Does 3E/3.5 dictate a certain style of play?

[CruelSummerLord]

All you need is players that match the style of game you want to run and then find those books that also match the style of game you want to run. And that can be harder then it sounds at times, but I find that the people one games with actually can dictate the style of play much more then any book.

Heh, too true. And thanks to everyone who suggested the Iron Heroes supplement. Just to clarify, is that a supplement for a grimmer, lower style of D20/D&D, or a different system altogether?

Another thought crossed my mind about advancement and XP-and again, this is just an idea-but would using 1E XP values, while still keeping the 3E XP table, work to slow down advancement? I must confess to liking how the resulting XP values could be something like 1,377 XP, 298 XP, or what have you-something that wasn't a multiple of five or ten. Instead of additional XP based on gold, it's based instead on story goals and role-playing.

 

[thedungeondelver]

I'm not sure what this has to do with how fast characters level in the game.

You're right; I did wander somewhat and I apologize for that.

But even in the older versions of the game ogres were really only a challenge at certain levels. But those games did not have the options to advance weaken ogres like todays game to make ogres a challenge at any level.

Watch this: These are starved, young ogres with a mere 5 hit points each. For combat purposes treat them as 1+1 HD monsters. The stronger creatures in the dungeon have not yet discovered this weakness so they have their normal treasure.

These are particularly skilled and wicked ogres. For combat purposes treat them as 8 HD monsters. They brutalize all of the monsters in the surrounding dungeon and demand tribute from them, so they have 5x their usual treasure (type C).

 

[Crothian]

Heh, too true. And thanks to everyone who suggested the Iron Heroes supplement. Just to clarify, is that a supplement for a grimmer, lower style of D20/D&D, or a different system altogether?

It is still d20. It has the same power levels of the PHB, but without need for magic or magical items. The characters get more feats and abilities to make up for the lack of magic.

 

[Mouseferatu]

It is still d20. It has the same power levels of the PHB, but without need for magic or magical items. The characters get more feats and abilities to make up for the lack of magic.

OTOH, it involves a lot more bookkeeping on the fly, since many character abilities are based on "token pools" that rise and fall with actions in combat.

I have nothing but respect, personal and professional, for Mike Mearls, but for me, the game was just too cumbersome. That, however, is purely a question of personal taste, and not a slam on the product as an RPG. I prefer things a little mechanically simpler, but if you feel differently, it might indeed be the game for you.

 

[Crothian]

Watch this: These are starved, young ogres with a mere 5 hit points each. For combat purposes treat them as 1+1 HD monsters. The stronger creatures in the dungeon have not yet discovered this weakness so they have their normal treasure.

These are particularly skilled and wicked ogres. For combat purposes treat them as 8 HD monsters. They brutalize all of the monsters in the surrounding dungeon and demand tribute from them, so they have 5x their usual treasure (type C).

I know in the modules they did this all the time, I just don't remember there being any rules for this like now in the MM there is a section on how to advance monsters.

 

[buzz]

The point, at least my point, is that it happens too fast in d20 D&D.

I've been in an ongoing campaign for going on four years now that meets biweekly very regularly. Currently, our PCs are at 15th level. We have been using standard XP awards. Our PCs are fairly badass, but so are our opponents. The EL of an encounter has never prevented our DM from pitting it against us. Sometimes it's a cakewalk, sometimes (mostly) it's challenging.

Ergo, I don't really agree with any of your assessments.

If you prefer 1e, that's cool. I don't see that it says anything about what 3.x is or isn't, other than "to your taste."

 

[cthulhu_duck]

By the RAW 3.5, if I trace a line across a corner drawn on the battlemat, the target gets cover.

In RAW 3.0, I, the DM, decide how much cover the target is warranted.

Is there a reason why you can't use the 3.0 cover rules in a 3.5 game? My 3.0 books are still sitting on my shelf, I have the 3.0 SRD floating around somewhere..?

 

[buzz]

OTOH, it involves a lot more bookkeeping on the fly, since many character abilities are based on "token pools" that rise and fall with actions in combat.

This has never been an issue in the IH games I've played. The token pools are just another set of points you track, like hit points. And given that magic is mostly removed from IH, and magic is the single greatest source of complexity for D&D (any edition), I found that IH actually necessitates less bookkeeping, overall.

The tokens basically replace some of the other managed resources you'd have access to in a standard D&D game in order to keep combat tactically robust. If tactically robust combat is not what you're after, then, yeah, IH is probably not a good fit. Granted, I don't think D&D would be a good fit, either, but that's a whole 'nother ball o' bat guano.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Is there a reason why you can't use the 3.0 cover rules in a 3.5 game? My 3.0 books are still sitting on my shelf, I have the 3.0 SRD floating around somewhere..?

No reason I can think of. I actually like the cover rules from 3.0 myself. They're not supported anymore, but if you want to use them, it shouldn't cause any major problems, I wouldn't think.

 

[Jim Hague]

Watch this: These are starved, young ogres with a mere 5 hit points each. For combat purposes treat them as 1+1 HD monsters. The stronger creatures in the dungeon have not yet discovered this weakness so they have their normal treasure.

These are particularly skilled and wicked ogres. For combat purposes treat them as 8 HD monsters. They brutalize all of the monsters in the surrounding dungeon and demand tribute from them, so they have 5x their usual treasure (type C).

And what, pray tell, prevents you from doing this in 3.0 or 3.5? Not the CR system, nothing in any of the Monster Manuals, DMG...you need to, at the least, take a look at those before trying to support your point with, frankly, utter bull. Your point here is unsupported by the rules, therefore pretty much negating any rules argument you might be trying to make.