Critical Hits & Fumbles, Hit Points, & Death

In AD&D 1st Edition, there are no real rules for Critical Hits and Fumbles (beyond the original Double Damage rule), these rules are from my original D&D/AD&D Campaigns (all those years ago LoL) - and have been 'imported' into my Castles and Crusades/Myths and Monsters Games (albeit somewhat modified).

-10 HP & Death

Normally when a Character reaches -10 Hit points he dies immediately.

This version is ‘softer and bouncier’ . . . .

When a Character reaches Zero HP he is battered and exhausted, at Deaths Door – but not quite out.

However he does have a slight reserve left. He now resorts to just his Con (note - normal folks in my games don’t Have HP just an average Con Score of around 8-9), if he continues to take Damage and he is reduced to half Con (or less) he must IMMEDIATELY take a Saving Throw vs. Death.

If it is failed, the Character passes out. If it is passed, the Character stays Conscious – and must continue making Saves vs. Death every Round until he is healed and passes the consciousness barrier (more on Healing later).

If the Character continues taking Damage, and reaches Zero Con he must make another immediate Save (again vs. Death) and if failed the Character dies. If passed he must continue making such Saves each round. However now the difficulty of the Save is modified by 2 point penalty each time he passes (the poor fellow is dying after all) until the he receives Healing or finally expires.

Death Saves Table

Initial Save vs. Death – Base Number (Based on Class/Level etc.)
After1 additional Round – Save vs. Death +2
After 2 additional Rounds – Save vs. Death +4
After 3 additional Rounds – Save vs. Death +6
After 4 additional Rounds – Save vs. Death +8

Critical Hits & Fumbles

A Natural ‘20’ is a Critical Hit, and a roll of ‘1-2’ is a Fumble – when rolling to attack in Combat, this applies to Clerics, Druids, Magic Users, and Illusionists.

An unmodified roll of ‘19-20’ is a Critical Success, whilst a Natural ‘1’ is a Fumble – when rolling to attack in Combat, this applies to Fighters, Barbarians, Cavaliers, Thieves, Rangers, & Assassins.

If a Critical Success is rolled to hit, roll again – if another Critical Success is rolled the Damage is applied to the Characters (or Monsters) Constitution directly, just as if the target had no remaining Hit Points (see “-10 HP & Death” for further information). If no further Critical Successes rolled (or it the Hit is against a Zero Level NPC with not Hit Points) the Damage is Doubled instead.

If the Roll is a Fumble, it is an embarrassing accident and the Weapon is dropped. Again a further D20 is rolled, if another Fumble is rolled the Weapon not only dropped but damaged in some way.

This (of course) only applies to Magical Weapons with no Intelligence (Intelligent Weapons cannot be dropped) and Non-Magical Weapons (Magical Weapons cannot be damaged in this way)