3.5 Scoops Discussion

[Quasqueton]

I really hate to say this, but I'm more disturbed by what I've read so far about 3.5. More and more changes I'm seeing have me thinking, "why?" This is feeling more and more like the change to AD&D2 from AD&D1.

Spell focus and Greater spell focus changes -- why?

Half-elves getting bonuses to diplomacy and gather information -- why?

Dwarves suffer nothing from medium and heavy armor -- why?

Sorcerers can swap spells -- why?

Toad familiars give just +3 hit points -- why? (I've never seen any mage take the toad familiar. Ravens and hawks I've seen.)

On and on. So much of this just looks like someone wanted to make their house rules official.

I'm actually depressed. I really wanted the known and universally-known problems cleaned up and the errata added, but too much of these changes seem really unnecessary. I'm saddened.

Well, I played AD&D1 right through the AD&D2 years. It looks like I might end up doing the same with D&D3 through the 3.5 time. I didn't want this to happen.

Quasqueton

 

[PaulGreystoke]

I was hoping for a move more like the mechanics in HOHF:Elves, which assigned a point value to each school -- by specializing, you had to prohibit an equal point value of schools, but you could restrict any of them.

Well there IS a point value as the mechanic in 3.0 - WotC just did all of the math themselves & then listed the possible legal combinations for each specialist. In 3.0 the schools of Conjuration, Evocation, & Transmutation have a point value of 3. Abjuration, Enchantment, & Illusion have a point value of 2. Necromancy & Divination have a point value of 1. To specialize in a school in 3.0, a wizard must select at least as many points in opposition school(s) as his speciality costs.

We only have an partial extract of the 3.5 specialization rules so far, so I wouldn't jump to any conclusions that it is broken. But I would hazard a guess that WotC feels that the 3.0 "weaker" schools (except perhaps Divination) have been buffed up enough to be equal to the 3.0 "stronger" schools. We'll know soon enough.

 

[Apok]

There might easily have been an attempt at balance, with divination being a stop all utility school.

If that's the case, then why are they implementing this rule? If Diviniation is truly equal in usefullness and power to all it's brother and sister schools, why is it immediately disallowed as an opposed school for specialists?

I'll tell you why; because the designers know that Divination has always been the weakest school out there and they know that it's the first one to be dropped by most specialist wizards. So, rather than taking the time to rebalance Divination and make it more worthwhile, they simply disallow it as a viable "dump school" for specialists. That's tantamount to making a rule requiring Fighters to have at least a 13 in Charisma so they can't use it as a dump stat. Bloody ridiculous.

This change will be house ruled.

 

[Nightfall]

The sorcerers swapping out spells is fine for me. Mainly because it might lead to some more people playing sorcerer sans Scarred Lands. (Just because I happen to feel Scarred Lands Socrerers are a little all around. But that's just me.)

But Apok, I agree with you on that. If that comes in on 3.5 I am certainly saying "No. Specialists only have to choose two schools" Which is fine for me since I don't play in a world of diviners anyway.

 

[Stalker0]

I think I'll keep the 3.0 specilization rules, I like them a lot better.

TWF defense, great feat, got to love it.

Sorc spell swap finally gives a little more flavor to the sorc compared to the wizard.

The monk changes sound good as well, a little more customizable without going the whole, just pick a bunch of bonus feats!!! Although the flurry of blows as it works now is a bit confusing to me, hopefully we could get roy or star to clarify.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Toad familiars give just +3 hit points -- why? (I've never seen any mage take the toad familiar. Ravens and hawks I've seen.)

I've seen plenty more toad familiars than the toad's inherent coolness otherwise would allow. It's a good change. (But the real problem with the toad always was carrying-the-toad-around-in-a-pocket-and-otherwise-forget-about-it-except-for-the-con-bonus.)

 

[Nightfall]

I think I'll keep the 3.0 specilization rules, I like them a lot better.

Well it's certainly an option I'll keep open when 3.5 comes out and more accurate info is available.

 

[Sanackranib]

schools

one thing I would like to see come back in 3.5 is the universial school. spells like read magic, identify, dispell magic and teleport should be available to any wizard reguardless of school.

 

[Nightfall]

Funny I didn't read they did that...but if so, heck yeah I'll keeping Universal as a school!

 

[Gellion]

well, i really dont play speacilist mages, but that still really sucks, and i agree that they should have left Universal a school, what schools <I>Permanency</I>, <I>Lesser Wish</I>, and <I>Wish</I> in now?