As I mentioned, we were using the same characters from a prior campaign, which was DM'd by someone else.
He just decided to keep using his wizard that ends encounters immediately. He has the highest initiative in the party.
Because if he cannot end an encounter without even trying, then he doesn't feel he is playing right, because he plays to win, and not to have fun. But if we blow through an encounter in one of his campaigns, then we are the problem, not him. So he nerfs us. The list of what he has decreed includes the following:
Limiting cleric heals, as mentioned.
Not allowing the mounted character to use his mount. He was not allowed the gold he invested into its gear back.
Not allowing us to auto-succeed on a natural 20, then throwing monsters at us that cannot be hit, even on a natural 20. Natural 1 still auto-fails though, and enemies can still nat20.
Setting an arbitrary limit on how many times we can attack in a round, regardless as to whether we are two weapon fighters, or have abilities that allow extra attacks. Haste is an exception.
No combat maneuvers. We can try them, we just can't succeed. This was done because one player built his character specifically to trip, and the DM doesn't like that. Didn't stop the DM from stealing the build to use for a different campaign. He took multiple character's builds to use in other people's campaigns, because he thinks they are broken.
The average enemy's combat maneuver defense is in the avenue of 60 to 75, because he artificially boosted every enemy's base attack bonus by twenty to thirty points.
He boosts enemy abilities stupidly. He gives them an extra 20 base attack bonus just because he can, and so we cannot use combat maneuvers on them, because he doesn't like combat maneuvers. At least when we use them. Enemies have sundered our gear and knocked us on our ass just fine. He wasrather agnry when he discovered that weapon enhancement bonuses can be applied to combat maneuvers if that weapon is used to make a maneuver. A paladin's to-hit bonus from their smite can apply as well, interestingly enough.
He doubles every creature's type bonuses. He says he just applies them, but creatures come with their type bonuses already applied. Since this is a demon/devil based campaign and outsiders get a lot of bonuses due to type, it gets silly quick. Such as a level 20 wizard/demon with over 50 base to hit.
He also hates alchemists with a passion for some reason. Something about potions acting like spells not sitting right with him. Plus mutagens are too similar to barbarians, and he doesn't like the alchemist discoveries to the point where he house-ruled that every one of them has a negative that strongly outweighs the benefits. Such as a mummification discovery that gives the alchemist some undead-like bonuses. He ruled that it makes them true undead, with all the negatives of that creature type, with none of the bonuses.
And swashbucklers, too. They have
one optional ability that he doesn't like, so they are not allowed. Even archetypes that do not get that option.