wolfen said:
"Shadowy darkness" -- what kinda crap is that? At least I know what absolute darkness is.
Seems quite clear: it's the same as the shadowy light a torch gives beyond the clear lit area. You get concealment from it. You can see contours, but no details.
I don't think this helps anything but miniature play (ie, WOTC $$$). Why screw up my game for their profits?
Oh, please. I'm really tired of that "wizards are bloodsucking vampires that want all our money"-tirade (Monte's 3.5 review had enough of that, and the board's already full to brimming with it, too).
Changing the darkness spell to make profit with minis? This sounds like a conspiracy theory like the one that aliens have taken elvis and he rules the world now. It's just way out there.
"Ok, so it's shadowy. Can I trip him?"
"Kinda...but it's dark."
"What, like I see a dark blob or can I make out his legs?"
"Hmm...kinda...but it sure is 'shadowy'"
Oh, yeah...that's a lot better than "You can't see him."
I think it works like this:
"Ok, it's shadowy. Can I trip him?"
"Yes, but cause it's shadowy, you'll have a miss chance with your touch attack."
Your example above sounds more like these guys don't know the rules well (concealment)
Yes, I'm ranting because 3.5 effed up EVERY SPELL I was excited about. Reduce and Enlarge? Why can't you even leave them alone?"
Because the new version is much cleaner.
What's the big frickin' deal? Darkness, the Invisibilities, Fly, Evard's Tentacles, the polymorphs, alter self...and my DM is all about following the books.
It seems that all the spells you are excited about are the spells that were to good to be true. Spells that had to be toned down. the plymorphs are the best example. I never understood the "roleplaying aspect" of polymorphing the fighter into a troll as soon as you leave the city behind. IMO, that was just powergaming.
Tell me, does it make any sense that I can enlarge a human being and not a door or a hammer? C'mon, this is junk.
You can enlarge a hammer - your equipment gets bigger with you.