Really good things in theory, but in practice...

[Thanee]

To your left you'll find the lovely classless/featless system Hero, now currently in it's 5th edition, revised and expanded.

HERO has feats (Talents and maybe Combat Levels can be counted as well), but they kept them special and didn't go overboard with them like D&D, creating hundreds or even thousands of completely useless feats, that should rather be something else (skill options, combat maneuvers, whatever).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

For D&D 3.X, what one rule or concept do you think fits this statment best?

"<This thing> is really good in theory, but in practice it doesn't work that well."

Balance (not the skill).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

5. Sorcerors. Nice in theory; in practice, given either good luck or good management in spell acquisition, just an overpowered wizard variant.

I find them very well done in practice (just lacking a few skill options and maybe bonus feats for metamagic). Starting out with a bit few spell choices, but once you got a few at 8th or so level upwards, they work really well and most importantly still very different to wizards, so it's not just a wizard variant IMX.

Bye
Thanee

 

[solkan_uk]

Magic.
Looks acceptable on paper, but ends up frustrating in game.
That, more than any other system in the game, leads to the D&D stereotype of resting every 2-3 encounters (which really irratates me).

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Sorcerors are fabulous for DMs or players who want a lot less planning and bookkeeping during table time.

With a Wizard there is much art in deciding the exact mix to prepare and when to cast that special spell. For a Sorceror you can pretty much cast the best spell you got for the tactical situation of the moment. An NPC is unlikely to run out.

 

[Schmoe]

Yoink!

Oh, and I will add: Grapple rules. I think it is a great idea in theory, and yes if one likes realism size should make a huge difference, but the end result is that a grappling monster is a fun-killer unless the party has a "get out of grapple free card" since against the big boys a PC *will* lose the grapple check, almost all of the time. And fun-killers are not good. Here I would eliminate realistic concerns (specifically, size modifiers) to make the grapple checks winnable by PCs and therefore more fun for them.

It just occurred to me that a viable solution might be having size bonus to grapple only apply on grapple checkes to resist or escape a grapple. For example:

Purple Worm - +16 BAB, +12 Strength modifier, +12 Size modifier
Fighter - +16 BAB, +8 Strength modifier

If the worm is trying to grapple the fighter, the worm's bonus is +28 (16+12) and the fighter's bonus is +24 (16+8). Same thing if the fighter wants to escape the jaws of the worm after he's been successfully grappled.

On the other hand, if the fighter is trying to grapple the worm, the worm's bonus is +40 (16+12+12), and the fighter's bonus is still +24. This allows the fighter's experience to come into play while avoiding the devastating results of being grappled by a monster, but doesn't lead to the unrealistic result of a fighter pinning something 15 times his size.

Of course, doing this would make some monsters a whole lot less fearsome.

Edit: Sorry for the thread hi-jack. I think granting clerics access to all spells on the cleric list is one example of "good in theory, bad in practice." In practice, each new supplement with cleric spells dramatically improves the choices available to clerics, increasing their already formidable strength. In addition, it completely lacks in flavor and leads to strange situations, whereby a cleric of Peace and Healing prepares nothing but Flamestrikes and Blade Barriers, or a cleric of Earth and Stability is frequently seen Air Walking and Wind Walking around like a little fairy. It's a pet peeve of mine.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Removed

 

[LordAshram]

Turn Undead: Anything that requires that many separate rolls in the middle of combat should be changed.

CRs: It appears that CRs are only based on hit dice, and rarely actually take into account the various powers of creatures.

DR: I can't be bothered to expect my players to carry ten different weapons around made of different materials in order to be ready for different creatures.

 

[Fishbone]

Just about every class nowadays is getting its hands on minor magic abilities and half casting, and when they do get it it sucks. The two core classes that spring immediately to mind are Rangers and Paladins. Paladins do not need it, just because they are holy warriors doesn't mean they should cast. And why do Rangers cast in the first place? Every fix for a spell-gutted ranger hasn't been as good as a straight ranger because there are a ton of good spells on his list.
Whenever I see a melee class or prestige class whose flavor doesn't match up with their ability to half cast spells to 4th level or full cast to 6th it makes me go berserk. Enough! D&D is high magic enough as it is, not everything needs to cast!

 

[Mercule]

Books titled "Complete XXX". I've been really, really excited about every one. Really, though, other than a couple of base classes and a handful of feats, I haven't used much from any of them.