Here's a big one: No attacking monsters who can't fight back. (There are several ways this happens: Ultra-long range attacks (especially in the Titan's Fortress); hitting tall monsters that can't follow you into a tight space (I am often guilty of this in the Breeding Grounds); attacking a Paralyzed monster*; flying in turn-based combat and using the up and down keys to dodge ranged attacks; using turn-based flying ranged attacks against melee-only creatures while staying out of their range.)

* This rule only applies to the spell Paralyze, not the GM Mace ability. Paralyze may still be used to keep a monster out of the way, while you kill its buddies or grab the loot. (This is fairer than Invisibility because you have to use it once per monster, and it doesn't always work.)

No sneaking past monsters invisibly. (Invisibility may otherwise still be used: You could sneak up to a monster invisibly before attacking it, but you can't run by to get the treasure or the quest item.)

Oh, and there were a couple of similar rules I've mentioned before, and will include here for completeness:

No use of the "jumping exploit" to access prohibited areas without triggering hostility.

No abusing the regenerating stat barrels in the Wall of Mist. Use each one only once.

Genie lamps may not be used in the last two weeks of October.

(Geez, this looks like a laundry list of game exploits now.)

...

I'm also thinking about using the editor to simulate a completely different use of Enchant Item. Instead of the current system, where Master water magic gives random level 4 enchantments and GM gives random level 5 enchantments, you can *choose* what kind of magic item you make (and edit it in, assuming you possess the basic item). But each item has a minimum requirement in water magic skill, proportional to its power. Perhaps there ought to be a price. Gold? (From the midgame on, the party has more gold than it knows what to do with. Does that mean that a price in gold isn't really a price at all? Or is that an issue that could be fixed by large price tags for custom items?) Maybe take a cue from D&D and incur an experience cost? Then again, pumping valuable skill points into water magic (say, up to 20 or 25 for the most powerful items) just to be able to make these items might be enough cost on its own. I mean, who pumps up water magic?

Yeah, I'm working it out as I type this.

Okay, for the variable strength enchantments (defense, accuracy, fire resistance, alchemy, etc.), you can make any item of +X bonus, where X is your skill* in water magic, to a maximum of 25. Halve the skill for items that grant skill bonuses. Use one quarter of your skill for items of Armsmaster. (Armsmaster boosts are just way too powerful.) (If you want to be a real goody two-shoes, tone down any items you find that give more than a +6 to Armsmaster, also.)

* Actual skill, not counting any boosts from hirelings, items or familiars.

The other enchantments can be grouped by cost, for their skill level requirements: 500 gp - skill 7 (of Alarms, Poison, Warriors', et alia) 750 gp - skill 8 (of Doom) 1000 gp - skill 10 (of Frost, Regeneration, Sun, Venom, et alia) 1500 gp - skill 12 (of Golem, Unicorn, Monks', et alia) 2000 gp - skill 15 (of Earth, Thunderbolts, et alia) 2500 gp - skill 17 (of Plenty, Power, Sky) 3000 gp - skill 20 (of the Dragon, Gods, Phoenix) 5000 gp - skill 25 (of Carnage) cost x2 - skill 15 (Swift, Vampiric, double damage versus some critters) cost x3 - skill 20 (of Darkness) cost x10 (Antique) - Don't bother. Just cheat up some money if you really want to.

Items of Protection should probably be moved up to skill 17. They're underpriced at 1000 gp. Similarly, items of [whatever] magic should be moved up to skill 20. They are *way* underpriced at 2000 gp.

I'm not sure whether to allow items of Recovery. They seem overpowered. But since I'm not used to them, I don't have a good feel for balancing them.

Any thoughts on all this?

-BV