What game mechanics etc. do you, the DM, forbid?

[DerianCypher]

Raging Berserker was abosultely banned in one of our campaigns when the barb. that had it in one of our games got down to -300ish and was still going during a major dragon battle.

 

[Psion]

A few that other people have mentioned since my last post.

Most of BoVD
Evil PCs (and, for that matter, CN PCs unless you can convince me that your character has a motivation that keeps them from being a PITA.)

For that matter, I am really cool on most new base classes. No Soulknife, No core classes from Complete Adventurer, NO CW Samurai (worst class evar), no spirit shaman or shugenja, and no spellthief.

Also, raptorians are lame and are right out.

 

[Aus_Snow]

No core classes from Complete Adventurer.

Hm, do you not allow Scouts (for example) because they look bleh, look broken, have proved to be bleh, or have proved to be broken? Not necessarily disagreeing by the way, just wondering. I've found the Scout to be OK so far in the one campaign (of mine) that has one in it. Not particularly fascinating I guess (the class itself, that is), but OK.

raptorians are lame and are right out.

Heh, yeah.

 

[diaglo]

NO CW Samurai (worst class evar)

Dread Necromancer could give it a run for the money. a class that causes damage to the other PCs is not meant to be played as a PC class.

 

[Coplen]

as a referee i'm open to suggestions by my players. we work together to make it fit the campaign.

anything the PCs can do the monsters can too.

You mean your players haven't died off from aging yet?

 

[jmucchiello]

Dropped the exp penalty for multi-classing. Exchanged that for gaining an extra skill point per level of your favored class.

The first part we do. The second part is a cool idea. Maybe next campaign....

Let's see.... Clerics/Paladins can turn undead all day long. If Pelor is still granting you access to your spells, why won't he send you some positive energy? Downside is, we don't allow the feats that work off undead turning.

You can charge through a friendly space.

There are a few other house rules but they are even more esoteric than the above rules changes.

 

[Evilhalfling]

No Pokemount
Options outside 3 core books + draconomicon, accepted only after review.
Race changes for world flavor.
No Singham or spiked chains - These are not real weapons.
No multiclassing penalties.

 

[Bardsandsages]

having recently been reading my new Special Edition DMG (which i paid $40 for online) i can tell you that it covers your problem if you want to look it up.

use the optional/variant rules on summonings. make the player pick specific creatures.. give them names... and build them... much like the Pokemount for the paladin... but this does it for summoning spells.

I like that. Thanks.

I've also considered awarding part of the XP for the encounter to the summoned creatures. This way on one hand the party would be more careful about WHEN they summon creatures, and on the other the summoned creatures themselves then have the chance to get stronger. Which since this game is going into the epic levels, could very well become important to the party later.

 

[MonsterMash]

Fairly few restrictions, except no classes or races from outside Core + Setting stuff without prior approval (in my Wilderlands campaign, plenty of human subraces to choose from and most non LA races can be allowed - I don't like LA races when I prefer to start from 1st level).

 

[Psion]

Hm, do you not allow Scouts (for example) because they look bleh, look broken, have proved to be bleh, or have proved to be broken?

It's really more I have a chip on my shoulder about all (base) classes needing their own niche and I try to minimize duplication. My general preference when an existing core class is not generic enough to handle reasonable archetypes that it might represent, to seek out a more general solution. The scout seems too close to a ranger/rogue to me.

I have already found my ranger replacement in Wildscape by FFG. It keeps the existing ranger but expands on customization options. By using the existing ranger, I can plug into material that talks about rangers, instead of going the route of a modestly different class that is less well supported.