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Effects of Adamantine armour and natural 20 roll always being a hit
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My Fighter (Battlemaster) Warlock (Hexblade) build character has just acquired a suit of +1 adamantine plate armour.
From the DMG rules:
This suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
So my question is on a critical hit roll of 20: is this still automatically a hit, despite the critical becoming a "normal hit" because of the armour? Or would the attacker need to exceed my AC in order to score the "normal hit" if in any instance I say cast shield or use the evasive footwork maneuver to boost AC?
My AC is 20, so with shield cast it becomes 25, so would say a goblin with a +4 attack modifier score a hit on a roll of 20 against me?
24 is not sufficient to "hit" under normal rules but does the "20 is always a hit" mechanism override this despite the critical being cancelled by the adamantine armour?
dnd-5e critical-hit special-materials
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
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Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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up vote
7
down vote
favorite
My Fighter (Battlemaster) Warlock (Hexblade) build character has just acquired a suit of +1 adamantine plate armour.
From the DMG rules:
This suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
So my question is on a critical hit roll of 20: is this still automatically a hit, despite the critical becoming a "normal hit" because of the armour? Or would the attacker need to exceed my AC in order to score the "normal hit" if in any instance I say cast shield or use the evasive footwork maneuver to boost AC?
My AC is 20, so with shield cast it becomes 25, so would say a goblin with a +4 attack modifier score a hit on a roll of 20 against me?
24 is not sufficient to "hit" under normal rules but does the "20 is always a hit" mechanism override this despite the critical being cancelled by the adamantine armour?
dnd-5e critical-hit special-materials
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Hello and welcome! You can take the tour for a quick site intro (and a badge!). This looks like an interesting question to me. Thank you for participating!
– Sdjz
48 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
My Fighter (Battlemaster) Warlock (Hexblade) build character has just acquired a suit of +1 adamantine plate armour.
From the DMG rules:
This suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
So my question is on a critical hit roll of 20: is this still automatically a hit, despite the critical becoming a "normal hit" because of the armour? Or would the attacker need to exceed my AC in order to score the "normal hit" if in any instance I say cast shield or use the evasive footwork maneuver to boost AC?
My AC is 20, so with shield cast it becomes 25, so would say a goblin with a +4 attack modifier score a hit on a roll of 20 against me?
24 is not sufficient to "hit" under normal rules but does the "20 is always a hit" mechanism override this despite the critical being cancelled by the adamantine armour?
dnd-5e critical-hit special-materials
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
My Fighter (Battlemaster) Warlock (Hexblade) build character has just acquired a suit of +1 adamantine plate armour.
From the DMG rules:
This suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
So my question is on a critical hit roll of 20: is this still automatically a hit, despite the critical becoming a "normal hit" because of the armour? Or would the attacker need to exceed my AC in order to score the "normal hit" if in any instance I say cast shield or use the evasive footwork maneuver to boost AC?
My AC is 20, so with shield cast it becomes 25, so would say a goblin with a +4 attack modifier score a hit on a roll of 20 against me?
24 is not sufficient to "hit" under normal rules but does the "20 is always a hit" mechanism override this despite the critical being cancelled by the adamantine armour?
dnd-5e critical-hit special-materials
dnd-5e critical-hit special-materials
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
edited 38 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
18.6k474125
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
asked 54 mins ago
Vnmrtn
391
391
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Vnmrtn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Hello and welcome! You can take the tour for a quick site intro (and a badge!). This looks like an interesting question to me. Thank you for participating!
– Sdjz
48 mins ago
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Hello and welcome! You can take the tour for a quick site intro (and a badge!). This looks like an interesting question to me. Thank you for participating!
– Sdjz
48 mins ago
Hello and welcome! You can take the tour for a quick site intro (and a badge!). This looks like an interesting question to me. Thank you for participating!
– Sdjz
48 mins ago
Hello and welcome! You can take the tour for a quick site intro (and a badge!). This looks like an interesting question to me. Thank you for participating!
