- Type of feat
- General, Epic
- Prerequisite
- Character level 21, Strength 23, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Weapon Focus (in chosen weapon), Improved Critical (in chosen weapon)
- Required for
- Devastating Critical
- Specifics
When using the chosen weapon, you deal +1d6 points of bonus damage on a successful critical hit. If the weapons critical multiplier is x3, add +2d6 points of bonus damage instead. If the multiplier is x4, add +3d6 points of bonus damage instead. If the multiplier is x5, add +4d6 points of bonus damage instead. Creatures immune to critical hits are also immune to the effects of this feat. You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different type of weapon.
- Use
- Automatic
Gameplay Notes[]
- The bonus damage is not multiplied by a critical hit, rather it is added to the total. This damage does not stack with bonus damage from the massive critical item property. If you are using a weapon with the massive critical property you get that damage instead of the overwhelming critical damage.
- The reader is cautioned that, by one set of calculations, overwhelming critical is worth about the same as a flat +1.6 to damage:
- If one considers a Weapon Master with a 13-20 x3 weapon (The calculation works out to be the same with 17-20 x5) and all his attacks per round can only miss on a 1, that character would be expecting a mean 0.95 hits per attack, 0.4 critical hits per attack (1 is not an autofail on the confirmation roll)
- Overwhelming Critical would add a mean 7 points of damage per critical hit or, 2.8 points of damage per attack (7*.4), the same as a flat +1.6 to damage (2.8/(.95+2*.4))
- At the other extreme where the target's AC is higher than the character's AB+24 (0.05 hits per attack, no critical hits)
- In light of all the above, Overwhelming Critical is arguably of limited value, especially when one considers many epic level opponents are immune to critical hits.
- Overwhelming Critical: Falchion and Overwhelming Critical: Warmace are not available as a bonus feat to epic level Fighters or epic level Divine Champions; they must use an epic general feat for such weapons.