Editing Dungeons & Dragons Online (section)

==Differences from D&D Third Edition==

Oh God, where do we even begin?

- Unlike most 3D games made since Quake II, DDO doesn't have any kind of lighting or shading system, so torches, darkvision, low-light vision, etc. don't exist.

- None of the Craft, Knowledge, or Profession skills exist, nor do Appraise, Autohypnosis, Climb, Decipher Script, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information... it's a much shorter list of skills, let's just leave it at that. As a result, each class has a much shorter list of class skills. However, each class still gains the same number of skill points per level as in 3E, and skills cost the same amount of skill points per rank as in 3E, so characters with high Intelligence scores will often find themselves forced to invest skill points in cross-class skills, or in skills that they will never, ever use.

- Grappling doesn't exist in DDO, nor do weapon sizes (in the sense of small/medium/large/etc. weapons), but races still come in "small" and "medium" sizes. As a result, small races do not suffer any of the penalties of being small, but still get all of the benefits. Fucking h@x. Weapons do still have handedness, in that there are light, 1-handed, and 2-handed weapons, but this is not the same thing as size.

- Attacks of opportunity don't exist. Instead, you can gain bonuses for attacking incapacitated enemies and other positioning based tactics.

- Weight limits and encumbrance <strike>''definitely'' don't exist</strike> only theoretically exist, in the sense that you need to be running around with nearly 100% full bags and the minimum possible strength score in order for it to matter. 

- XP penalties for multiclassing don't exist, and as a consequence, neither do favored classes. Instead, every character is hard-capped at 3 classes. 

- The entire spellcasting system was thrown out and replaced with a system based on spell points.

- You know how some Dungeon Masters will give you the full value of your class hit die when you level up instead of making you roll? DDO does that too. Therefore, a character who takes their first level in Wizard and their second level in Barbarian will have exactly as much HP as someone who took their first level in Barbarian and their second in Wizard. This puts pressure on players to take their first level in a class that gets a lot of skill points, usually a Rogue, and then multiclass into whatever they actually want to be. However, DDO ALSO gives you a flat 30 bonus HP at character-creation. The net effect of this is to make bonus HP from Constitution a relatively insignificant amount of your total HP, turning Con into a [[dump stat]]. 

- Every race comes with a perk tree and every class comes with 3 perk trees. Every character level is divided into five "ranks"; the fifth rank-up is a level-up, and for each of the other four, you get an enhancement point that you can spend on these perk trees.

- The whole relationship between Warforged and armor is different, with the functions of armor being split between composite (or [[Mithril]], or [[Adamantine]]) plating and completely new items called "docents" that only Warforged can wear. Also, Warforged can now take [[Mithril/Adamantine]] plating whenever they want, not just during character-creation. And Ironwood plating doesn't exist so warforged druids are kinda shit out of luck.

- Bows get bonus damage from dexterity, not strength, unless you pick up a Feat called Bow Strength.

- You can't spend skill points on Disable Device or Open Lock unless you have at least one level in Rogue (or Artificer).

- Armor class is now virtually meaningless for defense; new stats like Dodge and Physical Resist Rating are far more important.

- All forms of flight and levitation are gone. At best, you can be very good at jumping.

- There are now many additional pieces of armor including gloves, boots, and belts.

- Lots and lots and LOTS of races, classes, feats, items, etc. have had their stats tweaked. For example, Gnomes now get +2 Int rather than +2 Con, Rangers gain both dual-wielding AND archery bonus feats instead of choosing between the two, shortbows are now simple weapons instead of martial weapons, Fighter-exclusive Weapon Focus/Specialization feats now apply to entire categories of weapons (like "ranged" or "slashing") rather than specific weapons (like "Longsword"), etc.

- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.