Rules that never made sense to you?

[two]

I'm interested in hearing about D&D rules that people play with...but which really make no sense to them.

A minor one which always bothered me is...

If you are flanking you get +2 to hit the flanked enemy.

If you are invisible, you get +2 to hit an enemy.

Yup. That's right. Flanking is no more beneficial than being entirely invisible.

Obviously, in the "real world," fighting an invisible opponent would be suicide; much preferable would be fighting 2, 3, 4, or even 5 visible opponents.

If you are invisible the enemy simply can't defend against your blows very effectively (to put it bluntly).

I'd put the bonus to hit at something like +8... but that would likely, you know, screw up the entire system. Really, being invisible should be an incredibly powerful melee tool. If you bumped up the "to hit" bonus, you should also make it much more difficult to become invisible (higher spell level, more expensive items, etc.).

By the way, you can easily test this if you do any martial arts. Just blindfold yourself and have somebody attack you. How did it go? Then unblindfold yourself and let 2-3-4 people attack you. Which do you prefer?

 

[IcyCool]

A minor one which always bothered me is...

If you are flanking you get +2 to hit the flanked enemy.

If you are invisible, you get +2 to hit an enemy.

Yup. That's right. Flanking is no more beneficial than being entirely invisible.

Well, the target is also denied its Dex bonus against you if you are invisible, so it is more beneficial to be invisible, unless the target doesn't have a Dex bonus.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You cannot sheathe a weapon as a free action as part of a move (BAB +1 or higher), but you can unstrap a heavy shield from your arm and drop it, even while you still hold that weapon in your other hand.

 

[Nail]

Invisibility is fine, IMO.

What's always bothered me is the Dodge feat: It's *way* too cumbersome to keep track of that, especially for the DM.

Another nonsensical rule: You can't charge thru a freindly square. You can move in any other way, you just can't charge.

 

[KarinsDad]

It bothers me that the penalty for firing a missile into melee is the same as firing past an ally.

.......C
X.....A....B

The penalty for firing at C is the same as at B if A is X's ally. If A is an enemy, there is no penalty for firing at C.


It also bothers me that you cannot just ignore that penalty, but with a chance to hit your ally.

 

[Nail]

Oh yeah: Darkness.

I hate that spell. Hate it.

 

[Ambrus]

I've always thought the charging and running rules were a bit limited. Why does it only have to be in a straight line? Granted, making sharp turns is a bit tricky, but it's not all that difficult to run while moving to avoid obstacles; athletes do it all the time in team sports. If someone can charge with only ten feet of space between they and their target then why couldn't they charge someone after having ducked past a few obstacles and then sprinted the last ten feet? :\

 

[werk]

I always wished cleave was more like sweep used to be. Sloppy mook slayer rather than free hit for killing someone.

AoO for movement. For casting a spell or shooting a bow, sure, but for moving?

 

[KarinsDad]

Another nonsensical rule: You can't charge thru a freindly square. You can move in any other way, you just can't charge.

I do not mind the charge rule. What bothers me is that moving through a friendly square is the same as moving through an empty square, but moving through rubble is double move.

Moving through a friendly square should be a double move as well. Wouldn't want to jostle your ally while he is fighting for his life.

 

[erf_beto]

I do not mind the charge rule. What bothers me is that moving through a friendly square is the same as moving through an empty square, but moving through rubble is double move.

Moving through a friendly square should be a double move as well. Wouldn't want to jostle your ally while he is fighting for his life.

Wow, never thought about it before.
Totally makes sense paying double move through a friendly square - I'm totally using it next time I DM
(even nastier would be giving your friend an AC penalty until next round )