Our DM had a dumb critical miss rule where if you roll a 1 to hit, you then have to roll against your own AC to hit yourself. This was because "uhh .... I don't know, something bad has to happen on a critical miss."
In one fight, our archer (who had 10 levels in Order of the Bow Initiate) rolled a 1 to hit a monster.
Our DM had him roll to hit himself. He rolled a natural 1 again.
This is where it gets screwy. The DM decided that since he had critically missed himself, he should roll to hit the enemy he was originally aiming for.
"What?"
Our master archer rolled to hit the enemy. He rolled a 20 and confirmed the crit.
And that's how our archer scored a crit with a natural 1.
There were so many things that were wrong with that campaign ... it was one enormous Deus Ex Machina. I could rant for hours.
How's this for ridiculous:Our DM had a dumb critical miss rule where if you roll a 1 to hit, you then have to roll against your own AC to hit yourself. This was because "uhh .... I don't know, something bad has to happen on a critical miss."In one f
Our DM had a dumb critical miss rule where if you roll a 1 to hit, you then have to roll against your own AC to hit yourself. This was because "uhh .... I don't know, something bad has to happen on a critical miss."
In one fight, our archer (who had 10 levels in Order of the Bow Initiate) rolled a 1 to hit a monster.
Our DM had him roll to hit himself. He rolled a natural 1 again.
This is where it gets screwy. The DM decided that since he had critically missed himself, he should roll to hit the enemy he was originally aiming for.
"What?"
Our master archer rolled to hit the enemy. He rolled a 20 and confirmed the crit.
And that's how our archer scored a crit with a natural 1.
There were so many things that were wrong with that campaign ... it was one enormous Deus Ex Machina. I could rant for hours.
I actually consider that really funny myself. Though that is a screwy rule and if I had the same thing happen in a game I was playing in, I would stop the DM after the second crit miss and recommend rolling randomly on who the next target might be, even if the target wasn't in line of sight at that preticular moment as that would lead to possibly even more homurous happenings.
I actually consider that really funny myself. Though that is a screwy rule and if I had the same thing happen in a game I was playing in, I would stop the DM after the second crit miss and recommend rolling randomly on who the next target might be,
I actually consider that really funny myself. Though that is a screwy rule and if I had the same thing happen in a game I was playing in, I would stop the DM after the second crit miss and recommend rolling randomly on who the next target might be, even if the target wasn't in line of sight at that preticular moment as that would lead to possibly even more homurous happenings.
It would be funnier if it wasn't so sad and it didn't happen so often. His judgments weren't based on logic, they were either to maintain consistency with his previously designed rules (like above) or to maintain superiority over the players (like below).
This one makes me cry at night.
Our cleric (18th level with the Domination domain) decided to go gather up a great wyrm bronze dragon as his Monstrous Thrall. The save DC was 34, with a -4 penalty (so basically 38). The dragon would fail on a 7 or lower, and he prepared 3 of them.
First, the DM rolled the save.
DM: "He flies away."
Cleric: "Hey, I saw that! You rolled a 2!"
DM: "It doesn't work. He flies away."
Cleric: ... "Okay, I'll go and find another dragon."
DM: "There aren't any more bronze dragons."
Cleric: "I don't care, I'll go for any kind of dragon."
DM: "You don't find any."
Cleric: "What? You mean like on the entire continent? I spend 10 years searching, I think that's enough for a cleric with divinations to search the whole continent"
DM: "Nope. The one you tried to dominate warned all the other dragons, and they all ran away."
Cleric: "Ran away where?"
DM: "You don't know. Now you've wasted 10 years, and that blighted wasteland you were supposed to investigate has spread into your realm."
Then the DM tried to appease him. When we dutifully took the next step in his railroad plot and furthered the storyline, we found at the end of the session a treasure hoard with guess what? ... A bronze dragon egg, and a one-use scroll that ages a dragon to Ancient.
But wait ...
DM: "Okay, you use the scroll, and the dragon gets bigger, so it's Gargantuan now. But it's still just a wyrmling, so all of its stats stay the same."
Cleric: "I thought it actually aged the dragon."
DM: "No, it just ages the body, so it's still basically a wyrmling."
Cleric: "So its mental ability scores are still like a wyrmling's?"
DM: "No, all of its stats are still the same. It's just bigger. You have a cool dragon mount now."
Cleric: "So it's Gargantuan, but its Strength is still 10?"
DM: "Yep."
AAAARGH!!!!
It would be funnier if it wasn't so sad and it didn't happen so often. His judgments weren't based on logic, they were either to maintain consistency with his previously designed rules (like above) or to maintain superiority over the players (like b
house rules can be fun though. one game I was in back in second ed, we used the rolemaster charts for crits and fumbles and the archer npc class from one of the best of dragon magazines.
the archer fumbled multiple occasions and tore an ear off. to balance this out, it was easily reattached. something like hold in place and cast cure light.
in this same campaign, each character was allowed a god call to avoid nasty things like a TPK.
the one time there was a total party kill, the DM changed it into a shared nightmare for all the characters.
house rules can be fun though. one game I was in back in second ed, we used the rolemaster charts for crits and fumbles and the archer npc class from one of the best of dragon magazines.the archer fumbled multiple occasions and tore an ear off. to
Why do people do this? What gain is there to this mode of action? why not just be mature and say "I'd really rather you not make a dragon into your thrall, as it will break the game." and come to a compromise with the player? Is it really that fun to fellate yourself in front of your players like that? :headexplo
Why do people do this? What gain is there to this mode of action? why not just be mature and say "I'd really rather you not make a dragon into your thrall, as it will break the game." and come to a compromise with the player? Is it really that fun
That DM would have gotten my foot up side his head if he pulled to many things like that. I think I could stand it happening once but if he pulled something simular in a later session or the same night, I would bring a quick end to the campaign and game. After which I would of tossed my name in for DM and moved on with my life. Being the DM should be left to those people who will work at doing it right for the sake of the Story and the players.
That DM would have gotten my foot up side his head if he pulled to many things like that. I think I could stand it happening once but if he pulled something simular in a later session or the same night, I would bring a quick end to the campaign and
Bad case of deus ex machina. Reminds me of this one chapter in my latin book...Nonetheless BAD case of deus ex machina!It makes me mad... :headexplo Even divine intervention (deus ex machina in its true form) would have been better than that!!!!Perha
That DM would of gotten my foot up side his head if he pulled to many things like that. I think I could stand it happening once but if he pulled something simular in a later session or the same night, I would bring a quick end to the campaign and game. After which I would of tossed my name in for DM and moved on with my life. Being the DM should be left to those people who will work at doing it right for the sake of the Story and the players.
Thing was, he did it every session. The whole campaign was like a power trip for him. Unfortunately, I'm the regular DM for my group (nobody else wants to), and so I was pretty starved for actually playing a PC. So we put up with it for a while. We even explained to him (nicely) that we weren't satisfied with his DMing and gave some suggestions on what to improve on. It went in one ear and out the other.
So, I pulled Pun-Pun on him, because I wanted an excuse to end it without him asking every week "so do you guys want to play my game or what?" A great deal of ridiculousness later and the whole party was composed of overdeities with infinite divine ranks, infinite stats and half the universe.
His BBEG, "Noddegamra," which is Armageddon spelled backwards, was the main villain, and defeating him was the point of the entire campaign. Defeating him entailed an epic adventure, which consisted of us going from plot point to plot point following the precise path that he mapped out. Everything we fought was ridiculously easy, but accomplishing anything beyond advancing the plot in the exact way that he wanted us to was nigh impossible.
We advanced in level ridiculously quickly - during his opening session, we (inevitably) found ourselves on Noddegamra's Star Destroyer-esque flagship, and got our level 9 butts handed to us ("Bwa ha ha! He's a level 100 Sorcerer!") and he gave us two levels for it. In no time, we were level 17, but we still couldn't affect the plot any more than when we were level 6.
So, at the very end, when as deities we were able to instantly know exactly what was going on, we found out that Noddegamra was an overdeity, and we were all actually just figments in Noddegamra's mind, stray thoughts or some such. Although we ended up with half the universe (it's hard to decide a contest between two infinitely powerful beings), that was the best outcome we could have possible hoped for. In the end, it would have required another massive fricking deus ex to even think about doing anything to Noddegamra, because the DM needed to exercise his superiority.
That's when we realized that Noddegamra was our DM. Literally. It's sad that we had to resort to some stupid rules trick to prove a point.
