Swooper
2007-09-21, 05:41 AM
I'm currently in the process of writing a set of house rules for a coming game. My group has always used critical fumbles (for attack rolls), it's a leftover from us playing AD&D 2nd Edition back in the day. There has, however, never been a system to it. Usually, in the case of a natural one, we look at the DM and let him decide what happens. Lately, this has turned into just provoking an AoO on a fumble. So, I set about creating tables for randomly rolling flavourful fumble effects. Trouble is, I'm hard pressed for ideas, so I came here. So far I have:
Melee Weapon Critical Fumble Table:
1d10 roll: Result:
1 You are caught severly off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from every enemy that threatens you.
2 You are caught slightly off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target only.
3 You drop your weapon in your own square. Picking it up is a move-action. Note that chained gauntlets or similar change this result into a regular miss.
4 You accidentally strike the wrong target. Randomly select a target you threaten, and roll another attack with the same modifiers as the original strike. If no suitable target is in threat range, roll again on this table.
5 Your grip on the weapon slips. If the attack roll was a part of a full attack, lose any further iterative attacks you might have. If the attack roll was a not a part of a full attack, or was the last attack in an attack routine, you just miss and nothing further happens.
6 You strike the ground. If the ground is hard (stone floor, for example), roll an immediate sunder attempt on your own weapon, possibly breaking it. If the ground is soft (like a grass field), the weapon sticks. To remove it is a move action provoking attacks of oppurtunity.
7 The forward momentum in your attack off-balances you. If you are striking a target more than five feet away, take a five-foot step in their direction. If you are adjacent to the target, provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target for trying to enter it’s square. If you have already taken a five foot step, or moved in the round, make a DC 20 Tumble check to avoid falling prone in your own square.
8 Wild Swing. The attack is a regular miss and you may roll any following attacks, but you are considered flat-footed untill your next turn.
9 The target dodges and you overbalance. Make a DC 20 Tumble check to avoid falling prone in your own square.
10 Through a spectacularly failed strike, you manage to hit yourself. Roll damage on yourself, but only the damage done by the weapon itself, such as the base weapon damage, any enhancement bonuses and extra magic damage dice (like from a flaming sword).
I'd need some more ideas for that table, about four (to make it a d10 roll), and then a similar amount of fumble effects for ranged attacks, unarmed/touch attacks, and ranged touches (rays).
Finally: As I've been playing with critical fumbles my whole time in D&D, I know how it affects gameplay, so don't even think to lecture me on that :smallwink:
EDIT: I've updated the Melee Fumbles Chart above with your ideas. Here are the other tables, what's ready at least:
Ranged Attack Critical Fumbles Table
1d10 roll: Result:
1 Your bowstring breaks (or your sling tears). Replacing it with a new one is a full-round action, plus another full-round action to dig it up. For simplicity’s sake, assume that you have 1d4 spare bowstrings with you per adventure.
2 The projectile strikes the ground and breaks.
3 The string slips off the bow/crossbow. Lose all further iterative attacks this round. Replacing the string is a full-round action. Alternatively, drop your sling/thrown projectile in your own square. Picking it up is a move action that provokes an attack of oppurtunity.
4 The projectile is badly aimed and, instead of striking the intended target, flies straight at whatever target (this may be an ally) is nearest to the intended one (if more than one are equally far from the target, pick the one closest to you). Roll an immediate attack roll vs. that target, and deal damage normally.
5 ?
6 ?
7 ?
8 ?
9 ?
10 ?
Unarmed- or Touch Attack Critical Fumbles Table
1d10 roll: Result:
1 You are caught severely off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from every enemy that threatens you.
2 You are caught slightly off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target only.
3 Your hand gets tangled in the target’s clothes (or caught in a joint of their armour). You are pulled off balance and provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target.
4 Your finger gets jammed. You cannot attack untill you have taken a move action to pop it back and shake your hand.
5 The target dodges and you overbalance. Make a DC20 Tumble check to avoid falling prone in your own square.
6 ?
7 ?
8 ?
9 ?
10 ?
Melee Weapon Critical Fumble Table:
1d10 roll: Result:
1 You are caught severly off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from every enemy that threatens you.
2 You are caught slightly off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target only.
3 You drop your weapon in your own square. Picking it up is a move-action. Note that chained gauntlets or similar change this result into a regular miss.
4 You accidentally strike the wrong target. Randomly select a target you threaten, and roll another attack with the same modifiers as the original strike. If no suitable target is in threat range, roll again on this table.
5 Your grip on the weapon slips. If the attack roll was a part of a full attack, lose any further iterative attacks you might have. If the attack roll was a not a part of a full attack, or was the last attack in an attack routine, you just miss and nothing further happens.
6 You strike the ground. If the ground is hard (stone floor, for example), roll an immediate sunder attempt on your own weapon, possibly breaking it. If the ground is soft (like a grass field), the weapon sticks. To remove it is a move action provoking attacks of oppurtunity.
7 The forward momentum in your attack off-balances you. If you are striking a target more than five feet away, take a five-foot step in their direction. If you are adjacent to the target, provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target for trying to enter it’s square. If you have already taken a five foot step, or moved in the round, make a DC 20 Tumble check to avoid falling prone in your own square.
8 Wild Swing. The attack is a regular miss and you may roll any following attacks, but you are considered flat-footed untill your next turn.
9 The target dodges and you overbalance. Make a DC 20 Tumble check to avoid falling prone in your own square.
10 Through a spectacularly failed strike, you manage to hit yourself. Roll damage on yourself, but only the damage done by the weapon itself, such as the base weapon damage, any enhancement bonuses and extra magic damage dice (like from a flaming sword).
I'd need some more ideas for that table, about four (to make it a d10 roll), and then a similar amount of fumble effects for ranged attacks, unarmed/touch attacks, and ranged touches (rays).
Finally: As I've been playing with critical fumbles my whole time in D&D, I know how it affects gameplay, so don't even think to lecture me on that :smallwink:
EDIT: I've updated the Melee Fumbles Chart above with your ideas. Here are the other tables, what's ready at least:
Ranged Attack Critical Fumbles Table
1d10 roll: Result:
1 Your bowstring breaks (or your sling tears). Replacing it with a new one is a full-round action, plus another full-round action to dig it up. For simplicity’s sake, assume that you have 1d4 spare bowstrings with you per adventure.
2 The projectile strikes the ground and breaks.
3 The string slips off the bow/crossbow. Lose all further iterative attacks this round. Replacing the string is a full-round action. Alternatively, drop your sling/thrown projectile in your own square. Picking it up is a move action that provokes an attack of oppurtunity.
4 The projectile is badly aimed and, instead of striking the intended target, flies straight at whatever target (this may be an ally) is nearest to the intended one (if more than one are equally far from the target, pick the one closest to you). Roll an immediate attack roll vs. that target, and deal damage normally.
5 ?
6 ?
7 ?
8 ?
9 ?
10 ?
Unarmed- or Touch Attack Critical Fumbles Table
1d10 roll: Result:
1 You are caught severely off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from every enemy that threatens you.
2 You are caught slightly off-balance. You provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target only.
3 Your hand gets tangled in the target’s clothes (or caught in a joint of their armour). You are pulled off balance and provoke an attack of oppurtunity from the target.
4 Your finger gets jammed. You cannot attack untill you have taken a move action to pop it back and shake your hand.
5 The target dodges and you overbalance. Make a DC20 Tumble check to avoid falling prone in your own square.
6 ?
7 ?
8 ?
9 ?
10 ?