DwD Studios

The purpose of this optional rule is to open the door for narrative storytelling by Players and GM's.

This game option uses critical-success/failures (rolled doubles) to determine side-effects, whether you are the Player or the GM. Some side-effects are beneficial, some are detrimental. A side-effect is similar to a critical result, but on a lesser scale.

Any time you make an ability or skill check, if you rolled even doubles (00, 22, 44, etc.) a beneficial side-effect occurs determined by the Player and agreed upon by the GM. If odd doubles are rolled (11, 33, 55, etc.) a detrimental side-effect occurs determined by the GM.

The side-effect must be related to the action for-which the action was made. For instance, if you attack a foe and roll 22, a critical-success and gain a beneficial side-effect, you can only give the side-effect relating to the foe you struck, not to someones scouting skill check. They are totally unrelated.

The side-effect determined by the Player/GM is in addition to the ruling by the GM of any critical-success of critical-failure rolled.

Example:
Bob the Bald Dwarf With Two Left Eyes attacks a ogre with his butchers knife. He rolls a 22 resulting in a critical success and declares the beneficial side-effect will be as follows, "The goram ogre is off balance from my mighty meat-cleaver blow, it can't dodge the next attack."

In the next turn Bob rolls an 11, another critical success, however it's a detrimental side-effect. The GM rules Bob caused double-damage for the crit, however he was not able to get into a defensive posture and suffers a -10 to resistance checks if he is attacked during this turn.