Types of Critical Strikes

Obviously, the exact nature of the injuries a character suffers from a critical strike will vary with the form of energy or magic that hits him. Different spells or effects can burn, char, dissolve, electrocute, freeze, impale, maul, scorch, or wound the victim in different ways. Therefore, there are ten different critical strike charts, each representing a different attack form.

Readers familiar with the critical hit system from Player’s Option: Combat & Tactics may observe that the target type (humanoid, monster, or animal) is not a consideration in the critical strike charts. Instead, only one body form or target type is included for each attack. Optional hit location tables for monsters and animals are provided in case you wish to incorporate them in your campaign, but you can use the critical strike tables for any kind of opponent as they are written.

The critical strike tables include acid, cold, constriction, crushing, electricity, fire, impact, slashing, vibration, and wounding.

Acid attacks include Melf’s acid arrow, acid storm, the breath of a black dragon, the secretions of a black pudding, or the effects of holy water on certain undead.

Cold attacks include chill touch, cone of cold, Otiluke’s freezing sphere, white dragon or silver dragon breath, and the deathly touch of a lich.

Constriction attacks are the forte of giant snakes, monsters with tentacles, and spells such as Evard’s black tentacles or Bigby’s crushing hand. Anything that surrounds and squeezes the victim could fall into this category.

Crushing attacks are mammoth assaults that can smash a person like a bug. Turn pebble to boulder, Bigby’s clenched fist, or the blow from a ring of the ram are crushing attacks. Crushing can also represent the effects of a dangerous fall or the force of an explosion that hurls a character through the air. If the character’s whole body is affected by a physical force, it’s a crushing injury.

Electricity includes various forms of magical lightning, shocking grasp, and the breath of a behir or blue or bronze dragon. There is no distinction between electricity and lightning for critical strikes.

Fire is fairly obvious, but note that explosions (a gas spore explosion or the retributive strike of a broken staff) are more accurately described by crushing injuries.

Impact injuries result from concentrated applications of force or small projectiles. Magic missile, spiritual hammer, or bullets cause impact injuries. In some cases, impact injuries actually penetrate the victim’s body.

Slashing attacks include spells such as ice knife, Mordenkainen’s sword, and blade barrier. This category also includes the mauling action of some mechanical traps.

Vibration attacks are rare, but dangerous, literally shaking the victim to pieces. A few monsters have special vibration or sonic attacks.

Wounding attacks result from cause light, serious or critical wounds, and can also simulate withering, desiccation, or disease attacks. Wounds appear as gaping sores or destroyed tissue.

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