D&D 3E/3.5 D&D 3.5 Rule Oddities

[Greenfield]

The Lightning Bolt thread brought to mind the oddity in the Line area of effect.

What other oddities have you found in the D&D 3.5 rules?

To recapitulate my entry in the "Rules Oddities" collection:

A line-shaped spell shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through.

Taken exactly as written, a Line type spell that starts at the corner of your square and runs exactly north/south along that dividing line between the squares won't actually affect anyone or anything in the squares on either side.

So, what have you encountered?

 

[Dandu]

Drowning rules.

Have you ever noticed there's no way to stop drowning?

 

[Greenfield]

I think there is. You just have to get some place where you can breath. In a single round. When you're at zero hit points. And can't take more than a single, non-strenuous action.

So it's really very simple. Honest.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Taken exactly as written, a Line type spell that starts at the corner of your square and runs exactly north/south along that dividing line between the squares won't actually affect anyone or anything in the squares on either side.

The text within the illustration on page 176 of the PHB is better: "All squares through which the line passes or touches are affected by the attack."

 

[Pergentile]

Nice. Time to google "Line Spell Specialist"

 

[Greenfield]

Here's one.

Hammer of Thunderbolts: This +3 Large returning warhammer deals 4d6 points of damage on any hit. Further, if the wielder wears a belt of giant Strength and gauntlets of ogre power and he knows that the hammer is a hammer of thunderbolts (not just a +3 warhammer), the weapon can be used to full effect: It gains a total +5 enhancement bonus, allows all belt and gauntlet bonuses to stack (only when using this weapon), and strikes dead any giant upon whom it scores a hit (Fortitude DC 20 negates the death effect but not the damage). When hurled, on a successful attack the hammer emits a great noise, like a clap of thunder, causing all creatures within 90 feet to be stunned for 1 round (Fortitude DC 15 negates). The hammer’s range increment is 30 feet.
Strong evocation, necromancy, and transmutation; CL 20th; Weight 15 lb.

Did you spot the oddity? Everyone within 90 feet of where it hits is stunned for a round, but its range increment is 30 feet.

And, realistically, most battles take place at closer ranges anyway, so it's a great weapon that you really don't want to use, since you can stun yourself and all your allies every time you use it.

 

[Dandu]

Why would you sue your weapon?

Did you spot the oddity? Everyone within 90 feet of where it hits is stunned for a round, but its range increment is 30 feet.

You can throw up to four or five range increments... but yeah, the range is a little limiting.

 

[Greenfield]

Why would you sue your weapon?

For violating the laws of physics?

 

[Ranger19k]

Kind of reminds me of that shoulder fired nuclear weapon from the early cold war. Nicknamed the atomic hand grenade, the range of the stupid rocket was about the same as the blast radius of the warhead. Talk about a raw deal drawing that assignment. Can you see that conversation? "Private, I've got an important job for you." Answer "Sergeant, Kiss my @@@@!"

Davey Crockett maybe? I can't remember the name.

 

[Axel]

Hey, it's not so bad. By the time you have a Belt of Giant Strength, Gauntlets of Ogre Power and a +3 returning Warhammer you can probably pass a DC15 Fort save on a 2+. Mind you, so could most opponents by that stage... Still, if you're fighting hordes of weenies (or just want to take-over a town bloodlessly) it's not a bad effect.

I think the correct way to use the shoulder-fired nuke would be to shoot it up at about 45 degrees, and downwind. Then run as fast as you can the other way. You shouldn't need a direct hit with a bloody nuclear grenade to cause any reasonable effect...

Never noticed the drowing "you're dead" spiral before. I know there are an infinite number of situations that can crop up in D&D, but you would've thought that the writers would run through some of the more plausible scenarios before publishing.