That's my story.
Thing was, he did it every session. The whole campaign was like a power trip for him. Unfortunately, I'm the regular DM for my group (nobody else wants to), and so I was pretty starved for actually playing a PC. So we put up with it for a while.
Thing was, he did it every session. The whole campaign was like a power trip for him. Unfortunately, I'm the regular DM for my group (nobody else wants to), and so I was pretty starved for actually playing a PC. So we put up with it for a while. We even explained to him (nicely) that we weren't satisfied with his DMing and gave some suggestions on what to improve on. It went in one ear and out the other.
So, I pulled Pun-Pun on him, because I wanted an excuse to end it without him asking every week "so do you guys want to play my game or what?" A great deal of ridiculousness later and the whole party was composed of overdeities with infinite divine ranks, infinite stats and half the universe.
His BBEG, "Noddegamra," which is Armageddon spelled backwards, was the main villain, and defeating him was the point of the entire campaign. Defeating him entailed an epic adventure, which consisted of us going from plot point to plot point following the precise path that he mapped out. Everything we fought was ridiculously easy, but accomplishing anything beyond advancing the plot in the exact way that he wanted us to was nigh impossible.
We advanced in level ridiculously quickly - during his opening session, we (inevitably) found ourselves on Noddegamra's Star Destroyer-esque flagship, and got our level 9 butts handed to us ("Bwa ha ha! He's a level 100 Sorcerer!") and he gave us two levels for it. In no time, we were level 17, but we still couldn't affect the plot any more than when we were level 6.
So, at the very end, when as deities we were able to instantly know exactly what was going on, we found out that Noddegamra was an overdeity, and we were all actually just figments in Noddegamra's mind, stray thoughts or some such. Although we ended up with half the universe (it's hard to decide a contest between two infinitely powerful beings), that was the best outcome we could have possible hoped for. In the end, it would have required another massive fricking deus ex to even think about doing anything to Noddegamra, because the DM needed to exercise his superiority.
That's when we realized that Noddegamra was our DM. Literally. It's sad that we had to resort to some stupid rules trick to prove a point.
That DM would of gotten my foot up side his head if he pulled to many things like that. I think I could stand it happening once but if he pulled something simular in a later session or the same night, I would bring a quick end to the campaign and game. After which I would of tossed my name in for DM and moved on with my life. Being the DM should be left to those people who will work at doing it right for the sake of the Story and the players.
Would HAVE.
Grah. #1 pet peeve of mine.
Would HAVE. :banghead: Grah. #1 pet peeve of mine.
Yes. As a matter of fact, the whole party became Pun-Puns. I wasn't a kobold though, I was a 19th level half-orc warblade.
The only reason we ended up with half the universe instead of all of it was because he decided that Noddegamra interrupted our infinite action loop and immediately stripped away all of the powers we had just gained. Just when we were about to use the squirrels.
So we ripped open a gateway to another plane and did everything there, but by that time he had decided to do the same thing we were doing, and we all ended up infinite beings.
Yes. As a matter of fact, the whole party became Pun-Puns. I wasn't a kobold though, I was a 19th level half-orc warblade.The only reason we ended up with half the universe instead of all of it was because he decided that Noddegamra interrupted our
…The only reason we ended up with half the universe instead of all of it was because he decided that Noddegamra interrupted our infinite action loop and immediately stripped away all of the powers we had just gained.
I feel your pain. Rarely have I seen such a vivid illustration of the fact that DMing is a privilege, not a right.
I feel your pain. Rarely have I seen such a vivid illustration of the fact that DMing is a privilege, not a right.
Thing was, he did it every session. The whole campaign was like a power trip for him. Unfortunately, I'm the regular DM for my group (nobody else wants to), and so I was pretty starved for actually playing a PC. So we put up with it for a while. We even explained to him (nicely) that we weren't satisfied with his DMing and gave some suggestions on what to improve on. It went in one ear and out the other.
So, I pulled Pun-Pun on him, because I wanted an excuse to end it without him asking every week "so do you guys want to play my game or what?" A great deal of ridiculousness later and the whole party was composed of overdeities with infinite divine ranks, infinite stats and half the universe.
His BBEG, "Noddegamra," which is Armageddon spelled backwards, was the main villain, and defeating him was the point of the entire campaign. Defeating him entailed an epic adventure, which consisted of us going from plot point to plot point following the precise path that he mapped out. Everything we fought was ridiculously easy, but accomplishing anything beyond advancing the plot in the exact way that he wanted us to was nigh impossible.
We advanced in level ridiculously quickly - during his opening session, we (inevitably) found ourselves on Noddegamra's Star Destroyer-esque flagship, and got our level 9 butts handed to us ("Bwa ha ha! He's a level 100 Sorcerer!") and he gave us two levels for it. In no time, we were level 17, but we still couldn't affect the plot any more than when we were level 6.
So, at the very end, when as deities we were able to instantly know exactly what was going on, we found out that Noddegamra was an overdeity, and we were all actually just figments in Noddegamra's mind, stray thoughts or some such. Although we ended up with half the universe (it's hard to decide a contest between two infinitely powerful beings), that was the best outcome we could have possible hoped for. In the end, it would have required another massive fricking deus ex to even think about doing anything to Noddegamra, because the DM needed to exercise his superiority.
That's when we realized that Noddegamra was our DM. Literally. It's sad that we had to resort to some stupid rules trick to prove a point.
That's my story.
Ouch, that story hurts my head. I guess I've been in a similar situation. Our BBEG had made wishes so that any one person could only ever do 1 damage to him total. Ever. There was some quest we were to go on to fix that, but we never did of course.
I feel your pain sir.
Ouch, that story hurts my head. I guess I've been in a similar situation. Our BBEG had made wishes so that any one person could only ever do 1 damage to him total. Ever. There was some quest we were to go on to fix that, but we never did of course.I
Well, the money is going towards the rescue and safe return of orphans (and other assorted missing persons, including a halfing, which is a lot like a child), from the evil cult of Demigorgon. But those are similar goals.
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I'd just remembered something else, it wasn't a house rule so much as a mis-rule. But when the djinni turned into a 'whirlwind' he was "not actually the whirlwind" but rather "somewhere unseeable (not invisible) inside the whirlwind, nor is he automatically in the center of the whirlwind." The djinni could not be detected. Period. Detect Magic, See Invisible, Blindsense, or even Blindsight. The Djinni was for any and all given methods, entirely unfindable and targetable (but you could guess where in the 30ft maelstrom he was if you wanted). I had to pull out my own copy of the DMG (which I do not often do) to inform him that was utter poppycock, and that the djinni was indeed the whirlwind.
Yeah... I'd go with Neutral Good. Chaotic Good would probably have been appalled that the Djinn stood there for 30 years. Lawful Good would have gotten evidence of the wizards illicit dealings and tried to prove it to the Djinn. Either way, it was not Evil, or even Neutral. At least, if the characters felt remorse for killing him. If not... Neutral.
Yeah... I'd go with Neutral Good.Chaotic Good would probably have been appalled that the Djinn stood there for 30 years.Lawful Good would have gotten evidence of the wizards illicit dealings and tried to prove it to the Djinn.Either way, it was not E
We have a guy who plays with us unregularly who is a serious grognard. Here's some rules he kept from previous playing and some he made up:
Players can sacrifice a hit to gain a parry attempt on the enemy's turn. If both roll the same numbers on the die, one weapon breaks. If it is magical, it detonates. Even more bizarre, bladesingers, duelists, and weaponmasters all get a FREE number of parries equal to their number of attacks. Bladesingers also get one spell PER ROUND quickened as opposed to PER DAY.
Paladins still have a magic item limit.
Dwarves are smelly, filthy, and don't bathe.
"I can always hit you, regardless of what your scores are". So, it doesn't matter how well-built your character is, if the DM wants it to die, it dies.* An exstension of this is the odd frequency that enemies gain of rolling natural 20's versus hard to hit characters. Basically, if you are fluent in the system and can build a nice character, you get punished.
When converting a character from an older edition to the current one (usually from 2nd to 3rd), for some reason he couldn't grasp that the XP tables and values have all changed. Thus, if he had 50k under second, he felt like he should have exactly that under 3rd.
Hated the idea of ToB or of any spells he was unfamiliar with being used. Use a power or spell he'd never heard of, and his first response was always, "How are you doing that?"
