Core concept or rule that just bugs you beyond your ability to put up with it?

[ph34r]

I guess he covers his eyes or something.

There's no reflex save in Spycraft to close your eyes and avoid the effects of a flashbang. It's a Fort save. It's freakin' stupid.

DM: "You see a small flashbang get tossed into the room."
Player: "Ok, I'll stare at it and hope I can resist it's effects!"

 

[ph34r]

Sez Rel - "But even if he's never seen a scroll or spellbook containing Fireball in his entire life, he can suddenly have it in his spellbook while he's in the middle of some cavern under the Alps because he gained a level?"

Sez the rules - Correct.

Sez Rel - "And for that he doesn't need a dime?"

Sez the rules - Correct.

Sez Rel - "Well, f--- that!"

I agree. That doesn't make very much sense... but it's magic!

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'm actually considering some sort of alternate to hit points that players can expend not only in combat but in all sorts of situations -- I think it would make for a less combat-focussed game. Haven't got all the pieces straight in my head but stay tuned...

Heroquest by Issaries Inc. has an interesting mechanic you might like to consider - basically at the start of combat both sides have a number of "Advantage Points" (APs) and they wager these off one another - small probing feints would be a small wager, massive charge and overhead swing would be a high wager. Success reduces your opponents APs, critical success transfers some of his APs to you.

The same mechanism is used for social interactions (debates in the council chamber, swearing matches at the pub etc). Pretty cool.

http://www.glorantha.com/support/ for more info.

Cheers

 

[Rel]

I agree. That doesn't make very much sense... but it's magic!

For you maybe. As for me I stole a set of spellbook house rules from Anna-Nicole Smith and they kick butt!

 

[devoblue]

I am perpetually anoyed by favored class. I can think of no in game rational for why it would be present, only a big meta game purpose of sending particular races in a particular direction. It makes it sound like a benefit, when really it is a penalty. Many races should have more than one but you only ever see one race or any. I would much rather see favored class any mean none, and a single favored class grant a bonus to xp (like 5%). I can't understand why we penalize characters for not following the sterotypical career.

 

[Blue_Kryptonite]

3.5 PHB, page 5, "What you need to play".

Items 3 and 4, and half of item 6.

No, no you don't. I've done without them for 30 years, thanks. Keep your opinion of their necessity to yourself, somewhere out of core rules, labled, "Optional".

Bah.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I am perpetually anoyed by favored class. I can think of no in game rational for why it would be present, only a big meta game purpose of sending particular races in a particular direction. It makes it sound like a benefit, when really it is a penalty. Many races should have more than one but you only ever see one race or any. I would much rather see favored class any mean none, and a single favored class grant a bonus to xp (like 5%). I can't understand why we penalize characters for not following the sterotypical career.

I dislike the favored class concept entirely. It seems to impose campaign-specific guidelines on a campaign-generic rulebook. Same with the gods presented in the PHB. Why not just list "God of Thieves" "God of War" or "God of Honor" and let the DM fill in the names and backgrounds if he feels like it?

And what's with the XP penalty for multiclassing? That presumes the multiclass combination is more powerful than the single-classed variety, and needs to be taken down a notch. This is not necessarily always the case. But yet my Cleric/Bard/Aristocrat earns less xp than the fighter.

Oh, and alignment and other roleplaying restrictions built into core classes. Why can't I have a Chaotic Neutral Monk? Or a Lawful Neutral paladin? Just because somebody decreed that classes need to fit in a particular mold, that's why. It's not unbalancing to allow them out of the mold, but it's just not allowed.

 

[Slobber Monster]

This pretty much sums it up for me (although the non-human races are fine, if not completely hackneyed). Alignment and Experience points top my list.

My other major gripe with D&D is disposable magic items. I want magic to be special dammit, not just "Ho hum, another +2 shortsword... We'll sell it when we get back to town..."

Oh, yeah, and additional thing number two; Attacks of Opportunity. What a way to slow the game down.

I'm curious about this, because it's never been my experience - how do attacks of opportunity slow the game down? What would you recommend as an alternative which preserves the benefits of reach and defensive position?

 

[Wormwood]

Clerics being superior in combat than Rogues.

That's annoyed me since the Carter administration.

 

[Aethelstan]

In no particular order:

-Alignments: adds nothing to game, stiffles role-playing, source of pointless arguments

-Darkvision: the dark should be scary.

-Zero risk magic: D&D magic works like a good appliance: simple and reliable...and boring.

-Experience system based on body counts.

-Attack / Defense mismatch: Attack bonuses go up with level but defense can only be increased by armor and magic. The system demands magic AC boosters at higher levels just to keep PCs alive. Makes low-magic campaigns harder to balance.

-Turn Undead: Horrific foes turned to dust or fleeing wimps with one roll. Not so scary, unless cleric botches roll, then potential TPK.

-Just fine / almost dead HP systems. A characters with 100 hp can loss 99 and still fight as well as when at full hp.

-Magic as a commodity: "Hmm, what do I need at market today: some candles, new boots and +3 flaming longsword." Magic for sales makes magic a banal product and encourges "Diablo" style play (i.e. kill, loot, run to magic shop).

-Magical healing: Dying PCs popping back to life and attacking the same round, the need for drawn out adventures and waves of monsters to deplete PCs resources (i.e. healing), abundant healing encourages PCs to be rash and stupid because healing can cover up their mistakes.

-The undervalued gold piece: 35 gp for a wagon!? That much gold should buy you a whole farm. Knock a zero off all price tags and you wouldn't need a wagon to buy that +3 flaming longsword.