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Guide to critical rolls

A way to make critical attacks and rolls much more effective and fun

Introduction

Throwing dice is the main characteristic of tabletop games, including tabletop modules like D&D or Pathfinder.

This guide is designed to give the Game Master more options and ideas to increase the epicness of battles. Remember, everything here is optional and always up to your discretion!

When rolling a die, the minimum roll of "1" is called a Critical Failure, otherwise, the maximum roll of "20" is called a Critical Success.

When these rolls occur, your action will be considered an instant success or an instant failure respectively.

In this guide, we'll explore ways to give this mechanic more depth and variety. And don't forget, enemies can also benefit from it!

There are two types of settings you can choose to apply to your game, "heroic" and "legendary". The former aims to make critical rolls something spectacular that, of course, alters the balance of the combat but doesn't define it. The latter is designed for players who seek a challenge and don't mind having combat be seriously affected by chance and rapidly escalating situations.

Critical success - Heroic

On combat

When attacking, several outcomes can occur:

  • Critical Success: You double the damage dice of your attack, but not its modifier. For example, if the roll would be 4d6+10, now you will roll 8d6+10. If you have any ability that considers other numbers as a Critical Success, apply the same rule to those numbers.

  • Attack is 5 higher than AC: This is a Soft Critical Attack. You immediately gain advantage on the damage rolls for this specific attack, but add no ability modifier to its results.

  • Attack is 10 points higher than AC: This is a Hard Critical Attack. You immediately deal the maximum damage your attack would have done for this specific attack. For example, if you are rolling 4d6+10, you will instantly deal 34 (4*6+10) hit points of damage.

When two critical rolls happen at the same time, you select which one you want to use and discard the other.

When making several attacks on the same turn, you can get as many Critical Success rolls as your attack dices allow, but Soft and Hard critical can only happen once per Player/NPC turn.

On saves

As simple as you have imagined, rolling a Natural Critical is simply considered a success.

On checks

Not only are you successful, but you are do so quickly and neatly. You can even describe how your character performs the action in such a way that reflects its personality. It's a fun narrative element that doesn't have any effect on the mechanics. It also applies to group checks.

On opposed rolls

When two or more opposed Critical Successes occur, the results of checking are determined by the character's ability modifier. If there's still a tie, all involved critically fail, as described in the following list.

Critical failure - Heroic

On combat

If you roll a Critical Failure, not only do you miss the attack, but the GM must roll a d6 to decide one of these situations happening to the Player/NPC:

  • 1 - You lose your weapon; it simply falls to the ground.
  • 2 - You fall prone or to the ground.
  • 3 - You become stunned for 1 turn.
  • 4 - You activate an opportunity attack from close enemies if their reactions were available.
  • 5 - You accidentally hit yourself. Roll the dice and receive half the damage of this attack. If you already had any ability or related effect that halve the damage, then you receives none.
  • 6 - You lose 1d2 AC until your next turn.
  • Alternatively, the GM can create a custom result.

When making several attacks on the same turn, you can roll multiple Critical Failures, but only one will be counted, and its effects will be applied after completing the 'attack' action. This means if you make any number of attack rolls with your attack action and critically fail on one of them, the rest can still occur, and the negative effects from the table above will only apply once all attacks are made.

On saves

As simple as you have imagined, rolling a Critical Failure is simply considered a failure.

On checks

Similarly to Critical Success checks, this serves a narrative purpose. You fail in a humorous and stumbling manner, causing an adverse effect depending on your character's situation and the GM's willingness to hinder you from completing your objective.

On opposed rolls

In the event of someone rolling a Critical Failure, it is considered that the other character rolled a Critical Success. If both characters roll a Critical Failure, the one with the lower ability modifier is considered the one who failed. In the event of an absolute tie, both fail, and no result is decided; the rolls must be made again.

Critical success - Legendary

  • 20 on Initative: The character plays an extra turn at the end of its main turn.
On combat

When attacking, several outcomes can occur:

  • Critical Success: Double the damage dice and modifier of your attack. For example, if you would roll 4d6+10, you now roll 8d6+20. If you have any ability that considers other numbers as a Critical Success, apply the same rule to those numbers.

  • Attack exceeds AC by 10 points: This is a Soft Critical attack. In this case, you immediately have advantage on the damage rolls for this attack.

  • Attack doubles the AC of the target: This is a Hard Critical attack. In this case, you immediately deal twice the maximum damage your attack would have done. For example, if you were to roll 4d6+10, you would instantly deal 68 ((4*6+10)*2) hit points of damage.