All this, along with the fact that the party is constantly running for their lives rather than having an actually fun campaign is a large part of the reason we simply don't invite him to play now.
*-Just for the record, I as a DM do not adjust rolls or boost enemies to allow them to hit. If they can only hit you on a 20, so be it.
We have a guy who plays with us unregularly who is a serious grognard. Here's some rules he kept from previous playing and some he made up:[LIST]Players can sacrifice a hit to gain a parry attempt on the enemy's turn. If both roll the same numbers on
Hated the idea of ToB or of any spells he was unfamiliar with being used. Use a power or spell he'd never heard of, and his first response was always, "How are you doing that?"
If a player was using a power or spell I'd never heard of, the game would come to a screeching halt. How do you wind up using material the DM isn't familiar with?
If he approved characters sight unseen, without being familiar with the material they were using or declaring which source material was permitted, he's incompetent.
Something I wanted to mention:If a player was using a power or spell I'd never heard of, the game would come to a screeching halt. How do you wind up using material the DM isn't familiar with?If he approved characters sight unseen, without being fami
how bout an absence of house rules or creative flavor. had a great group since freshmen year of high school that is breaking over a horrible dm that entered 2 years ago. the absolute worst possible combination of dm, power dm combined with a rule purist, he has sucked the creativity out of the group and our session have turned into one combat encounter after another resolved in the same exact way.
not saying the rules should be ignored, but he road blocks everything players try to do if its not covered in the rules, or you try and use something in a way other than intended. he only frustrates the situation by metagaming his decisions, no that breaks balance so they didnt want you to do it like that is a typical response.
only his style of play is reflected and the encounters he likes are present, pushes his idea of fantasy and character unto players, punishing characters that dont fit his idea of what a rogue, wizard, fighter should be, ridiculing the character at the table hitting them on missed rolls and making them miss on high rolls. plenty examples if you are interested, but my biggest complaint is that dms to much more damage to every ones fun when they power game.
how bout an absence of house rules or creative flavor. had a great group since freshmen year of high school that is breaking over a horrible dm that entered 2 years ago. the absolute worst possible combination of dm, power dm combined with a rule p
The Event in Question or Defense Submits Evidence A to the Court
.....wow.
I was in one where the party began play with an NPC god in the form of a child in tow. EVERYTHING we did was met with "Grandma (an Uberdeity) isn't gonna like that!"
Of course, proceeding against the directions of a six-year-old resulted in the bodily appearance of a supergod who would do things to us with no save and force our compliance. I walked after I was forcibly compelled to bless the body of a goblin we slew (the only thing thus far in the story that wasn't a shapechanged djinn with 30 class levels).
There were a ton of houserules, and I didn't learn very many as it was a 'learn as you go' thing (other than he houseruled what skills/feats/gear/background/eye color/names/thoughts my character was allowed to have).
Really, I think these DM's are better off writing a novel than trying to run a cooperative storytelling game.
My group that I now DM, however, all discuss any house rules we want before play, and I usually expect them to make up things in the world related to their characters (a guild, family home, etc) to give them a jumping off point to roleplay from.
.....wow.I was in one where the party began play with an NPC god in the form of a child in tow. EVERYTHING we did was met with "Grandma (an Uberdeity) isn't gonna like that!"Of course, proceeding against the directions of a six-year-old resulted in t
I've fortunately managed to avoid the sorts of DM that horror stories are told about, but I and my compatriots have run afoul of our fair share of houseruling stupidity.
1. One DM played things almost entirely by the books, except for a strange rule that applied only to wizards and sorcerers, and no other casters: Each spell slot was castable a number of times equal to its level, meaning that cantrips and 1st level spell slots were usable once, second level spells could be cast twice before they were considered "expended," and so on.
Oddly, nobody at that table even thought twice of it until I pointed it out.
2. Another group with which I've had some interaction begins all their campaigns as NPC classes and the DM makes the characters "earn" their PC class. I suppose that's all well and good, but I wouldn't go anywhere near a game where the DM counted a Commoner 5/Fighter2 as a 7th level character for the purposes of determining appropriate challenge levels.
3. Conversely to many of the stories about DMs barely giving their PCs clothing, let alone equipment, I had one DM begin a campaign at 5th level with two conditions: one, you must have magical ability of some sort, and two, you could take any equipment you wanted, so long as it was okayed by him.
I used the standard wealth by level charts for everything except an heirloom longbow that was somewhat central to my character concept. The DM sternly told me that the number of magical items I was wearing was completely inadequate and told me to upgrade my armor to celestial chain, my shortswords to +3 fiery and +3 icy, respectively, and handed me boots of the hinterlands, a cloak of elvenkind, rings of force shield and sustenance along with misc. other bits.
Once again, 5th level character. That campaign didn't last long.
Hmm. Those are all the bad ones I can think of for now. More later, perhaps.
Off topic: ...why does Gleemax think "Gleemax" and "DM" are typos?
I've fortunately managed to avoid the sorts of DM that horror stories are told about, but I and my compatriots have run afoul of our fair share of houseruling stupidity.1. One DM played things almost entirely by the books, except for a strange rule t
I once had a DM say that Neraph Charge didn't work on enemies with True Seeing, even though it's applied that the ability (of, in thes case feat) uses slight of hand to disguise the motion. He also ruled that enemies that couldn't see and used blind sight or the like were immune, because the ability is basically a use of slight of hand and body motions to produce a false read. I just about slapped him when he said that. Especially since the campaign was nearing epic at that point.
I once had a DM say that Neraph Charge didn't work on enemies with True Seeing, even though it's applied that the ability (of, in thes case feat) uses slight of hand to disguise the motion. He also ruled that enemies that couldn't see and used blind
In one 2E game the DM decided to add penalties to your rolls based upon what percentage of hit points you have left because "you're near death and suffering pain". Of course, this just meant more PCs going into death's door more often.
In a 2E Planescape campaign, the DM divided up your hit points among body parts. When you are hit, the location is determined and that's where the hit points come from. If your right arm hit points reaches 0, you lose the arm or otherwise have it crippled, depending upon the situation. If it's your head, so sorry so sad. If you take overall body damage, such as from a fireball, divide the damage evenly among your body parts. Therefore, despite my fighter having 90 hit points, I only really had 28 hit points as that was what each body part had. Oh joy.
In one 2E game the DM decided to add penalties to your rolls based upon what percentage of hit points you have left because "you're near death and suffering pain". Of course, this just meant more PCs going into death's door more often.In a 2E Planes
1. Character creation, they can either roll the 4d6 and take out the lowest, 3d6 and replace the lowest total roll with an 18, or roll 1d20 and pray for good luck.
2. Skills-A natural 20 is an auto success, nat 1 is going to blow up in your face somehow.
Thats all I can think of right now.
House rules lets see...1. Character creation, they can either roll the 4d6 and take out the lowest, 3d6 and replace the lowest total roll with an 18, or roll 1d20 and pray for good luck.2. Skills-A natural 20 is an auto success, nat 1 is going to b
1. Character creation, they can either roll the 4d6 and take out the lowest, 3d6 and replace the lowest total roll with an 18, or roll 1d20 and pray for good luck.
1d20 x6 for stats? That's ballsy. I'd go for it just for S&G.
1d20 x6 for stats? That's ballsy. I'd go for it just for S&G.
had a DM for ages who forced arcane spell casters to take random starting spells, no input at all from the player, player: ok i have this awsome idea to make a frost mage all my powers come from ice, my eyes are blue and the ground frosts over where i step,here are my stats DM: sweet sounds cool, now here are your spells, mage hand, light, feather fall and whisper wind player: umm dude there are no frost spells there, and come to think of it no attack spells either DM: hmm guess not, ok are you ready to start player: umm my frost mage is kinda underpowered DM: not my fault, you going to play or not
I cant tell you how many arguments we had over the years!
had a DM for ages who forced arcane spell casters to take random starting spells, no input at all from the player, player: ok i have this awsome idea to make a frost mage all my powers come from ice, my eyes are blue and the ground frosts over where
player: ok i have this awsome idea to make a frost mage all my powers come from ice, my eyes are blue and the ground frosts over where i step,here are my stats DM: sweet sounds cool, now here are your spells, mage hand, light, feather fall and whisper wind player: umm dude there are no frost spells there, and come to think of it no attack spells either DM: hmm guess not, ok are you ready to start player: umm my frost mage is kinda underpowered DM: not my fault, you going to play or not
Player: of course not, why would I play a game where I can't even control what my character learns? This is such a screaming beacon that you're a control freak DM that I'd literally need a <40 IQ to not notice.
