D&D 4E The (lack of a) Bag of Rats Problem in 4e

[Xethreau]

Page 40 of the Fourth Edition DMG discusses battle tactics and etiquette for DMs. One thing struck me here in particular:

Legitimate Targets
When a power has an effect that occurs upon hitting a target—or reducing a target to 0 hit points—the power functions only when the target in question is a meaningful threat. Characters can gain no benefit from carrying a sack of rats in hopes of healing their allies by hitting the rats.

I feel like there are some things put into 4e simply to appease the online critics, and rightly so! Thank you, ENWorld, for making 4e AWESOME!

 

[Westwind]

I always thought it was a bucket of slugs....

 

[Mort_Q]

Personally, I find it sad that they had to bother to make such a statement.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Personally, I find it sad that they had to bother to make such a statement.

It's the "gotcha" mentality. Alas, said statement didn't protect from Mordenkainen's Mansion having a really short casting time. (Of course, DMs using a bit of common sense makes a good cure for bad rules.)

 

[Nyarlathotep]

So a bag of rats won't work, but inquiring minds want to know about a bucket full of puppies!

 

[Kraydak]

If a slept minion is a legitimate target, then *anything* is a legitimate target.

 

[Doug McCrae]

There are always going to be loopholes in a game as complex as D&D. And they will increase, I think on a nonlinear curve, the more books are published.

 

[Henry]

If a slept minion is a legitimate target, then *anything* is a legitimate target.

Again, that gets into splitting hairs - something the DM ultimately has to just say, "knock it off, guys!" and be done with it. If they want to waste my time and theirs by using silly tricks, that's fine, I can oblige, but I really don't see us getting any gaming done...

 

[Dire Lemming]

I don't know what's worse. Carrying around a bag of cute fuzzy rodents for the sole purpose of using as animal sacrifices to your dark got of healing... An ambiguous rule replaced by a slightly less ambiguous rule that is also completely arbitrary.

 

[Nail]

One of my players is really into the "bag of Rats" problem. He sees all of the "hit a target and do X" powers and says "this proves 4e is stupid! They forgot about the bag of rats exploit!"

Page 40 of the DMG, you are my friend.