Fumble and Crit Effect tables
Hiya guys, so I have basically two big questions and then some minor ones.
(I also have my own tables for fumble effects etc, if people are interested, I might post them at a later point.)
Big questions:
A) Do you use the FG built in Fumble and Crit Effect tables in your game? Either way: Why, what's your reasoning there? What are your experiences in games where they were used? Were they fun or more a nuisance?
B) Do you have other tables than the FG built in ones? Care to share them?
Minor questions:
What exactly do they mean with "until appropriate healing spell cast upon target"? What would be an appropriate healing spell?
What's with all this slashing/blunt/piercing weapon stuff? I mean sometimes it is kind of obvious which is what, but sometimes it's not. Does this even belong in 4e?
#14 The arm get's a penalty to all checks? So the DM alwas has to decide if something has to be done with both arms, because the player will always just use the other arm?
#17 "...permanently granting combat advantage to opponents approaching from that side. " How to decide and always track which way the character is facing at all times?
#18 "...and movement reduced to 1/4 speed and target will have permanent limp (-2 speed) as after effect..." What's the duration of the 1/4 speed?
#19 "...and a -1 penalty to combat ..." What is a penalty to combat???
#14 / #20 Does all checks mean all Skill checks and Ability checks, or also attacks/initiative etc?
Aren't #13 to #20 a bit too harsh? A PC hit by any of those is probably not worth playing anymore... unless healed properly, what ever that means. Take a Wizard with -4 to INT permanently. Or missing a hand or leg, really?
So just that everyone knows what we're talking about, here is the crit table as it is in FG:
Critical Hit Effect Table (1d20)
1 KNOCKDOWN
In addition to standard critical hit damage, you knock the target prone.
2 HAMSTRING
In addition to standard critical hit damage, you hamstring the target. The target is slowed (save ends).
3 TURN THE TIDE
In addition to standard critical hit damage, you gain combat advantage against all enemies on the battlefield until the end of your next turn.
4 EYE GOUGE
In addition to standard critical hit damage, your target is blinded until the end of its next turn.
5 FORCEFUL BLOW
In addition to standard critical hit damage, your target is dazed until the end of its next turn.
6 STUNNING BLOW
In addition to standard critical hit damage, your target is stunned until the end of its next turn.
7 PARRY
In addition to standard critical hit damage to your target, you gain +2 to all your defenses against attacks from the target until the end of your next turn.
8 GAPING WOUND
In addition to standard critical hit damage, the target takes ongoing 5 +1/2 your level damage (round up).
9 PRESSURE POINT
In addition to standard critical hit damage, the target is Weakened (save ends).
10 OPPORTUNITY
In addition to standard critical hit damage to your target, you may take an extra standard action this turn.
11 KNOCKOUT BLOW
In addition to standard critical hit damage, you knock the target Unconcious (save or target taking damage ends).
12 EVISCERATE
You do two standard critical hits to the target.
13 DECAPITATION
Your target's head is decapitated (slashing weapon), crushed (blunt weapon) or pierced (piercing weapon) or (if weapon was a spell) some effect to the head related to the type of attack that will likely leave target dead. If this action is not possible due to nature of the target, you do standard critical damage and gain an action point, instead.
14 APPENDAGE BLOW
In addition to standard critical damage, your target loses a finger (slashing weapon), breaks fingers (blunt weapon) or has arm muscle punctured (piercing weapon) or (if weapon was a spell) some effect to the fingers or arm related to the type of attack. 50% chance of either main or offhand. This hand or arm will suffer a -2 penalty on all checks for 4 weeks or until appropriate healing spell cast upon target. If this action is not possible due to the nature of the target, then in addition to standard critical damage, you gain an action point instead.
15 WRIST BLOW
The targets' hand is removed at the wrist (slashing weapon) or wrist broken (blunt weapon) or wrist pierced (piercing weapon) or (if weapon was a spell) some effect to wrist related to the type of damage. 50% chance of either main or offhand. Wrist is incapacitated in any case. If this action is not possible due to the nature of the target, then in addition to standard critical damage, you gain an action point instead.
16 MIGHTY BLOW
You do three standard critical hits to the target.
17 HEAD BLOW
In addition to standard critical hit, the target loses an ear (slashing weapon) or an eye (piercing weapon), or blow to the skull (blunt weapon) or (if weapon was a spell) some effect related to the type of attack. 50% of left or right side. Loss of ear or eye both result in permanently granting combat advantage to opponents approaching from that side. Blow to the head permanently reduces intelligence by 4 and knocks target Unconcious (save ends). If this action is impossible due to the nature of the target, then you do standard critical hit damage and gain an action point, instead.
18 KNEE HIT
In addition to standard critical damage, your targets leg is cut off at the knee (slashing weapon) and falls prone or knee is broken (blunt weapon) and movement reduced to 1/4 speed and target will have permanent limp (-2 speed) as after effect or knee is split (piercing weapon) and target falls and movement reduced to 1/2 speed or (if weapon is spell) some effect to the knee related to the type of attack. If this action is impossible due to the nature of the target, then you do standard critical damage and gain an action point, instead.
19 BODY BLOW
In addition to standard critical damage, your targets lung is slashed (slashing weapon) or pierced (piercing weapon) or ribs are broken (blunt weapon). All of these result in being stunned for 2 rounds and a -1 penalty to combat until healed with appropriate healing spell. 50% chance of right or left side. If this action is impossible due to the nature of the target, then you do standard critical damage and gain an action point, instead.
20 SHOULDER BLOW
In addition to standard critical damage, your targets arm is cut off at the shoulder (slashing weapon) and target is stunned for 2 rounds or shoulder is broken (blunt weapon) and target is stunned for 2 rounds or shoulder is torn (piercing weapon) and target is stunned for 2 rounds or (if weapon was a spell) some effect to shoulder related to the type of attack. 50% chance of main or off hand. Broken or torn shoulders will result in a permanent -2 to all checks until healed with appropriate healing spell. If this action is impossible due to the nature of the target, you do standard critical hit damage and gain an action point, instead.
Regards, Llyle