Critical Fails & Hits House Rules
"Crunchy" Critical Hits
Under normal circumstances, when a player rolls a critical hit during combat, they roll double the damage for the base attack. With "crunchy" critical hits, the player rolls normally but adds maximum damage to the roll.
Example. The barbarian rolls a critical hit with her greataxe that normally does 2d6 slashing damage. With a normal critical, the barbarian would roll 4d6 slashing damage for an average of 14 slashing damage. With a crunchy hit, the barbarian rolls 2d6 slashing damage and adds the maximum damage the weapon can do normally of 12 damage, for an average total of 19 slashing damage.
Critical hits do not affect additional damage features for attacks, such as a paladin's divine smite, a rogue's sneak attack, magical enchantments, or poisons.
Critical Tables
Critical Failure during Combat
If a creature rolls a critical failure making an attack during combat, then the creature's player must roll a d20 to determine if a potential complication occurs alongside the automatic miss.
| d20 | Complication |
|---|---|
| 01 - 09 | No complications occur. |
| 10 - 12 | Disarmed. The creature drops its weapon within 5' of them. It can recover the weapon using a bonus action of the creature's next turn. |
| 13 - 14 | Vulnerable. The creature slips into a disadvantageous position. The next attack on it is made with advantage, the next saving throw it makes is made with disadvantage, or it recovers at the start of its next turn, whichever comes first. |
| 15-16 | Friendly Fire. The creature potentially harms an ally. If the attack automatically hits one of the creature's allies or a nonhostile creature that is within 5' of the intended target. If the creature has no allies or there are no nonhostile creatures within 5' of the intended target, then the attack simply misses. |
| 17-18 | Weapon Damaged. The creature accidentally breaks the weapon used to make the attack. The weapon can't be used to make attacks until it is repaired with a DC 15 skill check made with appropriate artisan tools or by paying an appropriate artisan half the weapon's value in material & time to make the repair. Natural weapons & weapons that are magically constructed are immune to this effect. |
| 19 - 20 | Injury. The attacker injures themselves, sustaining a d4 of the damage type the attack would have made. |
Critical Hits during Combat
If a creature rolls a critical hit during combat, then the player can roll a d20 to determine if an additional effect occurs alongside the additional damage that would normally occur.
| 01-10 | No additional effect occurs. |
|---|---|
| 11-13 | Disarmed. The targeted creature drops its weapon within 5' of them. It can recover the weapon using a bonus action of the it's next turn. |
| 14-15 | Vulnerable. The targeted creature slips into a disadvantageous position. The next attack on it is made with advantage, the next saving throw it makes is made with disadvantage, or it recovers at the start of its next turn, whichever comes first. |
| 16 - 17 | Shove. The targeted creature can either be knocked prone or pushed 5' away from the attacker. This only applies if the target is one size larger than the attacker. |
| 18 - 19 | Weapon Damaged. The targeted creature's weapon breaks. The weapon can't be used to make attacks until it is repaired with a DC 15 skill check made with appropriate artisan tools or by paying an appropriate artisan half the weapon's value in material & time to make the repair. Natural weapons & weapons that are magically constructed are immune to this effect. |
| 20 | Lingering Injury. The targeted creature must make a roll on the Lingering Injuries table. |
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