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Critical Success Damage in CoC7E?


Mankcam

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I wasn't sure whether to post this here or over at Yoggie.

I've had the CoC7E pdfs for some time, but sometimes I miss things when I read pdfs, and now I'm really taking my time to take a good look at the game mechanics changes considering that I have the hardcover books in my hand. I do like most changes, however I am a little confused in regards to damage from a Critical Success attack roll.

In the Keepers Rulebook p89 it talks broadly about Critical Successes (a roll of 01) being an avenue for the Keeper to narrate some good fortune when a character performs an action. Specifically in regards to attack rolls, a default example is provided that states that maximum damage in automatically inflicted, no roll required.

Then in the Combat chapter, under the section of 'Determining Damage' on p103 it describes scoring an Extreme Success on an attack roll which yields a result of extreme damage, inflicting maximum damage, no roll required (unless the attacker uses a piercing weapon, in which case it is maximum damage + another roll).

So I must be missing something. If an attack roll's Extreme Success yields maximum damage, than what happens upon a Critical Success? 

I could understand if in combat, a Critical Success attack roll was a narrative description purely left up to the Keeper.

But this does not seem to be the case, as the example on p89 for Critical Success provides an actual default damage which reads pretty much the same as for an attack roll Extreme Success on p103.

If anyone is able to shed a light on this, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

Edited by Mankcam

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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I play it that a Critical Success is an Extreme Success plus something narrated that is awesome.

6e suggested that a Critical includes the target being stunned as a result of a Special or Critical hit so I might go with that as an 'extra' when someone rolls a Criitical..

A critical in 7e also ignores Yig's armour.

A critical in 7e when rolling DEX for Initiative also gives bonus die.

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Nigel

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Yes, I could easily do something similar (ie: extreme success + something awesome), but I am just confused as to what the authors intended, considering the two examples are the same.

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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I ended up cross-posting this on the Yoggie site, and the general consensus on that site is very similar to here:

A Critical Success attack roll is an Extreme Success with some extra cool contextual narrative effect and consequence.

So its pretty loose and handwavey, which suits CoC 7E, as it allows GM to have alot of creativity describing the consequence, much like what happens when 'pushing' a roll, except the consequence is for the opponent.

So that is pretty much clarified. Thanks for everyone's advice, its always greatly appreciated!

Edited by Mankcam
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" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

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  • 5 years later...

Arise, thread!!!

Was there ever an official ruling on this?  My impression is that the combat section is correct, and the earlier reference to critical damage in the skills chapter is just wrong (though I like the above suggestions that the critical could involve an extra cool description of the attack).  If that's correct, then perhaps it could be added to the errata thread.

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Well, that's a sneaky place to put a rule!  😃  Thanks for that.

It seems like that would go for non-impaling weapons too (minus the extra die roll): if it can only hit on Extreme, then it only gets (non-impaling) max damage on a Critical.  Is that how you play it?

Edited by TheophilusCarter
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1 hour ago, TheophilusCarter said:

Well, that's a sneaky place to put a rule!  😃  Thanks for that.

It seems like that would go for non-impaling weapons too (minus the extra die roll): if it can only hit on Extreme, then it only gets (non-impaling) max damage on a Critical.  Is that who you play it?

That is how I read it too.

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