Dissolution House Rules
House rules for the Dissolution campaign.
Critical hits
When you roll within your critical range, you have a choice:
- You may roll for a critical hit, as per the standard rules.
- You may automatically just take max weapon damage. (If your critical multiplier is ×3, you deal 1.5 times max weapon damage.)
This is a bit of a trade off. All attacks deal three types of damage, and each choice deals with them differently:
| Type | Weapon damage | Bonus damage | Ancillary damage |
| Description | the base dice damage of the weapon | fixed damage from strength, magical plusses, etc. | sneak attack, vital strike, added energy damage, etc. |
| Standard rules | Make to-hit roll again. If you would hit, damage calculated a number of times equal to your critical multiplier (usually ×2) | Applied only once, even if critical succeeded. | |
| House rule | No additional roll needed. Damage roll treated as if highest number came up on each die. If range is ×3, multiply the result by 1.5 (round down). | Applied only once | |
In most cases, the house rule will result in a lower average damage, but is reliable (i.e. you don't need to make the confirming "attack" roll). Some examples, always assuming a critical actually happens:
| Damage Roll | No crit | Standard crit (if achieved) | House rule | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Situation | Weapon | Bonus | Ancillary | Crit range | Min | Average | Max | Min | Average | Max | Min | Average | Max |
| Lostwhite w/ +1 flaming flail | 1d8 | +9 | +1d6 fire | ×2 | 1+9+1= 11 |
4.5+9+3.5= 17 |
8+9+6= 23 |
2(1+9)+1= 21 |
2(4.5+9)+3.5= 30.5 |
2(8+9)+6= 40 |
8+9+1= 18 |
8+9+3.5= 20.5 |
8+9+6= 23 |
| Lostwhite w/ +1 greatsword | 2d6 | +11 | ×2 | 2+11= 13 |
7+11= 18 |
12+11= 23 |
2(1+11)= 24 |
2(7+11)= 36 |
2(12+11)= 46 |
12+11= 23 | |||
| Lostwhite w/ +1 battleaxe | 1d8 | +7 | ×3 | 1+7= 8 |
4.5+7= 11.5 |
8+7= 15 |
3(1+7)= 24 |
3(4.5+7)= 34.5 |
3(8+7)= 45 |
1.5(8)+7= 19 | |||
| Caralaria w/ fist and vital strike | 1d10 | +6 | +1d10 | ×2 | 1+6+1= 8 |
5.5+6+5.5= 16 |
10+6+10= 26 |
2(1+6)+1= 15 |
2(5.5+6)+5.5= 28.5 |
2(10+6)+10= 42 |
10+6+1= 17 |
10+6+5.5= 21.5 |
10+6+10= 26 |
| Scoffney w/ +1 rifle | 1d12 | +1 | ×3 | 1+1= 2 |
6.5+1= 7.5 |
12+1= 13 |
3(1+1)= 6 |
3(6.5+1)= 22.5 |
3(12+1)= 39 |
1.5(12)+1= 19 | |||
| Scoffney w/ +1 rifle and sneak attack | 1d12 | +1 | +3d6 | ×3 | 1+1+3= 5 |
6.5+1+3(3.5)= 18 |
12+1+3(6)= 31 |
3(1+1)+3= 7 |
3(6.5+1)+3(3.5)= 24.5 |
3(12+1)+3(6)= 44 |
1.5(12)+1+3= 22 |
1.5(12)+1+3(3.5)=29.5 | 1.5(12)+1+3(6)=37 |
| Oreni's scorching ray | 4d6 | ×2 | 4(1)= 4 |
4(3.5)= 14 |
4(6)= 24 |
2(4(1))= 8 |
2(4(3.5))= 28 |
2(4(6))= 48 |
4(6)= 24 | ||||
The moral of all this is that if you have a decent chance to hit, you will likely do more damage using the standard rules, but if you need a good roll to hit, you are better off with the house rule. Also, the larger your bonus damage is, the more advantage you will get from using the standard rule.
Sneak Attacks and Ranged Weapons
Just a clarification to the standard rules on sneak attacks:
- Sneak attacks can be made with ranged weapons, so long as the rogue is within "point-blank" range (30').
- Sneak attacks are allowed if the target is denied a Dex bonus, or if the rouge flanks the target.
- You cannot normally flank a target with a ranged weapon.
So, as practical matter, the only way you can typically sneak attack with a ranged weapon is by denying the target a Dex bonus. Targets lose their Dex bonus to AC in any of the following situations:
- Target is blinded
- Target is cowering
- Target is flat-footed and does not have Uncanny Dodge
- Target is helpless
- Target is stunned
- Target is climbing
- Attacker is invisible
- Attacker successfully feints against the target.
- Attacker or ally uses Greater Feint against the target.
Reach Spell
This one is really a mistake that was active for long enough to make us keep it. This is no longer a metamagic feat. It is a standard feat that lets the caster cast any touch spell as a ranged touch attack if within "point blank" range (30').
This changes magic (particularly clerics and other healers) quite a bit. It also fits the definition of a broken rule, as it is hard to imagine any caster that wouldn't take this feat, but so be it. It is pretty fun.
Wands
Similarly, we treat wands as if they all have the Reach Spell feat. That is, if they cast a touch spell, they can do so as a ranged touch attack from 30 feet away.
Vital Strike
From the look of the errata, looks like we read this one wrong as well, but we're keeping it as well. We allow any attack to be declared (post attack roll) as a vital strike, but only once per round.
Close Shot (Combat)
This is a new feat, which extends "point blank" range.
Prerequisite: base attack bonus +3. Benefit: Any effect which specifically only works within "point blank" range may be used from an additional 30' away. That is, "point blank" range becomes 60'. Situations that benefit from this feat include:
- Using Point Blank Shot.
- Sneak attacking with ranged weapons.
- Using the Reach Spell feat (see above).
- Casting touch spells from wands (see above).
- The Furtive Shot rogue talent (see below).
Normal: Point blank range is normally 30'.
Furtive Shot
This is a new rogue talent:
Furtive Shot (Ex): If within point-blank range of a target that is flanked by two or more of your allies, you may sneak attack that target with a ranged weapon.