History TabletopGame / DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition

** Starting from the 3.0 and 3.5 editions, Paladins have a class ability granting IdealIllnessImmunity, as well as the ability to magically cure diseases (which are implemented as stat debuffs), as well as an immunity to fear effects (plus giving allies a bonus against these).
** Monks also gain an immunity to diseases (though not supernatural ones like Paladins), and both Monks and Druids have class abilities granting immunity to poisons of all kinds (which are a very common form of stat debuffs).

TabletopGame/{{Original|DungeonsAndDragons}} | TabletopGame/{{Basic|DungeonsAndDragons}} | [[TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons1stEdition 1E]] | [[TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons2ndEdition 2E]] | '''3E''' | [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFourthEdition 4E]] | [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFifthEdition 5E]]-]]]]]

* AncestralWeapon: From the ''Book of Exalted Deeds'', the Ancestral Relic feat allows even non-magic users (as long as good-aligned) to enchant an item by sacrificing wealth and praying over it; however said item needs to have belonged to a family member or revered mentor. Not solely apply to weapons, with the exception of the Anointed Knight PrestigeClass, whose ancestral weapon can be further increased in power as they level up through alchemical secrets.

** The Shadow Sun Ninja from the ''Tome of Battle – Book of Nine Sword'' is a PrestigeClass heavily versed in the power of darkness; one of the first power gained is to drain the lifeforce of living beings. They must be non-evil. It is somewhat implied this is a safety measure for members of the class, so that they don't find the darkness ''too'' attractive and get corrupted by it.

** A few spells work by retaliating against attacks upon the caster:

** The Bard spell ''empyreal ecstasy'' induce a pleasurable fuguelike state that renders the subjects immune to pain penalties (but not damage) and mind-affecting spells, although it also makes it difficult to concentrate.

** Starting from the 3.0 and 3.5 editions, Paladins have a class ability granting IdealIllnessImmunity, as well as the ability to magically cure diseases (which are implemented as stat debuffs). Monks also gains an immunity to diseases (though not supernatural ones like Paladins).
** Monks and Druids similarly have class abilities granting immunity to poisons of all kinds (which again are a very common form of stat debuffs).

** Starting from the 3.0 and 3.5 editions, Paladins have a class ability granting IdealIllnessImmunity, as well as the ability to magically cure diseases (which are implemented as stat debuffs).

''Dungeons & Dragons (3rd Edition)'' (2000–2003) made major simplifications to the rules of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' by using the UsefulNotes/D20System (which was originally created specifically for ''D&D'' 3.0) based on roll-over used in ''TabletopGame/GammaWorld'' long ago. The simplification was comprehensive enough to mean that nearly all character actions will fall into one of three areas -- combat, skills, and magic. This means that 3rd edition is also more flexible than 2nd; skills and abilities are more universal, with every class being able to attempt actions like "bluff" or "hide", whereas only specific classes had access to them before.

3rd Edition also saw owner Creator/WizardsOfTheCoast create the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Game_License Open Game License]], a copyright structure permitting third-party game developers to sell derivative game materials using the UsefulNotes/D20System.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': The Golarion setting and the first four Pathfinder Adventure Paths were originally written for 3.5E under the Open Game License after Wizards took back the ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' rights from Creator/PaizoPublishing. Paizo developed and marketed its own 3.5-derived UsefulNotes/D20System ruleset, the ''Pathfinder Roleplaying Game'', beginning with 2009's ''Council of Thieves Adventure Path'', which is compatible with both systems.

** ''Complete Arcane'' has a 9th-level wu jen spell called ''Transcend Mortality'', which you're not supposed to use except in desperation. It basically makes the caster NighInvulnerable (and its casting is an immediate action, meaning it can be invoked right before an attack hits) and last for about one combat. However, once it expires, the caster instantly dies and is disintegrated.
** This is the point of the corrupt spells in the ''Book of Vile Darkness'' (and their ''Exalted Deeds'' counterparts, sanctified spells). They are notably more powerful than other spells of their level -- for instance, run-of-the-mill ''Blindness'' is a second-level spell, while ''Seething Eyebane'', a corrupt first-level spell, causes the target's eyes to spew acid and explode -- but there is always a tax, sometimes permanent, on one or more ability scores. The most powerful of these spells is harmful even to prepare and has a very good chance of rendering the caster dead and/or permanently insane [[OmnicidalManiac (if he wasn't already)]].

