D&D General What rule do you hate most from any edition? (+ Thread)

[TerraDave]

For 3E: A rules reference to a rules reference to a rules reference...each of which might be quite involved and would lead to the discovery of elaborate sub-systems.

One PC had a shadow sidekick, which I think was a PRC feature, but getting all the rules for it required extensive cross-referening, and I don't think we ever quite figured it out!

And then there was grappling...

 

[beancounter]

5E - death saves. If you're at zero, you're dead. Deal with it, and roll up a new character.

 

[Werehamster]

I really can't wrap my head around all the healing rules in 5E. Short rest get a bunch of healing. Long rest, you're good as new even though you were carved up for 99% of your entire life force. It's just weird to me, and also eliminates some of the need for healing spells and healing potions.

I've been toying with cutting both rules in half to create a sense of strategy and importance of not just running into every fight knowing if they live, they'll be back to full the next day.

 

[payn]

Im still annoyed by amnesia because it could be a great RP opportunity. I mean, in all of fiction how many times has it been depicted that the person forgets how to function along with their memory???

 

[Malmuria]

5e: Counterspell. There, I said it. The worst mtg-dnd crossover of them all

Early editions:
• why are save vs wands and save vs staves different things??
• give me a thief that can reliably do thiefy things

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Warlock Eldritch Invocations that grant additional spells that can only be cast once a day, but still require you to expend a spell slot.

 

[billd91]

1e/2e: level draining

3e: max effect/dice caps on evocation spells. It might have made sense in 2e, but leaving those in place in the face of monsters getting Con bonus hit points didn‘t work

4e: AEDU structure

5e: tough one. Maybe the heroes’ feast spell and how it makes diners immune to green dragon breath

 

[J.Quondam]

• give me a thief that can reliably do thiefy things

Yeah, this one irritated little me, even more than wizard death by housecat. A thief could've just flipped a coin and got better resul--
Oh wait, never mind! The thief was so bad he couldn't even steal a coin to flip.

 

[overgeeked]

OD&D. No experience.

AD&D. Polearms. Ugh.

B/X. Race as class.

BECMI/RC. Race as class. Skills and weapon specializations.

AD&D 2E. Player’s Options.

D&D 3X. Skill points. Grappling.

D&D 4E. Treasure parcels, magic items as math fixes, feat taxes, tactical/grid combat.

D&D 5E. All the “I win” and “skip” buttons.

 

[Malmuria]

OD&D. No experience.

AD&D. Polearms. Ugh.

B/X. Race as class.

BECMI/RC. Race as class. Skills and weapon specializations.

AD&D 2E. Player’s Options.

D&D 3X. Skill points. Grappling.

D&D 4E. Treasure parcels, magic items as math fixes, feat taxes, tactical/grid combat.

D&D 5E. All the “I win” and “skip” buttons.

I've come around to loving race as class. I like that everything you need for your character is in one place. It's actually less problematic for me than a game with asi and class limitations based on race.

Oddly the game that made me see the value of this is mork borg.