Divine Interference (feat) and critical threats

[Axel0rd]

I just get the feat Divine Interference feat, with my paladin, and I wanna know if my paladin can know when enemies attacks are normal attacks or critical threats. My GM says that nothing in rules say that we players know when a atk is a crit threat. So, is that true or we missing something in rules that explains if we (players) know that? My doubt is because I want to use the feat to save my friends from a possible death, because we dont have a healer in our party and if I can do something to mitigate the damage that our party receives will be great.

Divine Interference:
Benefit: As an immediate action, when an enemy within 30 feet hits an ally with an attack, you can sacrifice a prepared divine spell or (if you are a spontaneous caster) an unused spell slot and make the enemy reroll the attack roll. The second attack roll takes a penalty equal to the level of the spell you sacrifice. You must sacrifice a spell of 1st-level or higher to use this ability. Whether or not the second attack is successful, you cannot use this effect on the same creature again for 1 day.

[Byakko]

While it's commonly played that players are allowed to at least see the numeric result of a roll when choosing whether to affect it (unless the power specifically says you must choose before the results are known), I believe you're right in that it's never discussed in the rules.

Whether you also learn that the 19 rolled is also a crit threat, I can see a GM legitimately not disclosing until after it has confirmed (or had a chance to confirm) at least once. I personally think it'd be game-enhancing for the GM to at least give a hint in this case, like "it looks like a particularly nasty swing is coming your way...", but that's really up to the GM.

I think it would be nice to have clarification on this, however, so hitting the FAQ button. In the likely event that no response is given, it's ultimately up to the GM. But I hope he at least applies this lack of knowledge both ways - monsters should similarly be the dark when deciding whether to use their abilities.

[Ascalaphus]

This feat does kind of make you want that the GM rolls openly. Then, when you see a particularly high number, you know it's time to use it.

I don't think the GM has to disclose the threat per se - for example, the creature might have a bigger than normal threat range due to a feat or special ability, and you'll find that out from bitter experience. But if you see an enemy wielding a weapon, it's good to know what that weapon's normal threat range is.

And yeah, I'm a big fan of the GM (and everyone else) rolling in the open for all the things that don't need to be rolled secretly (like stealth or bluff situations where players don't always know whether their roll was good enough).

[wraithstrike]

Some reroll abilities specifically say you must decide before knowing the result of the roll, but they never say you get to know what the die roll on the dice is.

As for what the result is I have always thought it meant "was the roll a success or failure", but I could see someone thinking it meant everything that happened along with the roll to include a possible crit.

Personally, I would allow them to know a crit is about to happen.

[Cavall]

A roll of 19 of 18 could be a critical threat but only if it hits.

A 20 is always a hit.

But you don't roll to confirm a threat unless you know you've hit.

The action is an immediate one based on being hit by an attack.

Therefore you're using it before a confirmation of a critical threat is done, after a hit is confirmed.

[Vatras]

I let my players always know when a crit is being threatened. Various abilities require that info, like this feat, so keeping it secret just de-values those.

(I also prefer to roll openly. Players like to second-guess the results and it gives them an idea how tough something is. It also conveys the impressions the characters would have, which is fine by me. If something hits the tank with a 2 on the die, the players know they have met a big problem without needing a lengthy narrative.)

[Goblin_Priest]

At my table DMs tend to roll secretly, but give a warning when there's a crit threat. Heck, we have a giant d20 we use to confirm crits.