"Metadesign Principles of D&D"

[The Grackle]

In general, there shouldn't be any counter-counter measures.

So, no "Anti-Dodge" or "Anti-Improved-Trip" feats. (There are some exceptions found even in the WotC books, but in general, that's not a good idea)

Isn't there an anti-improved grapple in some WOTC book? I think I remember one. It let you trump imp. grapple and take your AoO anyway. And if you dealt damage, it ended the grapple attempt.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Isn't there an anti-improved grapple in some WOTC book? I think I remember one. It let you trump imp. grapple and take your AoO anyway.

There is indeed - the same Close Quarters Fighting feat referenced in the post above yours.

And if you dealt damage, it ended the grapple attempt.

Not quite. It just made their grapple check harder.

And, of course, there's an anti-anti-improved grapple technique - if you have a longer reach than the person with CQF, you can initiate a grapple from a non-threatened square, and they get no AoO...

-Hyp.

 

[Wrathamon]

The ability to change form is perhaps the most powerful ability in the game. WotC seems to now think that if you change form you shouldnt have access to some or all of your items or abilities while in a different form.

 

[Nail]

And, of course, there's an anti-anti-improved grapple technique - if you have a longer reach than the person with CQF, you can initiate a grapple from a non-threatened square, and they get no AoO....

Which is not only nasty, but easily overlooked.

 

[domino]

There is indeed - the same Close Quarters Fighting feat referenced in the post above yours.



Not quite. It just made their grapple check harder.

And, of course, there's an anti-anti-improved grapple technique - if you have a longer reach than the person with CQF, you can initiate a grapple from a non-threatened square, and they get no AoO...

-Hyp.

But there's the anti-anti-anti-improved grapple technique, which is to ALSO have reach, to match that of the grappler.

 

[Talic]

The Anti-anti-anti-etc bits remind me of something I try to keep in mind, and speaks to such a meta-principle. There is no overall "best" but things often function kinda like Rock-Paper-Scisors.

Take class power levels for example. Mage beats Fighter, Fighter beats Monk, Monk beats Mage. Sure there are always exceptions, but it is a fairly consistant theory.

 

[Henry]

The Anti-anti-anti-etc bits remind me of something I try to keep in mind, and speaks to such a meta-principle. There is no overall "best" but things often function kinda like Rock-Paper-Scisors.

Take class power levels for example. Mage beats Fighter, Fighter beats Monk, Monk beats Mage. Sure there are always exceptions, but it is a fairly consistant theory.

I see such principles at work, but they are darned hard to balance if you're making new stuff, for darned sure. Mearls' comments a month or so ago still applies, I think -- if a class looks more powerful than the cleric, there's probably something wrong, there.

FlameFrost: Excellent point, and one I had in mind (worded differently), but I had totally forgotten about. Thanks!

 

[Plane Sailing]

One of the metadesign principles that I personally think has been harmful to my game is that

"PCs of a certain level should have a certain gp value of equipment available".

Arguably the CR system is built upon this assumption, and there have been many threads in the past about the difficulty of modifying PC wealth without taking into account the effect on their ability to meet creatures of various CR (particularly at mid-high levels).

 

[Plane Sailing]

One principle that got blown out of the water by Complete Arcane was

"spells that ignore SR shouldn't do as much damage to an individual target as spells that are subject to SR". In the original PHB this was a clear as crystal balancing act...

 

[Plane Sailing]

"The more often a feat comes into play, the smaller its bonus."

e.g.
Improved Init is only ever once per combat, so rates +4
Weapon Specialisation only comes into play every time you hit, so rates +2
Weapon Focus potentially comes into play every time you roll, so rates +1