I will admit I really don't know much about pathfinder but from what I have seen from videos on youtube (of people playing pathfinder) and from friends pathfinder is a simply dnd. I'm not saying it's bad but from what I understand in pathfinder is meant for low levels aka you won't be killing any gods in pathfinder. Please correct me if I'm wrong I don't want to sound jerk, I just simply haven't been around pathfinder at all.
Dread necromancer gish build
gamerprinter
Mapper/Publisher
Pathfinder is D&D 3x improved, though some things are improved, some not, some nerfed, and some things exactly the same. The base classes - fighter, cleric, wizard, etc. all got a bit improved with no dead levels (in many 3x classes, you might level up, but only get another hit dice and small skill points, but that's it.) In Pathfinder, you generally get some new class feature or existing feature bump every level - there are no dead levels. So people will more reliably play a single character class throughout their career. In many ways Pathfinder plays exactly the same as D&D 3.5. In many ways its the same, but different.
For example, the standard Pathfinder gish is the Magus. Here's a class that has d8 HD is a full caster (like a wizard) but gets a somewhat limited list of spells compared to a sorcerer or wizard. However, from 1st level up he gets to cast a spell with one hand, load that spell into his weapon and delivery the spell attack combined with a sword swing (or whatever his chosen weapon). Also he has access to weapon qualities that cost so many "magus points" (magus has a spell point pool), and though costs more spell points can apply vorpal, for example, to his weapon. From the start the magus can wear light armor and cast spells (no arcane spell failure chance), and at 7th level gain access to medium armor. So you have a wizard like class that gets to wear armor and cast spells though his weapon and give his weapon temporary magical attributes - and I don't have to take 3 different classes and a prestige class to accomplish it. One class does it all.
An archetype is applying changes to certain class features and replacing them with other class features, or specialties with a weapon or fighting technique that the standard class isn't as good at. For example an urban ranger is a ranger, that gets to find and disable traps like a rogue, replaces favored terrain with favored community, replaces woodland stride with the ability to do full movement through a crowd and similar. So instead of taking a 3x ranger, adding some levels of rogue and taking a prestige class, I can specialize in a particular flavor of character but stick to a single class to accomplish it.
Feats... all classes get feats every other level, instead of once every 4 levels as in 3x, and some classes like fighter gets a feat every level.
If anything a base Pathfinder class is generally stronger than its 3x counterpart and just like D&D Pathfinder can go to epic levels 20+, so I don't know what you mean by "made for lower levels aka, you won't be killing gods in Pathfinder." If killing gods is your goal, at high enough level it's certainly possible. Pathfinder is not that different from 3x In most ways Pathfinder is exactly like 3x.
FInally, unlike 3x that does have an online SRD but doesn't include every class, nor every aspect of the game (too much is kept as closed content in WotC products), for Pathfinder there is both the official SRD at Paizo. and 3PP d20pfsrd.com where all of Pathfinder rules are available online and you don't ever need to purchase a book to get access to the rules, the rules are all online freely available. When I prep a game, I always use d20pfsrd as a one site source for everything I need.
In truth of our group, most people were multi-classing and taking prestige classes with every build in 3x. In the years we've been playing Pathfinder, only one person has ever multi-classed, and not one person has ever taken a prestige class. Base classes are that much more interesting and can diminish its potential power at higher level by dirtying the waters with a second or third class. That aspect of Pathfinder, I far, far prefer to 3x.
As a designer, I find Pathfinder easier to create new content for than 3x had been. Comparing unique archetypes and alternate classes created by 3PP, there is greater consistency in class design. Back in 3x days, some 3PP content was way over-powered compared to the base game. Its actually easier to design a new class or archetype and keep it consistent with the game - so 3PP content is much better balanced to PF than it had been to 3x. I publish the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG) as an imprint under Rite Publishing. Many consider it very much a cross between aspects of Ravenloft and Oriental Adventures. I've created new monsters, new classes, several Japanese flavored archetypes for every class, new feats, new spells, some things like PC Death and reincarnation is different and unique to Kaidan, and Kaidan is very spiritually based with esoteric Buddhist concepts built in. Its closer to feudal Japan, and much more authentically Japanese than any previous edition of Oriental Adventures (its not a setting designed by white guys, I'm half Japanese.)
For example, the standard Pathfinder gish is the Magus. Here's a class that has d8 HD is a full caster (like a wizard) but gets a somewhat limited list of spells compared to a sorcerer or wizard. However, from 1st level up he gets to cast a spell with one hand, load that spell into his weapon and delivery the spell attack combined with a sword swing (or whatever his chosen weapon). Also he has access to weapon qualities that cost so many "magus points" (magus has a spell point pool), and though costs more spell points can apply vorpal, for example, to his weapon. From the start the magus can wear light armor and cast spells (no arcane spell failure chance), and at 7th level gain access to medium armor. So you have a wizard like class that gets to wear armor and cast spells though his weapon and give his weapon temporary magical attributes - and I don't have to take 3 different classes and a prestige class to accomplish it. One class does it all.
An archetype is applying changes to certain class features and replacing them with other class features, or specialties with a weapon or fighting technique that the standard class isn't as good at. For example an urban ranger is a ranger, that gets to find and disable traps like a rogue, replaces favored terrain with favored community, replaces woodland stride with the ability to do full movement through a crowd and similar. So instead of taking a 3x ranger, adding some levels of rogue and taking a prestige class, I can specialize in a particular flavor of character but stick to a single class to accomplish it.
Feats... all classes get feats every other level, instead of once every 4 levels as in 3x, and some classes like fighter gets a feat every level.
If anything a base Pathfinder class is generally stronger than its 3x counterpart and just like D&D Pathfinder can go to epic levels 20+, so I don't know what you mean by "made for lower levels aka, you won't be killing gods in Pathfinder." If killing gods is your goal, at high enough level it's certainly possible. Pathfinder is not that different from 3x In most ways Pathfinder is exactly like 3x.
FInally, unlike 3x that does have an online SRD but doesn't include every class, nor every aspect of the game (too much is kept as closed content in WotC products), for Pathfinder there is both the official SRD at Paizo. and 3PP d20pfsrd.com where all of Pathfinder rules are available online and you don't ever need to purchase a book to get access to the rules, the rules are all online freely available. When I prep a game, I always use d20pfsrd as a one site source for everything I need.
In truth of our group, most people were multi-classing and taking prestige classes with every build in 3x. In the years we've been playing Pathfinder, only one person has ever multi-classed, and not one person has ever taken a prestige class. Base classes are that much more interesting and can diminish its potential power at higher level by dirtying the waters with a second or third class. That aspect of Pathfinder, I far, far prefer to 3x.
As a designer, I find Pathfinder easier to create new content for than 3x had been. Comparing unique archetypes and alternate classes created by 3PP, there is greater consistency in class design. Back in 3x days, some 3PP content was way over-powered compared to the base game. Its actually easier to design a new class or archetype and keep it consistent with the game - so 3PP content is much better balanced to PF than it had been to 3x. I publish the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG) as an imprint under Rite Publishing. Many consider it very much a cross between aspects of Ravenloft and Oriental Adventures. I've created new monsters, new classes, several Japanese flavored archetypes for every class, new feats, new spells, some things like PC Death and reincarnation is different and unique to Kaidan, and Kaidan is very spiritually based with esoteric Buddhist concepts built in. Its closer to feudal Japan, and much more authentically Japanese than any previous edition of Oriental Adventures (its not a setting designed by white guys, I'm half Japanese.)
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