** From 3.5 edition's ''Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords'', the Shadow Sun Ninja PrestigeClass is a class of good-aligned warriors that accept the dark aspect within themselves and not reject it, allowing them to use the power of both sides. The final ability they learn, Balance of Light and Dark, lets their inner darkness run rampant, transforming themselves into a shadow form with a number of special immunities, causes negative energy spells used on them to heal instead of harm them, a bonus to Hide skill checks, and attacks made when in areas of darkness or shadowy illumination. It also grants the Shadow Sun Ninja the option to inflict ''negative levels with no saves allowed'' and heal a small amount of damage with every successful unarmed attack they make.[[note]]Improved Unarmed Strike is a prerequisite feat for the Prestige Class[[/note]] However, for every negative level the Shadow Sun Ninja inflicts this way, they also take a point of Constitution damage once their transformation ends. Low on HitPoints at the end of the shadow form? A character can drop dead from the sudden HP reduction due to CON lost. But wait, it gets worse. Hit 0 CON? The character doesn't even return back to normal, instead dissipating into an inky dark cloud. That starts a 1 to 4-day random time limit to bring the Shadow Sun Ninja back to life, and only the spell ''True Resurrection'' will work. Run out of time [[spoiler:and then the Shadow Sun Ninja's body reforms as an NPC vampire, shifts immediately from whatever good alignment they were straight down to a champion of evil, has all of the Prestige Classes abilities, oh and they don't have the normal vampire's vulnerability to sunlight. Once this occurs, slaying the vampire still won't let the Shadow Sun Ninja be returned to life with any spell. The only way to save them at that point, is for their allies to travel to the Iron City of Dis located in Hell and free their trapped soul being imprisoned there, which will instantly slay their vampire self if it still exists and restore them to life.]]

* ElvesVersusDwarves: Since both dwarves and elves are standard hero races, they tend to be on decent terms, though usually not seeing eye to eye on much (typically more like eye to groin). The 3rd edition rulebook mentions that while dwarves and elves don't always get along, if one gets attacked the other will be the first to help them, much like brothers.

* IdealizedSex: According to the ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' 3.5 module ''Book of Vile Darkness'', only evil people can have a sadomasochistic sexuality. Also, all sadomasochists have evil superpowers — sexual masochism and sadism ''are'' evil superpowers in this setting, and sexual masochism is defined as being the same thing as the trope CombatSadomasochist.

** A character gain a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks for every size category that he or she is larger than the target.
** The ''towering oak'' ranger spell gives a +10 bonus on Intimidate checks through the power of the forests.

* TallIsIntimidating: you gain a +4 bonus on your Intimidate check for every size category that you are larger than your target.

** From the ''Oriental Adventure'' sourcebook, the "Passage" weapon property allows a magic blade to slice open a portal to the spirit world. It acts as a ''plane shift'' spell, but the portal stays open 1-4 minutes and any creature can pass through from both directions.

** The ''Arms and Equipement Guide'' features an extra (non-magical) property for armors: quick-escape. It doesn't help the quick equipping of the armor, but instead its quick ''removal'' (in cases of emergency where an armor is a bad thing) thanks to a special lock on the shield-side hip, which release makes the whole armor fall away. Putting on a quick-escape armor, on the other hand, takes twice as long as normal (which makes it a primary candidate for the ''called'' magical property).

** The ''cloud mind'' psionic power (and its multi-target upgrade ''cloud mind, mass'') inflicts this on a creature who fails their save, though unlike the above it has the mind-affecting descriptor (meaning it doesn't work on mindless creatures or those of certain types like undead). Unlike most forms of invisibility, it does ''not'' end when you attack, though the target gets another chance to shake off the effect each time you attack them.

