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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 8213369" data-attributes="member: 6987520">EDIT: Given the nature of some of the recent responses, I will attempt to clarify the nature of this thread and why I posted it. I am well aware this is "just a mechanic" and I have no need to "learn to live with it" and so forth. If you don't have a reason for it other than it is there, fine, but for the people who have a reason (narratively or otherwise), I am asking what that reason or purpose is to them.This is meant to be a meta-discussion on the nature of the game mechanic: the critical hit.In 5E, we know a critical hit is scored when you roll a natural 20 on your attack roll. The mechanic allows you to deal double dice for damage before adding modifiers. The mechanics are simple enough.But what exactly does that mean in the narrative? Why bother having it?IIRC, 2nd edition (or perhaps a Dragon Magazine issue) was the first place the Critical Hit (and Critical Fumble) were offered as optional rules. Many groups used critical hit tables and house-ruled a natural 20 in 1E and even earlier. I cannot reference 3E or 4E since I don't have the books, but despite rules to define the mechanic, I cannot find any reference as to what it is supposed to be.IME, most groups play it as a "solid hit", etc. but that makes no sense in 5E because the first "solid hit" is the one that is supposed to reduce your HP to 0. Prior to that, every attack that succeeds reduces HP, represented by skill, luck, or whatever "rolling with the hit" or "moving so it barely touches you" or "the tree branch snaps back, absorbing the blow" (the "luck factor"). This, of course, leads to the issue of "hits" that don't actually hit and "damage" that isn't really hurting you in any significant manner (maybe you strain a muscle or turn your ankle while avoiding the bulk of the hit, etc.).Other groups play a critical hit is no different except the target area is much more vital, and thus the abstract HP loss is increased. A blow to the head that shaves off part of your coif or something as you barely turned in time to avoid having your head lopped off. The cost (in HP loss) is higher because of the increased danger such attacks represent.The attack roll used to be binary: you hit or you miss. Natural 1s and 20s add a bit more when automatic misses and hits, respectively, and enforcing any sort of critical hit or fumble rule adds another level away from the initial binary outcome.So, what, exactly, does a "critical hit" mean to you and your tables?Why do they cause more damage?What reason to you attribute to it other than just the thrill or idea of "the best possible result" in the natural 20 rolled?FWIW, I ask all this because of the house-rules I have been developing, and wonder how they might work with different groups' interpretations of the critical hit rule.Thanks for your contribution and perspective. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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