Little Known Rules of D&D

[irdeggman]

A dwarf wearing heavy armor and carrying a heavy load still suffers all of the other penalties, although his speed is unaffected.

• Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).

PHB pg 161

Heavy load - +1 Dex bonus to AC, -6 armor check penalty

 

[Thurbane]

Creatures summoned by the Summoning ability of other creatures (i.e. Demons, Devils etc.) cannot use their own summoning ability for 1 hour, and they also disappear in 1 hour, meaning a single Demon cannot spawn a small army...

MMV - p.219

 

[Asmor]

Creatures summoned by the Summoning ability of other creatures (i.e. Demons, Devils etc.) cannot use their own summoning ability for 1 hour, and they also disappear in 1 hour, meaning a single Demon cannot spawn a small army...

MMV - p.219

Actually knew about the fact that they couldn't chain summon. Missed the part about the 1 hour duration, though.

A more interesting thing to note, however, is that demons and devils (devils in particular) should really be very hesitant to use this ability... They're not just creating a friend out of thin air, when they summon someone, they're asking that other fiend for a big favor, and so they're then beholden to that fiend.

 

[Zurai]

Actually knew about the fact that they couldn't chain summon. Missed the part about the 1 hour duration, though.

A more interesting thing to note, however, is that demons and devils (devils in particular) should really be very hesitant to use this ability... They're not just creating a friend out of thin air, when they summon someone, they're asking that other fiend for a big favor, and so they're then beholden to that fiend.

Not so much for summoned creatures - there's no risk for a summoned creature, after all, and summoned creatures cannot decline the summon. Gated creatures, on the other hand, are risking true death, and can decline to be Gated in.

I'm not sure whether there's actually any demons/devils that summon rather than Gate, though.

 

[Slaved]

Not so much for summoned creatures - there's no risk for a summoned creature, after all, and summoned creatures cannot decline the summon. Gated creatures, on the other hand, are risking true death, and can decline to be Gated in.

I'm not sure whether there's actually any demons/devils that summon rather than Gate, though.

It is a very strange rule but http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#summon

 

[Zurai]

It is a very strange rule but http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#summon

That's... odd. I wonder why they change the mechanics for Summoned creatures for the demon/devil random summonings?

Going by the default rules for Summoned creatures, the creatures are at no risk to their own safety, are under the command of the summoner, and cannot use dimensional travel abilities of their own. Why the need to explicitly state that they cannot summon, and why the need to say that they are beholden to the summonee if they summon?

Oh well: definitely chalk that up as a "little known rule" as far as I'm concerned, then!

 

[Beginning of the End]

the source for this is http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040217a
and i believe it to mean exactly what it says, a rogue can make as many sneak attacks as they have attacks in the first round of combat. i also believe it to mean that anyone after my init roll is considered flat footed and has no dex bonus to their ac. as a side note, this also means that anyone after my init in the round after a surprise round is also considered flat footed since the surprise round is not considered the first round of combat.

Which is also what the SRD says.

Well, that's retarded. Does anyone actually play that way? And, if you do, could you explain to me your rationale for ambushers being caught off-guard by the people they're ambushing after they've successfully ambushed them?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, that's retarded. Does anyone actually play that way? And, if you do, could you explain to me your rationale for ambushers being caught off-guard by the people they're ambushing after they've successfully ambushed them?

Well, the 'Initiative' section, under the subheading 'Flat-Footed', states that you are flat-footed before you have had a chance to act (specifically, before your first regular turn in the initiative order).

The following section, Surprise, is a separate section, describing a situation that only arises some of the time; under the subheading 'Unaware Combatants', it notes that unaware combatants are flat-footed because they have not yet acted.

The implication is that in the special situation of surprise, a character who has acted (due to being aware, rather than unaware) is not flat-footed... despite not having taken a turn in a regular round, he has taken a turn in the initiative order and is not a character who has not yet acted.

-Hyp.

 

[aland]

A vampire kobold with 4 level of any npc classes has a CR of 3 (4-3+2), yet it's got an ECL of 12(4+8), and since it advances by "character class", it could get gears worth of 27000gp(proper for an NPC of ECL 12)... which is really, really weird...........

 

[mvincent]

it's got an ECL of 12(4+8), and since it advances by "character class", it could get gears worth of 27000gp(proper for an NPC of ECL 12)

NPC wealth should be based on their character level (not ECL, as that could result in say, a giant with a single barbarian level becoming extremely wealthy*).

From the DMG (page 51), Monsters With Classes:
"...first give them equipment. Use Table 4-23: NPC Gear Value (page 127) and use just their class levels to determine the value of their equipment. Then generate their treasure according to their monster entry..."

While this does conflict with a MM entry, the DMG entry should be given precedence here. Discussions on the topic can be seen here, here, and here.

Now: PC's should have wealth based off of ECL, but not NPCs.

* Example: giving a fire giant a level of barbarian isn't unusual, but then giving him the starting wealth of a 20th level NPC (because of that level)... well, that's a problem for a CR11 encounter (both for the party, and for the DM if the party acquires all that wealth)