When two rolls happen at the same time, they stack:

  • Critical Success + Soft Critical: You have advantage on both damage rolls. This means you make four damage rolls and use the two highest results.

  • Critical Success + Hard Critical: You deal four times the maximum damage your attack would have dealt. For example, if you would roll 4d6+10, you now deal 136 ((4*6+10)*4) hit points of damage.

There's no limit on how many times critical rolls can happen per Player/NPC turn.

On saves

A Critical Success roll gives you the best result possible. If you were to take half the damage from any source you take none. If you had to avoid something, you do avoid it. And this applies to everything and on every situation.

On checks / On opposed rolls

No changes from the Heroic setting.

Critical failure - Legendary

  • 1 on Initative: The character loses its turn.
On combat

If you roll a Natural Failure, not only do you miss the attack, but the GM must roll a d6 to decide one of these situations happening to the Player/NPC:

  • 1 - You lose your weapon. Roll 1d4 to determine its fate:
    • 1 - It falls to the ground.
    • 2 - The nearest enemy picks it up.
    • 3 - It breaks, reducing its damage by 1d4 points to a minimum of 1 until repaired.
    • 4 - You don't lose your weapon.
    • If you don't use weapons, then no effect happens.
  • 2 - You fall prone or to the ground.
  • 3 - You become stunned for 1d4 turns. On a 4, you become immune to Critical Failures for 1d4 turns.
  • 4 - You activate an opportunity attack from enemies next to you even if their reactions weren't available.
  • 5 - You accidentally hit yourself and receive all the damage. You can halve the damage if you already have any ability to do so.
  • 6 - You lose 1d4 AC until your next turn. On a 4, you don't lose any AC.
  • Alternatively, the GM can create a custom result.
On saves

A Critical Failure on a saving throw results in the worst possible outcome. If you take damage from any source, you take twice as much. If you were supposed to avoid something, you fail, and the consequences are doubled. For example, if you were to be stunned for 2 turns, you are now stunned for 4 turns. This rule applies universally and in every situation.

On checks / On opposed rolls

No changes from the Heroic setting.

Luckiest - Legendary feat

You possess an inexplicable luck that seems to manifest at precisely the right moment, but it only occurs when truly necessary.

You have 1 legendary luck point. Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend this point to transform your roll into a Critical Success.

Additionally, you can spend the legendary luck point when an attack roll is made against you to force the attacker's roll to become a Critical Failure.

Feats and other abilities that could prevent the use of this feature will invariably fail. How fortunate for you!

You regain your expended legendary luck point when you finish a long rest.

better inspiration system

A way of rewarding your players for being good at rolling their characters

Introduction and how it functions

Sometimes, players need a little nudge to become the best actors on the continent, and a better inspiration system could be the key to making them shine!

Importantly, this system doesn't interfere with the Bard's inspiration system or similar class abilities or feats. Instead, it functions akin to an "overpowered" Lucky feat.

The way it works is simple: When one of your players truly embodies their character and enriches the story with their passion and good acting, your heart as a Game Master fills with joy, and you reward that player with an inspiration point.

It's always up to you, the GM, to decide when a player earns a point: you can ask for god-like acting and give them a point once a month, or become chaotic and award them a point every session.

Inspiration points can be stacked, and they serve various useful purposes. They are categorized into simple options that do not significantly alter game mechanics and advanced options that can have substantial impacts, even leading to extraordinary outcomes.

As the GM, you have the discretion to offer simple options only, or both simple and advanced options, to control the variety of choices available to your players during sessions. Players can spend these points on the following options:

Simple inspiration options

Re-roll

1 point | The player can choose to change the result of a roll at any time, regardless of who rolled the dice. This means that a natural critical rolled by a bad guy can be altered at will, or a failed roll can be attempted again. The player can select which result they want once everything has been re-rolled.

Ask for a feat or similar

5 points | The character has undergone intense battles and participated in an epic story. Their experience and efforts have led them to become even better warriors, and by divine will or really good luck, they acquire a skill they've always desired to master.

With this option, players can request a feat or similar ability, depending on the system being played, and they can apply it immediately.

To maintain balance, this option is limited to only three uses per player.

Wish

10 points | This guide is crafted to empower your players by rewarding their contribution to making your role-playing experience enjoyable and fulfilling. If your players have enriched your game to such an extent, it might be appropriate to grant them a wish.

By choosing this option, a player gains access to a wish (not the "wish" spell) and can request anything they desire. However, it's important to note that sometimes these wishes can have significant consequences or disrupt the game's progression. As the GM, you have the discretion to limit the wish if fulfilling it would overly destroy the balance or storyline of the game.

