Rules Compendium Rules Changes

I was surprised to find no "Rules Compendium" topic in the rules forum, except some particular specific rules like anti-magic fields.

I am liking the book, but at times I am not sure if I am reading a rules change, or just a repeat of a rule that I never saw or forgot about.

So, I'd like this thread to be about rules changes and additions people have found in the Rules Compendium.

I'll start things off. I don't know if any of these qualify, or if they were always in the rules and I just missed it:

1) A medium creature threatens all squares within 10' while wielding a reach weapon and wearing a spiked gauntlet. (Page 5)

2) If you have at least 5 ranks in a skill, you can Aid Another for more than the normal +2. For every 10 points your check exceeds the standard DC 10, you add +1 to the circumstance bonus. (Page 10)

3) It takes 1 round and a DC 10 disable device check to jam most locks. (Page 44)

Number 1 I guess makes sense. It's not explicitly stated in the DMG, but I guess you could do it if you wanted.

Number 2 I either did not know or that's new.

Number 3 I'm not sure I understand the relevance of. "Jamming" a lock means what exactly? Now it can't be opened with a key? Does open lock still apply?

Mistwell said:

1) A medium creature threatens all squares within 10' while wielding a reach weapon and wearing a spiked gauntlet. (Page 5)

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Uhm, yeah. Spiked don't retract when holding a pole weapon.

Mistwell said:

2) If you have at least 5 ranks in a skill, you can Aid Another for more than the normal +2. For every 10 points your check exceeds the standard DC 10, you add +1 to the circumstance bonus. (Page 10)

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Glad they added it. That might make the aid another action worthwhile if that appied to attacks as well.

Mistwell said:

3) It takes 1 round and a DC 10 disable device check to jam most locks. (Page 44)

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Sounds reasonable. I 'd say even untrained folks can try that one

Mistwell said:

2) If you have at least 5 ranks in a skill, you can Aid Another for more than the normal +2. For every 10 points your check exceeds the standard DC 10, you add +1 to the circumstance bonus. (Page 10)

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This one, I'm pretty sure, first reared its head in either OA or the ELH.

the Jester said:

This one, I'm pretty sure, first reared its head in either OA or the ELH.

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IIRC, it was Complete Adventurer.

Mistwell said:

I was surprised to find no "Rules Compendium" topic in the rules forum,...

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Doesn't surprise me at all.

For the most part, you're seeing the "4e effect". A book like Rules Compendium looks like - at best - a quiant afterthought, and at worst the final nail in the 3.5e coffin.

frankthedm said:

Uhm, yeah. Spiked don't retract when holding a pole weapon.

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Since all reach weapons are two-handed, I have seen people claim that you need a free hand to use the spiked gauntlet, and hence you don't threaten both 10' and 5' at the same time using a reach weapon and a spiked gauntlet.

Glad they added it. That might make the aid another action worthwhile if that appied to attacks as well.

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There is a paragraph on that issue as well. "At the DM's option, this rule can also be extended to using the aid another action in combat to improve an ally's attack roll or AC. Any character who has a base attack bonus of +5 or higher can grant a greater bonus on an ally's attacxk rolls or AC as described herein."

Nail said:

Doesn't surprise me at all.

For the most part, you're seeing the "4e effect". A book like Rules Compendium looks like - at best - a quiant afterthought, and at worse the final nail in the 3.5e coffin.

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Well, it kinda gives answers to some hotly debated topics we've seen throughout the years in this forum. I am still a bit surprised folks are not interested in reading and commenting on it.

For example, it has rules on how far away you can see a light source if you are in darkness, and how well you can see. That was one of several issues recently debated in the "darkvision with a telescope" topic.

And, since I mentioned it, here is that rule:

In open spaces, a light source can be spotted from much farther away than its radius of illumination. An observer who succeeds on a DC 20 spot check sees the light from a distance as indicated below, and one who fails the Spot check automatically notices the light source at half that range.

Observer in Complete Darkness: A light source can be spotted at a distance of up to 20 times its radius of illumination.

Observer in Dim Light: A light source can be spotted at a distance of up to 10 times its radius of illumination.

Using Distant Illumination: Observers outside the illumination radius of a light source can see into the illumination just fine, making Spot checks as normal to discern creatures or objects in the illuminated area.

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I mean, we have what, eight months until 4e? Nobody is much interested in a ton of new rules and clarifications for 3.5 now?

Mistwell said:

Since all reach weapons are two-handed, I have seen people claim that you need a free hand to use the spiked gauntlet, and hence you don't threaten both 10' and 5' at the same time using a reach weapon and a spiked gauntlet.

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Still, it's a clarification at most. I've never had a DM rule that way.

That being said, I've got nothing against posting clarifications, but it'd be nice to distinguish between the two.

EDIT: I better define "clarification." I mean that they took a rule from "ambiguous" (or debatably ambiguous) to "defined in one way," as opposed to flat-out contradicting something printed in a previous rulebook, or adding extra uses for skills, and so on.

Nice thread idea, BTW. I look forward to seeing what they changed or added in the RC.

Another "rules clarification" that settles at least part of a debate I have seen many times:

"If you're successfully hidden with respect to another creature, that creature is flat-footed with respect to you. That creature treats you as if you were invisible [Page reference to Invisibility]."