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Message: <blockquote data-quote="udalrich" data-source="post: 5320134" data-attributes="member: 53796">One of the design goals of pathfinder was to be backwards compatible and not invalidate 3.5 sourcebooks.  That said, there are differences.The standard in Pathfinder is an NPC with PC classes has CR=level-1.  Most of the 3.5 classes are weaker than the PF counterparts, although that might not be true for the strongest ones (cleric, wizard, druid).  You will probably want to subtract 1-2 from the CR of your NPC's if you don't otherwise modify them.As mentioned above, adding Weapon/Spell Focus, PF Toughness (1hp/level, min 3) and/or Improved Initiative is a good idea.They should mostly be the same.  If the PC's use point buy, it is sort of like giving them a few extra points.As mentioned above, the changes are mostly consolidations and a single addition (Fly).  If you plan to use the 3.5 rules for flight, then either one works fine.Personally, I prefer the shorter PF list.  In 3.5, I always felt like I was short of skill points.  With PF, my character has the skill points to do what I imagine him doing.That should be fine.  The characters that are expected to be good at the skill will still have the same skill, since both systems give ability mod + level + 3.  The difference is that characters in the "wrong" class will be almost as good, since he will only lose the +3, not (level + 3)/2.  So the rogue will be able to sneak past the guard as easily as before, but the fighter will also have a chance (if he has good dex, no armor check penalty and put ranks into the appropriate skills).Most of the time, it won't make much difference.  In certain scenarios, it will matter, especially if the intent is to separate certain classes from the rest of the party by failed skill checks.This will cause the PC's to have more feats, since they are gained every other level, not every third.  You probably would want to compensate by adding feats to any existing NPC's, especially at high levels.Sounds fine.There isn't much difference here.  Clerics lost Heavy Armor proficiency is the biggest class change.The biggest other difference that I know is that Mithral Full Plate is still a heavy armor; it just affects your speed like medium armor.  So if you only have Medium Armor Proficiency (e.g., Barbarian or Ranger, I think), you need to spend a feat, dip into another class or take the non-prof penalties.It's largely to encourage PC's to single class.  If you like 17th level PC's who are third level in 6 classes, there's no need to include it.  If you do, you probably just want to add 1 hp/level to all of your NPC's.  (Since each character gets to pick his favored class, this assumes the NPC is single classed in his favored class and always took the extra hit points.)Class abilities are probably the biggest area of changes.  Turn Undead was completely rewritten as Channel Energy; sneak attack works against more creature types; bardic music does not disable the bard as much as it used to and is easier to start at high levels.  Rage and Smite Evil were also changed.I suspect that you would want to pick one version of these abilities and say that is how it works for everyone.  This is likely to be the most disruptive area.Grapple, trip, disarm and similar maneuvers were combined into a single mechanic, using CMB (to attack) and CMD (to defend).  You'll need to decide which system you are using.  The pathfinder version is simpler to understand, as it is always the same process: take the AoO, roll 1d20+CMB and compare to CMD (like attack roll vs AC).If you do use the PF version, you'll need to calculate CMB and CMD for any relevant NPC's, but it's a pretty simple calculation.</blockquote>

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