Player: of course not, why would I play a game where I can't even control what my character learns? This is such a screaming beacon that you're a control freak DM that I'd literally need a
Every five fights, each used Weapon takes a hit (every 4 or less if the fights are with hard Foes)... Upon reaching 3 hits the Weapon is broken and you can start crying...
Every five fights, each used Weapon takes a hit (every 4 or less if the fights are with hard Foes)...Upon reaching 3 hits the Weapon is broken and you can start crying...
Player: of course not, why would I play a game where I can't even control what my character learns? This is such a screaming beacon that you're a control freak DM that I'd literally need a >40 IQ to not notice.
Player 2: Uhm, you know that ">" means "greater than", right?
Player 2: Uhm, you know that ">" means "greater than", right? ;)
Every five fights, each used Weapon takes a hit (every 4 or less if the fights are with hard Foes)... Upon reaching 3 hits the Weapon is broken and you can start crying...
that's more than a little harsh. if I was going to do something like that, I'd probably break out the item saves table, and a fail = -1 hit and damage, non-magic items only need to save. I'm too used to tolkien where magic swords normally last for millennia.
side note, I know item saves existed in 1e, not too sure about after that.
that's more than a little harsh. if I was going to do something like that, I'd probably break out the item saves table, and a fail = -1 hit and damage, non-magic items only need to save. I'm too used to tolkien where magic swords normally last for
we had a rule that if you rolled 3 d20s in a row and they all landed on 20, what ever action you completed would be godly.
lets say we are facing the end monster in the expedition to under mountain campaign. Our ranger rolls a 20, crits, 20 to confirm, we give him a 3rd roll, and its 20. he automatically slays said beast.
it has only happened one time.
we had a rule that if you rolled 3 d20s in a row and they all landed on 20, what ever action you completed would be godly.lets say we are facing the end monster in the expedition to under mountain campaign. Our ranger rolls a 20, crits, 20 to confir
had a DM for ages who forced arcane spell casters to take random starting spells, no input at all from the player, player: ok i have this awsome idea to make a frost mage all my powers come from ice, my eyes are blue and the ground frosts over where i step,here are my stats DM: sweet sounds cool, now here are your spells, mage hand, light, feather fall and whisper wind player: umm dude there are no frost spells there, and come to think of it no attack spells either DM: hmm guess not, ok are you ready to start player: umm my frost mage is kinda underpowered DM: not my fault, you going to play or not
I cant tell you how many arguments we had over the years!
i forgot to mention he eventually let my wife take starting spells that suited her backstory (dragon blooded elf) but that was only cause he had a crush on her, and by her i mean the character not my wife, he was a strange little man
i forgot to mention he eventually let my wife take starting spells that suited her backstory (dragon blooded elf) but that was only cause he had a crush on her, and by her i mean the character not my wife, he was a strange little man
Reading this thread reminded me of an odd DM experience I had a few years ago. One time, I played with a DM who had an aversion to odd numbers. I'm talking neurotic-level here. Any time an odd number was rolled, he would automatically treat as the next lower even number. If you rolled a 17, it was a 16, etc. I would've thought that this was just quirky, and not really annoying, until I noticed that my cleric seemed to have an odd habit of missing by 1 every time he attacked...
Reading this thread reminded me of an odd DM experience I had a few years ago. One time, I played with a DM who had an aversion to odd numbers. I'm talking neurotic-level here. Any time an odd number was rolled, he would automatically treat as the ne
Had a DM that got sick and tired of heroes kicking in doors all the time, so he quietly implemented a world glitch where upon kicking down a door, said offender would be time frozen (with foot outstretched) for a full round. Needless to say, it made for interesting first rounds of combat.
Had a DM that got sick and tired of heroes kicking in doors all the time, so he quietly implemented a world glitch where upon kicking down a door, said offender would be time frozen (with foot outstretched) for a full round. Needless to say, it made
I have just started a game with a friend (newbie), his gf (knows some of the rules and will be the topic of posting), and my gf (new to 3e but not RP). Friend's GF used to play with a group of kids that I can only describe as painfully munchkin. I'm betting that I'm going to be hearing a bunch of house rules that she has been taught as core in the near future, but here's a couple of the really comically good ones:
- Druids gain a +1 to everything if they touch a tree that day. - The DM has to roll randomly for random encounters in the night. (cue desciption of crazy convoluted rules to determine what/if you get attacked by) - since artifacts have no price, PCs should be able to get them on creation
Not to mention that every time they find gems, she asks if any of them is a chaos diamond. They're level 6. Oh, we're gonna have fun working these house rules out of her as they come to pass.
I have just started a game with a friend (newbie), his gf (knows some of the rules and will be the topic of posting), and my gf (new to 3e but not RP). Friend's GF used to play with a group of kids that I can only describe as painfully munchkin. I'
So i have been a DM a few times and personally, i bleeped over a few of my players. One did nothing but talk about non story related topics, and "role-played" himself, poorly. The other guy had the dumb luck of choosing the number that popped up on my "who do i attack, even at the odds that physics would never really allow it?" die (for those interested this is a d6, or the Die of Fate as my first DM dubbed it, before chucking it up or down a flight of stairs). That being said we tend to have at least two DMs in game, the one playing, and the one DMing. Now on to the most craptastic things that have happened to me:
1. Our halfling rogue, who the DM loved, never was attacked first, and never had to roll anything but a reflex save. 2. In the same campaign, our wizard was always attacked first, no matter how many people (three, Our meat shield fighter, the rouge, and me the Cleric of Hextor/St Cuthbert), and he was always brought to the near brink of death, until i joined the game. 3. Before i joined that campaign, The guys would get killed at least once a month, only to be resurrected at a local monastery with all of their worldly possessions except for the wizards spell book, and the rouges thieves tools (Because why would monks either want or need these things, that tend to sell for a hefty sum) taken away
Oh yeah, some one was talking about a multiple critical roll. This is from what I've seen, usually only applied to attack rolls as an instant kill roll. And finally, Critical failure rules make sense to me, cause, well, if you have a chance to succeed unbelievably well, then should have to fail horribly. I know none of these things are house rules, but they are examples of DMs gone their own particular brand eccentricity
So i have been a DM a few times and personally, i bleeped over a few of my players. One did nothing but talk about non story related topics, and "role-played" himself, poorly. The other guy had the dumb luck of choosing the number that popped up on
Same guy, had an odd way of counting challenge for an encounter. If the HD of the characters outweighed the HD of the creature, he considered it balanced. He would then wonder why we couldn't take a balor at 5th level.
Meant to add earlier:Same guy, had an odd way of counting challenge for an encounter. If the HD of the characters outweighed the HD of the creature, he considered it balanced. He would then wonder why we couldn't take a balor at 5th level.
I had a house rule for critical hits. If you rolled a 20 to confirm, the multiple would go up by one step, and you rolled again. This continued until you stopped rolling 20's.
In a convention game I ran, I had a minotaur take out a 7th level paladin with a single hit. I rolled the first 20 behind my screen, and the other 4 out in front of the players. Nobody (not even the player of the paladin) was upset about it, and they actually really liked the rule. Especially as I used it the same way when the rogue rolled 3 20's in a row on a sneak attack.
I had a house rule for critical hits. If you rolled a 20 to confirm, the multiple would go up by one step, and you rolled again. This continued until you stopped rolling 20's.In a convention game I ran, I had a minotaur take out a 7th level paladin w
I had a house rule for critical hits. If you rolled a 20 to confirm, the multiple would go up by one step, and you rolled again. This continued until you stopped rolling 20's.
In a convention game I ran, I had a minotaur take out a 7th level paladin with a single hit. I rolled the first 20 behind my screen, and the other 4 out in front of the players. Nobody (not even the player of the paladin) was upset about it, and they actually really liked the rule. Especially as I used it the same way when the rogue rolled 3 20's in a row on a sneak attack.
That reminds me of Savage Worlds system where you can technically do an infinite amount of damage with a single attack.
Also, regarding another post, I don't think triple 20's causing an instant kill is a foolish idea. Sometimes you just get godlike ass whooping abilities.
That reminds me of Savage Worlds system where you can technically do an infinite amount of damage with a single attack.Also, regarding another post, I don't think triple 20's causing an instant kill is a foolish idea. Sometimes you just get godlike a
When the GM claims that he "wins" because his players don't want to touch the OBVIOUSLY EVIL CRYSTALS OF DEATH AND DOOM and instead use a belt pouch and a stick to scoop them up instead.
