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I've been using a rather brutal form of critical hit system for my games and everyone I've introduced it to uses it in some form or another now. :)
Death From Massive Damage: Any time a character, NPC, or monster suffers 50% (rounded up) of their Maximum Hit Points in a single round up to 50 points, a Fortitude save is required to avoid death from massive damage. The base DC for this save is 15. Failure results in the character’s hit points being reduced to -6 and is dying. It is modified by the following factors:
+1 to the DC for every 5 additional points of damage beyond 50%.
+4 to the DC if attacked by an attack mode the creature has a specific vulnerability to.
Even if the save is successful there is an additional chance that something debilitating will occur due to the trauma such an attack is surely to cause. The DM is at liberty to choose any one of the following effects or roll 1d8 and consult the list or devise something else altogether:
1. Stunned for 2d4 rounds
2. Stunned for 1d4 rounds plus Dazed for an additional 1 round thereafter
3. –4 on all checks until able to rest and heal
4. Staggered until healed or stabilized
5. Helpless until healed or stabilized and 1d10 minutes thereafter
6. Knocked Unconscious, Reduced to 0 HP, and Stable
7. Exhausted until able to rest and heal
8. Roll twice ignoring the same result
This system makes combat significantly more lethal for all involved. All creatures that are immune to critical hits are also immune to the effects of massive damage.
Critical Hits/Misses: For attacks only, a natural roll of 1 always results in a critical fumble regardless of modifiers. Further, if the character had any additional attacks for the round, they are forfeit. When a Critical Fumble occurs roll 1d6, consulting the following list:
1. Disarmed: Weapon(s) land up to 20’ from the wielder in a random direction.
2. Weapon Sundered: The weapon is subjected to a Sunder Attack as an Immediate Action. This attack does not provoke an Attack of Opportunity.
3. Knocked Prone.
4. Dazed for 1 round.
5. Flat-Footed.
6. No detrimental effect.
Critical Hits on the other hand are significantly more debilitating than presented in Pathfinder. Critical Hits are calculated by first rolling to attack; if the attack roll meets or exceeds the Critical Threat range of the weapon and damage is delivered (makes it through DR), a second roll is made. This is normally an unmodified d20 DC 11. In addition to the normal effects of a critical hit, a roll of 1d8 on the following list is also necessary applying the listed effect immediately:
1. Blinded or Deafened: Indicates a severe blow to the head.
2. –4 on all checks: Indicates a severe blow to the head, upper body, or extremity.
3. Stunned for 1d4 rounds: Indicates serious trauma to the body.
4. Knocked Prone: Indicates a severe blow to the legs, head, or upper body.
5. ½ Movement: Indicates a severe blow to the legs or other locomotive appendage.
6. Staggered: Indicates severe blood loss or other loss of fluids.
7. Bleeding (Internal or External: +1 Bleeding damage until Cured or Healed with successful check): Indicates Severe blood loss and inability for the body to stop bleeding.
8. No further debilitating effect.
All creatures that are immune to critical hits are not subject to the effects outlined herein.
The intention behind this system is to discourage reckless behavior that one would not otherwise do if in a realistic situation. I have found that characters are more reluctant to stand toe to toe with that dragon now. It has proven to make such encounters more about trying to find another way to overcome the encounter rather than just lowering the head and rushing in.
I've been using a rather brutal form of critical hit system for my games and everyone I've introduced it to uses it in some form or another now. :)
Death From Massive Damage: Any time a character, NPC, or monster suffers 50% (rounded up) of their Maximum Hit Points in a single round up to 50 points, a Fortitude save is required to avoid death from massive damage. The base DC for this save is 15. Failure results in the character’s hit points being reduced to -6 and is dying. It is modified by the following factors:
+1 to the DC for every 5 additional points of damage beyond 50%.
