Broken Stuff [Archive] - Wizards Community

Broken Stuff [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Morbid
12-16-05, 07:41 PM This confuses my tiny little mind. You all say that things are "Broken". Does this mean they don't fit in the time period, or work against themselves or what? Can someone give me the definition for your use of the word "Broken"?
Fargren
12-16-05, 07:53 PM Something thats way too powerful or way to weak compared with the average, and should be modified or not used because of that.
Morbid
12-16-05, 07:58 PM Thanks a lot Fargren
Gailbraithe
12-16-05, 08:13 PM I'll give you an example of something that was "broken" in 2nd edition that very clearly illustrates what "broken" means.

In the 2nd Ed. Complete Humanoids Handbook the Satyr was made available as a player race. The race itself was fairly balanced and wrokable EXCEPT for the Pan Pipes. For 3 Non-Weapon Proficienes (about the equivalent of 9 six points or 1 feat) the Satyr PC could use the satyr piping ability to cast Charm Person, Sleep, or Cause Fear an unlimited number of times per day. Furthermore, it affected everyone who could hear it. They could do this at first level. Because 1st level monsters have poor saves, this meant that anything the PCs could handle in a fight would get slept, charmed, or panicked by the Satyr before the fight began. It was ridiculously overpowered, and made playing anthing other than a Satyr seem stupid. Satyrs just ruled the game. So that ability was broken.
spoogemonkey
12-23-05, 03:14 PM most of the time the term describes something that threatens the game because it is so abusable.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Morbid 12-16-05, 07:41 PM	This confuses my tiny little mind. You all say that things are "Broken". Does this mean they don't fit in the time period, or work against themselves or what? Can someone give me the definition for your use of the word "Broken"?
Fargren 12-16-05, 07:53 PM	Something thats way too powerful or way to weak compared with the average, and should be modified or not used because of that.
Morbid 12-16-05, 07:58 PM	Thanks a lot Fargren
Gailbraithe 12-16-05, 08:13 PM	I'll give you an example of something that was "broken" in 2nd edition that very clearly illustrates what "broken" means. In the 2nd Ed. Complete Humanoids Handbook the Satyr was made available as a player race. The race itself was fairly balanced and wrokable EXCEPT for the Pan Pipes. For 3 Non-Weapon Proficienes (about the equivalent of 9 six points or 1 feat) the Satyr PC could use the satyr piping ability to cast Charm Person, Sleep, or Cause Fear an unlimited number of times per day. Furthermore, it affected everyone who could hear it. They could do this at first level. Because 1st level monsters have poor saves, this meant that anything the PCs could handle in a fight would get slept, charmed, or panicked by the Satyr before the fight began. It was ridiculously overpowered, and made playing anthing other than a Satyr seem stupid. Satyrs just ruled the game. So that ability was broken.
spoogemonkey 12-23-05, 03:14 PM	most of the time the term describes something that threatens the game because it is so abusable.