Newb question on criticals

[Nate Grey]

Hi. Sorry if this has been asked before. I was checking out doing fixed/average damage and it seems that it doesn't do criticals on that setting. since it loads the npc/monster on the tracker with the fixed damage and without the damage range. How would one go about fixing this? It seems changing back to random damage doesn't change the existing entry on the tracker.

(I'm thinking I'll either have to put an additonal fixed damage entry to each npc which seems a hassle, or just roll the critical damage die manually, which I'll have to reference to see what it is.)

[Zacchaeus]

Well, this is an interesting question. I don't use average damage so I've never come across this before.
According to the PHB when you score a critical hit you roll all the attacks damage twice. However if you are using average damage you aren't doing any rolling, so do you actually get double damage if you are using average damage? It seems ambiguous to me and perhaps FG is doing it right. I can't find any kind of definitive answer on the internet so far.
If it should be doubled then this is a bug and will need fixing.
(It appears that even Shift-dragging the damage doesn't turn it into a critical either - which it normally does).

EDIT: I've found the rule; it's in the DMG p246. So apparently what happens is if the damage is stated as say 5 (1d6 +2); then on a critical you get 5 + the 1d6 damage. So FG isn't doing that and so I'll report it as a bug.

[Nate Grey]

Cool. Yeah I was aware of the rule but didn't know if it was a bug or whatnot. The thing is that it doesn't actually load the actual variable damage entry and then derive the average from there (which is how I imagined it would/should work), but rather it loads it into the tracker with the fixed number. (It also doesn't do fixed damage if you switch to that option afterwards if you've added the creature to the tracker when set to variable, and vice-versa.)

I've never used average damage either (with PF constant modifiers often being higher than the variable dice) but I feel the need to do so with low-level 5e.

[Zacchaeus]

No, the options won't change anything in the CT since they are already on the CT. As you will have gathered placing something on the CT fixes effects, dice rolls, damage etc and so they would have to be changed manually on the CT itself.
I've seen a couple of posts now about chaps worried about damage to low level PCs in 5e, especially with regard to criticals. In time honoured DM fashion I always just fudge those kind of rolls if it would mean certain death, but overall I haven't actually found this a problem myself. Players are far tougher than you think and as long as they make a death save or get help they can use their HD to get back to full health. And of course never leave home without a Cleric :)

[damned]

No, the options won't change anything in the CT since they are already on the CT. As you will have gathered placing something on the CT fixes effects, dice rolls, damage etc and so they would have to be changed manually on the CT itself.
I've seen a couple of posts now about chaps worried about damage to low level PCs in 5e, especially with regard to criticals. In time honoured DM fashion I always just fudge those kind of rolls if it would mean certain death, but overall I haven't actually found this a problem myself. Players are far tougher than you think and as long as they make a death save or get help they can use their HD to get back to full health. And of course never leave home without a Cleric :)

Clerics are not there to clean up after the mistakes of the other players!

[Zacchaeus]

Clerics are not there to clean up after the mistakes of the other players!

Chortle, Chortle :)

[Trenloe]

Players are far tougher than you think and as long as they make a death save or get help they can use their HD to get back to full health.
I don't know, I've known some pretty week players, but I think you're running a too realistic game if the players are getting damaged. :o

[LordEntrails]

Kill them! Kill them all! *maniacal laughing....*

By the way, had to stop mid-battle last night. (PotA Eternal Flame Temple) 2 PC's are unconscious and separated from the others. The nearest is the party wizard, who is going to have to retreat or die. The party fighter and rogue are separated from the others and had to flee to drink up all there healing potions and are now about to re-engage, half the temple away. I was thinking I might have a TPK for a little while there!

[Nickademus]

Had a 2nd-level rogue almost die the other night. She wandered off to scout during a long rest while everyone else was asleep and encountered 4 shadows. So, sometimes players overestimate themselves and still die.

[Myrdin Potter]

I put a player or two unconscious and making death saved pretty much every session in PoTA. They are way over their heads right now and paying for it. That is what happens if yiu allow them to sandbox, they are doing dungeons that are supposed to be several levels above them.

I don't use average damage and I think it detracts from player fun so I don't use it.

[Brynnan]

Well, this is an interesting question. I don't use average damage so I've never come across this before.
According to the PHB when you score a critical hit you roll all the attacks damage twice. However if you are using average damage you aren't doing any rolling, so do you actually get double damage if you are using average damage? It seems ambiguous to me and perhaps FG is doing it right. I can't find any kind of definitive answer on the internet so far.
If it should be doubled then this is a bug and will need fixing.
(It appears that even Shift-dragging the damage doesn't turn it into a critical either - which it normally does).

EDIT: I've found the rule; it's in the DMG p246. So apparently what happens is if the damage is stated as say 5 (1d6 +2); then on a critical you get 5 + the 1d6 damage. So FG isn't doing that and so I'll report it as a bug.

DMG p246? I don't see anything on that page that is pertinent. Am I missing it?

[kylania]

Is the bottom of page 248.

[Zacchaeus]

DMG p246? I don't see anything on that page that is pertinent. Am I missing it?

Alright so I need a better pair of glasses; no need to rub it in :)
It's p248

[JohnD]

Clerics are not there to clean up after the mistakes of the other players!

Hey Animate Dead is perfectly reasonable!