What did you never like in 3e?

[Andor]

And I don't mean 'the math' or 'high level NPC creation'.

What were the quirks of 3e that always made you go 'huh'?

For myself I never understood why Druids, already both powerful spellcasters and melee death machines got the full strength animal companions, while Rangers who were always a bit subpar got stuck with 'Gimpy McDeathwish the furry suicide.' Wouldn't it have made more sense to give the strong animal to the weak class and vice versa?

 

[thedungeondelver]

And I don't mean 'the math' or 'high level NPC creation'.

What were the quirks of 3e that always made you go 'huh'?

For myself I never understood why Druids, already both powerful spellcasters and melee death machines got the full strength animal companions, while Rangers who were always a bit subpar got stuck with 'Gimpy McDeathwish the furry suicide.' Wouldn't it have made more sense to give the strong animal to the weak class and vice versa?

Is the unified XP table too broad a criticism?

I'd say "sacrificing XP to create magic items". That was always a "man what" thing. That and sense motive. (And before anyone starts, I never, ever saw it played as written. Ever. Just like other folks tell me AD&D was never played as written, ever.)

 

[Zsig]

Level Adjustment and Multiclassing (Because it was too easy to screw your character, for good or for worse).

 

[Toben the Many]

The completely unequal requirements for Prestige Classes. And the fact that most Prestige Classes ended up not being worth it, if you played from Level 1 on.

 

[avin]

G R A P P L E

and

Calculating ECL for different monsters at same combat.

 

[Minigiant]

Why my fighter, the hero of the XYZ empire, cleaver of the Orge Khan, master of the axe, slayer of a hundred goblins, conqueror of the Red Dragon mountain...

couldn't learn a simple Light spell from his wizard brother to see where the drow who were shooting him was and had to sacrifice a whole level to shoot some basic spells.

 

[joethelawyer]

grapple

attacks of opportunity

prestige classes

magic items that increase ability scores.

trying to balance classes and an xp system based on cr, rather than a flat xp award.

ability score buff spells

psionics

damage resistance of any kind

sorcerers

bluff, intimidate, innuendo, and sense motive. roleplay it out!

rogues being able to backstab during combat if he has someone flanked, and rogues having much of a role in combat at all, other than playing the bow guy sniper from a distance.

magic item creation using xp

scry as a spell and as a skill.


As a result we house ruled that none of those things exist, except for attacks of opportunity, which some in the group like to use.

added on thru edits after my initial post, which we haven't houseruled out but which annoy me personally:

multiple attacks per round for any melee class other than fighter types who get 2 at 10th level.

rolling for hp every level after 9th or 10th.

monsters with character classes.

 

[Remathilis]

The cascade of bonuses.

A 5th level fighter with a 17 str, weapon focus greatsword, a +1 weapon, bull's str, haste, and bless just got hit by a shadow for 4 str damage.

Whats his to hit this round? What is it next round when haste wears off AND he takes another 3 points of str damage from the shadow? How about the round after that when the wizard Enlarges him?

You get my idea...

 

[Evilhalfling]

grapple
having to plan builds rather than let characters evolve naturally
- esp multi-class builds.
broken combos - 49 of 50 theoretically only.
total spellcaster superiority
gnomes
monks
monster classes - anyone asking to play a anthromorphic whale, was simply tossed out.
the pile of buff spells - at upper levels PCs used or more animal buffs, each.
haste, deathward, circle of prot evil. 1-2 enlarges, polymorphs or shapechanges, resist element as needed, fly, barkskin, shield, mage amor,

 

[Remathilis]

rogues being able to backstab during combat if he has someone flanked, and rogues having much of a role in combat at all, other than playing the bow guy sniper from a distance.

HEY!

Me and a couple of black-hooded friends of mine would like to talk to you about rogues not having a role in combat. Meet us in the ally behind the KFC in 15 min. Come alone.