D&D 3E/3.5 What do you ban? (3.5)

[Loren Pechtel]

I have yet to ban anything for any of my groups. Before we play, I sit them down and tell them that anything they can do, the NPCs can do and that shenanigans won't happen unless the PCs use them first. I run fairly high-power games, so any self-nerfing that happens isn't all that extensive (most of my parties keep using shapechanging, wraithstrike, DMM, etc., the only one they forgo being disjunction), but I've found it works out better if you let the players choose what's "too much" as long as you can handle the consequences.

Agreed. My ban list is anything that requires Exhalted status. It imposes restrictions on the game world that I don't want. Beyond that, goose & gander.


There are some things I have changed, though--especially teleport. When teleporting to a location you can only port to a place you have actually been or studied an image specifically prepared for the purpose of guiding teleportation. (Such an image can only be prepared by someone capable of teleporting to the location in question.) You're free to teleport blindly to an x, y, z offset from your current location but this is realistically only useful for short-range work or else overland stuff. Scry/buff/teleport does not work offensively but it *DOES* work defensively--if you're in the bad guy's lair and he knows it he can scry/buff/teleport in because he knows his lair.

 

[Dandu]

It seems tame at level 6. And yet it's available at level 3-4 iirc...

Given it's AoE, a caster can only use it without hurting his allies if the caster is 1. Close to his targets and 2. without support.

Casting a full round spell under these conditions is likely to turn out very badly for a 4th level spellcaster.

 

[Sorrowdusk]

Entangle, Grease, Web...

Why have all my solution to other people's problems involved Grease as of late?

Because the only way to properly screw with somebody is with proper lubrication.



Did that sound wrong?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Because the only way to properly screw with somebody is with proper lubrication.



Did that sound wrong?

Well, it overlooks the fun you can have with Entangle and similar spells which let you screw them while they're immobilized.

 

[Vegepygmy]

I can't think of anything Core that I've banned, but I do require that my players have stat blocks figured for any alternate forms (such as from polymorphing or wild shape) they are going to use, which makes those abilities much more manageable.

I also have a general rule that players must get DM permission before they can use anything non-core, and there are some things I would never approve, so I guess you could consider them banned: wraithstrike and triadspell come to mind, and I'm sure there are feats and prestige classes I consider broken, but I can't recall what they are.

 

[aboyd]

Triadspell is ban-worthy? I always found it so lame that it wasn't even worth taking. I compared it like this: If I take a 5th level Summon Monster, I can get 1d4+1 monsters from the 3rd level list. Or, I can use Triadspell to get three 3rd level Summon Monster spells, which gives me 3 monsters from the 3rd level list. That might seem like it's kinda even, except that using Triadspell costs me 4 rounds of casting.

Maybe I have it wrong, but I just don't see the awesome in it. Help?

EDIT: Nevermind. I typed "triadspells broken" into Google and it referred me to posts here on En World... written by me. Apparently, I am very, very, very tired.

 

[Dandu]

Triadspell can be broken.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Triadspell can be broken.

Ok, yeah. If by RAW you can use it to stock up on extra slots beyond your daily limit, I can see it being broken. I always just thought it was a simple swap and the spell didn't last past a day, I don't think it's overpowered (or even very good at all) if "nerfed" like that, rather than outright banning.

 

[amnuxoll]

It's been a while since I ran a 3.5e game. My approach was to require approval for anything outside of the core rulebooks, but I usually ok'd any requests for such.

I nerfed these feats: Power Attack, Spirited Charge

I banned or nerfed these spells: glitterdust, grease, entangle, black tentacles, deathward, Holy Word (and equivs) and anything polymorph.

 

[GreyLord]

It depends on whether I'm the DM or not. If not, I don't ban anything.

If I am the DM, it depends on the campaign. Typically...I only allow what's found in

The core rulebooks
The Complete books
PHB 2
Dungeonscape (probably because I have a factotum fetish, he's the real jack of all trades).

Except for that, if it's a Forgotten Realms 3.X game, anything in those are allowed. If we are going 3e instead of 3.5, the equivalent of the complete books (like Sword and Fist) are allowed.



Typically, outside of FR, the following modifications are in the game...some for simplicity, some to keep me sane on book keeping.

We use Unearthed Arcana options.

All skills are chosen at first level...with alternates if you ever multiclass. We play with the max skill points option from UA

You are only ever allowed to multi into 3 classes period...and they all have to be different areas (like Warrior, Wizard, Cleric, or Warrior, Rogue, Wizard...no Fighter/Rangers).

Any Prestige classes must be planned from the start (goes along with the max skill ranks idea). You are an apprentice or initiate into that organization. Whether you suceed and become one of them is dependant on you...and how successful you are in the future (aka...if you meet the prereqs you get the prestige class when ever you want to start taking levels).

If you want to suddenly change direction and multiclass into something unplanned, you can do so ONCE in a campaign...IF YOU HAVE A GOOD ROLEPLAYING reason to do so...(aka...no...I just felt like it to pick up such and such a skill). Note: If you plan from the beginning that you are a Fighter/Duskblade or whatever...no such penalty/reasoning exists. It's part of your gameplan from the beginning.

I have that races have a different psychology than humans. Elves are NOT simply humans with pointed ears. This psychology and different outlook is why we use the options from the DMG restricting certain races from playing certain classes. In addition, you better play as if you are a different race. NO...I'm an elf but I act like a human. Act like the elf you are.

This keeps the levels and classes at a level where I can usually know everything that they are able to do and track it all. Everything else I can counter as a DM.

Be a munchkin as a Druid...WOW...where did this monster that has a 10,000 DR/Magic (or whatever I make up) with it, which in this case means ANY damage caused by magic or RESULTS of magic, inclusive of buffs that add their damage, attack bonuses...etc. to it. In addition it reflects all that damage back on the person using the shapechange, buff, spell...etc. Wow...what a terrible creature...I'd run away from it...but that's just my advice...do as you will. Basically, if they go crazy...I can normally use anything in my imagination with rule 0 to counter it and balance out the party, so all players can feel like they are a benefit to the party if they wish to participate (so no one sided Wizards, Clerics, or Druids rule the day...it is a party thing where all work together to build on their weaknesses and strengths).

Other than that, feats, weapons, spells, whatever they want from the books above...they are all allowed.

Occasionally I'll run a Corebooks only campaign...it should be obvious what is or isn't allowed in that.

I also occasionally run a stronger UA campaign, where we use the generic classes from UA (Warrior, Spellcaster, Expert) along with choices for the prestige classes (Bard, Ranger and paladin).

Occasionally I also allow Gestalt characters to be run alongside with normal characters...but they take 2x the XP to advance to the next level.

So I run the gamut of totally open in Forgotten Realms...to more closed games.