Critical strike
Critical strikes sometimes happen in combat and in crafting. The effects of a critical strike are varied, depending upon how the mechanic is employed. Among other factors of whether or not you have a chance at such a critical strike, the first qualification is that you have trained the skill upon which the critical strike relies to be at least two times your guild level. Every character has some chance, though small, at making a critical strike.
Combat
When fighting, you will have your ordinary strikes which show you swinging your weapon. If during the calculation of your damage, it is determined that you have made a critical strike, then you will deal more weapon damage to your foe. If you are striking with your primary weapon, the critical strike is measured against your attack skill. If you are striking with an off-hand, your critical strike is calculated against your offhand weapons skill.
When you do make a critical strike, your damage message will be prepended by the characters %%.
Example
%% You bludgeon orc with quarterstaff scoring a powerful blow!
Crafting
Critical strikes in crafting happen during the crafting process and also at the completion of the crafting.
During Crafting
%% Your skill in clothier renders your actions even LESS taxing.
After Crafting
%% Your skill in expertise allows you to craft with one less charge to your Master clothier's kit.
Abilities
Some abilities, both combat and crafting, have critical strike functions built into them. These abilities base their critical strike formula on various skills and spell skills, depending on the documentation of the ability. If you have such an ability, there will be a mention of critical strike or critical success and what skill or spell skill it relies on.
If the critical strike is against a skill, then the dexterity stat is applied as a modifier. Against spells (schools, spheres, lessons, disciplines), the modifier is the intelligence stat.
Buffs
Raw critical strike is typically more valuable as it applies to everything, though, there exists ways to buff different skills and spell skills which will increase your chance at achieving critical success in a more specialized way. For example, if you have a dagger that has offhand weapons buff, then your offhand critical strikes chance is increased.
Penalties
Critical strikes are always based off trainable skills or spells. Therefore, it is important to have your skills trained to their fullest potential as soon as possible. A penalty of 2% per point below maximum is applied.
