Crit and Fumble

Critical Roll
Category Game Rules
Type criticals and fumbles

This is the critical and fumble table employed in my campaign. It has undergone moderate revisions over time, yet the core mechanics remain largely unchanged. These tables are undoubtedly perilous, but they infuse the game with an element that fosters compelling encounters. Utilizing these tables, even the mightiest of players or adversaries can be incapacitated with a single roll, thus warranting judicious application of mercy when appropriate.

In the Bal-Kriav campaigns, a critical is an unmodified natural "20". It constitutes an automatic hit, even if the opponent's armor class would normally be impenetrable. For saving throws, an unmodified "20" signifies complete evasion of harm. Conversely, a fumble is a natural "1". This triggers maximum potential damage from the attack and necessitates all equipped items to undergo rigorous saving throws.

Some rolls permit a HP check to evade the result. This signifies that if you roll under your current hit points (d100), you can avoid the effect.

All beings are vulnerable to a natural "20" - undead, oozes, and even those adorned in magical armors of reinforcement.

Critical Table
Die Roll Natural 20 Effect
1-5 as the game rules, x2, x3, et. al.
6-7 blinded for encounter - 50% miss, lose dexterity bonus to AC, move at half speed, opponents get +2 to attack (as blinded)
8-9 sharpness hit (HP check):
sharpness
01 - 15 head, death to victim (constructs, slimes unaffected)
16 - 40 body - quadruple normal damage
41 - 55 rt arm - lose 10% of HP
56 - 70 rt Leg - lose 10% of HP, 1/6 movement
71 - 85 lt arm - lose 10% of HP
86 - 97 lt leg - lose 10% of HP, 1/6 movement
98 - 100 neck to groin - quintuple normal damage
10 triple normal damage, push enemy 1 square
11 vorpal hit (HP check) - death to most creatures
12 sweep - hit two adjacent enemies and knock them prone
13 "Tyson'd" - knocked out enemy (HP check)
Tyson'd
1 - 2 1-4 melee rounds (Heal DC 18 to revive)
3 - 4 encounter (Heal DC 20)
5 coma - 1-4 weeks (Heal DC25)
6 "vegetable" - 1-4 months (Heal DC28)
14 quadruple normal damage, push enemy 2 squares
15 "Lukoon Watches You" - all remaining allies roll on crit table if they hit in this round
16 "Lukoon Curses You" - roll on fumble table instead
17 double normal damage, shift 2, re-roll personal initiative for you and one opponent
18 roll d8 and multiple times weapon damage, destroy random piece of enemy gear
19 weak hit - ½ weapon damage
20 "Thor Shutters" - roll twice again on this table
Fumble Table
Die Roll Natural 20 Effect
1 shattered the item you were attacking with, no save (artifacts unaffected)
2 miss and lose minor actions for round
3 "Traitor!" - roll to hit random ally within 5' with a -3 to-hit
4 struck object - DC equals your strength + 3, roll d20 + add dexterity modifier to avoid damage to your weapon
5 struck own body - normal damage
6 fallen prone
7 roll twice again on this table
8 hurled weapon 2-12 feet
9 stumbled into opponent, lose round, enemy must make Reflex DC20 or also lose round
10 "Lukoon's Curse" - you fumble on a 1 or 2 for the rest of the gaming session
11 "Hit Me, I'm Not Defending" - enemy automatically hits you on their attack
12 blundered into ally - Reflex DC 21 for ally or they lose their entire round
13 exposed vital area - enemy crits you if they hit on their attack
14 bull rushed by enemy 2 squares (if they want)
15 dazed
16 - 19 "Clumsy Fool" - lose entire round
20 "Steve Sahgetti" - roll on crit table