09-10-2018, 01:45 AM
Wow. I sure hope the rules lawyer isn't the one who makes you have to pay full price for half a topping on the pizza. Serious honor hit, there.
Yes, a roll of a 20 on the attack die doesn't necessary mean it is a critical hit; it's possible the severity level is 0 or negative. But this isn't known until you roll the Severity Level Modifier (d8), which explodes penetrates (used SCHWA terminology by mistake) both positively and negatively. A low level character might have an extremely slim chance to score a critical against an extremely low AC, but I saw a 2nd level character in a 10+ level adventure with a regular sling make an auto-kill against a 200+ hp monster that the other level appropriate characters were having trouble hitting because the modifying die roll penetrated four times and the hit location was top of the head resulting in "brain goo".
Yes, a roll of a 20 on the attack die doesn't necessary mean it is a critical hit; it's possible the severity level is 0 or negative. But this isn't known until you roll the Severity Level Modifier (d8), which explodes penetrates (used SCHWA terminology by mistake) both positively and negatively. A low level character might have an extremely slim chance to score a critical against an extremely low AC, but I saw a 2nd level character in a 10+ level adventure with a regular sling make an auto-kill against a 200+ hp monster that the other level appropriate characters were having trouble hitting because the modifying die roll penetrated four times and the hit location was top of the head resulting in "brain goo".
Getting me free admission into gaming conventions for a decade