Rules debates in the game?

[Quasqueton]

Reading the threads in this forum discussing the minutia of the rules makes me wonder:

Do players actually pull stunts like having their characters close their eyes in combat, toss buckets of snails to cleave through, or otherwise specifically abuse rules quirks/loopholes?

Do DMs actually allow these stunts merely because it is technically legal within the rules?

Or are most of the lengthy discussions here just for the fun of it?

Quasqueton

 

[Crothian]

Of course not, DM's and players have some common sense least that ones I game with.

 

[Henry]

Most of it is minutiae; it's our version of "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?"

Closing your eyes to fight a gaze attacking creature is perfectly valid, mind you - but no one I know has even approached me on anything as silly as "bucket of snails" or what have you.

 

[spunky_mutters]

I've had players try to argue stuff like that (not the stuff mentioned specifically, but the equivalent), but the party will shout them down without fail when I remind them that I get to use the same tactics against them.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Closing eyes in combat is the cheese attempt to avoid sneak attacks - something about how you can't be flanked if you can't see your opponent.

I've never had players actally try any of these stunts myself. It's all deep theory, man.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Closing eyes in combat is the cheese attempt to avoid sneak attacks - something about how you can't be flanked if you can't see your opponent.

If you close your eyes, everyone's effectively flanking you and can sneak attack you.

 

[Grazzt]

Of course not, DM's and players have some common sense least that ones I game with.

Agreed. My players havent ever and wouldnt ever try the stunts (or any like it) listed above. And on the off chance someone ever tried a stunt like those above (or whatever), I, as DM, would simply say "I don't think so."

 

[swrushing]

If you close your eyes, everyone's effectively flanking you and can sneak attack you.

Depends on the rules...

with class abilities, you can avoid losing your dex bonus and if you cannot see them by some rulings you cannot be flanked. The combo would DE JURE eliminate sneak attacks.

For example, a mid level barbarian does not lose xdex bonus against invisible attackers... but flanking still earns sneak damage... but if the faq/sage rule that you dont get flanked by invisible guys... then a barbarian stuck between two rogues can close his eyes and negate their sneak ability.

It just points out the error in the must be seen to flank ruling.

A bucket of snails might never be an issue, but some rules might make you look at your mage's summoned kobold in the wrong way.

 

[James McMurray]

These things don't come up in my group. We have common sense and the players kow that the GM will happily turn the silly loophole back onto the party. And there's a lot more NPCs to abuse a loophole then there are PCs.

 

[jgsugden]

That depends upon where you put the threshhold of 'stunt' versus 'tactic'.

I have players do things that stretch the rules. They try to do something that by the books is allowed, but there does not seem to be an obvious intention to allow it and the idea of what they're doing is questionable, but not cleary bad or good.

In other words, my players like to delve into the gray area between abusing the system and getting the most out of it.

Bucket of snails? Close eyes to prevent flanking? Not yet. But, then again, the bucket of snails thing went out the window when the swarm rules came into play ...