Ack! The DM uses fumble rules!

[Solo]

I've never gotten skin cancer before. I wonder why people make such a big fuss over it when it's obviously not a problem.

[Chemus]

...I'm out of here. There is no point in arguing... You guys are obviously right and I'm obviously wrong.

I'm sorry you feel that we're ganging up on you. I can't speak for anyone else, but I like being right. Moreover I really like it when others are right too. That's why I chimed in: the OP's DM's rule was unfair. I wanted to weigh in on that (I never actually made any suggestions; appeal to his reason with some math, and ask that the archers be only penalized one round's action not 50. If all else fails, try to find the Archer an Energy Bow)

I understand that you enjoy your house rule and don't find it punitive. I'm glad that that's the case. Critical fumbles are seen as a bad rule because they are not resistable, whereas critical hits are. Being disarmed without recourse (the disarm rules give recourse) 5% of your attacks is very harsh. If there were a reflex save, or a skill check after the natural 1, that would mitigate the problem immensely, and make higher level characters less likely to hose themselves on one roll.

As to those that say "L20 fighter is more likely than L1 fighter to fumble" that is not exactly correct. L20 fighter is exactly as likely as L1 fighter to drop his sword under the basic fumble houserule. L20 fighter has more chances in less time though, so it's likelier to happen in any given battle that a sword gets dropped.

[Demelain]

I think you're underestimating the consequences of dropping your weapon.
You declare a full-round action to attack (standard for a mundane).
You roll a 1. You drop your weapon.
You have used up your entire turn already - you must wait until your next turn to pick it up.
Ignoring a smart enemy taking your weapon, you expend a move-action to pick up your weapon on your next turn. This also provokes an AoO from anyone that threatens you (Table 8.2, pg 141 PHB)
You now only have a standard action, preventing you from making a full-attack this turn.

So, for the sin of rolling low on your attack, you lose two full attacks, potentially your weapon, AND give the enemy free shots.
Should it never happen? Not my call to make, but 5% is sure as hell too high a chance.

As has been pointed out, this punishes players more than monsters for a number of reasons:
-Players are squishier, and more likely to die to that AoO that a monster
-There are more monsters - it takes time, money, and experience to resurrect a dead PC
-Most monsters do not have a weapon to drop. If a monster using natural attacks rolls a 1, it misses the attack, but keeps on going - it doesn't lose the current turn of attacks or the next turn, it doesn't provoke an AoO. For a monster, a natural 1 is functionally no different than rolling below the player's AC.



EDIT:
>Leave computer on for a week
>Come back, open old webpage, respond without thinking
>Notice dates, be embarrassed, frantically look for "Delete" button
>Settle for "Modify"