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<blockquote data-quote="Nail" data-source="post: 692173" data-attributes="member: 224">Re: Re: Thanks!...And this is at least part of (our) problem.&nbsp; As the DM (Hey DrSpunj and Videssian!!), I'd like the combat to be fast paced, fun, and as house-rule-free as possible.&nbsp; This last bit is because we're a new group, and each of us has our own set of house rules coming into the game.&nbsp; In my opinion it's much easier to limit them for now.On another note: If you would house rule the -4 (so that you can ignore it if you don't care who you hit), doesn't that also cause some other unintended side-effects?<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Archers become even more powerful than they already are.&nbsp; Changing an automatic penalty to an optional one means that archers have even more flexibility.&nbsp; Gee....what a good idea.&nbsp; &lt;=an attempt at sarcasm. 
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<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Archer PrCs become slightly less desirable.&nbsp; You don't need some of their special abilities if you can optionally ignore penalties. 
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<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Combat becomes even less realistic.&nbsp; One way to interprete the -4 is that melee combat is a fluid process.&nbsp; (I realize the PH says differently.)&nbsp; Regardless of how carefully or carelessly you aim, people are constantly shifting and moving and dodging sword blows.....contrast this with shooting at someone out in the open.&nbsp; The calculus of the situations are completely different. 
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<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Party unity can be ...err, compromised: &quot;Thanks fer th' arrow in the butt, buddy! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f621.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":mad:" title="Mad&nbsp; &nbsp; :mad:"&nbsp; data-smilie="4"data-shortname=":mad:" />&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Well, it coulda been yer head, ya crazed barbarian!&quot;&nbsp; 
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<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Metagaming: &quot;I know my buddy's AC is high, so...&quot;&nbsp; or&nbsp; &quot;I really want this kill, so.....&quot;&nbsp; or&nbsp; &quot;My buddy can take th' hit, but the monster can't....&quot;</li>
</ul>YMMV</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Nail, post: 692173, member: 224"] [b]Re: Re: Thanks![/b] ...And this is at least part of (our) problem. As the DM (Hey [b]DrSpunj[/b] and [b]Videssian[/b]!!), I'd like the combat to be fast paced, fun, and as house-rule-free as possible. This last bit is because we're a new group, and each of us has our own set of house rules coming into the game. In my opinion it's much easier to limit them for now. On another note: If you [i]would[/i] house rule the -4 (so that you can ignore it if you don't care who you hit), doesn't that also cause some other unintended side-effects? [list][*]Archers become even more powerful than they already are. Changing an automatic penalty to an optional one means that archers have [i]even more[/i] flexibility. Gee....what a good idea. <=an attempt at sarcasm. [*]Archer PrCs become slightly less desirable. You don't need some of their special abilities if you can optionally ignore penalties. [*]Combat becomes even less realistic. One way to interprete the -4 is that melee combat is a fluid process. (I realize the PH says differently.) Regardless of how carefully or carelessly you aim, people are constantly shifting and moving and dodging sword blows.....contrast this with shooting at someone out in the open. The calculus of the situations are completely different. [*]Party unity can be ...err, compromised: "Thanks fer th' arrow in the butt, buddy! :mad:" "Well, it coulda been yer head, ya crazed barbarian!" [*]Metagaming: "I know my buddy's AC is high, so..." or "I really want this kill, so....." or "My buddy can take th' hit, but the monster can't...."[/list] YMMV [/QUOTE]

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