– Sdjz
48 mins ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
Yes, the natural 20 is still an automatic hit
Jeremy Crawford, the 5e lead rules designer, made an official ruling over twitter saying as much:
Q: Does the nat 20 still auto hit against adamantine armor?
A: Yes.
The language of the item also supports this ruling. As you quoted, the armor states:
While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
A critical hit is, by definition, an automatic hit. The item doesn't say that the attack is a miss unless it exceeds your armor class even with a natural twenty. It says that critical hits against you become normal hits.
So, that suggests the following sequence of events:
- Attack roll is made against you
- The roll is a natural 20, which means it's an automatic hit
- The effect of the armor kicks in, the critical hit becomes a regular hit.
By the time the item interferes, we've already established the attack as a hit and the armor doesn't undo that hit; it reduces the severity of the hit.
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Natural 20 (always hits) versus adamantine armor, but makes it a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
Improved Critical with a roll of 19, still requires modifiers and is compared to targets AC. If this hits, it would be treated like above, as a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Indeterminate, and it opens another can of worms...
There is some legitimate dispute on this one. The Basic Rules have the following passage:
Rolling 1 or 20. [...]If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a critical hit, which is explained later in this section.
Later on in the Damage Rolls section, it describes the damage effects of a critical hit. It all seems clear at this point - a natural 20 being automatic hit and a critical hit are the same thing.
However, when we look at the champion fighter's Improved Critical ability, we have:
Improved Critical. Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
"Rolling 1 or 20" indicates that the die roll automatically hits, and calls it a critical hit. Champion fighter also calls a 19 or 20 a critical hit. Does that mean a 19 is also an automatic hit just like a 20?
Options
As much as I am loathe to say it, this is a DM discretion call. While there are some designer-intent posts on Twitter, they have not made it into an officially published errata. Considering the number of times those seemingly official posts have made a call then reverted it, they should all be considered suspect.
There are two logically consistent choices:
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are separate things: Adamantine stops the damage, but not the hit. Champion fighters auto-hit on 20s, but not 19s.
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are the same thing: Adamantine stops the automatic hit (compare the total attack roll to the AC) and stops the dice-doubling. Champion fighters auto-hit on 19s (and eventually 18s).
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
Yes, the natural 20 is still an automatic hit
Jeremy Crawford, the 5e lead rules designer, made an official ruling over twitter saying as much:
Q: Does the nat 20 still auto hit against adamantine armor?
A: Yes.
The language of the item also supports this ruling. As you quoted, the armor states:
While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
A critical hit is, by definition, an automatic hit. The item doesn't say that the attack is a miss unless it exceeds your armor class even with a natural twenty. It says that critical hits against you become normal hits.
So, that suggests the following sequence of events:
- Attack roll is made against you
- The roll is a natural 20, which means it's an automatic hit
- The effect of the armor kicks in, the critical hit becomes a regular hit.
By the time the item interferes, we've already established the attack as a hit and the armor doesn't undo that hit; it reduces the severity of the hit.
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
Yes, the natural 20 is still an automatic hit
Jeremy Crawford, the 5e lead rules designer, made an official ruling over twitter saying as much:
Q: Does the nat 20 still auto hit against adamantine armor?
A: Yes.
The language of the item also supports this ruling. As you quoted, the armor states:
While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
A critical hit is, by definition, an automatic hit. The item doesn't say that the attack is a miss unless it exceeds your armor class even with a natural twenty. It says that critical hits against you become normal hits.
So, that suggests the following sequence of events:
- Attack roll is made against you
- The roll is a natural 20, which means it's an automatic hit
- The effect of the armor kicks in, the critical hit becomes a regular hit.
By the time the item interferes, we've already established the attack as a hit and the armor doesn't undo that hit; it reduces the severity of the hit.
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
up vote
8
down vote
Yes, the natural 20 is still an automatic hit
Jeremy Crawford, the 5e lead rules designer, made an official ruling over twitter saying as much:
Q: Does the nat 20 still auto hit against adamantine armor?
