Critical Hit Range
There are many ways for creatures to exploit or increase their chances to generate a lucky strike that vanquishes the foe. Critical Hits as in D&D, are often the result of an attack having the fortune to be the result of a Natural 20, a roll of a 20 on a d20 roll. Some proficient or more experienced fighters have features that allow them to strike such powerful attacks on lower rolls, averagely on the exact roll step down, such as a roll of a 19 or 18. These are considered the increased Critical Hit Range, as part of this rule, features are re-written to consider this factor in play, as to include the feature not becoming virtually useless at its base tier, and for other systems or features to stack and improve the capability of this rule.
Champion Fighter
| The following is changed for the "Improved Critical" feature. |
|---|
| • Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. |
| To: |
| • Your Critical Hit Range with weapon attacks lowers by 1. |
| The following is changed for the "Superior Critical" feature. |
|---|
| • Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18 or 20. |
| To: |
| • Your Critical Hit Range with weapon attacks lowers by 2. |
Hexblade Warlock
| The following is changed for the "Hexblade's Curse" feature. |
|---|
| • Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20. |
| To: |
| • Any attack roll you make against the cursed target has its Critical Hit Range lowered by 1. |
Other potential features or mechanics can reflect the ability to lower the critical hit range for attacks, such as if a creature takes a great amount of cover like Three-Quarters cover, attacks against that creature can have their critical hit range lowered by 1, since the lowered chance to strike the target, means more vital weak points, such as eyes or unarmored spots can be the target of attacks.
| Lowered by # | Roll Required |
|---|---|
| Lowered by 1 | 19 or 20 |
| Lowered by 2 | 18, 19, or 20 |
| Lowered by 3 | 17, 18, 19, or 20 |
| Lowered by 4 | 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 |
Critical Hit
From PG. 194 & 196, PHB
Rolling a 1 or 20
Sometimes fate blesses or curses a combatant, causing the novice to hit and the veteran to miss.
If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a critical hit, which is explained later in this chapter.
If the d20 roll for an attack is a 1, the attack misses regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC.
Critical Hits
When you score a critical hit, you get to roll extra dice for the attack's damage against the target. Roll all of the attack's damage dice twice and add them together. Then add any relevant modifiers as normal. To speed up play you can roll all the damage dice at once.
For example, if you score a critical hit with a dagger, roll 2d4 for the damage, rather than 1d4, and then add your relevant ability modifier. If the attack involves other damage dice, such as from the rogue's Sneak Attack feature, you roll those dice twice as well.