History Headscratchers / DungeonsAndDragons

* Why is the "standard cosmology" in the third edition called that? According to wikipedia: "The standard D&D cosmology is the official cosmology used in the Planescape and Greyhawk campaign settings." If it's only used in those settings, what's "standard" about it? Or if it's the one usually used (which ''Manual of the Planes'' seems to imply) then why does Wiki/TheOtherWiki single it out as used by ''Planescape'' and ''Greyhawk''?

* Liches are always evil, so it presumably goes to [[{{Hell}} the lower planes.]]

** Because it's a vile bureaucracy UpToEleven? That is, it stands on politicking, including both obedience and intriguing behind the superior's back (but not rebellion). This proves the greater understanding of DealWithTheDevil -style order. That is, the superior who was set up didn't deserve to be the superior. Order + Evil involves imposing one's will on the others. ''Faces of Evil'' says that though black abishai are made from spinagons risen in power, they are despised ''more''. Because a black abishai is someone who served well, but due to lack of ambition and cunning was given only minimum promotion. Properly wicked spinagons end up promoted by more than one step. "No determination" = "not cool".

** You're interpreting it backwards. The "standard cosmology" of 3E wasn't "standard" ''because'' those two settings used it. It's the "standard" (= default) cosmology for every D&D game, unless a particular setting specifies otherwise (e.g. the Mystara setting's original cosmology of Spheres and Immortals, or the thousands of homebrew cosmologies in use by individual DMs). Greyhawk and Planescape are cited as examples of settings which ''don't'' thus specify, not as the reason ''why'' the Great Wheel exists.

** Also, the Controller role is more vaguely defined than the others. The Fighter and Rogue already have so many powers focusing on forced movement or StandardStatusEffects respectively that a martial Controller can't be a new class. The only concept that makes sense is a ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' Ranger with pets and traps.

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[[folder:The Animated Series]]
* The climax of "The Dragons' Graveyard": Morality aside, are we really supposed to believe that arrow ''could'' have killed Venger, even with the FieldPowerEffect in place? The guy has repeatedly survived stuff that looked ''a lot'' more lethal than Hank's powered-up arrows, giving the impression that he's immortal. You figured the reason the kids enlisted Tiamat's help in the first place is because she's the only thing in the Realm powerful enough to kill him DeaderThanDead. But when she agrees to help, all she does is bring him there, so they don't need her to kill him for them after all, meaning this place supposedly must make their weapons ''as powerful as Tiamat'', but she breaks out of one of Hank's energy lassos very easily. Even with the power boost they have there, it doesn't look like their weapons have been made as lethal as Heart Stones, the Dragon's Heart, a collapsing Hall of Bones, or an erupting volcano -- that is, as the stuff Venger's returned from without a scratch. During the battle, Venger bats one of Hank's powered-up arrows aside as easily as he always does. So how is one shot from an arrow suddenly supposed to be able to kill this guy?
** Simple, because Venger's power has been restrained at the time. Yes, at full power and ability Venger would easily survive or even deflect the arrow, however, normally he would also be able to just teleport away or break the bonds holding him. Unfortunately for him all the weapons got a power up from being in the Dragon's Graveyard so Presto's magic, which is what is holding him in place, is now stronger than Venger's, which is what makes him vulnerable and why he's afraid.
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** It's just ''called'' X-ray because X-ray is the nearest English for the "Common" word for "magic stuff that lets you see through other stuff".
** It's just a ring that allows you to see through solid objects. It's more like a Hollywoodesque X-Ray ring. So, yeah, a "Ring of X-Ray Vision" isn't with X-Ray. But it's way cooler to say than a "Ring of Transparent Vision"
** How about a Ring of Deepsight? ...too New Agey?
** I like it, except for the fact that it sounds like an Underdark or Dwarven thing rather than "see through stuff".
** TranslationConvention: whatever word means "seeing through stuff" in D&D Common translates most easily to "X-ray" in English
** People question the use of "X-Rays" but no one questions why a ''ring'' not ''goggles'' is used.
** Because GogglesDoNothing?
** So players will have an idea on what it would do and what to associate it with? For that matter, why are the rulebooks written in the modern day language it's printed it in? It should be printed in [[YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe Old common]].
** They print it in modern day language so you don't have to keep logging on to google every five minutes.
** Pretty sure that was the other troper's point, duder.
** In 3.5e, making a magic item generally requires access to magic that somehow relates to the item's desired effect. And yet, the Ring of X-Ray Vision requires True Seeing, which [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trueSeeing.htm very explicitly]] doesn't let you see through solid objects, even specifically pointing out x-ray vision as something the spell doesn't do.

** In the setting 'acid' energy is not actually acid (at least when magic/dragon breath is involved) but rather energy that acts like an acid (i.e. disolving materials) it's just convenient to group magic and mundane acid into an energy type for resists/protection froms.

** That's not why, though. The "why" is that D&D follows the old european elemental system, Fire, air(electrical), water(cold), and earth(acid), with the spare sonic/force thrown in there for brute physical force. Acid was what was more-or-less arbitrarily picked for the Earth alignment method of applying damage since it's produced from plants and minerals for the most part.

** Who says the balor won't tear a disobedient underling to pieces on some other plane, ''and'' tell its fellows back home to do so all over again, if not worse, when said underling revives in the Abyss?

** Actually. Humans should have a higher constitution than damn near anything, or at the very least endurance which is several multitudes higher than anything else.

** The main problem with this idea is that we're not considering the whole "Dwarves have a higher constitution than we do" point. Meaning that, in [=DnD=], if humans are MadeOfIron, Dwarves are Made Of Steel.
** Or mithril.

** You're interpreting it backwards. The "standard cosmology" of 3E wasn't "standard" ''because'' those two settings used it. It's the "standard" (= default) cosmology for every D&D game, unless a particular setting specifies otherwise (e.g. the Mystara setting's original cosmology of Spheres and Immortals, or the thousands of homebrew cosmologies in use by individual DMs). Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms are cited as examples of settings which ''don't'' thus specify, not as the reason ''why'' the Great Wheel exists.