When the GM claims that he "wins" because his players don't want to touch the OBVIOUSLY EVIL CRYSTALS OF DEATH AND DOOM and instead use a belt pouch and a stick to scoop them up instead.
Reshuffling seating every combat so that everyone sits in initiative order going clock-wise around the table...actually, I just made that up. I think I need to try that one on my group so it makes the list here.
Mwahaha...DM on the player boards!!!!
Reshuffling seating every combat so that everyone sits in initiative order going clock-wise around the table...actually, I just made that up. I think I need to try that one on my group so it makes the list here.Mwahaha...DM on the player boards!!!!
I had a house rule for critical hits. If you rolled a 20 to confirm, the multiple would go up by one step, and you rolled again. This continued until you stopped rolling 20's.
In a convention game I ran, I had a minotaur take out a 7th level paladin with a single hit. I rolled the first 20 behind my screen, and the other 4 out in front of the players. Nobody (not even the player of the paladin) was upset about it, and they actually really liked the rule. Especially as I used it the same way when the rogue rolled 3 20's in a row on a sneak attack.
Out of curiousity, why would you use your house rules in a convention game, especially wthout discussing it with the players before hand?
Out of curiousity, why would you use your house rules in a convention game, especially wthout discussing it with the players before hand?
The only one I ever had a problem with was my DM who had terrible grammar. I'm a huge spelling/grammar advocate, and it just bugged the hell out of me that he couldn't say prerequisite, coterminus and a few other things. He said prerequisite as pre-quist and coterminus as coter-minus. He also has trouble starting his sentences, he would start one sentence six times before finally settling on a good beginning. One time I just snapped and told him to spit it out already and he got all ****** off and said that if I ever said that again he'd dock me XP.
So his house rule became: The DM's pronunciations are always correct.
If me DM reads this it is not an attack, this thread is about venting, so don't chew me out please!
Me thinks you are misremembering the difference between grammar and pronunciation. Someone who learns largely through reading rather than talking is likely to have good reading comprehension but doesn’t necessarily know the pronunciation. I must have read the 1E DMG a hundred times when I was kid but didn’t necessarily know how to properly pronounce “melee,” “milieu,” “ennui,” or all the other words that Lord Gygax included before they decided to make D&D books as interesting to read as a DVD player manual.
I remember as a little kid being meanly corrected for pronouncing Prague as “pray-goo” and thinking, “Jerk, how many ten years old know the capital of Czechoslovakia?”
Me thinks you are misremembering the difference between grammar and pronunciation. Someone who learns largely through reading rather than talking is likely to have good reading comprehension but doesn’t necessarily know the pronunciation. I mus
Me thinks you are misremembering the difference between grammar and pronunciation. Someone who learns largely through reading rather than talking is likely to have good reading comprehension but doesn’t necessarily know the pronunciation. I must have read the 1E DMG a hundred times when I was kid but didn’t necessarily know how to properly pronounce “melee,” “milieu,” “ennui,” or all the other words that Lord Gygax included before they decided to make D&D books as interesting to read as a DVD player manual.
I remember as a little kid being meanly corrected for pronouncing Prague as “pray-goo” and thinking, “Jerk, how many ten years old know the capital of Czechoslovakia?”
the DM letting the fighter of the group take the Frenzied berzerker prestige class with out meeting the rquirement of having the rage ability a 110 pound femal elf fighter should not hanve a strength of 24 when raging
the DM letting the fighter of the group take the Frenzied berzerker prestige class with out meeting the rquirement of having the rage ability :( a 110 pound femal elf fighter should not hanve a strength of 24 when raging :(
Me thinks you are misremembering the difference between grammar and pronunciation. Someone who learns largely through reading rather than talking is likely to have good reading comprehension but doesn’t necessarily know the pronunciation. I must have read the 1E DMG a hundred times when I was kid but didn’t necessarily know how to properly pronounce “melee,” “milieu,” “ennui,” or all the other words that Lord Gygax included before they decided to make D&D books as interesting to read as a DVD player manual.
I remember as a little kid being meanly corrected for pronouncing Prague as “pray-goo” and thinking, “Jerk, how many ten years old know the capital of Czechoslovakia?”
Oh good, its not just me. I first encountered the word 'Paladin' in D&D when I was a youngster and it was many years before I learned that it did NOT precisely rhyme with 'Alladin'
Oh good, its not just me. I first encountered the word 'Paladin' in D&D when I was a youngster and it was many years before I learned that it did NOT precisely rhyme with 'Alladin'
Reshuffling seating every combat so that everyone sits in initiative order going clock-wise around the table...actually, I just made that up. I think I need to try that one on my group so it makes the list here.
That would make me want to KILL!
I like my warm seat. I would totally have to go RAGE on someone!
I hate it when DMs on the spot rule the MOST INSANE things.
I once took 'shrapnel' damage standing behind a heavy reinforced wall that was being pelted by giants throwing boulders. The giants were several range increments away, so it wasn't like they were close. AND it wasn't just a little damage, it was full damage with full STRENGTH MODIFIER!
Why even hide behind the wall? It was even worse, because if I had been in the open the Giant would have to hit little ol' me. Inside the castle, all they had to hit was the FREAKING HUGE 40' STONE WALL!!! :headexplo
I had to take a break, so I walked into the next room where someone was watching professional wrestling. I am not a wrestling fan, but I felt like I just had to get some realism back into my life. :D
That would make me want to KILL! :twitch: I like my warm seat. I would totally have to go RAGE on someone!I hate it when DMs on the spot rule the MOST INSANE things. :confused: I once took 'shrapnel' damage standing behind a heavy reinforced wall t
the DM letting the fighter of the group take the Frenzied berzerker prestige class with out meeting the rquirement of having the rage ability
All you needed to say, really.
a 110 pound female elf fighter should not have a strength of 24 when raging
Fixed your typing. In addition: Female Wood elf, 32 point buy:
STR 18 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 12 WIS 8 CHA 12
Level 10: two points to STR. Classes: Barbarian 3, Bard 3, Dragon Disciple 4. Base STR: 24. STR while raging: 28. Without items.
It's not that much.
All you needed to say, really.Fixed your typing. In addition: Female Wood elf, 32 point buy:STR 18DEX 14 CON 14INT 12WIS 8CHA 12Level 10: two points to STR. Classes: Barbarian 3, Bard 3, Dragon Disciple 4.Base STR: 24. STR while raging: 28. Without i
I once had a DM who thought the magic items we had were making us too powerful.. so when he started his next midlevel campaign he decided he was going to give us a personalized list of magic items. Which is fine.. I have no real issue with that...
But the I got the list. In my opinion, the items he handed out were far below our level.
+1 and +2 weapons for level 12 characters in Forgotten Realms?
I once had a DM who thought the magic items we had were making us too powerful.. so when he started his next midlevel campaign he decided he was going to give us a personalized list of magic items.Which is fine.. I have no real issue with that... But
Hmm. Makes me wonder if 4th Edition is less likely to have bad house rules than previous editions. Or perhaps people are still getting used to the new rule set to bother with house rules?
Hmm. Makes me wonder if 4th Edition is less likely to have bad house rules than previous editions. Or perhaps people are still getting used to the new rule set to bother with house rules?
Eh, the only House Rules we have so far are still rolling for abilities (although the exact method results in pretty powerful characters, which is how we like it), nerfing Intimidate's "bloodied enemy surrenders," ruling that Frost weapons do not give power the Cold keyword (and thus being subject to Lasting Frost), and making people change their power selection if a power is clearly too strong (most of which like Rain of Blows now have errata that fixes them).
