Roll "1" - Variations

[Crothian]

Here's what my DM is currently using. Feel free to use it as after this campaign is over he's not running d20 system ever again.

Reflex save: DC 15
*If successful refer to chart (a) Fumble; if unsuccessful refer to chart (b) Critical Miss

Fumble (Roll 1D20, see results below)
Roll Result
15-20 Miss opponent completely –or- Weapon bounces off opponents armor; no negative result.
11-14 Stumble and regain balance –or- Nearly disarmed by opponent; lose next partial action.
7-10 Drop weapon –or- Knocked backwards by opponent; lose next attack action.
3-6 Throw weapon –or- Disarmed by opponent; weapon lost 20’ in random direction
1-2 Weapon jammed into solid object –or- Attack made while unbalanced; provokes an attack of opportunity.

Critical Miss (Roll 1D20, see results below)
Roll Result
15-20 Disarmed by striking foe (no damage) –or- Stumble and drop weapon; provokes an attack of opportunity.
11-14 Knocked down by opponent –or- Momentum from missed attack causes fall; prone for opponents next attack.
7-10 Weapon knocked away by foe –or- Weapon thrown 20’ random direction; provokes attack of opportunity.
3-6 Weapon shatters on opponent –or- Weapon strikes solid object and breaks; save vs. item’s hardness.
1-2 Strike adjacent ally for full damage –or- Knocked down by opponent, prone for two rounds.

 

[EOL]

Here's what my DM is currently using. Feel free to use it as after this campaign is over he's not running d20 system ever again.

OT why is your DM never running the D20 system ever again?

On Topic has anyone tried the optional DMG rule for (mostly high level) characters where instead of a 1 being an auto miss and a 20 being an auto-hit they "explode" to a -10 and 30 respectively. It allows high level characters to hit even on a 1 and be missed even on a 20. I've been trying it out with skill rolls, but it's only been one session and no one rolled a 1 or a 20 yet.

 

[Crothian]

OT answer: He has too many problems with the system. He feels the numbers for skills and attacks and damage get out of hand to easily, he hates the HP syatem and how many HP certain classes get, he hates the whole spell system. He's a very picky person when it comes to running games. He's got his own system he's been using for about 5 years now and it perfectly fits the way he likes to run a game.

We use the 1= -10 and 20 = 30 for everything. We also use fumble rules for nat ones. So, you can fumble and still hit your target. It makes for some amusing situations. I think this works berst for skills, though. Especiall when people need a Will save DC 50+ for my Bard's fascinate ability!!

 

[Malin Genie]

Our DM uses an 'inverse' of the critical hit system. If you roll a "1" you roll your attack again to "confirm". If that misses you confirm the 'critical miss' which has effects ranging from dropping your weapon to hitting a friend to falling over - depending on the circumstances and with a liberal dollop of dramatic licence. If you hit on your 'confirmation' roll, then the "1" is just a normal miss.

 

[xjp]

I think a critical miss should be more difficult than merely rolling a one. Even a 10th level fighter with +20 dexterity/+20 strength is going to roll a 1 5% of the time.

 

[kenjib]

I posted a feat related to this topic some time back. After some feedback, this is the final form that it took:


Amazingly Dumb Luck

Your greatest misfortunes have a strange tendency to turn toward your favor in a most remarkable and extraordinary manner.

Requirements: 15+ Charisma

Benefits: Every time you roll a '1' on a d20 check, immediately make a Charisma check against DC 15. You can not take ten on this check. If you succeed, count your original roll as if you had rolled a natural 20. Most importantly, when this occurs you must describe your action in such a way that an accident turns dramatically to your favor in the most unlikely manner possible.

Example: Darian the Dashing, our lucky hero, swings his longsword at an ogre and rolls a '1' on his to-hit roll. He then makes a successful followup charisma check, which means that his original roll will be treated as a natural 20. He rolls to confirm critical and is successful. The resulting damage is enough to kill the ogre. An example of how this could be explained: As Darian prepares to swing his sword, it slips from his grasp and gets thrown. The hilt gets tangled in the rope next to him, while the blade cuts through the rope in one place. The rope is holding up a chandelier in another part of the room, which falls to the floor, flinging the blade up into the air. In the middle of a fit of hysterics mocking Darian for his incompentence, the ogre is suddenly slain by the sword which falls from above and penetrates his skull with it's point.

Example 2: Slym Pickens the rogue is aware that some kind of trap is up ahead and sees the tripwire. He decides to disarm it and rolls a '1.' He makes a successful followup charisma check, confirming his dumb luck and successfully disarming the trap. Here is an example of how this could be explained: As Slym leans over the tripwire to disable it, his belt comes loose. As a result his pants fall down around his ankles, the bag of marbles tied to his belt falls to the ground, and the marbles spill across the floor. Slym loses his balance because of the pants wrapped around his ankles, slips on the marbles, and goes skidding quickly right through the tripwire. Because he is sliding across the floor on his back, he is not hit by the axe that swings from the ceiling only a fraction of an inch from his nose at it's lowest point. The trap has been safely set off and is no longer a threat.

 

[Plane Sailing]

When a 1 is rolled, we originally had to make another d20 roll "to hit" in order to avoid a fumble. In practice this became a bit silly (it was easier to fumble against a tortoise than a cat, kind of thing) so we tried first a DC10 DEX check, and then went for a DC15 reflex saving throw - because we felt that higher level characters should have less chance of fumbling.

With missile weapons we normally give equal odds to:

String breaks
Catch self with string, 1d3 subdual
hit friend in cone of sight (if available)

With melee weapons we normally give equal odds to:

fall over
drop weapon
Daze, lose next action

We used to make fumbles provoke an AoO but found this too deadly - although we might add it back into the list again later.

Cheers