The Best and Worst Rules of D&D

[gravyboat]

Post your thoughts here about what D&D 3.5 game rules you find most fun, balanced, essential, strategic, or just plain clever. And on the other side of the spectrum post your thoughts on which rules or game mechanics you feel are unnecessary, needlessly complex or confusing, cheesey, or that you just simply dislike.

Or even just post your opinion on how you would like to see an existing game mechanic handled within D&D.

 

[Trainz]

Best: Spontaneous casting (Sorcerors);

Worst: Blasphemy spell in conjunction with critters that can cast it at will.

 

[Vysirez]

I think the AOO while standing up is a pretty bad rule. So does most of my group which is why we don't use it.

 

[ciaran00]

Best: Item Creation
Worst: Spell Memorisation

ciaran

 

[Ranger REG]

Good Rules: Skill System.

Bad Rules: Multiclass XP penalty, ECL, CR, and LA.

OK Rules but needs work: AoO, Ready Action (as full attack action also), certain feats and feat trees, certain core classes, certain prestige classes, and spell.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Worst: Blasphemy spell in conjunction with critters that can cast it at will.

I've said it before - use the spell as written in the 3E PHB, and the problems go way

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

Worst: Item Creation as it is
Best: Combat rules. All of it as a package.

 

[Flyspeck23]

Best: Sunder. It makes DMing just that much more fun

Very best: Monsters with class levels, templates, hand-picked equipment, you-name-it. Great for designing challenges. ("Wow, I didn't know kobolds could do that!")

Worst: Pokemount.

Abyssal: AoO while standing up , considering (Improved) Trip.

 

[diaglo]

Best: Light

Worst: spells over 6th lvl

 

[Grazzt]

BEST

- Streamlined mechanics (1d20 + a bunch of numbers)
- Monsters with ability scores and other PC stuff
- Skill system
- Vancian magic system
- Multiclass rules (much easier now than in 1e/2e)

WORST

- Rapid advancement rate
- Overabundance of magic (and ease of crafting magic items)
- Pokemount
- Monsters as player characters (humanoids, monstrous humanoids ok; the rest, no)
- ECL, CR
- AoO
- epic level rules