Eh, the only House Rules we have so far are still rolling for abilities (although the exact method results in pretty powerful characters, which is how we like it), nerfing Intimidate's "bloodied enemy surrenders," ruling that Frost weapons do not giv
same with crit fail (i have a very specific set of rolls and dcs for this but the chance of a low level char failing is ~1/2000)
here are some that apply to some worlds
if it is a particulaly hard world/adventure i have players roll 5d6 and drop 2 dice per score, arrange as desired (also if the chars will be resting in dungeon, as i do do random encounters, even while chars are asleep!)
in a no psionics campain, i occasionally put in psionic items that can be activated with the use magic device skill, but other wise magic/psi transperency is gone. in other campains the magic/psi transperency rules apply to everything relevent
my major (ie consistant from world to world) aremassive damage is crapsame with crit fail (i have a very specific set of rolls and dcs for this but the chance of a low level char failing is ~1/2000)if it is a particulaly hard world/adventure i have p
same with crit fail (i have a very specific set of rolls and dcs for this but the chance of a low level char failing is ~1/2000)
here are some that apply to some worlds
if it is a particulaly hard world/adventure i have players roll 5d6 and drop 2 dice per score, arrange as desired (also if the chars will be resting in dungeon, as i do do random encounters, even while chars are asleep!)
in a no psionics campain, i occasionally put in psionic items that can be activated with the use magic device skill, but other wise magic/psi transperency is gone. in other campains the magic/psi transperency rules apply to everything relevent
By the time you can actually get massive damage, the only way to fail it is a 1. It is a stupid concept though and I never bother with it. I do the same with crit failure too.
By the time you can actually get massive damage, the only way to fail it is a 1. It is a stupid concept though and I never bother with it. I do the same with crit failure too.
I had a GM once demand an oil and hot stone massage before he would let the players level.
Okay, that's a joke. But I did have a GM angrly tell - his tone was an order - me once I was supposed to break the rules. He even said he would punish me when I did that. I am still not certian what he wanted or what he actually excepted.
I had a GM once demand an oil and hot stone massage before he would let the players level. Okay, that's a joke. But I did have a GM angrly tell - his tone was an order - me once I was supposed to break the rules. He even said he would punish me when
Okay, that's a joke. But I did have a GM angrly tell - his tone was an order - me once I was supposed to break the rules. He even said he would punish me when I did that. I am still not certian what he wanted or what he actually excepted.
We are definitely going to need a lot more info on this one.
We are definitely going to need a lot more info on this one.
We are definitely going to need a lot more info on this one.
Well, I am not certain what to say. He did that. This happened about 10-years and so the specifics have faded though the incident in general still stands out in my memory. Everyone is the group was young (and inexperienced in dealing with people) and the GM was intractable and difficult to negotiate with on many points. For example, he was deeply set against the characters purchasing an inn – it would stop us from going on dungeon crawls and adventurers are only supposed to spend their money on ale and whores. Looking back on it now, I think he felt a deep need to control the characters and dominate the players.In any event, the group began breaking apart not long afterwards as several players departed for greener pastures.
Well, I am not certain what to say. He did that. This happened about 10-years and so the specifics have faded though the incident in general still stands out in my memory. Everyone is the group was young (and inexperienced in dealing with people) and
This same GM made the Paladin PC stop distributing blankets to NPC peasants during a winter. The Paladin PC was supposed to be out killing orcs and what not.
This same GM made the Paladin PC stop distributing blankets to NPC peasants during a winter. The Paladin PC was supposed to be out killing orcs and what not.
This same GM made the Paladin PC stop distributing blankets to NPC peasants during a winter. The Paladin PC was supposed to be out killing orcs and what not.
Giving blankets to the poor? Wow...I think that's the most heart-felt thing I've ever heard of in D&D. Have to say, that's a first.
I can just imagine the DM saying..."Stop helping people! You're supposed to be killing things!" lol
Giving blankets to the poor? Wow...I think that's the most heart-felt thing I've ever heard of in D&D. Have to say, that's a first.I can just imagine the DM saying..."Stop helping people! You're supposed to be killing things!" lol
I can just imagine the DM saying..."Stop helping people! You're supposed to be killing things!"
Pretty much, yeah. That was why he was opposed to PC purchasing and running inns/taverns, giving to the poor, teaching people how to read, throwing big parties and the like. The structure of the campaign included lots of down time for some characters (all the players had at least two or three different PCs in the same campaign)... but we were just supposed to be unapologetic killers.
Pretty much, yeah. That was why he was opposed to PC purchasing and running inns/taverns, giving to the poor, teaching people how to read, throwing big parties and the like. The structure of the campaign included lots of down time for some characters
Your DM hates his players. He wants all the power. I'm an advocate for dice rolling character creation, but that's rediculous. It's even worse than pre3E since even though 3d6 in order was the official rule, you got to pick your class after your roll. There was a reason pre3E 4d6 drop lowest was a common house rule; RAW dice rolling at the time sucked. 3d6 straight still does.
4d6, reroll 1s, ditch lowest. in all but one campaign where we used it, that was done in three sets of six(so three full sets) and then either you picked the one you liked most, or the DM picked one, depending on various factors, including the mood of the DM. :P
It worked great. We always had room to try wierd builds that otherwise would have been too MAD to live, and no one felt gipped. My bard/rogue/ranger was pretty fun.
some houserules I've seen/used: "half-casters" use their character level, rather than class level, to determine caster level when calculating DCs and such, but for the purposes of gaining new spells.
EDIT: only the spells from their half-caster class or classes counted for this. various multi-class combos of bard, ranger, pally(not that anyone ever played one), monk and interestingly, rogue, popped up once this was implimented.
class alignment restrictions don't exist. forget them.
there were some reworks of LA races to get rid of their level adjustments. The masterpiece of this was the centaur, who ended up only having a level adjustment of one, while still capturing the essence of the race. we had a few centaur pcs after that, as well as satyrs and dryads. heh...oh man...there was this one dryad pc...nevermind. I'll shut up.
no rolling hit dice. we either maxed, and fought harder enemies, or used a system that calculated an average number of hit points per level. (in star wars RCR, we used max vit, and then faced greuling encounters that threatened to tap us out of resources anyway.)
wands and scrolls were kept competitive, but not quite as good as, actual caster spells. In other words, they were useful, but couldn't outshine a real caster. there was also a lot of custom magic equipment made for pure non magic people. things like a percentage chance of a fear effect against an enemy that hits the wearer and deals damage.
in late game, there were homebrew feats that allowed various class features to have their range extended, the most obvious example being sneak attacks.
there were plenty of others, many of which were geared towards allowing non casters to compete with well made, well played casters.
4d6, reroll 1s, ditch lowest. in all but one campaign where we used it, that was done in three sets of six(so three full sets) and then either you picked the one you liked most, or the DM picked one, depending on various factors, including the mood o
We have a pretty elaborate dice rolling method, and it's because half the players in our campaigns like high powered characters. It's been what we've used since 2E. I keep arguing for point buy.
Roll 4d6 drop the lowest. Keep rerolling until you get a 16 or better. Then take the next five rolls of 4d6 drop the lowest. That gives you one set. Now repeat the above twice more. Pick one set and that's what you use.
My last character ended up quite ridiculous: 18, 18, 17, 14, 10, 7
I might be able to talk them to using 18, 16, 14, 13, 12, 10.
We have a pretty elaborate dice rolling method, and it's because half the players in our campaigns like high powered characters. It's been what we've used since 2E. I keep arguing for point buy.Roll 4d6 drop the lowest. Keep rerolling until you
As I have said before, elsewhere, if these issues arise the best thing to do is to simply bow out of the game politely. Discussing the issue never seems to serve any purpose but to create unnecessary conflict. You do what you are told, or you leave.
As I have said before, elsewhere, if these issues arise the best thing to do is to simply bow out of the game politely. Discussing the issue never seems to serve any purpose but to create unnecessary conflict. You do what you are told, or you leave.
after reading the thread i must say i feel very lucky i have a few different dm's and they're pretty good at only adding elements to the game that wouldnt break it, like adding an additional bonus system that was awarded instead of extra experience when someone was alone doing something
the only time i had a problem with his rules is when rolling for characters nobody was allowed allowed to have ability scores higher than 18 after racial's, which is not that bad except it makes rolling almost pointless in my eyes o well good luck everyone
after reading the thread i must say i feel very lucky i have a few different dm's and they're pretty good at only adding elements to the game that wouldnt break it like adding an additional bonus system that was awarded instead of extra experience wh
Players shouldn't be able to go from 1 hp at the end of battle and spend a bunch of healing surges to get back to full in just five minutes, it's unrealistic! Nobody heals like that! You guys only have one healing surge per day!
Players shouldn't be able to go from 1 hp at the end of battle and spend a bunch of healing surges to get back to full in just five minutes, it's unrealistic! Nobody heals like that! You guys only have one healing surge per day!
I'm curious what you guys think about these houserules.
