Put 4th Edition and Pathfinder Together for 5E

[ren1999]

4th Edition really shines in the math and balancing area.
Pathfinder shines in retaining the previous edition's powers.

Combine them.
Specifically

Use Pathfinder's Beginner Box instructions for generating a character but add 4th edition's starting hit points method and give low level characters encounter and daily powers.

Definitely use 4th edition's Fortitude, Reflex and Will Defenses but also use Pathfinder's Defense Saves for things such as ongoing damage, or for things where the character isn't attacked by someone.

Discard all the random and redundant power designing and narrow down Pathfinder's spell list and feat list removing the redundancy. Organize all the powers by what they do and how hard they are to learn compared to each other. For example, getting proficient with one weapon is easier than disarming a weapon. Casting a light spell for illumination should be easier than casting a fire ball. Removing poison should be easier than restoring an arm or raising the dead, etc..

Keep the range rules and burst rules similar for all powers. Keep the damage and level-up properties similar. It will make designing video games easier.

 

[am181d]

How much of his is uniquely Pathfinder vs. 3e?

 

[ren1999]

I admit to having skipped 3E. But isn't Pathfinder an attempt to improve 3E?

Pathfinder Party versus Gnolls in Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
My Dungeons & Dragons Hybrid Game for Firefox and Chrome kira3696.tripod.com/CombatTracker.rar

 

[GX.Sigma]

No.

I want a game that's a successor to BD&D and AD&D as much as 3e and 4e.

 

[Tallifer]

Casting a light spell for illumination should be easier than casting a fire ball. Removing poison should be easier than restoring an arm or raising the dead, etc..

In which edition of D&D has a fireball been easier to cast than light? None that I know of. Ditto for raising dead and removing poison. Seems like these are irrelevant issues.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Combining the two would leave something quite incoherent without a particular direction or focus as to what you want to achieve from the exercise. A Greatest hits approach from each edition would I believe result in an anaemic Frankenstein significantly less than the sum of its parts. This is why you need a simplified core to act as a golden thread to tie everything together.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[GreyLord]

I think Pathfinder already has some elements of 4e in it. Cantrips/0 level spells and how they work, special abilities, nice things gained per level...etc.

A little tweaking and Pathfinder could be a LOT like 4e to tell the truth.

 

[jbear]

I really don't think the idea is to capture a mix of 4e and 3e/3.5/Pathfinder. The guy steering the ship (Mike Mearls) talked about wanting to capture the sense of wonder he felt when he first played D&D. So a big part of that is capturing the essence of the earlier editions. A flavour I have very fond memories of. I remember it all being more free flowing (then again I was young and I'm pretty sure we weren't all that concerned about the rules at the age of 13 which may or may not play a part in how I remember the experience). I remember falling in love with the completeness of 3.5. But I also remember frustrations at the pace being constantly slowed by the rules (or me checking to see what they were rather). The pace returned with 4e (for me) as I was able to memorise the rules easily. However I'll admit it is a different flow. When combat hits, a lot of time is spent there (which I personally don't mind). This affects the pace of the adventure, even though gameplay pace remains constant with no intrusion of referencing the rules.

That has been my general impression of things, at least the things that most matter to me as DM. If they can come up with a balance of the best parts of all that ... well, I'm interested. Especially if the wonder returns to magic items (for me the weakest area of 4e by far).

So in summary, personally I am far more interested in seeing a version that draws from the entire history of D&D for its inspiration. That will not happen by trying to make a hybrid of pathfinder and 4e. That said, I've seen a few fan-made attempts to come up with a hybrid. The project is not without merit, but not one I would be personally interested in.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I think the last thing we need to do it mash only two editions together and call that a new edition. Instead, we need to use some stuff form all editions, but put some innovative new stuff in there also.

I like 4E, though many do not. There is innovative stuff in there, though. 3E had it. 2E had it. All the earlier editions also. The clones and such have it.

 

[Lanefan]

I think the last thing we need to do it mash only two editions together and call that a new edition. Instead, we need to use some stuff form all editions, but put some innovative new stuff in there also.

This.

As neither a PF nor 4e fan, making 5e a mashup of these is unlikely to appeal to me. At all.

Lan-"and would they call it Fourthfinder or Path-four"-efan