*Keen* is a descriptive term for an ultra-sharp blade. In game terms, it doubles the effective range for critical hits. A normal longsword does a critical hit on a roll of 19 to 20, but a KEEN longsword does a critical on a roll of 17 to 20.
Adding improved critical to a Keen weapon will TRIPLE the critical hit range - so that keen longsword will now do critical damage on a die roll of 15 to 20!
As an aside the most dangerous weapons in terms of critical threat range are the scimitar and the rapier. Keen variants of those weapons will do criticals on die rolls of 12 to 20 if the improved critical feat is utilized. For overall damage potential however, a variant of the Scythe is the hands down winner. It has a critical threat range (again with the IC feat applied) of 18 to 20 but its crits do FOUR times normal damage!!
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“Every tavern’s an opportunity, I say.”
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