Does Savage Attacks Double on a Crit?
Savage Attacks is a fascinating aspect of the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. It allows characters to increase their damage output by adding an extra damage die roll to their attack. In this article, we’ll delve into the specifics of Savage Attacks and explore whether it doubles on a critical hit.
What is Savage Attacks?
Savage Attacks is a passive feature introduced in the official 5th edition Player’s Handbook. It allows characters, particularly Half-Orcs, to add an extra die roll to their melee attacks. This feature can add significant damage output to combat encounters.
How does Savage Attacks work?
To activate Savage Attacks, a character must score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack. Once successful, the character rolls the weapon’s damage dice additional times, as indicated on the critical hit table (see below).
| Result | Number of Additional Die Rolls |
|---|---|
| 2-5 | 0 |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7-9 | 2 |
| 10-11 | 3 |
| 12 or higher | 4 |
For example, if a Half-Orc scores a critical hit and rolls a 9 with their longsword, which deals 1d10 + 2 damage, they would roll the attack’s damage dice twice (1d10 + 2 + 1d10 + 2) and add the results. This can result in substantially increased damage output.
Does Savage Attacks Double on a Crit?
Initially, it seems that the answer to this question should be straightforward: yes. After all, the mechanics of Savage Attacks explicitly include rolling the damage dice twice when scoring a critical hit. However, this raises further questions: What happens to the extra damage die? Does it also double for the critical hit?
Per the official rules, "You add your Savage Attacks damage to damage rolls." This does not specify whether this damage is doubled for the critical hit. Our analysis suggests that the doubling of damage is tied directly to the critical hit effect, rather than the Savaged Attacks feature.
| Savage Attacks | Critical Hit |
|---|---|
| Rolls 1, 2, 3, or 4d6 (randomly select) | Doubles all damage dice results |
| No longer doubles on subsequent re-rolls | No damage doubling |
To summarize:
Savage Attacks are rolled separately from the main attack roll, adding additional damage dice once.
When scoring a critical hit with Savage Attacks, the full damage dice result is already doubled (1d4 → 2d6, 1d8 → 2d12, etc.). Therefore, there is no longer a need to double this damage.
Illustrative Example:
Bob, a Half-Orc, uses Savage Attacks against a goblin with 5 HP. Bob attacks with his longsword (+2 damage), rolls 12 on the attack table, and scores a critical hit. His attack result is 1d12 + 2 doubled to 2d12 + 2 damage. Adding Savage Attacks rolls an additional 2 dice, making the total 4d12 + 4. This combined damage would deal 38-84 damage (4d12; 1-6d12). Savage Attacks added 8-24 damage (2d4; 2-12).
In conclusion, to answer the original question directly: Savage Attacks do not double on a crit. Instead, the doubling of damage results from the critical hit table, and the additional die rolls from Savage Attacks proceed as usual.
This clear understanding of Savage Attacks is crucial for optimal combat decisions and can greatly enhance player strategy. Remember, it is essential to separate the doubling mechanic from the additional damage gained through Savage Attacks. Enjoy your enhanced combat encounters!
References:
• Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Player’s Handbook (Wizard of the Coast, 2014)
• Reddit Post "Does Savage Attacks Double on a Crit?", VintageIsTheNewOld (2018)