Nuclear weapons of D&D Rules

[Chimera]

I see Grapples on a fairly regular basis, but to be honest, most are enemy initiated.

Sunder I have not seen used at all.

Disarm happens very rarely.

Some entire campaigns go by without a Trip, though I have a Trip Monkey in the new game. He tripped a freaking KOBOLD in the first session after missing it (I think) 4 rounds in a row.

Out of combat, I haven't seen Sleight of Hand used in any form in any game so far. Another one I think people are afraid to remind the GM of. Don't want things stolen from them.

 

[pogre]

Mages Disjunction is definitely the nuke at my table. The players avoid it and so do I.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

As far as grapple goes i think there needs to be one "combat Maneuver" stat like how Grapple is listed on the 3.5 sheets that covers everything from Grapple, to bull rushes to charges. Just one simple set of rules to cover a good deal of maneuvers a player could pull off.

We use sunder but allow it pretty much hit anything the target has on their person, and is visible or could be damaged through something (such as healing potions in a bag).

Mordenkainens disjunction is awesome. It makes the players fear something. And a game isnt worth playing if the PC's always win.

 

[Stalker0]

I think as others have mentioned, grapple is fine mechanically but is very difficult to learn. Unfortunately, it is the most common special tactic, as so many monsters use it, forcing players to deal with it.

THe true nuke of the game is definiately disjunction, its one of those spells that can ruin a playing group. Let's be honest, at high levels you need high level gear. A 20th level fighter with a masterwork sword and armor is nothing to even CR 12 or so dragons.

 

[Noldor Elf]

I see lots of fear about Disjunction. As player, do you try to avoid using it? Hoping that if you don't do it, DM won't notice it?

Actually, the knowledge that GM can use every trick against you can be seen as built-in safety mechanism. Players try to avoid the most abusable tricks, because they don't want to give DM reason to use the most nasty tricks. I think that the real problem is in groups where level of optimization of characters differs widely between players.

 

[Wycen]

Well, I think Grapple is really the DM's nuke. It does slow the game down, but massive monsters who grapple are going to usually prevail.

 

[Sammael]

I house ruled Mordenkainen's Disjunction (you can call spells by their real names on a message board... you aren't writing d20 books here) to have a temporary effect. Items are now permanently drained only if they roll a one.

 

[drothgery]

I see lots of fear about Disjunction. As player, do you try to avoid using it? Hoping that if you don't do it, DM won't notice it?

FWIW, I don't worry about disnjunction, because I've never had a 3e/3.5e PC who could cast 9th level spells, or been in a party that one that could. Heck, we've never seen a PC that could cast 8th level spells.

 

[Hussar]

Yeah, Disjunction hasn't been an issue in my games either. Just not high enough level I guess.

Grappling and tripping come up fairly often, so, it's not an issue.

Sunder, yeah, I almost never see sunder, nor use it. That and Bull's Rush. Now there is an overly complicated rule.

 

[Tsillanabor]

So far no one has tried any of the special combat maneuvers in my campaign. I think I might have an NPC use some of them to bring them to the players' attention.