Common new DM mistakes list...

[dcollins]

The main reason, IMO, is "equipment", rather than powers like regeneration. A significant fraction of a PCs durability (as distinct from "power"), comes from the PCs wealth/equipment. Add that to a monster's abilities, an' ya gots trouble.

Wow, do I agree with that analysis. To me, it seems incredibly messed up that under the current rules, a CR 7 young red dragon (say) that adds 1 level of fighter suddenly also picks up the value of a 20th-level NPC in equipment. (Per the SRD: "If you choose to equip a monster with gear, use its ECL as its character level for purposes of determining how much equipment it can purchase." In this example, 13 HD + 6 LA + 1 Ftr = 20 ECL. The one level takes that dragon from average 4,000 gp to 760,000 gp!)

Much better the original 3.0 DMG rule that said monsters only gain equipment per their actual number of class levels. To maintain balance, the gear value for picking up one level of a class really should be equal for every NPC across the board.

 

[Parlan]

Resist the urge to make Paladins fall from grace at every opportunity. A fallen pally trying to regain his powers might make a great story, but generally ticks off the player involved.

(What-up Tatsu!)

Sir Xerces

 

[Jeff Wilder]

What about unarmed combat? Consider two fighters DON'T have improved unarmed strike. If the first one tries to hit the second guy, does the second one gets an AoO? (Just a side question to AoOs.)

No. Neither threatens the other.


Jeff

 

[Sheng Long Gradilla]

Unless 3.5 has changed this one:

You cannot use a ranged weapon when attacking on an AoO. Seems to happen alot in campaigns that allow guns.

It has not changed. The AoO rules specifically state it has to be a Melee attack. Also, the definition of a threatened square is one you can currently make a melee attack with the weapon you are holding in hand. If you only have non-melee weapons in hand, you don't threaten any square at all.

 

[Tatsukun]

Resist the urge to make Paladins fall from grace at every opportunity. A fallen pally trying to regain his powers might make a great story, but generally ticks off the player involved.

(What-up Tatsu!)

Sir Xerces

Added!

Ippe-chan! Drop me a line sometime, lemme know what's up!

-Tatsu

 

[Majere]

Looking at it now, a CR 14 dragon will have 50k of treasure. If this was all in magic items, it would have something like (slots permitting), +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +3 Armor, +1 Natural Armor, +1 Deflection, +2 Resistance, +1 Amulet of Mighty Fists, Boots of Speed and a few thousand gp of potions or scrolls. That is +7 AC, +3 to hit, +1-2 to damage, +2-4 to saves, +20 or so HP, and an extra attack a round.

IMPORTANT Note.
Dragons dont actually get any slots other than possibly a brow slot and an amulet slot. So the dragon couldnt have worn any of its loot. Part of the balancing of nonhumanoid creatures is that they physically cannot wear large amounts of magical items. If you start equipping nonhumanoids out like this expect alot of TPKs.


Majere

 

[Thanee]

You take the players as if they were in a railroad. You decide where they go, what they do, what they don't do, etc, and they can do nothing about it.

Or in other words... enforcing a linear, predetermined storyline.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Allowing spellcasters to prepare their spells per day multiple times in a single day.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

IMPORTANT Note.
Dragons dont actually get any slots other than possibly a brow slot and an amulet slot. So the dragon couldnt have worn any of its loot.Majere

I think you are wrong here. As far as I know, there is nothing at all in the SRD that backs this up. And in fact, the Draconomicon specifically contradicts this (see p. 24).

 

[Nail]

Wow, do I agree with that analysis. To me, it seems incredibly messed up that under the current rules, a CR 7 young red dragon (say) that adds 1 level of fighter suddenly also picks up the value of a 20th-level NPC in equipment.

...(snip)... To maintain balance, the gear value for picking up one level of a class really should be equal for every NPC across the board.

You know, I'd bet that you could adjust ECL after lowering the amount of wealth/equipment.

Problem being: what if the young dragon PC's buddies give him some of their ECL 20 equipment? .......

It (ECL and Wealth) is a sticky problem. Good point, though.