Revised Barbarian Class

Revised Fighter Class

Epic Advice Column

Epic Demographics

Epic Encounter Levels

Superhero Relativity

Absolutes: Part 4

Absolutes: Part 3

Absolutes: Part 2

Absolutes: Part 1

Part Two: Critical Hits

Immunity to critical hits is something I have toyed with changing for a few months now. The benefits of this change, aside from the removal of an absolute, are:

• It allows for the proposal of different sub-types (see below) which I think are a much more interesting and versatile mechanic.
• A Rogues sneak attack is not as redundant at epic levels (same thing with an Assassins death attack).
• It allows us to expand critical hits into epic gaming with some new feats and magic items (see below), rather than closing the door on them.

Delivering Critical Hits

There are two aspects to delivering critical hits; the threat range and the critical multiplier. While not every weapon is balanced against every other, we can balance the progression of threat range and critical multiplier against themselves. We do this by inverting the increases to each weapons critical multiplier with its threat range so that the sum total of both is a net result of 4.

Therefore, if the threat range is 18-20 (spans +3), a feat would increase the critical multiplier by +1. If the threat range is 19-20 (span of +2), a feat would increase the critical multiplier by +2. If the threat range is 20 (span of +1), a feat would increase the critical multiplier by +3.

Each increase to threat range, can be paralleled by an increase to the critical multiplier.

Feats

Improved Critical (increased threat range), parallels Overwhelming Critical (increased critical multiplier).

It should be noted that Overwhelming Critical is an epic feat, while Improved Critical is a non-epic feat. To me this is indicative of the somewhat supernatural 'feel' of Overwhelming Critical. Though mechanically there is probably no reason why Overwhelming Critical could not be a non-epic feat.

Revised Epic Feat

Overwhelming Critical
Prerequisites: Str 23, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (weapon to be chosen), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (weapon to be chosen).
Benefits: This feat increases a weapons critical hit multiplier. If the weapon normally threatens a critical hit on a 20 then increase the weapons critical multiplier by 3. If the base threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then increase the multiplier by 2. If the standard threat range is between 18-20 then increase the critical multiplier by 1.
Special: This ability stacks with the Rending, Vorpal/Brutal, or Shredding weapon special abilities.

Magic Items

Keen/Impact (increased threat range), parallels Rending (increased critical multiplier). A special mention should also be made about the Vorpal/Brutal special abilities.

New Weapon Special Ability

Rending: This property increases a weapons critical hit multiplier. If the weapon threatens a critical hit on a 20 then increase the weapons critical multiplier by 3. If the threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then increase the multiplier by 2. If the threat range is between 18-20 then increase the critical multiplier by 1.
Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Market Price: +2 bonus.

Revised Weapon Special Ability

Vorpal/Brutal: This property can only be applied to melee weapons. Upon a roll of a natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit) the weapons critical multiplier is increased by 5. If the damage dealt by the blow is sufficient to slay the opponent then its head is either severed (vorpal) or pulped (brutal). This ability stacks with the Overwhelming Critical epic feat, but only overlaps with the Rending weapon special ability.
Strong Necromancy and Transmutation; CL: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death (both), keen edge (vorpal), Market Price: +5 bonus.

Divine Abilities

At each strata of power (mortal, divine, cosmic etc.) you can benefit from an internal (feat/ability) and external (magic item) increase to both your threat range and your critical multiplier. However threat range can never be increased beyond 2-20.

New Divine Abilities

Superior Critical
Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus +18, Improved Critical
Benefits: This divine ability triples the threat range of a weapon. If the weapon normally threatens a critical hit on a 20 then it now threatens on an 18-20. If the threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then it becomes 15-20. If the threat range is between 18-20 then it is now 12-20.
Special: This ability overlaps with the Improved Critical epic feat. However it does stack with Keen/Impact and Opening/Striking weapon special abilities.

Obliterating Critical
Prerequisites: Str 33, Overwhelming Critical
Benefits: This divine ability increases a weapons critical hit multiplier. If the weapon normally threatens a critical hit on a 20 then increase the weapons critical multiplier by 6. If the base threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then increase the multiplier by 4. If the standard threat range is between 18-20 then increase the critical multiplier by 2.
Special: This ability overlaps with the Overwhelming Critical epic feat. However it does stack with Rending, Vorpal/Brutal, or Shredding weapon special abilities.

Epic Magic Items

New Epic Weapon Special Abilities

Opening/Striking: This property triples the threat range of a weapon. If the weapon normally threatens a critical hit on a 20 then it now threatens on an 18-20. If the threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then it becomes 15-20. If the threat range is between 18-20 then it is now 12-20. This ability stacks with the Improved Critical Feat and the Superior Critical divine ability, but it only overlaps with the Keen/Impact weapon special abilities.
Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, Market Price: +6 bonus.

Shredding: This property increases a weapons critical hit multiplier. If the weapon threatens a critical hit on a 20 then increase the weapons critical multiplier by 6. If the threat range of the weapon is between 19-20 then increase the multiplier by 4. If the threat range is between 18-20 then increase the critical multiplier by 2. This ability stacks with the (revised) Overwhelming Critical feat and the Obliterating Critical divine ability, but it only overlaps with either the Rending weapon special ability or the Vorpal/Brutal weapon special abilities.
Caster Level: 21st; Prerequisites: Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, Market Price: +6 bonus.

Defending Against Critical Hits

Instead of the black and white situation whereby creatures or objects are immune to critical hits, I propose a method that removes the immunity altogether and introduces new creature (or object) sub-types based on the various states of matter.

eg. A stone golem (solid sub-type) hit by a pick-axe (20/x4) would suffer x2 damage (4 - 2 = 2) upon a critical hit.

eg. A zombie (solid sub-type) hit by a vorpal longsword (19/x2, 20/x7) would suffer x5 damage (7 - 2 = 5) upon being decapitated.

eg. A wraith (incandescent/incorporeal sub-type) hit by an opening, shredding scythe wielded by a deity with both the obliterating critical divine ability and the superior critical divine ability (16/x16) would suffer x8 damage (16 - 8) upon a critical hit.

Revised Armour/Shield Special Ability

Fortification: This property produces a magical force that protects vital areas of the wearer more effectively, decreasing a weapons critical hit multiplier.
Strong Abjuration; CL: 13th (Light-Heavy), 21st (Liquid), 27th (Gaseous) and 33rd (Incandescent); Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor (Light-Heavy), Craft Epic Arms and Armor (Liquid-Incandescent), limited wish or miracle; Market Price: See Table Two.

Sneak Attack versus Critical Hit Sub-types

A successful sneak attack should have its effect reduced (or increased in the case of fragile creatures) by 2 dice for every point the targets critical multiplier would be reduced.

eg. A 20th-level Rogue would only deal 6d6 damage (instead of 10d6) upon scoring a sneak attack upon a ghoul (solid sub-type).

Death Attack versus Critical Hit Sub-types

Creatures with the critical hit sub-types gain a bonus (or a penalty for fragile creatures) against death attacks of +6 for every point their critical multiplier would be reduced. Creatures with no Constitution score can add their Charisma bonus to their Fortitude save to survive this effect.

eg. A vampire (solid sub-type) would gain a +12 bonus to its Fortitude save against a death attack.