+4 to the DC if attacked by an attack mode the creature has a specific vulnerability to.Even if the save is successful there is an additional chance that something debilitating will occur due to the trauma such an attack is surely to cause. The DM is at liberty to choose any one of the following effects or roll 1d8 and consult the list or devise something else altogether:
1. Stunned for 2d4 rounds
2. Stunned for 1d4 rounds plus Dazed for an additional 1 round thereafter
3. –4 on all checks until able to rest and heal
4. Staggered until healed or stabilized
5. Helpless until healed or stabilized and 1d10 minutes thereafter
6. Knocked Unconscious, Reduced to 0 HP, and Stable
7. Exhausted until able to rest and heal
8. Roll twice ignoring the same resultThis system makes combat significantly more lethal for all involved. All creatures that are immune to critical hits are also immune to the effects of massive damage.
Critical Hits/Misses: For attacks only, a natural roll of 1 always results in a critical fumble regardless of modifiers. Further, if the character had any additional attacks for the round, they are forfeit. When a Critical Fumble occurs roll 1d6, consulting the following list:
1. Disarmed: Weapon(s) land up to 20’ from the wielder in a random direction.
2. Weapon Sundered: The weapon is subjected to a Sunder Attack as an Immediate Action. This attack does not provoke an Attack of Opportunity.
...
I had a GM do this and I love it actually, more realistic and interesting.
LinkyI agree as well, but if your players are game for their characters just being randomly offed or taken out of fights for long periods of time, can't really say much about it.
if they players are up for it its better than a DM forcing it on you.
I've had monks break a leg throwing a punch and lost his arm a session later due to fumbles. (thats one hell of a punch if you send your arm flying of)
but its also a great way to break cursed weapons "you rolled weapon destroyed on the fumble table"
my old dm had a crit hit/fumble binder. never managed to "accidentally" spill soda on it. i should've tried harder
LinkyI agree as well, but if your players are game for their characters just being randomly offed or taken out of fights for long periods of time, can't really say much about it.
if they players are up for it its better than a DM forcing it on you.
I've had monks break a leg throwing a punch and lost his arm a session later due to fumbles. (thats one hell of a punch if you send your arm flying of)
but its also a great way to break cursed weapons "you rolled weapon destroyed on the fumble table"
my old dm had a crit hit/fumble binder. never managed to "accidentally" spill soda on it. i should've tried harder
The idea is to progress the story in such a manner that it doesn't feel like a cheesy gamey encounter. I prefer roleplaying situations rather than just rolling dice as almost every gamist group has degenerated into, in my experience. As a DM, I am at liberty to ignore fumbles as well. Sometimes they just add some flavor and that sense of "Oh crap!". Sometimes they can be used for comical relief. :)
Use the system as you like or don't. I offer it up for all who might enjoy a tougher game experience. :)
My problem with critical hit/fumble systems aside, I have alot of concern for your massive damage system.
Is the absolute cap 50 hit points? Meaning no matter how many hit points you have you have to roll to save for this? I mean a damage focused character can easily do 50 damamge a round by level 8 all by themselves, let alone if multiple character hit the same target. Particularly if you are dealing with hard hitters on either side of the fight characters are going to make the life and death save every single round after a certain level. Massive damage saves on a single hit i can understand, but over the course of a whole round is just gonna lead to alot of random deaths.
A problem with making the effects of critical hits more severe and/or add in additional effects (like in your system) is that it imbalances weapons/builds that are built around frequently making critical hits.
However, my group missed the unpredictability of a more elaborate crits and fumbles so we made this simple rule regarding critical hits.
Handle critical hits normally, but add one d20 unmodified die-roll:
1-17 Apply critical hit normally.
18 Overwhelming critical: add an extra multiplier to your critical hit.
19 Devastating critical: all die rolls in your critical hit are maximized.
20 Destroying critical: your target is instantly killed.
The side effect of this is the extra die-roll, but it adds the tickling effect that anything can kill anything, with a bit of luck. It does increase the efficiency of weapons/builds with frequent crits, but imo negligible.
I know my DM would never go for that list. I know that because I have a weapon that has auto confirm crits, and I tend to crit with another weapon I have roughly 80% of the time. Yeah, it's sick, but I have one shoted so many people in our Rise of the Runelords game, the DM even said he thought the weapon was gonna be sold for the cash and not kept. LMAO.
Yes more.... "realistic" but also remember, this is a "fantasy" RPG. I like it, it has some nice gems in there.