Little Known Rules of D&D

[Maleketh]

Raise dead doesn't work on creatures killed by death effects. I just had someone point this out to me recently.

 

[Merlin the Tuna]

On the subject of equipment, I've found that many players don't know that their first set of clothes is both free and weightless (PHB 131).

 

[Rvdvelden]

Explorer’s Outfit: This is a full set of clothes for someone who never knows what to expect. It includes sturdy boots, leather breeches or a skirt, a belt, a shirt (perhaps with a vest or jacket), gloves, and a cloak. Rather than a leather skirt, a leather overtunic may be worn over a cloth skirt. The clothes have plenty of pockets (especially the cloak). The outfit also includes any extra items you might need, such as a scarf or a wide-brimmed hat.

Can't tell you how many times that saved my butt.
Me: My character tries to push the door
DM: Your character is now stuck to the door
Me: I take my hand out of my glove that is stuck to the door
DM:

 

[eamon]

A character wielding a spiked chain can attack underwater without penalty, unlike a character wielding a slashing/bludgeoning weapon. Those poor sods take a -2 penalty on attack rolls, and deal only half damage. That makes sense... no?

Source SRD - Combat Adjustments Underwater

Other great tidbits: a creature with a swim speed can specifically make tail attacks without penalty, but takes the normal -2 attack bonus / half damage penalty on other slashing/bludgeoning melee attacks.

However, a creature without a swim speed takes a -2 attack roll / half damage penalty with all slashing/bludgeoning attacks - except while grappling, when the -2 attack roll penalty does apply, but the half damage penalty does not.

As an aside, the superscript ¹ must apply generally and not just to creature without a swim speed that succeed on a swim check and are attacking with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon which is not a tail... that's just got to be an unfortunate layout, right?

 

[s-dub]

A character wielding a spiked chain can attack underwater without penalty, unlike a character wielding a slashing/bludgeoning weapon. Those poor sods take a -2 penalty on attack rolls, and deal only half damage. That makes sense... no?

Source SRD - Combat Adjustments Underwater

Other great tidbits: a creature with a swim speed can specifically make tail attacks without penalty, but takes the normal -2 attack bonus / half damage penalty on other slashing/bludgeoning melee attacks.

However, a creature without a swim speed takes a -2 attack roll / half damage penalty with all slashing/bludgeoning attacks - except while grappling, when the -2 attack roll penalty does apply, but the half damage penalty does not.

As an aside, the superscript ¹ must apply generally and not just to creature without a swim speed that succeed on a swim check and are attacking with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon which is not a tail... that's just got to be an unfortunate layout, right?

According to that table, there's not penatly for using ranged/thrown weapons either?

That's how I read it.

 

[mvincent]

According to that table, there's not penatly for using ranged/thrown weapons either?

From the rules:
"Ranged Attacks Underwater
Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land. Attacks with other ranged weapons take a -2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range. "

 

[s-dub]

From the rules:
"Ranged Attacks Underwater
Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land. Attacks with other ranged weapons take a -2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range. "

I knew that couldn't be right, thanks

 

[grimaldi]

The first rule seems odd to me. The second rule??!?? Really?? Is this a Hasbro 'we want to be good christians' rule? I started with basic and stopped playing a year after 2E came out and am just getting back into the game. I Dm for a group of young people but hope to get into an adult game soon enough(hopefully as a character!)

Does anyone enforce this non-evil rule? Like at Cons?

 

[Thurbane]

Does anyone enforce this non-evil rule? Like at Cons?

I don't enforce it as a rule, but it's pretty common for the groups I've played with to have a "no evil PCs, and no psychotic CN PCs either" houserule in effect.

 

[Greg K]

Would tweaking classes via customizing a character (3.0 phb/p.94 and 3.5 phb/p.110) count as little known rules?