A: Yes.
The language of the item also supports this ruling. As you quoted, the armor states:
While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
A critical hit is, by definition, an automatic hit. The item doesn't say that the attack is a miss unless it exceeds your armor class even with a natural twenty. It says that critical hits against you become normal hits.
So, that suggests the following sequence of events:
- Attack roll is made against you
- The roll is a natural 20, which means it's an automatic hit
- The effect of the armor kicks in, the critical hit becomes a regular hit.
By the time the item interferes, we've already established the attack as a hit and the armor doesn't undo that hit; it reduces the severity of the hit.
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
Yes, the natural 20 is still an automatic hit
Jeremy Crawford, the 5e lead rules designer, made an official ruling over twitter saying as much:
Q: Does the nat 20 still auto hit against adamantine armor?
A: Yes.
The language of the item also supports this ruling. As you quoted, the armor states:
While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.
A critical hit is, by definition, an automatic hit. The item doesn't say that the attack is a miss unless it exceeds your armor class even with a natural twenty. It says that critical hits against you become normal hits.
So, that suggests the following sequence of events:
- Attack roll is made against you
- The roll is a natural 20, which means it's an automatic hit
- The effect of the armor kicks in, the critical hit becomes a regular hit.
By the time the item interferes, we've already established the attack as a hit and the armor doesn't undo that hit; it reduces the severity of the hit.
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
answered 42 mins ago
Adam
18.6k474125
18.6k474125
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Natural 20 (always hits) versus adamantine armor, but makes it a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
Improved Critical with a roll of 19, still requires modifiers and is compared to targets AC. If this hits, it would be treated like above, as a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Natural 20 (always hits) versus adamantine armor, but makes it a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
Improved Critical with a roll of 19, still requires modifiers and is compared to targets AC. If this hits, it would be treated like above, as a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Natural 20 (always hits) versus adamantine armor, but makes it a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
Improved Critical with a roll of 19, still requires modifiers and is compared to targets AC. If this hits, it would be treated like above, as a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
Natural 20 (always hits) versus adamantine armor, but makes it a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
Improved Critical with a roll of 19, still requires modifiers and is compared to targets AC. If this hits, it would be treated like above, as a normal hit in regards to rolling damage dice.
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
answered 19 mins ago
XAQT78
384110
384110
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Indeterminate, and it opens another can of worms...
There is some legitimate dispute on this one. The Basic Rules have the following passage:
Rolling 1 or 20. [...]If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a critical hit, which is explained later in this section.
Later on in the Damage Rolls section, it describes the damage effects of a critical hit. It all seems clear at this point - a natural 20 being automatic hit and a critical hit are the same thing.
However, when we look at the champion fighter's Improved Critical ability, we have:
Improved Critical. Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
"Rolling 1 or 20" indicates that the die roll automatically hits, and calls it a critical hit. Champion fighter also calls a 19 or 20 a critical hit. Does that mean a 19 is also an automatic hit just like a 20?
Options
As much as I am loathe to say it, this is a DM discretion call. While there are some designer-intent posts on Twitter, they have not made it into an officially published errata. Considering the number of times those seemingly official posts have made a call then reverted it, they should all be considered suspect.
There are two logically consistent choices:
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are separate things: Adamantine stops the damage, but not the hit. Champion fighters auto-hit on 20s, but not 19s.
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are the same thing: Adamantine stops the automatic hit (compare the total attack roll to the AC) and stops the dice-doubling. Champion fighters auto-hit on 19s (and eventually 18s).
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
Indeterminate, and it opens another can of worms...
There is some legitimate dispute on this one. The Basic Rules have the following passage:
Rolling 1 or 20. [...]If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a critical hit, which is explained later in this section.
Later on in the Damage Rolls section, it describes the damage effects of a critical hit. It all seems clear at this point - a natural 20 being automatic hit and a critical hit are the same thing.
