"Wait, that didn't work right" - the Dysfunctional Rules Collection

[only1doug]

<snip>

So my favored example of why fumble rules are bad isn't from the era of muskets, where fumbles were suprisingly common, it's from me driving to and from work. Say I face a moderate stress task requiring a roll on average each trip (at least 10 trips a week, or 520+ a year). If the accident rate is more than one fender bender per decade or two at that rate then it's VASTLY too high.

This means roll a 1 on the check, roll a 1 to confirm, roll another 1 to reconfirm is MAYBE about right (assuming you only roll once per trip rather than once per round or once per decision), but it's probably still too common and remember that this tripple 1 includes accidents that don't acually seriously injure anyone or total either car.

If it's much worse than that then my insurance company needs to be informed so they can raise my rates.

Skill checks (such as drive) are not subject to fumble rule except by houserule

Unlike with attack rolls and saving throws, a natural roll of 20 on the d20 is not an automatic success, and a natural roll of 1 is not an automatic failure.