** "Hostile Mind", a feat from Third Edition's ''Expanded Psionic Handbook'', can inflict damage to anyone trying to use a power from the telepathy discipline on the subject -- even with beneficial or harmless effects.

** Undead that fail their saving throw after being struck with a magic weapon with the Disruption property or killed by the ''disrupting weapon'', ''sunbeam'' or ''sunray'' spells are reduced to dust.

** Creatures with the [[FromASingleCell Regeneration]] ability treat ''all'' attacks as nonlethal unless they have AntiRegeneration properties, and heal away some of their nonlethal damage each round.[[note]]And before you ask, [[ObviousRulePatch regenerating creatures lose that ability if they're turned into something without a Constitution score]].[[/note]]

* ClueOfFewWords: The spell "Contact Other Plane" petitions gods or other eldritch forces for information. However, they only give one-word answers like "Yes", "Maybe", or "Irrelevant", or at most a short phrase.

* AnswerToPrayers: In all editions, clerics are described as preparing their spells for the day by praying for them to their PatronGod. Depending on how fleshed-out the setting is, things may be more specific: the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' book ''Faiths & Pantheons'' for ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'' specified particular times of day that a cleric of a particular deity should pray for spells, and sometimes particular rituals they should perform.

* BeatThemAtTheirOwnElement: From 3rd edition: Searing Spell is a feat you can apply to Fire spells to make them ignore Fire resistance, and partially BYPASS FIRE IMMUNITY! It burns so hot it can burn things that can't be burned!

* {{BFS}}: Weapon size rules changed between 3.0 and 3.5 - the former giving weapons a size of their own, and the latter sizing them based on the wielder but with light[=/=]one-handed[=/=]two-handed subdivisions.

* CanonDiscontinuity: The 3.0 ''Psionics Handbook'' included a number of strange and awkward mechanics, including "psionic combat modes" and tying each discipline to a different ability score. Its much better-received 3.5 replacement ''Expanded Psionics Handbook'' not only updates but completely overhauls the psionics system to have a ''different'' set of special mechanics, to the point where much of the supplemental material for 3.0 psionics cannot be directly converted.
* CastFromExperiencePoints: In 3rd and 3.5 editions, crafting magical items cost XP for the maker, in addition to stiff cost in gold. Many powerful spells are also costing XP when cast, the cost rising up with how game-breaking they are (in particular, the reality-altering ''wish'' and ''miracle''). Not only this dissuades players to cast them too often if they want to progress in their class, but it introduces an additional limitation: the rule that characters cannot spend so much XP that it would bring them below the minimum for their current level.[[note]]There are a few exceptions with XP loss able to reduce the character's level, like losing a familiar, but those are rare.[[/note]] This means those spells cannot be cast at all if a character can't invest enough XP.

* DarkWorld: The Plane of Shadow, which is a shadowy copy of the material plane like a photo-negative.

** In 3.0, some psionic abilities function only while the character has a minimum number of [[{{Mana}} power points]] remaining. In 3.5 these abilities instead function only while the character is maintaining "psionic focus" (a type of [[ChargedAttack psychic charge]] which can be built up, then expended for certain benefits); however, a character cannot retain psionic focus while their power point reserve is completely empty.

** Apart from ''psionic'' invisibility, which is, obviously, a JediMindTrick, regular ''invisibility'' is an illusion spell, so it affects the visual perception of the observers so they won't see the invisible target. That's why most ''invisibility'' spells are immediately ended if the subject attack anybody since that is much harder to ignore. Third edition spells this out even more clearly: some forms of invisibility are glamers (mind-affecting tricks), while others are images (visual illusions). It's important because of the wide range of enemies, some of whom (zombies and giant ants, for example) have no mind to affect.
** Undead are among the creatures immune to standard mind-affecting magic, but in turn spells specialized against them for this purpose do exist -- especially ''hide from undead'' which affects absolutely all of their mystical senses. Some other spells (such as ''shroud of undeath'' or ''undead mask'') don't make one invisible to undead, but instead [[PretendWereDead make the subjects appear as other undead]] rather than living beings, which generally mean they will be ignored. In both cases, actually attacking an undead will usually end the effect, as with regular ''invisibility''.