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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dazzlerdal" data-source="post: 5943383" data-attributes="member: 6695391">Let me just state that i love 3.5 edition DND, however the more i played and the further a campaign progressed the more the game mechanics broke down and made the game unplayable so the only thing to do was abandon the campaign and start again. The following are the steps i have taken to fix the broken mechanics for 3.5. 1 - Use PathfinderBy this i mean use the classes, feats, etc as they are much more potent, a fighter or wizard will be just as good as a sorcerer or barbarian and just as interesting. 2 - Remove Level Based BonusesBy this i mean remove any level based progression such as BAB and the saving throw progressions, and any monster ability or DC calculation that adds 1/2 HD or class level. This might seem scary at first but as long as its applied uniformly then it all balances and fundamentally fixes the most broken aspects of 3.5. It does create slight problems with AC, and multiple attacks but these can be corrected as follows. 3 - Reduce ACThis is necessary to balance the loss of BAB, but is easily done using a suggestion in Unearthed Arcana.Reduce AC from armour by 1/2 and turn it into DR instead (so full plate gives +4 AC and DR 4/-)Reduce natural armour by 1/5, or 1/4, or 1/3, or 1/2 and add that as DR /- whatever is your preference, its only real impact is for high CR monsters and so it depends on how invincible you like your monsters such as dragons (personally i like them hard to kill). 4 - Correct Full AttacksThe current system is difficult to track and complex, plus doesnt work well with my fixes. So the suggestions are as follows.For PCsEvery attack after the first incurs a cumulative -2 penalty to attack, so PCs must declare how many attacks they are making before they roll.For every +5 attack bonus the PC can make an extra attack (but with the cumulative -2 penalty), this attack bonus includes permanent and temporary bonuses (such as spells, rage, etc).Wielding an extra weapon allows an additional attack with that weapon (but with the cumulative -2 penalty). Only a feat may grant an additional attack with a secondary weapon (again with the cumulative -2 penalty).So for example a fighter with 2 weapons and 20 Str can have 3 attacks but each only has a +1 attack bonus.For MonstersEvery attack mode used after the first incurs a -2 cumulative penalty to attack. So a lion with 2 claw attacks makes them all at his attack bonus but using 2 claws and a bite incurs a -2 penalty to all attacks that round.I personally make no distinction between primary and secondary attacks as it seems ad hoc based on the monster and who was designing it, but feel free to do so if you want  5- Standardise Damage ReductionI do this because damage reduction at the moment is all over the place and can be simplified quite easily.Make all DR on monsters etc untyped and use the highest in existence.So DR/magic, DR/silver all becomes DR/-.Any special DR (such as DR/silver or DR/cold iron, or DR/piercing now give that creature a vulnerability to that attack mode with the usual 150% damage to that (so DR/silver gives the monster vulnerability to silver). You can make vulnerability bypass DR if you wish. 6 - Reform Skill MechanicsThe current skill mechanic is unwieldy and broken.Simplify it by removing the skill points. Instead class skills denote a skill which the player can take the Skill Training feat in. Skill Training grants a +5 bonus on all skill checks with that skill and obviously makes the user trained in that skill. (Skill Specialisation and Mastery also exist but grant a +10 and +15 bonus and are available at level 5 and 10 respectively). Then since it makes no sense to have a skill action exclusive to only one skill i suggest merging skills and creating new ones.So merge Climb, Jump, Balance etc into a new skill Acrobatics (Dex)Merge Climb, Jump, Swim, etc into a new skill Athletics (Str).Merge Spellcraft, Use Magic Device, Decipher Script, etc into a new skill Arcana (Int) and also include Knowledge (Arcane).Do the same for a new skill Religion (Wis), and Psionics (Cha) with the corresponding knowledge skill.Merge Concentration, Control Shape, and anything to do with gaining Psionic focus into a new skill Discipline (Cha).Merge Bluff and Forgery etc into Bluff (Cha)Merge Listen, Search, Spot etc into Perception (Wis)Merge Hide, Move SIlently etc into Stealth (Dex)Merge pickpocket, open locks, escape artist etc into Thievery (Dex)Merge Handle Animal, Spellcraft, Survival, etc into Nature (Cha)Merge Language and Decipher Script into Linguistics (Int)Basically any skill action or skill that can be merged into a new one do so as long as it does not restrict a PC because his primary attribute is different. So for instance a rogue and fighter should both be able to accomplish similar thinks but one through strengh and one through dexterity hence why Acrobatics and Athletics exist and are similar. Its a similar reason for the spellcasting skills. 7 - Minor ChangesAnything from this point is minor and just for personal preference rather than fixing anything fundamentally broken.TemplatesConsider using a Minion Template which reduces all attributes by -2 and hit points by half (allows you to use harder monsters more often without killing everyone). An Elite Template which increases attributes by +2 and max hit points. And a Solo Template which increases attributes by +5 and double max hit points (for bosses).Hit PointsMake the Constituion bonus for hit points a one time only bonus (at first level) which will speed up combat considerably and make the Toughnes feat more desirableDeath SavesConsider taking a leaf out of 4th editions book and make it 3 death saves and you are dead (you may have to add a damage roll to some existing death save abilities.Summoning + PolymorphCurrently unusable because you can summon or polymorph into anything. Instead i use a list of summon monsters equal to the primary spellcasting attribute bonus +1 for each summon spell. The monster that can be selected for a list to be summoned (or polymorphed into) is based on CR.I also make all summoned monsters have the Minion Template to prevent them outclassing the other PCs but allow the summoned creatures to advance in HD (if they can) and be equipped with items if the PC has the means to meet a creature on its home plane. THE ENDAnyway these are just my suggestions to correct certain flaws in an otherwise wonderful ruleset and allow you to play longer and hopefully more fun campaigns (it certainly worked for our group). If anyone has any questions about the suggestions or even any suggestions themselves to help simplify and improve 3.5 then by all means say, im always looking for new ideas.</blockquote>

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