What is broken in 3.5 pre-errata?

[Trandir]

Just that what was broken in the first release of any manual in the long run of the 3.5 edition?

[Eldariel]

Errata doesn't really change much. The worst part is obviously Shapechange, which goes up to 50 HD, but it's 100% gamebreaking even with the erratum. Polymorph is kinda...whatever, it's really hard to figure out how it works without errata, but it's probably still dumb. The biggest direct nerfs in the errata were Divine Favor and Righteous Might (Righteous Might straight-up had its bonuses halved, while Divine Favor was capped at +3 instead of +6) making the lack of errata leave Codzilla even more superior to martials than otherwise, but that's not that big of a deal; it's still just numbers.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Divine Metamagic. The errata made it so you need to have the selected metamagic feat first, and made it only work on divine spells. Without the errata you can dip one level of Sacred Exorcist and spend one feat to get Divine Metamagic: Persistent, and use that with your arcane spells.

[Troacctid]

There's no rule preventing wizards from scribing off-list spells into their books. Also, you can add sneak attack damage to ability damage and basically insta-KO people.

[Zombulian]

There's no rule preventing wizards from scribing off-list spells into their books.

Somehow I feel like this may not be accidental, though it is obviously quite powerful. Like WotC may have spelled (heh) out their intention more clearly with the Archivist - ie: you only automatically gain Cleric spells, but for scribing, if it’s Divine it’s fair game.


Also, you can add sneak attack damage to ability damage and basically insta-KO people.

You WHAT

[tyckspoon]

You WHAT

Sneak Attack and most forms of precision damage just say something like 'when you do damage, add xd6 dice of damage.' Certain people noticed that the game is not at all precise about using the word 'damage', and it refers to all kinds of things that are not restricted to just reducing HP counts. That got patched in.. I think it was one of the arcane-related Completes, so that if you Sneak Attack with a Ray of Stupidity or something the Sneak Attack component either does nothing or just does HP damage.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I think both the off-list spells and the precision damage to ability scores was covered in the Rules Compendium. That’s not limited to errata.

[Zombulian]

Sneak Attack and most forms of precision damage just say something like 'when you do damage, add xd6 dice of damage.' Certain people noticed that the game is not at all precise about using the word 'damage', and it refers to all kinds of things that are not restricted to just reducing HP counts. That got patched in.. I think it was one of the arcane-related Completes, so that if you Sneak Attack with a Ray of Stupidity or something the Sneak Attack component either does nothing or just does HP damage.

I remember that rule but I thought it was about negative levels right? Like instead of doing +Xd6 negative levels it does negative levels +Xd6 negative energy damage?

[Trandir]

I think both the off-list spells and the precision damage to ability scores was covered in the Rules Compendium. That’s not limited to errata.

Maybe but they were thinks broken when they got first published so they still count


I remember that rule but I thought it was about negative levels right? Like instead of doing +Xd6 negative levels it does negative levels +Xd6 negative energy damage?

Now negative levels and ability damage both get the SA bonus converted in negative energy damage instead of more level/stat damage

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Broken in the opposite direction, I just learned yesterday that until the Rules Compendium using the Hide skill (or even having total concealment) couldn't make opponents flat-footed.

[Karl Aegis]

The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde. It isn't written anywhere how many spice carts you're looking for in the first quest. They're in a pit that you can't get out of if you're carrying the spices. The second quest doesn't flag unless you do some RANDOM EXPLORING! (tm). Seriously, you get the job done and have to go back into the first adventure site for no reason just to progress. There's nothing else to do, so your players just have to guess what they have to do despite there being no marks or signs that there might be more spices further in the dungeon.

[KillianHawkeye]

Spontaneous Divination without the erratum that limits it to divination spells you actually know.