Critical Strikes the Easy Way

If the math of the preceding system seems to be a little too much for your campaign, try this method: the attacker rolls 1d20 when he throws the spell or uses his special ability. If the die comes up an 18 or higher, the victim suffers a critical strike if he fails his saving throw. If the spell or effect doesn’t allow a saving throw, the victim may still attempt a saving throw vs. death magic to avoid the critical strike itself, although he still suffers the effects of the spell even if he avoids the critical hit. This system doesn’t account for the skill or power of the spellcaster or monster, but it may be a little faster than figuring out how much someone missed their save by.

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