Advanced inspiration options

Better loot

2/4 points | By spending 2 points, players can ask you for better loot from chests. This is always subject to your discretion, but they will at least receive new items. The previously found loot disappears and is immediately replaced with something better. Players can discuss whether the new loot is an improvement and vote to change it again if necessary. With this feature, they can request to receive, at most, a considered rare item. By paying 2 extra points, they can ask for a specific item that is, at most, very rare.

Legendary success

3 points | By paying for this option, a character can succeed at any check they need to make.

Double xp

2/4/8 points | The character has learned a lot from their journey, and this time, they have become an even more awesome warrior. When XP is awarded, the player can choose to double the amount of experience earned.

Depending on the amount of XP being given, the GM must choose the cost of the duplication.

  • 2 points: For smaller amounts of XP.
  • 4 points: For moderate amounts of XP.
  • 8 points: For large amounts of XP.

Wildcard

6 points | At times, the story presents a challenge, and characters may find themselves facing darkness.

With this option, players receive a "wildcard" they can use to prevent anything from dying, whether it's a party character or a specific NPC they wish to keep alive at all costs.

Once used to save someone from death, the wildcard disappears, though players can accumulate them. Once all wildcards are used, the saved character can perish again.

Faster leveling (Standalone)

A method for rapidly advancing to higher levels

Spell List

A list of all my custom spells

Fire Seed

Transmutation cantrip


  • Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: S, V, M (pine cone or acorn)
  • Duration: Until used
  • Classes: Druid, ranger

You touch one to three pine cones or acorns and imbue them with a heated charge. You or someone else can make a ranged spell attack with one of the charged cones or acorns by throwing them. They have a throwing range of 60 feet, but you can use them as ammunition for any weapon that supports them, increasing their range by doing so and adding the spell damage to the weapon's damage. If someone else uses the fire seeds, they use their own spellcasting modifier rather than yours.

Once thrown, the pine cone or acorn turns into a flaming ball that combusts upon hitting something or falling to the ground. On a hit, the target takes fire damage equal to 1d6 plus the user's spellcasting ability modifier.

Explosive Seeds

6th-level conjuration


  • Casting Time: 1 Action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: S, V
  • Duration: Until used
  • Classes: Druid, ranger

Five acorns appear in your hand. You can throw each one up to 100 feet by making a ranged spell attack using your spellcasting ability modifier. These acorns can also be used as ammunition for any weapon that supports them. If someone else uses the bomb seeds, they will use their own spellcasting modifier.

When an acorn hits its target, it explodes, and each creature within a 10-foot radius of the impact point must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spellcasting DC. On a failed save, a target takes 4d6 fire damage plus your spellcasting ability modifier. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage. The explosion ignites flammable objects that aren't being worn or carried.

You can also place an acorn as a remote bomb, which can be detonated by speaking a specific word you designate, as long as you are within 1 mile of the acorn. When detonated, the bomb deals 3d8 fire damage plus your spellcasting ability modifier to every creature within a 5-foot radius and ignites flammable objects that aren't being worn or carried.

Alternatively, you can cast the spell on a 15-foot area of fertile soil. After 24 hours, 24 small pines will grow in that area. If any creature steps on or makes physical contact with them, all the plants will explode simultaneously, dealing 96d6 fire damage plus your spellcasting ability modifier to every creature in the area. A creature that can ignore difficult terrain or succeeds on an Arcana check (DC 16 + your spellcasting ability modifier) can move through the area without triggering the explosion. Explosive pines die after another 24 hours.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the number of bombs created increases by two. At 9th level, the radius of each effect of this spell also increases by 5 feet.

Overcharge (Feat)

Custom race feat for Warforged and Autognomes

The ancient creators endowed their constructs with an innate connection to magic through the magical nucleus inside their chests.

This feat can be unlocked by an artificer or anyone who understands these constructs, allowing the character to use Level 0 Overcharge. This feat is exclusive to warforged and autognomes, but can used by custom races.

Alternatively, for narrative purposes, the DM can unlock this feat for a character when their HP falls to 0 or below, allowing them to stay up for a few extra turns.

When exploring dungeons or curio shops, the player may find an ancient nucleus, a small key with engravings that shine in blue lights, a rare item (500 GP to 5000 GP). Installing one increases the overcharge level up to level 6.

This nucleus can be installed by someone with the same expertise as the one who unlocked this feat.

Activation:

Overcharge can be activated using a bonus action and deactivated after making the corresponding DC save at the end of all its extra turns.

If combat ends while Overcharge is active, the character must make the necessary saves as if all their turns ended.

