In my DnD group of 20+ years we have used a chart from the 1st edition to represent our Critical Hits and Critical Failures. We have used this for DnD (1st through 3.5), Pathfinder, Starfinder, Werewolf, Vampire the Masquerade... etc; we have adapted it to literally every RPG we've played as a group.
This chart is by no means "nice" it can be brutal both good and bad. Many times it has led to a quick death of a character, to the death of a big baddie with one stroke from a character and to the death and detriment of the party when someone hits another of the party by accident. More often then not it has led to some very very funny moments (exact effect is always open to DM interpretation), these are moments decades later we STILL remember. We are old school, where modules were deadly and death was always lingering... after all if there is no risk where is the fun?
How we use it:
The chart is only consulted when you roll a Double 20 (20 and then 20 again on the same attack) or a Double 1 (1 and then 1 again on the same attack).
Our House rules:
- When you Critically Fail when performing multiple attacks any attack AFTER the critical fail no longer happens. Example is if you have 4 attacks and the 2nd one is a critical fail, the first one counts, the 2nd you get to see if you die and the 3rd and 4th don't happen.
- All Critical hits do Double Damage as defined by the ruleset (regardless of effect, unless death/double or triple is rolled).
- Spell casters any spell you roll a to hit for:
- direct single target damage spells count as missile weapons
- AE spells count as bludgeoning
- Mind spells count as bludgeoning or missile players choice
- Spell description overrides above (example bigby's crushing hand or rain of arrows)
Example Adaptations:
- Guns are missile weapons
- The Roll Dex/Str/Con for D20 DnD (3+) and Pathfinder/Starfinder is adapted to be be close to the equivalent in Reflex/Fort/Wis saves (DC10+ 1/2 level + number of attacks performed).
The Original Dragon Magazine it appeared in (see Page 34/35)
Chart Converted to a single landscape page PDF
FAQ:
Fumble Effects:
What exactly does Critical Hit Self/Friend mean?
- This one is fun! You consult the relevant Weapon Chart and roll on that one! Example: you roll 90 on a fumble and are using a sword, you goto the Slashing Weapons chart roll on that a 00 and congratulations you just decapitated a party member!
- The best way to determine who the Friend that is hit is to just roll randomly for the number of players. Usually though it's whoever is closest for melee weapons and completely random for ranged weapons.
All Weapon Charts:
What does it mean when it says ..unless healed?
- DM Interpretation for the game, for us in Pathfinder and DND only the cure critical wounds spells does it. We like to make sure it's not any type of healing for the system and make sure it's something higher level to represent a real risk. Yes, it's deadly until your higher level!
How do you determine the number ranges for effects, Example: "Fingers Removed; dexterity reduced by 1-3"
- Simple the - means d, so read it as 1d3 (so a single 3 sided die)
Critical Skill Checks an Alternative Rule for D20
In our long running DnD Group of 25+ years, we ran an Epic Dungeon and Dragons 3.0 campaign. During this campaign we came across a solution to a problem that had always vexed us with the various D20 rule systems. The lack of critical success and failure on skill checks.