Critical Fumble Chart | EN World Tabletop RPG News & Reviews

N Hammer: Why is the Fumble Threat Range proportional to the Critical Threat Range.
If for balance, it is mistaken. The critical threat ranges are balanced to take into account either the criticial multiplier, base damage or weapon class. For example, the longsword has a greater threat range than the morningstar due to its martial status, greater threat range than the battleaxe as the axe has a x3 critical modifier; whilst the scimitar has a greater threat range still to compensate for its decresed damage (d6 vs. d8).
If for logic, it is flawed. Weapons with greater threat ranges are such because they are more balanced or have greater scope for finesse (not Finesse the feat necessarily) and cunning manoeuvring. One is more likely to fumble with a cumbersome greataxe than a light rapier.
Ergo, if a variable Fumble Threat Range is introduced, it should be inversely proportional to the Critical Threat Range, i.e. the weapons with the larger unmodified threat range should fumble less often. Yet even this seems unsatisfactory: even according to the optional rules, only a natural 1 is a miss. A 3 could well be a hit, but under your rules it may instead be a fumble. There would be a strong migration away from the rapier and scimitar towards picks and axes.

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