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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 9354212" data-attributes="member: 7023840">I am taking a break from my breakneck pace of posting law-like substance because I wanted to talk about my all-time favorite subject- obscure rules from ye old TSR-era D&D days.This subject was recently resurfaced because of the Illusionist thread, and specifically because [USER=6877472]@James Gasik[/USER] brought up one my all-time faves (which I will mention below). To start the thread, I will be bringing up some of my own personal favorites that came from the High Gygaxian verbiage of AD&D (1e), but feel free to bring up any TSR-era edition. And while these are often considered obscure, they are usually right there in the plain text of the rules. Go fig, right!So, without further ado, weird and obscure rules from AD&D!1. Assassins did not know about one of their primary high-level class abilities. Assassins could use poison, but tucked in the DMG was a small section explaining that assassins, when they reach 9th level, could study how to make all sorts of different poisons with different effects! Except ... the DM was to never tell the player about this, or even suggest it is a possibility.2. Elves could not be resurrected or raised.Elves (and half-orcs) had spirits, not souls, and raise dead and resurrection does not work on them. Sorry! You had to use reincarnation. Except ... a rod of resurrection would work. Why? Why not!3. Illusionists couldn't use a wand of magic missiles.Illusionists had real restrictions on the rods, staffs, and wands. Which meant that, yes, even some of those wands that should have been used by any class (like a wand of magic missiles) couldn't be used by an illusionist. So a fighter could use it, but not an actual spellcaster.4. Watch out for the horse.If the character loses paladinhood for any reason, there will be an immutable enmity between character and mount{.}No further comment.5. Spell Aging!Some people knew that casting a wish would age them (3 years). But did you know that casting resurrection aged you three years? Or receiving haste (1 year).  Or ... GATE????? FIVE YEARS!!!!ETA- here's an interesting rules question. If you cast wish to gate ... is it three years or five?I am just tossing these out there, because there are so many, and I am sure that you have some favorites. Let's hear them.</blockquote>

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