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Rolling a Natural 20 on a difficult dice roll is one of the best feelings in the world. This moment when you triumph against all odds and the group celebrates with you is one of the pull factors of pen-and-paper games
What is a Natural 20 (Nat20)?
In Dungeons and Dragons and many other pen-and-paper games, there are dice that we use to determine fate and the outcomes of our actions. The most important die is the D20 – a die with 20 sides. When you roll a 20 on an important roll, without any additional bonuses or modifiers, it’s called a “Natural 20” or “Nat 20”. You can also call it a “critical success” or a “crit”. It’s basically the jackpot of the game! Certain abilities sometimes even deal double damage on a Nat 20. The probability for this desired result is 5%.
Imagine you’re playing a board game and you need a specific number to land exactly on the target. And against all odds, you get exactly that number. That’s how a Nat 20 feels. Sometimes a situation looks hopeless. But then a player has that perfect roll – a Natural 20! It’s epic and can completely turn the tide. That’s why roleplayers love their Nat 20s.
Is a Natural 20 always an automatic success?
Whether a Nat 20 always means an automatic success is a much-debated question.
When it comes to skill checks or saving throws, it’s not always the case that a Natural 20 is automatically a success – it depends on the rules of the specific edition or the Dungeon Master. Some Dungeon Masters and rulebooks might decide that a Natural 20 on skill rolls is always an incredible success, while others simply treat it as a roll of 20, to which the usual bonuses are then added. I always argue that a character, no matter how good at jumping, could never jump to the moon, not even if they rolled a Nat 20.
But in the culture and hearts of many D&D players, the Natural 20 remains a sign of extraordinary moments and incredible successes. Even if it’s not always technically an automatic success, it always brings a smile to players’ faces. Dungeon Masters are encouraged to formulate their own rules for Nat 20s, but these rules shouldn’t get in the way of cool moments during the game. Because: In our group, a Natural 20 was always a reason to cheer, especially in crucial moments!
Natural 20: How it feels
Rolling a Natural 20 in a critical moment during a pen-and-paper game can give you an incredible feeling. It’s like reaching that moment in a movie where the music swells and the hero triumphs against all odds.
Your heart beats faster, adrenaline shoots through your body. In that moment, when the die comes to rest and the 20 is facing up, you feel a rush of euphoria and triumph. You feel invincible, as if fate itself decided to stand by you in this critical moment.
It’s also a collective experience, as everyone at the table shares this feeling. There are often cheering shouts, high-fives, and broad grins. It connects the roleplaying group, as they experience an epic moment together that is often accompanied by stories, anecdotes, and memories.
Basically, it’s a moment of pure joy, mixed with relief and the feeling that the impossible became possible, all through the rolling of a small die. It’s one of those unforgettable moments in roleplaying that shows how powerful and emotional a game can be.
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