Obvious Rule Patch / Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition

• A rule introduced in this edition states that bonuses of the same types don't stack — only the largest one takes effect (with the exception of dodge bonuses to AC). This led to much more rule-patching to give previously-untyped bonuses types so they couldn't be so easily stacked any more.
• 3.0 spellcasters had a bad habit of summoning heavy creatures in midair, causing them to deal obscene amounts of blunt damage as falling objects when they hit opponents. This is an eminently logical thing to do with a summoning spell, and the kind of Outside-the-Box Tactic that D&D often encourages. However, it's not only Not the Intended Use of the summoning spell, but it's also a Game-Breaker. Wizards of the Coast amended the summon spells in 3.5 to prevent creatures from being summoned into an environment that can't support them (i.e., you can summon a whale into the ocean, but you can't summon it in midair over a grassy field). The spell was later patched even further to say that all summoned creatures appear on the ground.
• 3.0 bards only looked at how many ranks you had in Perform to determine what bardic performances you could use. Notably, this meant that all you unlocked from extra bard levels was more spells. As a result, the best bard was actually a Bard 1/Rogue 19, because you got all the same performances plus the abilities of a level 19 rogue. In 3.5, this was changed to also require levels of bard to unlock performances.
• You can't sunder armor in 3.5. You can break weapons, shields, even items they're wearing like pendants. Just not armor. It would be easier to just break the fallen paladin's armor and then stab him, leading to silly situations such as the above.
• In previous editions, dimension door created a pair of portals through which the PCs could travel great distances. But PCs often created horizontal or diagonal doors to bisect enemies for an instant kill. Some people even used giant portals to bisect buildings, fortifications, and castles. Another tactic was to open a portal into a volcano or the sea, then use the exit portal to flood an enemy base with lava or water. This was changed so that dimension door is just a teleport spell for the caster and one other person at max. Also, attempting to Tele-Frag someone with dimenson door in 3.5e onward prevents the teleport from working, makes the caster take damage, and leaves the target alone. All of this was done to prevent players from using dimension door in a way that was not only Not the Intended Use, but also a total Game-Breaker.
• When a player turns into an animal (such as the Wild Shape ability of a Druid), they can no longer speak any languages they know; all they can do is make that animal's natural vocalizations. Third Edition rules inform you that this doesn't mean you can still talk if you turn into a parrot, since a parrot's natural call is squawking.
• Any monster that has the ability to swallow enemies whole has text in its description noting that a victim can cut their way out of the stomach, but "muscular action" forces the hole closed behind it. It's clear this was done to patch two issues: 1) the monster simply bleeding to death after a giant hole is cut in its belly, and 2) the swallow ability being rendered completely useless after the first time someone escapes.
• The confusion spell can cause a character to attack the nearest target, friend or foe. However, for the purposes of the spell, a familiar is considered part of a character, so it's exempt from being attacked when a character is confused. This patch is to prevent characters from killing their own familiars due to a second-level spell.
• In 3.0/3.5, creatures with the innate ability to summon other creatures cannot use said ability when they themselves are under a summoning effect. This is mainly because high-level monsters (such as the balor) can summon others of their kind with a 100 percent chance of success. Without the rule, it would allow them to summon a balor, which could summon its own balor, which could summon its own balor, ad infinitum.
• Touch AC, which lets spells ignore armor. Coming from 2e, they consolidated ray spells and weapon attacks into the same attack resolution system, which led to a catch-22. If you make wizards good at hitting with spells, they'll also be able to hit with weapons, while if you make them bad at hitting with weapons, they'll also have trouble landing spells. The solution? Armor was still the main factor in Armor Class, so just let spells bypass it.

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