Critical Effects
Critical effects are optional cinematic results. When a character confirms a critical hit, fumble, called shot, massive damage, or mishap, they roll a d% and apply the rolled effect in addition to normal effects. These effects often inflict conditions, extra damage, forced movement, or other dramatic consequences. Critical effects add unpredictability, narrative flavor, and higher stakes to combat, at the cost of increased swinginess.
Acid: Target’s armor and weapons take the damage as well and target is slowed (Fortitude ends).
Bludgeoning: Target is knocked prone and becomes slowed (Fortitude ends).
Cold: Target is staggered 1 round and slowed (Fortitude ends).
Electricity: Target is staggered 1 round and becomes weakened (Will ends).
Fire: Target takes persistent fire damage equal to 1d6 + 1/2 attacker’s level (Reflex ends).
Force: Target is staggered 1 round and slowed (Will ends).
Mental: Target is staggered 1 round and shaken (Will ends). Untyped damage dealt by Divination, Enchantment, and Illusion spells is mental damage.
Negative Energy: Target is staggered 1 round and fatigued (Fortitude ends).
Piercing: Target takes persistent bleed damage 1d6 + 1/2 attacker's level (Fortitude ends).
Poison: Target is staggered 1 round and sickened (Fortitude ends).
Positive Energy: Target is blinded 1 round and dazzled (Fortitude ends).
Slashing: Target takes persistent bleed damage 1d6 + 1/2 attacker's level (Fortitude ends).
Sonic: Target is dazed 1 round and deafened (Fortitude ends).
CALLED SHOTS
A creature can impose disadvantage and half damage on their own attack roll in order to make a called shot. A called shot imposes a desired critical effect if it hits.
MASSIVE DAMAGE
A creature's massive damage threshold (MDT) is equal to 10 + their Fortitude save bonus + Mythic rank/tier. Each time a creature takes this much damage from a single attack or effect after armor and resistances are applied, they suffer a random critical effect.
Death by massive damage is brutal, gory, and destroys the body beyond repair as if it were a death effect with a tier equal to half the attacker's level.
Minions dealt massive damage instantly die from it (unless it was nonlethal, then they are just knocked unconscious).
MISHAPS
Some skills or items state that a mishap occurs if you fail a certain roll. Usually, this means a random critical effect unless noted otherwise.