Rules debates in the game?

[Tewligan]

What would be the benefit of cleaving through a bunch of snails?

Just to show 'em who's boss.

 

[Jhulae]

[snip]but I would rule that you can't be flanked by opponents you aren't aware of. [snip]

Well, at that point, the 'target', by being unaware of the 'attempted flanker', would lose his dex bonus to that person and still get sneak attacked. The only benefit to the target (before the sneak attack) is that the person he does know about doesn't get +2 to hit him.

 

[kwiqsilver]

It doesn't work anymore under 3.5, but under 3.0, you could dump a bucket of snails around your opponent, and then whirlwind attack. For every snail that you dropped, you could then take your cleave attack on the opponent.

That's the stupidest rule manipulation I've ever heard of. If that happened in my game, that player would not get the email announcing the next game session. And I'd rule (as he made the first snail attack) that his opponents get attacks of opportunity against him, because hitting a snail requires focus. Then I'd call him an idiot.
Has anyone here actually had a player try something that stupid?

 

[Creamsteak]

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?

Do players try these sorts of rule based stunts? I'm sure there are plenty that do. I don't game with anyone that tries to abuse the rules, but that's me. On the other hand, what you think is a quirk might not be to me.

I doubt there are many DMs allowing the snail-bag type abuses. However, I also think that there are DMs that begrudgingly allow certain spells/actions because they are legal. I know that I've got issues with some of the new Prestige classes in the DMG, but I'd still allow them. I also would allow any core rulebook spell, even though I find some of them to be abusive.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

That's the stupidest rule manipulation I've ever heard of. If that happened in my game, that player would not get the email announcing the next game session. And I'd rule (as he made the first snail attack) that his opponents get attacks of opportunity against him, because hitting a snail requires focus. Then I'd call him an idiot.
Has anyone here actually had a player try something that stupid?

You should hear about the blind kobold

The only place I've ever heard those things are here on the boards. There was also that "I want to buy animals and slaughter them -> GP to XP" stunt. Noone ever tried such a thing at the table (I have extra-large dice for such an occasion ).

 

[Black Knight Irios]

I haven't had such problems in my game at all, wether I was DM or I was a player. One reason my friends don't now the rules that well that they could pull such stunts at all.
But I always say this, to my players, you can try pulling that stunt in my game, but think of it, does it suit your character at all or are you simply using loopholes and be aware of the fact I've got bunch of NPCs I can throw at you and I have no problem at all having them pull the same stunts.
Knowing that my players are not out to get any loopholes at all to work in their favor.

Closing eyes vs. SA...you need Blind-Fight to pull that stunt and it is still stupid, because the rogues would move on killing the wizard and the rest of the party first, before they would take that stupid man down that is pulling that stunt.
Don't play NPCs stupid because they are NPCs, there's no reason for doin' that!

 

[Storminator]

You should hear about the blind kobold

The only place I've ever heard those things are here on the boards. There was also that "I want to buy animals and slaughter them -> GP to XP" stunt. Noone ever tried such a thing at the table (I have extra-large dice for such an occasion ).

Last summer I was using a Commune spell and ran out of ideas before I ran out of questions. So I asked Bane if the Whirlwind/Great Cleave/bag-o-snails trick works.

It doesn't.

PS

 

[MerakSpielman]

Part of the fun of getting into the "Only if your DM is on crack will he let you do these things" discussions is to poke fun at the silliness of the D&D Universe. We all know that if a world truly operated strictly according to the rules in the D&D rulebooks it would be really strange. These rule-manipulations take it to a whole new level.

Here is a webcomic about D&D characters who are aware of the fact that they are D&D characters: link.

 

[kpdezend]

Evil petting zoo

Not to mention your killing PUPPIES. Gross snails is no big deal, but Puppies? We are talking major alignment shift here. Unless they are evil puppies. Course finding those could be difficult.

What about an *Evil* petting zoo? ::grin:: Sorry, couldn't help myself.

- Kent -

 

[Ovinomancer]

Using kittens doesn't work.

They land on their feet, so you don't get any AoOs when they stand up from prone

But puppies are always falling over anyway. Especially if you use bassett hounds with really long floppy ears they can trip on.

-Hyp.

Hyp, if you're using zombie puppies, why go through the trouble of finding basset hound zombie puppies? Just get any old zombie puppy and nip off a coupla legs! Fun all day: They try to stand, fail the balance check, fall down, and try again! Even if you miss them the first time, you've always got next round!