D&D 5E Should monsters and NPCs have a crit confirm roll?

[Sitara]

I really like the fact that since 4e PCs don't need to roll a confirmation roll for a critical hit. The rush of a natural 20 thus doesn't get smothered immediately if you can't confirm, which was not uncommon in 3e.

But it bothers me that monsters too don't need to confirm. I was wondering about house ruling that monsters/enemies need to confirm their critical hits. This makes the PCs heroic and special without being especially overpowered, and is helpful at the lower levels where a lucky crit from a monster can kill a martial type outright, which is wrong IMO (unless you are deliberately going for a Sword and Sorcery vibe where the PCs are nothing special. Kind of like Conan but PCs play the mooks who accompany Conan rather than Conan himself)

 

[Tormyr]

I think rules that are general need to be applied to everyone equally. I think crits should be automatic for enemies as well. The look of dread in the group's eyes when the 20s come up and they know it is going to hurt and they are going to have strive and push to survive is great to see because you know that they are getting in to the game and care about their characters.

I don't see the heroes as less heroic because they can be felled by a crit. There are powerful things out there and it should be dangerous. A character death can be a great addition to a story. When the adventurers overcome adversity, that is when they become heroes. They don't get to be heroes by leaving the training wheels on.

My 2cp.

 

[Wrathamon]

I did an Armor Save to avoid Enemy Crits.

DMs roll more dice so they get more crits, this seemed to help a lot and players got excited when they were able to save.

 

[Syntallah]

I did an Armor Save to avoid Enemy Crits.

DMs roll more dice so they get more crits, this seemed to help a lot and players got excited when they were able to save.

What exactly is an Armor Save?

 

[Wrathamon]

to make a less lethal game

when a character was critical hit they could roll an Armor Save to avoid getting crit'd.

D20+Armor Mod; DC 15

in other games it was roll a 6 on a D6 if you had light armor, 5 or 6 with medium armor or 4-6 with heavy armor.

 

[drjones]

When I am playing, yes always. When I DM, no never.