I mean specifically. I am hoping for someone to.say what they think would be a good evolution of 3.0 that was not 3.5 and therefore also not PF.
I've talked about this before at length, since I've been using a house ruled 3.0e since before 3.5 existed, and while some 3.5 spell revisions (Haste and Harm) made it into my rules, it's still largely a fork of 3.0e that is independent of 3.5e and largely tangential.
Some of the many many changes:
1) 5 step rule changed to only allow free steps where you maintain threat of the target. So you can circle or flank but not (as easily) break contact (though you could wield a spear or halberd for example maintain some distance).
2) Spells no longer add their level to the DC of saving throws. Spell-like effects no longer add 1/2 HD to the DC of the saving throw.
3) Clerics have a spells known list and get fewer spells (starting with one less spell per day, for example, and typically having a level where they are 0+1D spells, that is, only able to cast their domain spell in the slot at that level).
4) Some classes are replaced with a more generic version: barbarian => fanatic and loses its strict tie to primitive wilderness, druid => shaman and loses its ties to Northern Europe, paladin => champion and loses its ties to a lawful good, ranger => hunter and loses its ties to good and wilderness. This allows more flexibility, so for example a hunter can be an urban bounty hunter without requiring a variant class.
5) Fighters especially and Rogues to a lesser extent start getting backloaded at higher levels (fighters gaining multiple feats per level as well as various minor class abilities). Fighters also have access to a list of class skills: porter, run, tactics, and leadership and more skill points per level. Rogues also get (even) more skill points per level.
6) Combat casting to easily avoid AoO basically eliminated.
7) All PrC's banned. Multiclassing additionally restricted by having many attribute requirements to enter a class that increase the more classes you enter.
8) Widespread rebalancing of spells and feats. For example, "Rapid Shot" for missile attacks goes away and a conceptually similar "Improved Flail" for melee attacks appears. "Natural Spell" doesn't exist. "Spider Climb" gives you a natural movement speed while climbing, and consequently a +8 bonus on climb checks, but no longer gives you just blanket ability to climb anything. "Fly" becomes a level 4 spell. In a lot of cases, a spell is the weaker of the 3.0e and 3.5e version. In some cases, neither version of the spell was deemed balanced and a more limited version exists. Additionally, feats exist that do for you basically what PrCs were created to do. So for example if you want to play a fighter/sorcerer, there are feats that fix that gap in the multiclassing design not a PrC.
9) Sorcerers choose between multiple bloodlines and potentially "mutate" as they level up.
10) Ranges on spells are basically halved, with medium range being 50+10/caster level for example. In general, it's hard for a spellcaster to outrange a melee archer or slinger.
I fundamentally agree that everyone playing 3e found a way to make it functional despite the deluge of bad rules and chargen options coming out of WotC on its aggressive publishing schedule, and that therefore no one has a consensus on how to fix it. It's not like the rules engine itself was janky and needed an upgrade. Fixing 3e involves a bunch of small tweaks that reflect the character of the designer, not the fundamental brokenness of D20.
Yeah I think PF showed us that prestige classes can be great without being a problem.
