Rules that are fun/cool/handy

[Jowgen]

Kind of like the dysfunctions and the no-sense thread, but instead we look at all the little rules that are just kind of fun, cool, or can just come in handy to know in certain situation. Lets us come together in appreciation of some of the nicer things WotC have come up with for the game

I'll start with Armwresting (City of Stormreach, p. 27). First you make opposed intimidate checks, then you do opposed strenght checks (loosing the intimidate gives you -2) to move the opponent's hand 30 degrees towards the table, beating the enemy's strenght check by 10 lets you move their hand 60 degrees and beating it by 20 lets you move it 90. Repeat the strenght checks until someone looses. Winner of a bar/tavern tournament can get 10 gp and free drinks for the night. This rule just oooooooozes flavour. :smallbiggrin:

[Jowgen]

No takers? :smallfrown:

[Kelb_Panthera]

One that's reeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyy handy for wizards to know that isn't as well known as it should be; at the beginning of the day you can leave spell slots open and prepare up to 1/4 of your daily allotment in just 15 minutes.

Seriously, anytime you have 15 minutes, an open slot, and the right spell for the task at hand somewhere in your spellbook, that problem is as good as solved. Same goes for archivists and wu jen.

[Psyren]

^ In that vein, there is the one about divine casters not actually needing sleep/rest to regain spells. Lots of DMs forget that one too and insist that because the party hasn't had time to sleep that nobody gets their magic back.

[Extra Anchovies]

One that's reeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyy handy for wizards to know that isn't as well known as it should be; at the beginning of the day you can leave spell slots open and prepare up to 1/4 of your daily allotment in just 15 minutes.

Seriously, anytime you have 15 minutes, an open slot, and the right spell for the task at hand somewhere in your spellbook, that problem is as good as solved. Same goes for archivists and wu jen.

Indeed. The true Schrödinger's Wizard only prepares their all-day buffs plus one encounters' worth of spells at the start of the day.

[Psyren]

Indeed. The true Schrödinger's Wizard only prepares their all-day buffs plus one encounters' worth of spells at the start of the day.

I would say two encounters. You never want to be caught with your robes around your ankles because two fights happen within an 15 minutes of each other.

Sha'irs are even more fun because you can be prepping for the next encounter while fighting in the current one :smallbiggrin:

[Quiddle]

Anyone familiar with the falling rules XD

[Kelb_Panthera]

Anyone familiar with the falling rules XD

You talking about how anyone with 80 or so hp's and a healing belt can do a HALO drop and come up swinging? That is somewhat amusing.

[Quiddle]

1 Falling of a cliff, falling from stalling in flight, and jumping off a cliff all fall at different speeds and don't reference each other.
2 Dropping prone in your square lets you fall any distance instantly and not take any damage.

[Extra Anchovies]

You talking about how anyone with 80 or so hp's and a healing belt can do a HALO drop and come up swinging? That is somewhat amusing.

It's even better in Pathfinder, if I may take this thread on a minor tangent. There's a certain 3rd-party prestige class called the Armor Bonded which is very easy to qualify for. Six levels in it and you can pick up an ability called Crashdown, which does the following:

"The body of an armor bonded with this graft absorbs damage he suffers from a fall and releases it against those around him. An armor bonded gains DR 25 against damage from falling any height. In addition, the impact of the landing creates powerful tremors. Anyone within a 10-foot radius centered on the armor bonded takes 1d6 damage per 10 feet the armor bonded fell."

There is also a magic item called Boots of the Cat which does the following:

"The boot’s wearer always takes the minimum possible damage from falls (as if the GM had rolled a 1 on each die of damage incurred by the fall) and at the end of a fall always lands on his feet."

DR 25/— vs fall damage + minimum possible fall damage + crashdown's damage ability = at-will 20d6 no-save no-SR no-attack-roll untyped damage against anyone who's unlucky enough to be within 10 feet of where you land. The only limitation is finding ways to get that high up; falling is a free action, so you could do it every round if you had some way to teleport or fly into the air.

[Jowgen]

In complete darkness, a light-source can be seen from a distance equal to 10 times its illumination radius, or 5 times its shadowy illumination radius if it only does that. At half the indicated distance you can see the light source automatically, and people outside the light source can see into it without problem. (Comyr: tearing of the weave p. 72).

A little known rule that does away with the whole "can't spot the sun" misconception :smallbiggrin:

[TheCrowing1432]

talking is a free action

[Duke of Urrel]

Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).

I like this rule. It's a nice benefit for dwarves that seems natural for them because of their sturdy build, and it simplifies the encumbrance rules for them.

[Venger]

squeezing rules.

that is all.

[KingSmitty]

i enjoy the pursuit rules, basically if you're fastest and have the most constitution, you can run anyone down and then slaughter them. Also i am a fan of the fortitude save for massive damage rule.

[Zaq]

Kind of like the dysfunctions and the no-sense thread, but instead we look at all the little rules that are just kind of fun, cool, or can just come in handy to know in certain situation. Lets us come together in appreciation of some of the nicer things WotC have come up with for the game

I'll start with Armwresting (City of Stormreach, p. 27). First you make opposed intimidate checks, then you do opposed strenght checks (loosing the intimidate gives you -2) to move the opponent's hand 30 degrees towards the table, beating the enemy's strenght check by 10 lets you move their hand 60 degrees and beating it by 20 lets you move it 90. Repeat the strenght checks until someone looses. Winner of a bar/tavern tournament can get 10 gp and free drinks for the night. This rule just oooooooozes flavour. :smallbiggrin:

Ironically, this directly contradicts page 66 of the PHB. "In some cases, an action is a straight test of one’s ability with no luck involved. Just as you wouldn’t make a height check to see who is taller, you don’t make a Strength check to see who is stronger. When two characters arm wrestle, for example, the stronger character simply wins. In the case of identical scores, roll a die."

[Psyren]

^ That passage is kinda silly though when you think about it. That would mean you shouldn't roll grapple checks because the stronger guy should just win, circumstances like technique or leverage be damned. Don't roll bull rush because the stronger guy should just win, and screw momentum, terrain, skill or even size.

Arm wrestling is just as subject to some of these modifiers as, well, regular wrestling.

[IAmTehDave]

I like this rule. It's a nice benefit for dwarves that seems natural for them because of their sturdy build, and it simplifies the encumbrance rules for them.

1: A dwarf can tumble in heavy armor. (Remember: Tumble doesn't say you have to be light load/armor, just that your load/armor can't encumber you.)
2: You can use the Tumble skill to make Perform checks for gold.
3: Mithril Gloryborn Mechanus Gear + Female Dwarf = The weirdest pole-dance show you'll ever get to see.
4: ... Eye/Brain bleach.
5: Profit!