Critical Hit Effects

If your attack roll is a natural 20 and your attack total is equal to or greater than your target’s AC, your attack is a critical hit. A critical hit means that you roll your damage twice (adding to each roll all your usual bonuses, including any additional damage from special abilities) and then add the rolls together to determine the damage dealt.

Some weapons have an additional critical effect that applies when you score a critical hit. These effects are as follows.

Arc

The attack’s energy leaps to a second creature. This secondary target must be within 10 feet of your original target and must be the creature closest to the original target (you choose if multiple creatures are equidistant). Roll the amount of damage listed in the weapon’s arc—the secondary target takes this damage (not multiplied by the critical hit), of whatever type the weapon deals.

Bleed

The target gains the bleeding condition.

Burn

The target gains the burning condition.

Corrode

The target takes corrode damage equal to the amount listed. This functions as the burning condition but deals acid damage rather than fire damage.

Deafen

The target must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or be deafened for 1d4 minutes.

Injection DC +2

If the weapon is used to deliver a poison or drug of some kind, the save DC of that poison is increased by 2 when delivered on a critical hit.

Knockdown

The target is knocked prone.

Severe Wound

Roll twice on Table 7–11: Wounding Weapons and choose your desired result. The target can still attempt any associated save.

Staggered

the target must succeed at a Fortitude save or be staggered for 1 round.

Stunned

The target is stunned for 1 round.

Wound

Roll on Table 7–11: Wounding Weapons. The target must succeed at a saving throw of the listed type (if any) or suffer the listed effect. If the creature lacks a specified location, use the general location.

Table 7–11: Wounding Weapons