1. Moving into a square adjacent to an enemy provokes an OA unless you are charging.
2. If a mob pushes or pulls you past another mob, that other mobs gets an OA.
3. Most heal checks are minor actions (except stabilizing the dead and some other things).
4. You can spend a minor action to make a heal check. If the check succeeds, you get a saving throw
5. You can spend a minor action to make a heal check. If the check succeeds, you can use your standard action to make a saving throw.
6. An ally can use a heal check on you to grant you an immediate saving throw
I'm curious what you guys think about these houserules.1. Moving into a square adjacent to an enemy provokes an OA unless you are charging.2. If a mob pushes or pulls you past another mob, that other mobs gets an OA.3. Most heal checks are minor acti
I'm curious what you guys think about these houserules.
1. Moving into a square adjacent to an enemy provokes an OA unless you are charging.
I would say bad, as that would make playing a melee character a lot harder.
2. If a mob pushes or pulls you past another mob, that other mobs gets an OA.
If players get the same opportunity, I would say this could be good tactics.
3. Most heal checks are minor actions (except stabilizing the dead and some other things).
No opinion.
4. You can spend a minor action to make a heal check. If the check succeeds, you get a saving throw
5. You can spend a minor action to make a heal check. If the check succeeds, you can use your standard action to make a saving throw.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but they seem to contradict. Is the saving throw a free action or a standard?
What is the order of regular saving throw and the heal check? Do you have to make the heal check before the regular saving throw? If so, and if you fail the heal check, do you still get your regular saving throw? If you make the check, do you get to make 2 saving throws for the same thing?
6. An ally can use a heal check on you to grant you an immediate saving throw
This could negate several of Leader powers that allow allies to make saving throws.
I would say bad, as that would make playing a melee character a lot harder.If players get the same opportunity, I would say this could be good tactics.No opinion.Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but they seem to contradict. Is the saving throw a free ac
3 This could be bad considering you can use heal to allow an ally to make a saving throw or use their second wind as a free action (albeit without the +2 to defenses).
4 & 5 I assume you mean these to be different versions of the same rule? 4 seems too strong since the DC to grant a saving throw is only 15. 5 seems alright but I wouldn't see myself using it over taking a normal standard action.
6 Unless I'm mistaken this is already in the Heal skill uses.
1Don't really like it.2Good if players get the same benefit3This could be bad considering you can use heal to allow an ally to make a saving throw or use their second wind as a free action (albeit without the +2 to defenses).4 & 5I assume you mean th
4 & 5 I assume you mean these to be different versions of the same rule? 4 seems too strong since the DC to grant a saving throw is only 15. 5 seems alright but I wouldn't see myself using it over taking a normal standard action.
Yeah, different version of the same rule. When we were lower level he said we could use do a heal check as a minor action to make a save against immobilize. Yesterday he told me that, while dazed, I could use heal to grant myself a saving throw, but the saving throw would be a standard action. Thus, since I was dazed, I couldn't do it.
6 Unless I'm mistaken this is already in the Heal skill uses.
I don't think either of us knew that, so that probably solves all the problems.
Yeah, different version of the same rule. When we were lower level he said we could use do a heal check as a minor action to make a save against immobilize. Yesterday he told me that, while dazed, I could use heal to grant myself a saving throw,
I'm curious what you guys think about these houserules.
1. Moving into a square adjacent to an enemy provokes an OA unless you are charging.
how?
you provoke when you leave the square, not when you enter the new one....this would mean the monsters are attacking you before you're in reach of their weapon. Once you arrive in the adjacent square (and in reach), your "defenses" are back up, and you're not going to provoke....
for creatures with reach, they still can't strike quickly at ranges past adjacent.
creatures with threatening reach CAN hit you when you aren't adjacent, but, as the rules say, only when you LEAVE a threatened square, meaning they can reach you, and then you drop your defenses to move....they hit you right as you START to move (still in the threatened square for effects like immobilization or stopped movement).
PLUS this is already able to be simulated by readied actions (they ready to hit you if you move adjacent).
FINALLY, a gameplay reason why it would be ridiculous: the party melee characters would stand away from the monsters, with readied actions to attack for when the monsters ran up -> it would mean a readied attack AND an OA....all this while the ranged characters have fun and beat the other side senseless.....it would only cause both sides to stand around waiting for the other side to move up first.
how?you provoke when you leave the square, not when you enter the new one....this would mean the monsters are attacking you before you're in reach of their weapon. Once you arrive in the adjacent square (and in reach), your "defenses" are back up,
FINALLY, a gameplay reason why it would be ridiculous: the party melee characters would stand away from the monsters, with readied actions to attack for when the monsters ran up -> it would mean a readied attack AND an OA....all this while the ranged characters have fun and beat the other side senseless.....it would only cause both sides to stand around waiting for the other side to move up first.
Which might actually be interesting in a homebrew deuling system. Something else would have to be added, probably, to create an advantage/disadvantage scenario for being the first to close, but completing that line of thought alone might be about enough to set up an interesting dueling subsystem that doesn't take hours to teach to someone.
Which might actually be interesting in a homebrew deuling system. Something else would have to be added, probably, to create an advantage/disadvantage scenario for being the first to close, but completing that line of thought alone might be about eno
I'm curious what you guys think about these houserules.
1. Moving into a square adjacent to an enemy provokes an OA unless you are charging.
how?
you provoke when you leave the square, not when you enter the new one....this would mean the monsters are attacking you before you're in reach of their weapon. Once you arrive in the adjacent square (and in reach), your "defenses" are back up, and you're not going to provoke....
for creatures with reach, they still can't strike quickly at ranges past adjacent.
creatures with threatening reach CAN hit you when you aren't adjacent, but, as the rules say, only when you LEAVE a threatened square, meaning they can reach you, and then you drop your defenses to move....they hit you right as you START to move (still in the threatened square for effects like immobilization or stopped movement).
PLUS this is already able to be simulated by readied actions (they ready to hit you if you move adjacent).
FINALLY, a gameplay reason why it would be ridiculous: the party melee characters would stand away from the monsters, with readied actions to attack for when the monsters ran up -> it would mean a readied attack AND an OA....all this while the ranged characters have fun and beat the other side senseless.....it would only cause both sides to stand around waiting for the other side to move up first.
I suppose if you want to get technical, you could say that the OA is provoked by ending movement adjacent to an enemy without shifting or charging. I'm not fond of it because it means our Warden specifically wanted an at-will that he could use while charging and our avenger usually gives up his Oath of Emnity role becuase he doesn't want to move in and provoke. I don't care so much because I'm ranged.
how?you provoke when you leave the square, not when you enter the new one....this would mean the monsters are attacking you before you're in reach of their weapon. Once you arrive in the adjacent square (and in reach), your "defenses" are back up,
My current DM won't accept anything that isn't in the DDI Character Builder yet, even if the book has been released, which means I have to wait a month before busting out any new content.
My current DM won't accept anything that isn't in the DDI Character Builder yet, even if the book has been released, which means I have to wait a month before busting out any new content.
My current DM won't accept anything that isn't in the DDI Character Builder yet, even if the book has been released, which means I have to wait a month before busting out any new content.
first we get this rule from the DM of our 3.5 game
-when creating your character you may only use races from the PHB
now on the surface this dosent sound like such a horrible thing, but then the DM shows up with a aasimar (sp?) DMPC
first we get this rule from the DM of our 3.5 game-when creating your character you may only use races from the PHBnow on the surface this dosent sound like such a horrible thing, but then the DM shows up with a aasimar (sp?) DMPC
While running, if you enter a threatened area, you provoke an AoO, even if you enter the threatened area and don't move any more squares. "You can't use improved disarm unless you have a free hand, and bucklers take a hand to wield." If you make a full attack, you can only make 1 of your attacks on your turn, then wait until everyone else in the combat takes their turn in initiative order, then you can make all of your other attacks. My DM allowed a character (ECL 10, Level Adjustment +8, 2 levels of Rogue) with no ranks in Spellcraft, or Knowledge (arcana) or (religion) or (nature), nor (the planes), to make a deal with a devil for a Wall of Stone at will item. That ticked me off, essentially a player knowledge vs character knowledge action. Able Learner feat is broken. (I was playing a human wizard) Moving into a threatened area provokes an AoO if you aren't fighting defensively or taking the total defense action.
3.5:While running, if you enter a threatened area, you provoke an AoO, even if you enter the threatened area and don't move any more squares."You can't use improved disarm unless you have a free hand, and bucklers take a hand to wield."If you make a
My DM has some rules that irk me, but no one else in the group seems to complain about them, so I keep it to myself.
