D&D 3E/3.5 known-abusable 3.5 combos/techniques/etc.

[kerbarian]

I'm trying to make a list of known-abusable spells/feats/PrCs/items/etc. or combinations of those in 3.5. "Abuse" is a controversial word for it, because it's perfectly legitimate to run a campaign where powergaming is encouraged, but what I'm basically looking for is ways that a character can become far more powerful than any well-built core character. Of course characters using non-core materials can be more powerful, but usually it's many incremental differences (which can add up to a lot) rather than individual effects that dramatically change the character's power level. I'm looking for the things with those individual, dramatic effects. I'm also considering only 3.5 sources, so no BOED, BOVD, etc.

A short list to start out with:

Divine Metamagic, when used to cast effectively-over-9th-level spells.
Wraith Strike with Persistent Spell.
Polymorph or similar effects used with non-core monsters. e.g. War Troll or Kelvezu. I'd actually also put one core monster in this category -- Hydra.
A Thought Bottle used to erase the XP cost of Wishes, magic item creation, etc.

Eventually I'm planning to come up with a minimalist set of house rules that would address these things (which I'll post under house rules), but for now I'm just trying to figure out what's out there to be addressed.

 

[ValhallaGH]

Frenzied Berserker.

 

[griff_goodbeard]

pun-pun

 

[smootrk]

D&D 3.5 in general.

Just kidding, but in earlier games the DM had much more implied control to manage things the way he/she wanted to.

 

[kerbarian]

pun-pun

Pun-Pun relies on Assume Supernatural Ability, which is in Savage Species (a 3.0 book). I think there are also some other parts of the Pun-Pun build that depend on 3.0 stuff, but that's the key one I can think of. So Pun-Pun doesn't work if you stick to 3.5 materials only.

 

[Pickaxe]

D&D 3.5 in general.

Just kidding, but in earlier games the DM had much more implied control to manage things the way he/she wanted to.

I kind of feel the opposite, at least when comparing 2e and 3e. 2e had so many player-marketed options (namely kits) that encouraged a player to just show up with more books than his DM to gain an advantage. At least 3e recognized this by a) spelling out "Rule Zero" and b) making it clearer that many player options (namely PrCs and non-core sources) are allowed only at the discretion of the DM.

--Axe

 

[Khuxan]

D&D 3.5 in general.

Just kidding, but in earlier games the DM had much more implied control to manage things the way he/she wanted to.

I disagree. DM control has everything to do with his/her authority and the maturity of his/her players. Wasn't it Gary Gygax who said if you play with house rules you're not playing D&D?

 

[Storyteller01]

Using summoned creatures to trigger your tank's Cleave/Great Cleave feats before the tank's actual attack (he smacks them as they run past [AoO]).

 

[Raspen]

ok so far what i have seen

Sudden max time stop 5 delayed blast fireballs

next

An incanter can Sudden max split ray polar ray

next

The Optic feat in the madness book filled with Maximized split ray *Ray of stupidty* thats good for 20 int damage

next

Not that it matters but with an incanter you can max split enery drain for 16 lvls

thats what i have off the top of my head some of that stuff isnt to bad because its focused but ....

 

[Raspen]

sorry just needed to say that alot of the stuff that i posted i feel would be a bit much for some campains