Overcharge also automatically activates when the character's HP is reduced to 0 or below, applying the remaining damage to the health gained. Overcharge can be activated an unlimited number of times per day unless the character has 5 levels of exhaustion (better explained below).

Effect:

When Overcharge activates at level 0, the character's maximum health increases by 100 HP and they heal for that amount. Deactivating the feat reverts the character's maximum health to normal, and they lose a fixed amount of HP specified at the overcharge table you can find below. Speed can also increase depending on the feat level.

Higher levels change the amounts gained and lost. If the character's HP is reduced to 0 upon deactivating Overcharge, they fall unconscious with 1 HP instead of dying and overcharge deactivates. The character must still make the necessary DC save at the end of that turn.

While Overcharge is active, the character gains an extra turn at the end of their last turn, similar to the Haste spell.

At the end of their last turn each round, they must make a Constitution saving throw with an increasing DC based on the number of turns Overcharge has been active: 14 for the first turn, 16 for the second, 18 for the third, 20 for the fourth, 24 for the fifth, and 30 for the sixth and beyond.

On a successful save, Overcharge continues. On a failed save, Overcharge continues, but the character gains 1 level of exhaustion. This exhaustion can only be removed by a long rest and has no effect until Overcharge is deactivated. Activating Overcharge while the character has any level of exhaustion temporarily nullifies exhaustion effects while Overcharge is active. If the character reaches 6 levels of exhaustion, they fall unconscious with 5 levels of exhaustion instead of dying.

At the end of all its turns, the player can choose to play another extra turn, but by doing so, the overcharge turn increases by one, and they must save for that turn. On a success, the player can play this extra turn and choose to end their turn afterwards or repeat this process. On a failed save, the character gains an exhaustion level and ends its turn.

If Overcharge is activated multiple times without a long rest, it does not heal or increase the character's maximum health, since this effects only apply the first time it is used between long rests. The character must make saves based on the last DC save made during the previous Overcharge activation. For example, if Overcharge deactivated on its 4th turn with a DC 20 save, the next activation will require a DC 24 Constitution check for the fifth turn.

This feat can also be used while transformed using the polymorph spell or related skills, except for true polymorph. The transformation benefits from Overcharge's healing and extra turns, while the negative effects apply once the character reverts to their main form.

Max Level Overcharge (Optional Rule)

If allowed by the DM, the character can reach up to level 10 Overcharge, maintaining the stats from level 6 until reaching level 10. Once unlocked, the character always has the Haste spell active, but cannot activate Overcharge. When activating Overcharge, the effects of the Haste spell deactivate, and the effects of level 6 Overcharge apply instead. After deactivating Overcharge, the character won't receive the Haste spell effects until after a long rest.

Overcharge Table

Level Max HP and HP Healed When Activating HP Lost When Deactivating Extra Turns Gained Extra AC When Overcharge is On Extra Movement Speed While Overcharge is On
0 100 100 1 0 0
1 125 100 1 0 0
2 150 110 1 +1 +5
3 175 120 1 +1 +5
4 200 140 2 +2 +10
5 225 150 2 +2 +10
6 250 100 3 +4 +15

1d8 versátil (1d10) +2 / Adularia: Ignora defensa mágica de armaduras de calidad inferior a la adularia / Azogue: +1 de daño por veneno. +5 Cargas para hechizos de nivel 1 o 2 (coste relativo al grado del hechizo). Mecanismo de viales: El arma posee un espacio para viales elementales. Como acción bonus se puede abrir el vial, permitiendo que en los siguientes ataques del arma en un turno posterior apliquen el daño del elemento en cuestión. Un vial hace 2d6 de daño de su elemento en cuestión y aplica el estado pertinente al afectado. Se pueden usar las cargas mágicas del arma para extender la duración del vial en el arma (5 turnos extra por cada carga). Posibles mejoras: Compresor para inyección: que permitiría al arma aplicar el daño elemental al objetivo sin necesidad de preparar antes el arma, pues el elemento se extendería por el arma con rapidez. / Cañón integrado: permitiría que el arma dispare balas elementales; esta mejora es independiente a la del inyector, y contaría como una pistola 2d6+el daño elemental

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William O'Law's

Guides

For years, I've been deeply passionate about storytelling through Tabletop Games and modules, especially with D&D. Through countless adventures as a Game Master with amazing people, I've developed various ways to enhance the experience these games offer to thousands of players worldwide!

Currently, you can discover all our guides and projects on our Patreon page. However, they may also be or will be available on Kickstarter at some point to offer physical editions.

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