Greedo Missing Was Just A Bad Attack Role

Today I came to the realization, which I am sure the webcomic Darths & Droids already has, that Greedo missing Han could have come straight out a table-top RPG session.


What's that? Han shot first? Yes, yes, I know that. I remember watching on a television screen long, long ago and being caught by surprise when Han shot Greedo. I also recall later on but still long, long ago being surprised in local cinema seeing Greedo shooting first. And missing.


Sure, folks were riled caused Han originally shot first. Yes, Greedo shooting first in a fashion nullifies Han's character development from a sketchy rogue to a good guy. Eh, maybe. Let's be honest, everyone was like 'how did Greedo miss?! Han was right there! What was Lucas thinking?'


Okay, while I doubt Lucas has played, but any table-top role-player has been there before. Missing the target one would think impossible to miss.


Had such an experience myself this past Monday playing an Adventurers League event via D&D 5E. Both my PC and another PC probably spent one or two rounds attacking a door. And missing.


Now D&D 5E uses pre-3E notions that a to-hit role isn't just to-hit. It's to-hit and do damage. Our attacks may very well have been hitting. They just weren't effective enough to deal damage.


Third Edition/Pathfinder may have set the DC to hit at 10. There's a good chance your missing; and third had contact rules.


As does Shadowrun and old WOD. Don't score a success and you miss. Speaking of old WoD, or at least old MET Laws of (splat), I lost track of the number of times there were simple tasks failing because the storyteller went 'nah throw me chops.' Since a PC is firing a weapon, many GMs would feel justified even as something as simple as door. Same applies toward a sitting individual.


Heck, it's 2017. Thirty years of the West End Games Star Wars RPG. The WEG Star Wars game codified much of present day Star Wars lore. Using those rules as an example, there's two ways Greedo missed both involving the wild die. If you rolled a one, two things could happen. One, you subtract the wild die and the die with highest result from your total. If Greedo's player rolled low enough without those two die results included within the total such that the target number wasn't reached, failure.


The other possibility of a one on the wild die is you fail spectacular fashion. Missing someone sitting across from you would count as failing spectacularly. If WEG hadn't predated the Special Editions by a decade, I would say Greedo missing inspired the wild die...


Also, practically every table-top RPG has rules for critically missing where an attack automatically fails.


So there you have it. Greedo missing Han from across the table was just a bad roll. Rather surprised it took me so long to think of this...


Next Time.