + 6 + 2d6 (the d6 is part of the 'attack'...)
3) 8 + 3d6 (only weapon dice maxed)

This is not the specific scenario I am part of, but it hits all the possibilities pretty well...

 

[Aulirophile]

Looks super clear to me. What is the maximum damage you could roll? The answer is Power+Sneak Attack+anything else. So number 1 is the answer. The only dice you do not max out are the dice get only on a crit. Crit dice from a magic weapon, high-crit dice from high-crit weapons, vicious critical, war ring, etc., etc., etc., etc.,

If, under normal circumstances, you would roll the die on a normal hit, that die is maxed on a crit. Period.

 

[Ryujin]

#1 is correct. You maximize any applicable dice of damage, that are not conditional upon scoring a critical. In your example, with a standard +2 magical dagger, you would get:

8 + 6 + 12 + 2d6

... since a Magic +2 Dagger states an additional 1d6 per plus, upon scoring a critical hit.

 

[samursus]

I think #2 is the correct one. I can't remember where I read this, but am pretty sure Sneak Attack, Hunter's Quarry etc damage is not maxed on a crit. Things may have been errata'ed since then.

 

[Anthraxus]

Faq FAQ for the Player's Handbook! entry 10:

10. Which dice do I maximize when scoring a critical hit?

Only the dice you would normally roll to calculate damage are maximized. If another bonus (like from a weapon or feat) causes you to roll extra damage dice when scoring a critical hit, those dice are rolled as normal.

Yes, you max Sneak, Curse, Quarry, etc... except you have to roll dice that only normally happen during a crit(weapon crit dice, powers or feats that specify extra crit dice("+1dx on a crit", or similar))

 

[Klaus]

Faq FAQ for the Player's Handbook! entry 10:

10. Which dice do I maximize when scoring a critical hit?

Only the dice you would normally roll to calculate damage are maximized. If another bonus (like from a weapon or feat) causes you to roll extra damage dice when scoring a critical hit, those dice are rolled as normal.

Yes, you max Sneak, Curse, Quarry, etc... except you have to roll dice that only normally happen during a crit(weapon crit dice, powers or feats that specify extra crit dice("+1dx on a crit", or similar))

This is correct.

 

[NobleAmberDragon]

Thanks to everyone for your help.

I can't believe that I know so much about 4th edition, yet failed to know the correct critical damage amount, hah. Guess it is what I get for not playing in a standard group for any longer than a few sessions

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, don't feel bad. The way striker dice are described actually arguably makes them not part of the attack (at least in the case of the ranger, who's HQ is written quite strangely, you can wait until any time later in the ROUND to kick it in).

 

[LuckyAdrastus]

Yeah, don't feel bad about it. This is a very common mistake. Another one I've seen is characters with "brutal" weapons assuming that brutal applies to something other than dice rolled for each [W]. I.E. rogues thinking brutal 1 weapons allow them to re-roll 1's on their sneak attack dice.

 

[Hof]

Say a power has a damaging side effect as part of the 'Hit' paragraph, such as Explosive Pyre. Would this damage roll also be maximized?

In a one shot with a dragon sorcerer he scored a crit and I was puzzled for a moment if enemies adjacent to the original target would get 1d6 or 6 damage. We thought, as it was a different damage roll without an attack, that the crit would not apply. Still I could see it played the other way. What would you do?