However, when we look at the champion fighter's Improved Critical ability, we have:
Improved Critical. Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
"Rolling 1 or 20" indicates that the die roll automatically hits, and calls it a critical hit. Champion fighter also calls a 19 or 20 a critical hit. Does that mean a 19 is also an automatic hit just like a 20?
Options
As much as I am loathe to say it, this is a DM discretion call. While there are some designer-intent posts on Twitter, they have not made it into an officially published errata. Considering the number of times those seemingly official posts have made a call then reverted it, they should all be considered suspect.
There are two logically consistent choices:
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are separate things: Adamantine stops the damage, but not the hit. Champion fighters auto-hit on 20s, but not 19s.
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are the same thing: Adamantine stops the automatic hit (compare the total attack roll to the AC) and stops the dice-doubling. Champion fighters auto-hit on 19s (and eventually 18s).
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
Indeterminate, and it opens another can of worms...
There is some legitimate dispute on this one. The Basic Rules have the following passage:
Rolling 1 or 20. [...]If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a critical hit, which is explained later in this section.
Later on in the Damage Rolls section, it describes the damage effects of a critical hit. It all seems clear at this point - a natural 20 being automatic hit and a critical hit are the same thing.
However, when we look at the champion fighter's Improved Critical ability, we have:
Improved Critical. Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
"Rolling 1 or 20" indicates that the die roll automatically hits, and calls it a critical hit. Champion fighter also calls a 19 or 20 a critical hit. Does that mean a 19 is also an automatic hit just like a 20?
Options
As much as I am loathe to say it, this is a DM discretion call. While there are some designer-intent posts on Twitter, they have not made it into an officially published errata. Considering the number of times those seemingly official posts have made a call then reverted it, they should all be considered suspect.
There are two logically consistent choices:
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are separate things: Adamantine stops the damage, but not the hit. Champion fighters auto-hit on 20s, but not 19s.
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are the same thing: Adamantine stops the automatic hit (compare the total attack roll to the AC) and stops the dice-doubling. Champion fighters auto-hit on 19s (and eventually 18s).
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
Indeterminate, and it opens another can of worms...
There is some legitimate dispute on this one. The Basic Rules have the following passage:
Rolling 1 or 20. [...]If the d20 roll for an attack is a 20, the attack hits regardless of any modifiers or the target's AC. This is called a critical hit, which is explained later in this section.
Later on in the Damage Rolls section, it describes the damage effects of a critical hit. It all seems clear at this point - a natural 20 being automatic hit and a critical hit are the same thing.
However, when we look at the champion fighter's Improved Critical ability, we have:
Improved Critical. Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
"Rolling 1 or 20" indicates that the die roll automatically hits, and calls it a critical hit. Champion fighter also calls a 19 or 20 a critical hit. Does that mean a 19 is also an automatic hit just like a 20?
Options
As much as I am loathe to say it, this is a DM discretion call. While there are some designer-intent posts on Twitter, they have not made it into an officially published errata. Considering the number of times those seemingly official posts have made a call then reverted it, they should all be considered suspect.
There are two logically consistent choices:
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are separate things: Adamantine stops the damage, but not the hit. Champion fighters auto-hit on 20s, but not 19s.
The "automatic hit" and the dice-doubling "critical hit" are the same thing: Adamantine stops the automatic hit (compare the total attack roll to the AC) and stops the dice-doubling. Champion fighters auto-hit on 19s (and eventually 18s).
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
answered 31 mins ago
T.J.L.
26.3k381141
26.3k381141
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
@XAQT78 In your opinion, sure. I've specifically avoided sharing my opinion, and instead presented the two possible and logically-consistent interpretations. My point is that the published rules don't provide sufficient clarity to make an iron-clad determination either way.
– T.J.L.
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
Vnmrtn is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Vnmrtn is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Vnmrtn is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Vnmrtn is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Hello and welcome! You can take the tour for a quick site intro (and a badge!). This looks like an interesting question to me. Thank you for participating!
– Sdjz
48 mins ago