crits

Crits, short for critical hits, are a common mechanic in many video games and tabletop RPGs. A critical hit is an attack that deals greater damage than a normal hit, often by a fixed multiplier or an additional effect.

Most games implement crit chance as a separate statistic, representing the probability that an attack will be a crit. The size of the multiplier varies by game and can range from about 1.5x to 3x or higher; some titles apply extra effects, such as armor ignoring or a status effect.

Damage expectation can be modeled as E[Damage] = base damage × (1 − p + p × m), where p is crit probability and m is crit multiplier.

In practice, crits influence decision making and build choices, encouraging players to seek items or abilities that increase crit chance or multiplier. Some games also feature guaranteed crits under specific conditions, such as headshots, perfect timing, or critical-aim mechanics.

Crits contribute to variability in combat outcomes and can affect game balance, pacing, and frustration. Designers often balance by capping crit chance, staggering damage, or introducing mitigation to keep fights fair.