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

[Mercule]

Also there is no such thing as a college of wizardy or buying scrolls of an arcane spell.

That tends to apply in my game, too.

Otherwise, point taken.

 

[Mercule]

Biggest problem is with "wish". I told my PCs (30LV+) that if they truly feel a need to use it that their wish is on the spot and SUBJECT TO ANY DISTORTIONS that i can fit into their wording. If they have a problem with that then to bad.

I feel that 3E has pretty well put enough constraints on Wish that I no longer have to shift into RBDM mode when a PC wants to use it. Not that I've had many PCs get to the level they could cast it, anyway, but I've thought about the situation.

Now, things like Efreet granting wishes: Yeah, that can get messy. Most entities that can grant wishes tend to have underlying agendas that will be reflected in the results.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

That tends to apply in my game, too.

defeated by a confluence of house rules!

Otherwise, point taken.

 

[noseman]

I don't allow psionics.

Most of my players only have the core books anyhow, but if they want to use something outside the core, then I only request that they check with me first (and I usually say yes).

I actually don't give out XP per the DMG. If you show up, you get 1/3 the XP (determined by me and based on the levels of the PCs) that you would normally get for that session (regardless of encounters). The other 2/3 will be based on what the PC's do. I assign pips to the PCs for participating in the action, role-playing, roll-playing (random element), contributing to the story, etc. The person with the most pips gets the full 2/3 remaining XP for that session. All the others lose 10 or 25 XP per pip below the highest. This system rewards good roleplayers and good (lucky?) dice rollers. Basically, when I started DMing, I was so inundated with coming up to speed on all the rules and what-not, that I didn't have time to grasp the XP award system. Maybe in the next adventure...

 

[Funeris]

Are these rules only in the special edition DMG? I like the sound of them, but I'm not willing to shell out $70 right now.

Nope they're in the normal 3.5 DMG as well--somewhere around page 37 I think I recall...(but my memories fading fast so...). But I can tell you this: it's in a side bar that takes up about half a page

I just checked...it is on page 37. Enjoy!

~Fune

 

[BlueBlackRed]

I don't allow the Withdraw action. (The one that lets you run away from melee combat as a full round action.)
You either take the AoO or you can 5' step away and run next round.

And psionics only exist as a DM tool.
And even then it's rarely seen.

Even as a player I don't allow psionics.
If someone takes it, I make a ranger who dual-wields maces (aka tire-irons) who hates psionics.
Then I mention to everyone that a skull does sound like an eggshell when crushed.

 

[Jackelope King]

And psionics only exist as a DM tool.
And even then it's rarely seen.

Even as a player I don't allow psionics.
If someone takes it, I make a ranger who dual-wields maces (aka tire-irons) who hates psionics.
Then I mention to everyone that a skull does sound like an eggshell when crushed.

And on the other end of the spectrum, one game I run only allows XPH psionics. Arcane and divine magic (and any classes or abilities associated with it) are banned.

In my other games, pretty much anything goes, but players should speak with me about it first. I find that players who are willing to devote time to the mechanical end of their characters are usually also the ones who are willing to devote time to the personalities of their characters as well. If you find some crunchy bit you like, bring it to me for review, and odds are we'll figure out a way to make it fit. I rewrite 99% of the fluff I find anyway, so a little more won't kill me. I like options. I like giving my players options. Everyone's happier when they characters play the way they want.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I don't allow the Withdraw action. (The one that lets you run away from melee combat as a full round action.)
You either take the AoO or you can 5' step away and run next round.

Not to drag this too far off topic, but ... uh ... why?

Especially that "Take the 5' step" really means "Don't withdraw at all," given that your target can just as easily follow you with his own 5' step.

 

[Kyrian]

When I first started DMing a few weeks ago, I almost decided to make it the core books only to keep it easy on myself. But then I thought about how the players all had other books that they had paid for and most likely wanted to use.So basically I let them use what they want (a spell from complete arcane, a feat from races of the wild, etc.) as long as they run it by me first.

Afterall (using a different analogy) it'd be silly to buy a new DVD and then have someone tell you that you can't watch the "making of..." documentary because they didn't like what it said. If letting such-and-such feat in my game helps the player have more fun, then it's not IMO a bad feat.

 

[Rev. Jesse]

No flat-footed at the start of combat if you are aware of the opponent before hand.

It seems to me that this rule would significantly impact Rogues, Barbarians, and characters with the Improved Init feat. Are these player options less frequent in your campaign?

This is a really interesting thread. How strange it is to think that DMs have banned riding dogs, animated shields, and flying carpets. Those items seem so random that there *must* be a story behind them. Dish.