How we're combining 3.0 and 3.5: tell me what you think please

[d12]

So, there's a lot of cool and neat stuff about 3.5 but my gaming group doesn't want to change completly over because they'd have to learn everything again, look up every spell again , etc.... Its really not an issue of whether or not 3.5 is better or worse but 3.0 is just more convenient. Plus we'd have to buy a whole lot of books and we don't want to do that. So, we bought one 3.5 PHB and one 3.5 DMG. Here's what were doing:

Classes: players can choose to change their character over to the 3.5 version if they want to but they don't have to. Some will, some won't.

Races: players can use either edition's rules for thier race.

Feats: can choose feats from either edition.

Spell lists: We're using 3.0. Those spells that are unique to 3.5 can be used as well.

Spells: Use the 3.0 versions for most spells. Haste, harm, identify and heal we'll use the 3.5 version. There is no mass haste.

Everything else [combat, DR, etc]: 3.0

Of course there will be some problems that we'll need to address but we'll handle them as they come up. What do you think?

edit: added text

 

[Psychotic Jim]

Sounds reasonable to me. That is probably along the same lines once our current 3.0 game ends (we won't convert anything too much until the campaign is through- too many irritating discrepancies). One thing to worry about is the 3.5e monk's ki strikes and DR- magic, adamantine, ect; how will you handle it if you are going to keep the old 3.0e. DR system?

 

[Bloodstone Mage]

In my game, I'm also combining 3.0 with 3.5. In our case:

>As for classes or races, I'm letting the players decide whether or not they want to switch to 3.5. They don't it individually. It has to be voted for. It doesn't matter in my group anyways, as no one wants to switch over to 3.5.

>We're using 3.5 skills. It is much easier, better catagorized, and allows a bit more use of skill points.

>We're using 3.0 feats mainly, but we are adding some of the 3.5 feats (such as Craft Construct and Manyshot).

>We're using 3.0 facing.

>We're using some 3.5 versions of spells, such as Harm and Haste, for obvious reasons.

>I'm using the 3.5 DR system, but I'm mixing it up a bit for dragons and such.

Like you said, d12, as long as you address issues as they come up, everything should be fine. I can't say what changes are good or bad, as they depend on the campaign and game system. As the old saying goes, "A Dungeon Master knows best."

Cheers!

 

[Darkness]

Spells: Use the 3.0 versions for most spells. Haste, harm, identify and heal we'll use the 3.5 version. There is no mass haste.

Will you allow new spells from 3.5?

Also, several spells changed school in 3.5 - both because it makes more sense and because some specialists had too few spells to choose from in 3.0

And then there's the issue with SR for Conjuration spells - many of which really shouldn't allow SR...

- Trying to be helpful Darkness

 

[ashockney]

We're in the same boat, and are taking a similar stance.

Our campaigns tend to work a little differently, and usually restart every 18 months. We're about 1/3 into one campaign and 2/3 through a second. We've decided that we will formally "flip" to 3.5 with the end of the campaign that is 2/3 complete, once we start a new campaign. In the meantime, what do you do?

Not adding haste, way to big a change. Same for Spell Focus/Spell Power changes.

Using the 3.5 version of Hold Person, Polymorph, Maze, Harm, Heal, Mass Heal, and Disintegrate. Nice fixes. Very little pain to change.

Manyshot needed fixed, too. This will do.

Add in all the cool new classes, race options, feats, and spells. Sweet! Basically treating them like any other "sourcebook" and make sure they work on the character in question, without getting too out of bounds.

All else will remain 3.0. Many of the hundreds of changes will be a non-factor based on the limited scope of one campaign.

 

[Psion]

Classes: players can choose to change their character over to the 3.5 version if they want to but they don't have to. Some will, some won't.

Races: players can use either edition's rules for thier race.

Feats: can choose feats from either edition.

I think my general preference here would be to make a call for each case, so all half-evles can be the same in the world, all rangers, etc. I plan to do this for my game, and I'll just include the text of the classes and races I'll be using 3.5 versions of in my house rules doc.

Spell lists: We're using 3.0. Those spells that are unique to 3.5 can be used as well.

Spells: Use the 3.0 versions for most spells. Haste, harm, identify and heal we'll use the 3.5 version. There is no mass haste.

This is a tough call for me, but is the way we are leaning. It has the advantage of not having to redefine existing characters and still being able to use my Green Ronin grimoires.

Everything else [combat, DR, etc]: 3.0

One thing your missing out on here (perhaps not a big deal if you don't have a whole lot of 3.5 books and already understand the system well) is that some of the combat things (many of which did not change much) are much more clearly explained in the 3.5 version. Answering questions about grappling, AoO, and the like would be easier to deal with.