I joined the group very late into the campaign (about level 11 or so, and I had never met most of the people). It was the DM's custom world so I decided to hold off on making a full background for my character until I got a feel for it and had a chance to ask him questions.
When I did though, it turned out I only get to decide half of my character's background (and to me, the least interesting half), anything after they turn 18. The DM rolls randomly on a chart to determine your character's social status and I think occupation or something else growing up (this part isn't TOO bad) and then comes up with the story of your character's childhood up until they become an adult. What!? He claims that you don't get to choose what happens to you as a child, so thus your character doesn't either. Again. WHAT!?
I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous, and it sabotages the player's ability to create an interesting background if the most character-defining part of their life is taken away from them. Instead of my gnome cleric being driven to her faith because of some life-changing event, someone just suggested to her parents to send her to the temple because she was an average student at her school. Oh boy. Yay. So much I can do with THAT one other than make her resentful.
The DM never asked, so in my mind she didn't excel in school not because she was average, but because she was delinquent. An old priest from the temple showed her a kindness she had never known one day and she began training under him. Eventually she asked him to "suggest" to her parents that they give up their poor untalented daughter to work in the temple. It didn't entirely fit with what the DM gave me, nor was it that interesting, but whatever. It was my way of taking back the character, even if just a little.
My DM has some rules that irk me, but no one else in the group seems to complain about them, so I keep it to myself.I joined the group very late into the campaign (about level 11 or so, and I had never met most of the people). It was the DM's custom
The only reason I could see a reason the DM would have a lot to do with character backgrounds would be if it was vital to the plot of the campaign. Even then it should be a cooperative effort.
The only reason I could see a reason the DM would have a lot to do with character backgrounds would be if it was vital to the plot of the campaign. Even then it should be a cooperative effort.
1. Moving into a square adjacent to an enemy provokes an OA unless you are charging.
This is similar to an epic Avenger feat, Halo of Warding. The feat has some other clauses though, like the avenger has to be adjacent to OOE, doesn't trigger on shift, forced movement, or teleport. To give something like this to everyone seems pretty harsh on the melee.
If the DM was really attached to it, could tweak it so it doesn't apply to shifts, or perhaps only when the character moved more than 3 (or whatever) spaces.
This is similar to an epic Avenger feat, Halo of Warding. The feat has some other clauses though, like the avenger has to be adjacent to OOE, doesn't trigger on shift, forced movement, or teleport. To give something like this to everyone seems pr
I would not know if this would be so muhc a house rule or what, but I had a DM once that refused to read errata. If it was written in the books, that was it.
I would not know if this would be so muhc a house rule or what, but I had a DM once that refused to read errata. If it was written in the books, that was it.
These variants are from my 1e/2e DM. Yes, he would switch around. If you roll a 1 on your attack misses and: A) your weapon breaks B) you fumble your weapon and can't attack next turn while you draw a backup or recover your weapon C) Same as B, but drawing doesn't use your next attack D) You hit yourself
If you get a 20; A) nothing special, not even an automatic hit B) auto hit C) auto hit reroll for another attack if 20, keep going D) auto hit reroll for another attack once E) auto hit double damage
Double damage even varied from (for long sword) (1d8+str bonus) x2 (2d8+str bonus) (2d8+str bonusx2)
None of these are horrible, but I never new what to expect when I rolled a 1 or 20.
These variants are from my 1e/2e DM. Yes, he would switch around.If you roll a 1 on your attack misses and:A) your weapon breaksB) you fumble your weapon and can't attack next turn while you draw a backup or recover your weaponC) Same as B, but drawi
Well.. I am a newb and have been playing for a couple weeks in two separate parties. My first DM, the group knows he is crazy, and we can overcome him easily. However, in the second party he is a PC and feels like he should be in charge of it all. He's not the leader of the party, and everytime I am ready to start my turn and determine what to do, he jumps in and starts playing my character as if I'm not there. The DM has begun to remind him to allow me to take my turn, but every chance he gets he jumps over and states, do this, do that, and I'm trying to learn to play with the party...
Hopefully next time we play he will just let me do that, play my character.
Well.. I am a newb and have been playing for a couple weeks in two separate parties. My first DM, the group knows he is crazy, and we can overcome him easily. However, in the second party he is a PC and feels like he should be in charge of it all. He
Oh not a problem, its the forums feel free to type it up. But seriously have a talk to your group about that so it doesnt happen again, its your char, not theirs.
Oh not a problem, its the forums feel free to type it up. But seriously have a talk to your group about that so it doesnt happen again, its your char, not theirs.
First, an experience from a game I played in a few years back. Our DM didn't like 3.5 as a whole but liked parts of it. So he hands us a big ass rules packet for his modified FR campaign, complete with quotes from important NPC's on the front. I can't remember most of the HRs, just that some how gods like Cyric and Bhaal existed at the same time, despite the obvious problems there. In the end the game became a problem more because of the railroading than the HRs, but it ended with this classic line, after our ranger tried to disarm the strange woman following us WITH HIS BOW: DM: You just killed (insert random noble sounding name here) JP: Was she important? Jack: Dude, she's quoted on the front of the rules packet!
I would not know if this would be so muhc a house rule or what, but I had a DM once that refused to read errata. If it was written in the books, that was it.
That would be a house rule and an arbitrary one at that. Reminds me of the guy that didn't think Kevin Bacon was in Footloose. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqs9DYisSsg
That would be a house rule and an arbitrary one at that. Reminds me of the guy that didn't think Kevin Bacon was in Footloose. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqs9DYisSsg
-Necromancy is a banned school for all classes. If the spell even comes from the necromancy school, it is not usable. My Druid once tried to cast a spell--I discovered it was in the necromancy school--I was told it was impossible to be cast.
-Animal Companions are chosen by the DM. The player can mention his preference, but it is the DM's choice what animal companion he can have. Personally--this seems unfair (and he refuses to allow the Distracting Strikes alternative class feature).
-Only one of each class in the party (e.g. there can't be two clerics).
-All poisons are automatic evil-alignment.
-Necromancy is a banned school for all classes. If the spell even comes from the necromancy school, it is not usable. My Druid once tried to cast a spell--I discovered it was in the necromancy school--I was told it was impossible to be cast. -Anim
It is interesting that poisoning someone with a blade is evil, but gutting them with it is not, necessarily evil.
-Only one of each class in the party (e.g. there can't be two clerics).
I've met resistance, but not outright disallowance of this. Imo, it makes more sense RP-wise and in many cases works out better strategically. In fact, I've had entire groups of all the same class, just with some variation and everyone worked together as a team.
It is interesting that poisoning someone with a blade is evil, but gutting them with it is not, necessarily evil. I've met resistance, but not outright disallowance of this. Imo, it makes more sense RP-wise and in many cases works out better strat
Bob is a 5th level wizard and wishes to multiclass into fighter for hitpoints. If he is to gain a level in fighter, he can not use any class features (or spells) or benefits of the Wizard Class. Essentially, you may as well just erase 5th Level Wizard and write 0-Level Fighter.
I forgot the most (in)famous rule of all...-Alternate MulticlassingBob is a 5th level wizard and wishes to multiclass into fighter for hitpoints. If he is to gain a level in fighter, he can not use any class features (or spells) or benefits of the W
Bob is a 5th level wizard and wishes to multiclass into fighter for hitpoints. If he is to gain a level in fighter, he can not use any class features (or spells) or benefits of the Wizard Class. Essentially, you may as well just erase 5th Level Wizard and write 0-Level Fighter.
I'm not sure what' he's trying to accomplish there. The only thing I can think of is that he is afraid of people cherry-picking multiple classes and prestige classes as in 3.x Edition. I would argue that this is a non-issue in 4th Edition. If 4th Edition is anything, it’s pretty well balanced. There shouldn’t be anything that is game-breaking, especially in multiclassing.
If you guys are playing 3.x, then I would think he would ban prestige classes as well. That is another thing I can appreciate about 4th is that instead of saying no, it is recommended to find a way to say “Yes” as often as you can!
I'm not sure what' he's trying to accomplish there. The only thing I can think of is that he is afraid of people cherry-picking multiple classes and prestige classes as in 3.x Edition. I would argue that this is a non-issue in 4th Edition. If 4th
They're level 6. Oh, we're gonna have fun working these house rules out of her as they come to pass.
a 110 pound femal elf fighter should not hanve a strength of 24 when raging 
