Compiled 3.5 Revisions

[Conaill]

Why couldn't a medium creature use a smaller lance?

Or did I miss an change somewhere?

Yes, the human knight at the royal joust could use a halfling's lance. He'd have to put up with lower damage and a -2 to attack because he would be using a weapon that wasn't designed for him. But at least he'd get reach out of it.

But don't you think there should be a lance designed for this human knight? A champion wearing custom-made jousting plate mail isn't going to bother with a lance that was designed for someone half his size. There should be one that can actually be used in the classical jousting configuration: lance in the right hand, tucked under the arm and possibly resting on a hook in the armor to stabilize, small shield in the left hand to block the opponent's lance. AFAIK, it's no longer possible to implement this very strong archetype within the 3.5 rules.

 

[Jens]

Without knowing this for sure, I can hardly imagine the 3.5 designers making it impossible for a mounted knight to use lance and shield. They *may* have missed it, but I *really* doubt it.

It could be done simply by stating that a lance can be used used one-handed when mounted. It may require lance proficiency, a rank in ride, the mounted combat feat, or something like that, but I really think it will be possible.

And if I'm wrong and they forgot it, then it should be easy to fix, right?

Edit: It would be nice if someone with the book would comment on this

 

[Arnwyn]

As I said, though, I'm fine having MM material be inaccurate. I just know that as a player, I don't enjoy pretending not to know how to fight (for example) trolls and having to spend a couple of rounds fighting them stupidly until I think I can genuinely conclude my character would have figured out what would be an efective fighting style. I'd much rather my DM change the creature's stats so that I as a player can enjoy alongside my character the fun of figuring out the new, mysterious creature's strengths and weaknesses.

Indeed - put the work on the poor DM.

Edit: Typo.

 

[Planesdragon]

Without knowing this for sure, I can hardly imagine the 3.5 designers making it impossible for a mounted knight to use lance and shield. They *may* have missed it, but I *really* doubt it.

Actually, mounted knights with lances and full shields almost never happened. Head down to a Renn Faire and look at the jousting--the shield is bolted on, not held.

I suspect, though, that the rules will allow a character with Mounted Combat to use their lance in a charge. The appripriate place for this rule is in the same spot that notes that lances do double damage in a charge--the lance's description.

 

[Skaros]

Actually, mounted knights with lances and full shields almost never happened. Head down to a Renn Faire and look at the jousting--the shield is bolted on, not held.

I suspect, though, that the rules will allow a character with Mounted Combat to use their lance in a charge. The appripriate place for this rule is in the same spot that notes that lances do double damage in a charge--the lance's description.

Just how representative of jousting is a renn fair? Particularly jousting where the purpose is actual death.

Skaros

 

[drnuncheon]

Looks like Slaad have been dropped from the Summon Monster list. I presume this was because they did not release the stats for Slaad in the SRD.

Have they been removed, or just moved in level? I haven't seen the lists for levels 7-9 yet, have they been posted anywhere?

Other possibilities are that they were removed because of their ability to create more slaad, or that the summon list is being polarized into good & evil (which leaves LN and CN in a sticky situation, if they'd rather not associate with either).

The Lance (formerly Heavy Lance) is now a 2-handed weapon with reach.

No more dual-weilding reach weapons - thank god!

If the designers do what I would have done, they would handle the one-handed lance & shield problem with a change to the 'set for charge' rule - large weapons that can be set to receive a charge can be weilded with one hand in that instance. This would also apply to mounted charges.

J

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Actually, mounted knights with lances and full shields almost never happened. Head down to a Renn Faire and look at the jousting--the shield is bolted on, not held.

The Renn Faire has actors that have not trained on the saddle hours per day since age 9. So it is a great convenience to them to have an unemcumbered hand to hold the reins. A real knight would have been able to do without.

Knights really did joust. The jousting armor you are looking at is 15th or 16th century. Earlier knights typically wore a layer or two of mail, a thick padded undercoat, a coat or plates sewn into leather protecting the torso, a shield, a helm which was usually open faced 13th century or earlier. They were well protected on the torso and by their shield. A solid blow anywhere else was potentially crippling, even from a blunted jousting lance.

Most people do not realize that skill wielding a shield was as important to a knight as handiness with a sword. A shield is not just something you strap to your arm -- it is actively used on offense and defense.

 

[Storm Raven]

Actually, mounted knights with lances and full shields almost never happened. Head down to a Renn Faire and look at the jousting--the shield is bolted on, not held.

The quickest way to destroy your credibility on issues related to medieval life is to cite Renn Faire precedents as authority for anything but how squishy soft mdoern people with limited historical knowledge imitate how they think people used to do things.

 

[Renaissance Man]

e. The Epic level progressions of all base classes appear in a 5-page epic section of the Dungeon Masters' Guide. Also included are the save and attack progressions, and XP charts, but not epic spells, magic items or monsters.

... and yet...

l. The Solar, Tarrasque, and Happy Fun Ball have damage resistance that may only be bypassed by epic weapons.

For the sake of internal consistency, wouldn't you think WotC would want to inlcude at least one epic weapon in the DMG? Am I the only one who finds this odd?

 

[Plane Sailing]

For the sake of internal consistency, wouldn't you think WotC would want to inlcude at least one epic weapon in the DMG? Am I the only one who finds this odd?

Sword of Kas?