He says he does this to save time, and I know a few DMs who have picked up this same system.
On Critical Role, you roll 1d8, double the result, and add 4. So, if you swing a sword (damage: 1d8 + 4) and you get a critical hit, ordinarily you’d roll 2d8 + 4. However, Matthew Mercer on Critical Role has his players double whatever the first die was.
In D&D 5th edition, there is a rule for how to resolve a critical hit in combat – when you roll a natural 20, you roll your damage dice twice. How do you handle a natural 20? How do you handle a natural 1? Depending on what edition you’re playing, and who your dungeon master is, there could be different consequences… Every Thursday, our own Mike Christensen shares his stories, advice, and opinions on the subject of tabletop role-playing games.
