When a player rolls a d20 for an action and gets a natural 1 result, they experience a critical failure. This means that not only do they fail in the action, but they may also encounter additional obstacles or negative consequences.
The consequences of a critical failure can vary depending on the situation, but here are some examples:
- Catastrophic Failure: The character fails the action spectacularly, eliciting mocking laughter from onlookers and suffering a -2 penalty on their next similar action.
- Unexpected Complication: While attempting to disarm a trap, the character might accidentally trigger it, creating an even more dangerous situation.
- Loss of Time: The character wastes time with their failure, delaying their efforts and allowing other plot elements to develop.