D&D 5E What houserules do we assume is common in the community?

[Oofta]

Except if you also houserule that a nat 20 in a save is no damage at all, as my GM does.

How does that make it any better? No damage on a 20 save is completely unrelated to the fact that a high level fighter is heavily penalized by fumbles on a 1 while their wizard buddy likely never has to worry about it.

Even back in the day when we didn't have multiple attacks it didn't make sense since the "penalty" for an archer rolling a 1 was to hit that fighter that was in the front line.

 

[Atomoctba]

How does that make it any better? No damage on a 20 save is completely unrelated to the fact that a high level fighter is heavily penalized by fumbles on a 1 while their wizard buddy likely never has to worry about it.

Heavily penalized depends of the result of a fumble. I drop my weapon. My turn ends immediately even if I had other attacks. I beheaded myself. There are different degrees of bad outcomes. And the last one was ironic of course. But if you assume that a fumble on an attack is always terribly bad, then I agree with you.

 

[Atomoctba]

Also, there is always the fact that "if works to PCs, works to NPCs too". How bad are NPCs fumbles when they attack? My group almost always go with the "end of turn" options, so it is a relief when a multiattack monster fumbles on the first attack

 

[Lanefan]

Fumbles on 1s never made sense to me. The wizard that casts spells that require saving throws never gets a fumble. The high level rogue doing ungodly damage rarely gets them. That high level fighter, the penultimate warrior is going to get them practically every encounter when they get to high enough level.

If you like it, fine. But I would never play a fighter in a group that uses them, if I even play with that group at all.

The problem is that fumbles on a 1 is too common. Ditto for crits on a 20.

There needs to be a second roll to confirm, to reduce the frequency but still keep them in the game. For fumbles we use a confirm roll of 1/d6; it's a bit more complicated for crits.

 

[Oofta]

Heavily penalized depends of the result of a fumble. I drop my weapon. My turn ends immediately even if I had other attacks. I beheaded myself. There are different degrees of bad outcomes. And the last one was ironic of course. But if you assume that a fumble on an attack is always terribly bad, then I agree with you.

So that high level fighter suddenly gets butterfingers and drops their sword practically every single combat is perfectly okay? When that level of penalty applies to no other class? It makes it look like the higher level the fighter is, the less competent.

Nope. Not for me. Been there, done that, didn't want the t-shirt.

 

[Oofta]

The problem is that fumbles on a 1 is too common. Ditto for crits on a 20.

There needs to be a second roll to confirm, to reduce the frequency but still keep them in the game. For fumbles we use a confirm roll of 1/d6; it's a bit more complicated for crits.

I tried a fumble saving throw for a few sessions once, I just decided it wasn't worth the interruption to the flow of the game for me. If crits were more meaningful in 5E I'd consider what 3.x did, that you have to confirm the crit. As is, they don't make that much of a difference most of the time.

 

[ECMO3]

Also, there is always the fact that "if works to PCs, works to NPCs too". How bad are NPCs fumbles when they attack? My group almost always go with the "end of turn" options, so it is a relief when a multiattack monster fumbles on the first attack

Being made to drop my sword is not that bad as far as critical fumbles go, but if that happens when I roll a 1 then the dragon we are fighting darn sure needs to have his teeth fall out when he rolls a 1 too! He can pick up his dentures and put them back in on his next turn!

 

[OldSchoolGamerGirl]

Being made to drop my sword is not that bad as far as critical fumbles go, but if that happens when I roll a 1 then the dragon we are fighting darn sure needs to have his teeth fall out when he rolls a 1 too! He can pick up his dentures and put them back in on his next turn!

okay I take it back, if we can make the dragon loose dentures on a 1 it might not be so bad

 

[Oofta]

Being made to drop my sword is not that bad as far as critical fumbles go, but if that happens when I roll a 1 then the dragon we are fighting darn sure needs to have his teeth fall out when he rolls a 1 too! He can pick up his dentures and put them back in on his next turn!

Sounds about right. Of course that would also open up a new market for fire resistant Fixodent.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

If I was playing with a DM who liked to use critical failures on 1's I'd treat the game as slapstick comedy rather than serious D&D. It's all about setting expectations!

I probably wouldn't care for a slapstick comedy game for more than a couple of sessions...