Why hasn't anyone mentioned this yet? (3.5)

[Pbartender]

Please feel free to use this thread to post any interesting rules changes that, as far as you know, no one else has commented on.

Light Sources, Concealment and Cover...

Concealment and Cover are now flat bonuses (or penalties, depending on how you look at it), with a simple note on adjusting them for circumstances.

And one of my personal favorite changes... Light sources now have two radii listed. One for 'bright' light, and one for 'shadowy' light, which provides concealment bonuses. No more all or nothing light!

 

[Ferret]

Won't adding BAB to Sensemotive be really awkward? You could end up with a 23+20+wisdom that could easilly be 30ish=53. It just looks to high for me...

 

[Dr_Rictus]

How about being able to use the absolute value of the CHA modifier? That'd take care of those really scary ugly guys.

Low charisma is not about being "scary." It's about being unable to influence people. You may be ugly (because sadly, the aspect of appearance still appears in the description of Charisma), but you can be ugly and simply come across as pathetic.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

Won't adding BAB to Sensemotive be really awkward? You could end up with a 23+20+wisdom that could easilly be 30ish=53. It just looks to high for me...

Not without (A) judicious multiclassing or (B) being a paladin.

I have no problem with that. There is no inalienable right to find all targets susceptible to your feints.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Oy!

Maze now allows Spell Resistance. Why?

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Intimidate is still a CHA-based skill. I'd hoped they would make it either CHA or STR, player's choice.

See Masters of the Wild. It has a varient rule sidebar with this very thing in it. Basically, in any situation where you use your size and muscles to intimidate, you can use your STR mod instead of CHA.

 

[Brisk-sg]

The change from "Enlarge" to "Enlarge Person".

Enlarge Person is one of the best buffs in the game seeing as it is only a level 1 spell.

It increases the Size Category by One (I never understood why they didn't do this with enlarge), thus giving you increased reach, and larger weapons. So going from a Medium to a Large Creature (with a longsword) gives you:

* +2 Strength
* -2 Dexterity
* -1 penalty to Attack and AC
* Natural Reach of 10 Feet (Very Nice)
* Large Longsword (3d6 damage)
* Lasts 1/min per level

That spell is a vast improvement over the 3rd Edition Enlarge. I almost think it is too good. You get both Reach and a substantial increase to your weapon damage.

 

[Vocenoctum]

And the uncanny dodge ability of barbarian/rogues is now calculated differently. Previously the rules said that a barbarian/rogue could treat her barbarian levels as rogue levels to determine how effective her uncanny dodge is.

Was this added later? I remember it for various PrC's, but don't see it in my PHB.

 

[two]

Enlarge Person

Agreed.

Enlarge person is now the best 1st level buff spell ever, period.

Expect to see a lot of potions of enlarge, wondrous items of enlarge, rings of perma-enlarge.

The reach thing alone is worth at LEAST ONE extra AOO per combat (as first bad guy moves from 10 to 5), and probably a lot more. (throw in cleave and combat reflexes and whatever).

If you start out with a reach weapon and THEN get enlarged, it's just ugly.

If you have a spiked chain or other such weapon, it is absolutely gross.

Enlarged spiked chain = 15 foot reach. Excellent weapon damage. Combat reflexes anyone?

The "down" side of being bigger is more than made up for in the strength bonus, the extra attacks via AOO, and reach.

Honestly, this just scares me some.

Do people even KNOW what a 1st level Barbarian, raging, with a greatsword, who was enlarged by his 1st level wizzie buddy will do to a CR1-2-3 horde? YIKES! That's at FIRST LEVEL!!!!

 

[Lamoni]

Low charisma is not about being "scary." It's about being unable to influence people. You may be ugly (because sadly, the aspect of appearance still appears in the description of Charisma), but you can be ugly and simply come across as pathetic.

Exactly. That is why I believe that in most circumstances, intimidate shouldn't be influenced by strength. The intimidate skill is about getting them to do what you want. Anyone can look big and scary. But what do people do when they are scared? That is hard to guess at. That is why it would take one with charisma to know the right amount of strength to show to make them do what you want instead of making them just throw caution to the wind and trying to run for their life and never return. Or maybe they would pass out. Or maybe they had a bad life and wouldn't mind ending it by fighting that ugly looking fighter.

I would post about rules I noticed in the PHB, but I STILL haven't received it. I pre-ordered it from Amazon and it was just shipped today. I was a little ticked off and sent them an e-mail, but they didn't even upgrade my shipping.

Edit:spelling