Why are Nat 1 and Nat 20 STILL Auto Fail/Succeed?

[Shining_Darkness]

Specifically on ability/skill checks. Larion have you never actually read the GM manual or player's guide? They do not auto pass/fail anything but saves and attacks. That is all. Not even variant rules allow for this. This is garbage houseruling and I cannot wait for a mod to come out to remove this filth. Oh a difficulty 0? and I don't have a negative 2... why am I rolling? I shouldn't be able to fail. Oh a difficulty 7 and I have a +6 why am I rolling? Because Larion fundamentally misunderstood a core game mechanic.

This was in EA but it wasn't even consistent there. Once I got a 1 and it just let me pass anyway. I assumed it was because it was never supposed to auto fail in the first place but here we are.

[qwert_44643]

Originally posted by StoriesBonesTell:

I've been playing for years, and we always rule those as fails and succeeds regardless of what the rule book says. 20s and 1s are sacred

Thats what i always thought to

[Mizu]

You don't feel that tinge of excitement from wondering if you will maybe fail a roll or from wondering if maybe you will pull off an impossible success?

[EricHVela]

Crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves isn't 5e rules, but it is One D&D UA rules (now calling all of them "d20 checks"). Regardless, it's an extremely popular homebrew rule to have crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves.

It might be interesting to have a toggle switch to remove crits/fumbles from checks/saves, but it is what it is. A DC30 (and there are at least 2 of them in BG3) will be a 0% chance if you can't +10 your bonus instead of 1:20. A DC 10 with a +10 bonus (which is possible to do in BG3) won't be a 1:20 chance of failure.

Still, it is what it is. It is likely what it is because it's immensely popular and the future of D&D is going to have it.

[Methariorn]

Well on a 20d 1 is alway a fail and 20 is alway a bit hit from AD&D

[Settings]

Because Nat 1 and Nat 20 are auto succeed. That's why.

[Powercrank]

because no matter how good you get at something there's always a chance that you make a mistake.

making a big mistake 1/20 times at your characters specialization might probably be a bit too often though, but i guess that's what karmic dice are for.

[Demiurge]

This is larian's homebrew, don't like it? Don't play it

[Yakito]

The more they change from original DnD (garbage) the better.
Awful system as a whole. I don't respect your opinion on NAT 1 and 20. I actually hate the word "natural 20". What even is "natural" for? Who called it so stupid?

[ULTRA]

Originally posted by Swords:

your life must be crazy fun

I dunno, it sounds pretty fun not failing a pathetically low roll after spending the character's entire build leveling it up in that roll

[A Wispy Willy]

Originally posted by Yakito:

The more they change from original DnD (garbage) the better.
Awful system as a whole. I don't respect your opinion on NAT 1 and 20. I actually hate the word "natural 20". What even is "natural" for? Who called it so stupid?

It's natural because it's without bonuses applied.

Originally posted by EricHVela:

Crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves isn't 5e rules, but it is One D&D UA rules (now calling all of them "d20 checks"). Regardless, it's an extremely popular homebrew rule to have crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves.

It might be interesting to have a toggle switch to remove crits/fumbles from checks/saves, but it is what it is. A DC30 (and there are at least 2 of them in BG3) will be a 0% chance if you can't +10 your bonus instead of 1:20. A DC 10 with a +10 bonus (which is possible to do in BG3) won't be a 1:20 chance of failure.

Still, it is what it is. It is likely what it is because it's immensely popular and the future of D&D is going to have it.

This just sounds like another reason to stay away from their attempt to remake 5e.

[Sentient_Toaster]

Originally posted by EricHVela:

Crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves isn't 5e rules, but it is One D&D UA rules (now calling all of them "d20 checks"). Regardless, it's an extremely popular homebrew rule to have crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves.

They dropped it from later UAs because the reaction to it was extremely negative.

[BurningFalcon]

Originally posted by Sentient_Toaster:

Originally posted by EricHVela:

Crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves isn't 5e rules, but it is One D&D UA rules (now calling all of them "d20 checks"). Regardless, it's an extremely popular homebrew rule to have crits/fumbles on skill checks/saves.

They dropped it from later UAs because the reaction to it was extremely negative.

Extremly popular by whom?
I never saw someone roll a nat20 and automatically succeed in their presuasion attempt. It is always followed by a "and that sums up to?"
Usually, what a Nat20 does at a table is, the result is not as bad even if you roll lower than the dc, you still don't succeed, but you don't fail as hard.
And if you meet the DC, it usually is a slightly better result.

So why should a Nat1 automatically fail? Except for Attacks. Nat1 and Nat20 always existed for Attacks.

[PocketYoda]

Originally posted by Orion Invictus:

Do you play Monopoly and/or Uno according to the official rules?

I do yes.

[Shining_Darkness]

Originally posted by Ephemerant:

Originally posted by Actalo:

I've never had a 1 or 20 not auto fail or succeed. Not sure what you're talking about. I use Lucky and you can't even re-roll an enemy's 20 or your 1 ... it succeeds or fails regardless.

In tabletop 5e, Ability Checks do not crit fail or succeed on a 1 or 20. That's something DM's get wrong all the time.

I wouldn't say "they get it wrong" as many have said, it is a very common (and unfortunately) house rule that MANY players actually think is RAW because of how prevalent it is (looking at you Critical Role). It is like, the one core rule I don't change in my games. Character skill should be allowed to overcome a poor d20 result on ability checks, you know, to show their ability, when something isn't contested at least.

[Ephemerant]

Originally posted by Shining_Darkness:

Originally posted by Ephemerant:

In tabletop 5e, Ability Checks do not crit fail or succeed on a 1 or 20. That's something DM's get wrong all the time.

I wouldn't say "they get it wrong" as many have said, it is a very common (and unfortunately) house rule that MANY players actually think is RAW because of how prevalent it is (looking at you Critical Role). It is like, the one core rule I don't change in my games. Character skill should be allowed to overcome a poor d20 result on ability checks, you know, to show their ability, when something isn't contested at least.

If they're thinking it's RAW and not houseruling it in spite of RAW, then yes, they are getting it wrong.

And don't put the blame on Critical Role, there were popular live plays before them doing it. Chris Perkins DMing Acquisition Incorporated played it that way all the time.

I have nothing against the houserule, I just don't think it's conducive to an enjoyable experience in a video game.