Combat: Difference between revisions
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===Critical Hits=== | ===Critical Hits=== | ||
When you make an attack roll and get a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20 before any adders or bonuses are applied to itit is a critical hit or notby rolling another to-hit roll with all the same modifiers as the attack roll you just made. If this | |||
A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, | A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, including all of your usual bonuses (except for any [[precision damage]] or [[bonus damage]]), and then sum up the results. In most cases, a critical hit deals double damage, which is resolved by rolling your damage and all applicable adders twice and adding up all the results. | ||
''' | '''Some important terminology:''' | ||
<div style="margin-left:1.5em"> | |||
==== Natural Die Result ==== | |||
When something calls for a ''natural die result'', it is referring to the actual number showing on the die face after it is rolled, without any modifiers. | |||
==== Critical Threat ==== | ==== Critical Threat ==== | ||
A critical threat is a normal to-hit roll | A critical threat is a normal to-hit roll where the natural die result was greater than or equal to your attack's Critical Threat Range. This attack is always resolved as a hit, even if the critical confirmation roll fails. Prior to rolling the confirmation roll, the die result is called a 'critical threat', since it is threatening a critical hit, but hasn't yet confirmed it. | ||
==== Critical Confirmation Roll ==== | ==== Critical Confirmation Roll ==== | ||
A critical confirmation roll is | A critical confirmation roll is a second to-hit roll, meant to determine whether the critical threat is a critical hit indeed, or merely a hit. If this confirmation roll equals or exceeds the target's AC, or if the natural die result is once again greater than or equal to the attack's critical threat range, it confirms the critical hit. If this roll misses, the first roll (that resulted in a critical threat) is resolved as a hit. | ||
==== Critical Threat Range ==== | ==== Critical Threat Range ==== | ||
Unless otherwise stated, the critical threat range for any attack is 20. However, some weapons, spells, or attacks have a critical threat range that is greater than 20. That is, you can score a critical threat on a lower number. If you roll a natural die result on your d20 attack roll that equals or exceeds your attack's critical threat range, it is '''always''' treated as a critical threat (and therefore it is always a hit, even if the confirmation roll fails), regardless of the target's Armor Class. | |||
A number of feats exist that can increase your critical threat range, such as [[Critical, Improved (Feat)|Improved Critical]] and [[Critical, Epic (Feat)|Epic Critical]]. In addition, some racial traits, class features, and magic weapon properties can also increase critical threat range. Unless the ability states otherwise, these generally stack additively with each other. In no cases does an improvement to a critical threat range multiply the existing critical threat range; it is '''always''' additive, and nearly always only increases the range by an additional +1. | A number of feats exist that can increase your critical threat range, such as [[Critical, Improved (Feat)|Improved Critical]] and [[Critical, Epic (Feat)|Epic Critical]]. In addition, some racial traits, class features, and magic weapon properties can also increase critical threat range. Unless the ability states otherwise, these generally stack additively with each other. In no cases does an improvement to a critical threat range multiply the existing critical threat range; it is '''always''' additive, and nearly always only increases the range by an additional +1. | ||
==== Critical Hit Multiplier ==== | ==== Critical Hit Multiplier ==== | ||
Unless otherwise stated, the critical multiplier for any attack is x2 (double). However, some weapons or attacks can inflict greater than double damage on a critical hit. For example, a [[Longsword_(Weapon)|Longsword]] has a critical threat range of 19-20, and a critical multiplier of x3. This means it inflicts triple damage on a confirmed critical hit, rather than merely double damage. Some weapons even have a x4 critical multiplier (such as the [[Heavy_Pick_(Weapon)|Heavy Pick]]). | |||
There are very few feats, racial traits, or class features that increase a weapon's critical hit multiplier, but they do exist. | There are very few feats, racial traits, or class features that increase a weapon's critical hit multiplier, but they do exist. | ||
[[Precision damage]] (such as from a rogues sneak attack class feature) and [[bonus damage]] (such as from special magic weapon properties like flaming) are '''''not''''' multiplied when you score a critical hit. | |||
==== Crit Format ==== | ==== Crit Format ==== | ||
There is a standard format for describing a weapon's critical threat range and its critical hit multiplier. Some examples of this format are: | There is a standard format for describing a weapon's critical threat range and its critical hit multiplier. Some examples of this format are: | ||
::{| class="ep-default" style="border-collapse:collapse;" width="90%" | |||
|- | |||
| width="90px" align="center" | '''x2:''' || The attack scores a critical threat on a natural roll of 20 (only), and deals double damage on a confirmed critical hit. This is the default crit range and multiplier for any attack that doesn't explicitly list a different one. | |||
|- | |||
| align="center" | || The attack scores a critical threat on a natural roll of 19 or 20 (instead of just 20) and deals double damage on a confirmed critical hit. | |||
|- | |||
| align="center" | || The attack scores a critical threat on a natural roll of 18, 19, or 20 (instead of just 20) and deals double damage on a confirmed critical hit. | |||
<div> | |- | ||
| align="center" | '''19-20 / x3:''' || The attack scores a critical threat on a natural roll of 19 or 20 (instead of just 20) and deals triple damage on a confirmed critical hit. | |||
|- | |||
| align="center" | '''x4:''' || The attack scores a critical threat on a natural roll of 20 (only), and deals quadruple damage on a confirmed critical hit. | |||
|} | |||
</div> | |||
==== Spells and Critical Hits ==== | ==== Spells and Critical Hits ==== | ||