die_kluge said:
- the plethora of d20 support material that is available.
- the simplified mechanic - 20 is always good, 1 is always bad.
- consisent XP mechanic - all classes are the same.
- classes are more balanced to each other versus other classes (esp. in 3.5)
- spells are more balanced now compared to previous releases (esp. in 3.5)
- universal feat system means you can tailor your character to your ideal
- There are rules for making magic items (even though they suck, they are there).
- CR/EL mechanic provides a mechanism (though imperfect) for balancing encounters.
- saving throw system simplified (3 versus 5)
The consistent XP mechanic is not necessarily an upside, since as a result, it tends to force the next point, that classes MUST be balanced, because everyone earns the same XP to gain a level. You can't simply tack a higher XP cost onto a class which is more "overpowered", like wizards. The skill system is not, in all ways, an improvement, since the newly introduced "cap" on skills tends to force the issue: Characters are now constrained to suck horribly at low levels by virtue of this cap, unable to plow skillpoints into a single field of specialty to achieve competence in it before trying to branch out. Just compare a level 3 character of 3E to a level 3 character of 1/2E. An L3 character of 3E is an underdeveloped newbie: Most of his feat chains haven't paid off into anything useful yet....in fact, unless you're a human, fighter, or both, you have a whopping *TWO* of these things. All of your skills are at pathetic levels and suck horribly. At least in 1E/2E, the thief could, at this point, probably have achieved a competent rating in SOMETHING. In 3E, you're just plain bad at everything, thanks to that nice hard cap on things.
The saving throw system is a source of net improvement, overall: Now the saving throws seem to MEAN something, whereas in 1E/2E, the names of saving throws had only a tenuous connection with what they *DID*. However, the drawback of this is that now saving throws are blatantly rigged by class: Attempting to pass a "weak" save at higher levels quickly falls into the "more or less impossible" area, particularly when a single failure results in more or less instant death. This is somewhat of a drawback, since by level 20, you're looking at what amounts to a -6 penalty, and probably not bolstered by good stats, to boot. You can basically consider anything aimed at a "weak" save a total writeoff: Unless you have some magic item granting you immunity to that type of attack, you're SOL, particularly with Fort/Will.
Fail a Fort save: Instant death.
Fail a Will save: Why are even bothering to play, when your DM can do it for you? Where did I put those cheetos and the Gameboy?
