D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Ranger & Bard in [3.0]

[Melkor]

I was thinking about making the 3.5 Ranger and Bard classes available in my 3.0 games.

After looking through the 3.0 PHB, and comparing all of the other classes to the 3.5 SRD, it seems like a lot of classes have received somewhat minor changes (All except fighter & Rogue).
That said, I never have had a character play a Monk or a high level Barbarian, So I don't know about Flurry of Blows being weak at high levels, or Barbarians being useless at high levels. I have never had a Psion PC, but I understand that they can be underpowered at high levels as well.

If I was to drop in only the new Ranger and Bard, and leave the other classes alone, how big of a difference would it make once my character's get up in levels ? Would the classes that received a change in 3.5, that I didn't bring over, be seriously weak compared to the others ?

 

[Nifft]

The 3.5 Ranger isn't as strong as the Monte Cook Ranger, and many people dropped that into their 3.0 campaigns -- including me. So I suspect it wouldn't be a problem.

As to the 3.5 Bard, it's more problematic, since it uses spells, and 3.5 spells have been changed ("nerfed") to better balance all spellcasters. Would you give your 3.5 Bard the 3.5 Haste, or 3.0 Haste? Would your 3.5 Bard get Glibness? Would he lose Bestow Curse? The spell list is balanced for a 3.5 campaign, and might be for a 3.0 campaign.

Why not just move to 3.5e?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

It's certainly no problem if you use the 3.5 ranger and give use the 3.5 bard except the changed spell list (mass suggestion will still be obsolete, of course)

 

[Melkor]

The 3.5 Ranger isn't as strong as the Monte Cook Ranger, and many people dropped that into their 3.0 campaigns -- including me. So I suspect it wouldn't be a problem.

As to the 3.5 Bard, it's more problematic, since it uses spells, and 3.5 spells have been changed ("nerfed") to better balance all spellcasters. Would you give your 3.5 Bard the 3.5 Haste, or 3.0 Haste? Would your 3.5 Bard get Glibness? Would he lose Bestow Curse? The spell list is balanced for a 3.5 campaign, and might be for a 3.0 campaign.

Why not just move to 3.5e?

I will probably pick and choose the new 3.5 spells, reduce the durations of 3.0 Spells like Bull's Strength to the 3.5 version, and make other changes as needed (Harm/Haste/etc).

 

[Darklone]

Just something I wanted to add... some rather typical bard builts in 3.0 such as the bard archer are impossible now (no Magic Weapon).