Critical Threat Range for a Maul?

[Gbeth721]

Hello, Gbeth here,
I am currently playing a 6th level Fighter/3rd level Barbarian and my character wields a Maul (giant hammer) as a weapon. My DM found the weapon for me because I said that was the one I wanted to use. So, with my current "other" problem (I'll get to that in a bit) I need to know the threat range for a Maul. I looked in the Arms & Equipment Guide and it didn't have a threat range, it just said that on Critical Hits the damage is multiplied by 3. I need to know this because I just leveled up to a 6th level Fighter and have 2 feats to choose, two of them were Improved Critical (don't remember which sourcebook that one's from) and Power Critical (Complete Warrior). The DM I'm with now has us in a particularly advanced module, I don't know which one, though. Point is, the monsters are tougher and if I can score some Critical Hits I'd probably have a better chance at slaying these tougher monsters and give us (the adventuring party) some hope of making it through. Oh, and my DM is a real stickler for what's in the book and what's not in the book, he wants published content only, so if you can include a source, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you all in advance :)

[Krazzman]

Normally those kind of weapons are from the Chritical Threat Range 20.

I'm unsure about 3.0 Content (?) but it might be a printing error, missing the 20. Else there stands something like 18-20, 19-20.

[eggynack]

If a threat range isn't listed, that means it's 20. Thus, the maul's crit range is just 20. You may want to consider skipping the whole critical hit feat thing. The overall damage boost isn't very high. This is especially true on a weapon like a maul, with its bad threat range, but it's still mediocre on a weapon that's good for it. If you really need the crit boost, keen does the same thing without costing a feat.

[Krazzman]

If a threat range isn't listed, that means it's 20. Thus, the maul's crit range is just 20. You may want to consider skipping the whole critical hit feat thing. The overall damage boost isn't very high. This is especially true on a weapon like a maul, with its bad threat range, but it's still mediocre on a weapon that's good for it. If you really need the crit boost, keen does the same thing without costing a feat.

In this example he would need another enchantment that does the same as keen... I know it was in one of the faerun books and it was called "Wucht" in german. Never saw the english version of it...

[Diarmuid]

Stats for the maul can be found in the FRCS. As has already been mentioned, when the critical entry only shows "x2", "x3", etc, its assumed to only threaten a critical on a 20.

Weapon of Impact is the bludgeoning version of keen.

[eggynack]

In this example he would need another enchantment that does the same as keen... I know it was in one of the faerun books and it was called "Wucht" in german. Never saw the english version of it...
Ah, right. I sometimes forget the odd idiosyncrasies that are weapon type based prerequisites. Anyways, I'm pretty sure that the damage return on a maul with weapon of impact is only marginally higher than one without it.

[squera]

For your information, the Maul exists also in 3.5, it is detailed at page 154 of the Complete Warrior.
You can use it with two hands without problems or with one hand, in the latter case you need a feat as it's treated as an exotic weapon.

[PaucaTerrorem]

If a threat range isn't listed, that means it's 20. Thus, the maul's crit range is just 20. You may want to consider skipping the whole critical hit feat thing. The overall damage boost isn't very high. This is especially true on a weapon like a maul, with its bad threat range, but it's still mediocre on a weapon that's good for it. If you really need the crit boost, keen does the same thing without costing a feat.

Can't "Keen" a bludgeoning weapon. Has to be Improved Crit if you want a bigger range.

[Siosilvar]

Can't "Keen" a bludgeoning weapon. Has to be Improved Crit if you want a bigger range.

You can "of Impact" it, which has the exact same cost and effect. Which somebody mentioned earlier.

[Gbeth721]

Mmkay, thanks guys! :) I think I'll go for the Weapon of Impact thing, luckily for me I have a surplus of gp so I can afford to get the enchantment, hopefully. :)

[Siosilvar]

It's worth stating again that crits don't add all that much to your total damage. 5% more of your hits will be doing extra damage if you improve your crit range with a 20/x3 weapon, which works out to 10% extra damage. Crits are fun, but not particularly helpful except when you get them.

If you're looking to kill monsters and not to crit-fish with a Maul, just getting another +1 enhancement bonus is better, since you hit an extra 5 percentage points of the time (somewhat greater than a 5% damage increase) and do an extra point when you do hit. Lots of other properties are worth considering too; elemental damage in particular will probably help.

[PaucaTerrorem]

Gotta agree with Siosilvar. Bigger threat range is always nice, but hitting more often is of more importance. Take the Impact only if you have nothing better to get.

[Agent 451]

Gbeth, have you looked at the greathammer from MMIV? I has a d12 damage die and a higher threat range and crit multiplier than the maul does.

[Big Fau]

Gbeth, have you looked at the greathammer from MMIV? I has a d12 damage die and a higher threat range and crit multiplier than the maul does.

Assuming the DM doesn't flip out over a 1d12, 19-20*4 exotic weapon.

[kreenlover]

It is basically the only exotic weapon worth having on your type of build.

Also, you may want to look at Disciple of Dispater from BoVD. Not sure if it works for your game, but it gives you massive crit range enhancers and damage boosters.

If not, then the Weapon Master from Sword and Fist also gives some nice crit boosts.

Add maiming if you really want to do something useful with your crits (roll a die for the crit modifier instead of using base (1d6 for *3) I believe this is from the Miniatures handbook of Heroes of Battle.

[Agent 451]

Assuming the DM doesn't flip out over a 1d12, 19-20*4 exotic weapon.

True, which is why I didn't mention making it a heavy weapon made out of gold or platinum, since you need to take an exotic weapon proficiency feat regardless. If the DM freaks out about a d12, he's likely to go nova over 2d8. But you never know, sometimes melees get nice things...:smallsmile:


Also, you may want to look at Disciple of Dispater from BoVD. Not sure if it works for your game, but it gives you massive crit range enhancers and damage boosters.

Does Disciple of Dispater work on all iron/steel weapons, or just bladed ones?

[Spuddles]

Does Disciple of Dispater work on all iron/steel weapons, or just bladed ones?

I believe all iron/steel ones. Been awhile since I looked at the class, though.

[Samalpetey]

Assuming the DM doesn't flip out over a 1d12, 19-20*4 exotic weapon.

Wasn't it errata'd to 20/x4?

[Spuddles]

Wasn't it errata'd to 20/x4?

Not the greathorn minotaur greathammer. It's actually a great hammer! Not a merely adequate one.

[Big Fau]

Wasn't it errata'd to 20/x4?

That was the Talenta Sharrash.