Pathfinder 1E Sell me on Pathfinder....

[Scott DeWar]

If i move slow I can have a character done in an hour. sloooooowwwww

 

[Samurai]

Wow. You guys make this sound really cool.

How much time to convert from 3.0/3.5? I have lots of 3.x books I have never used from Eberron to Necromancer Games scenarios.

You can use most 3.5 material pretty seamlessly in a PF game. Figure out the creature's CMB and CMD, and you're pretty much done. Some skills were merged with others, but that doesn't matter too much for NPCs. If the NPC has class levels, they might get a few additional abilities. Other than that, you can pretty much just use encounters from 3.x as is. I've been running a PF game for months now, and I use creatures straight out of the 3.x monster manuals, just figuring CMD if needed.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Adventures are pretty easy converting off the cuff. Combat maneuvers are the only thing that take any time at all, but not long, I spent about 10 minutes converting enough of a 3.0 adventure to use for a couple of sessions. And that was 3.0, not 3.5. And I did it while eating. Post Its stuck to the pages, with critter names, CMB and CMD scribbled in.

The thing to keep in mind is that the PCs spend a lot more table time than the biggest and baddest of NPCs - the DM is allowed to cheat a bit for the sake of time. So, while you could go through and re do all the skills you are better off, time wise, just using whatever skill is closest.

And do not forget - the PDF of the Beta is still available for free, and it is only $10 for the PDF.

The Auld Grump, Edge of Dreams by Monkey God, in case anyone was wondering what adventure.

 

[Oryan77]

You know what? Just use all PF classes instead. All of them were improved.

Well that was my original thought. But people were saying that the PF classes were more powerful than 3.5 classes. So I didn't want to use PF classes if I was going to need to adjust CRs of encounters.

Also, another thing I just realized was that PF classes are going to be referring to the PF skill list. I actually prefer the skills to not be merged. I like having the options. Would using the 3.5 skills with PF classes be a problem other than the player referring to the 3.5 class to get their skill list?

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Not... really.... Because Pathfinder consolidated some skills then PCs will have fewer actual ranks than they would in Pathfinder.

Pathfinder handles class and cross-class skills differently than 3.X - rather than cross-class skills costing extra, class skills get a bonus - and that bonus remains even after the character changes classes. Skills cost a straight 1 skill point per rank.

I think that some classes got some extra skill points, but I don't remember it being a huge amount.

I prefer the Pathfinder skill system, but only very slightly, using the 3.5 skill system should work fine.

The Auld Grump

 

[Samurai]

Well that was my original thought. But people were saying that the PF classes were more powerful than 3.5 classes. So I didn't want to use PF classes if I was going to need to adjust CRs of encounters.

Also, another thing I just realized was that PF classes are going to be referring to the PF skill list. I actually prefer the skills to not be merged. I like having the options. Would using the 3.5 skills with PF classes be a problem other than the player referring to the 3.5 class to get their skill list?

Don't worry about precise CRs. The increases in abilities are not massive, within the margin of lucky vs unlucky dice rolling. If you want to bump up the HP of some creatures then just do that, or toss in 1 extra goblin or orc in the mix. It doesn't really matter, I never award XPs based on CR anyway, I give a few hundred XPs per character per session (slowly increasing at higher levels, more if they just beat a major hurdle). The difference in power is about the same as if a character had chosen a PrC vs staying in his base class in 3.5...

 

[Thanael]

Three things you could do tonight to improve your 3.5 game:

1. Switch to the Pf experience system.
2. Calculate CMB and CMD and switch to the Pf combat maneuver system.
3. Use the Pf versions of the fighter and sorcerer.

Tada! Now you're playing 3.75 and a happier, more well-adjusted person.

4. Buy the Trailblazer pdf.

 

[Gnome]

There's also a conversion guide on paizo's site available for download. It should give you a good overview of the changes.

 

[Scott DeWar]

4. Buy the Trailblazer pdf.

that is the name of the system that was featured in the simplified encounter design thread, although there is much more then just a simplified encounter system in the actual document!

 

[Salthorae]

Beta didn't have that but did have the Armor training actually giving you an AC bonus. Final nixed that though.

Beta also had the bonus from Weapon Training explicitly adding in to you CMB/CMD checks.

huh?

Weapon Training (Ex): Starting at 5th level, a fighter can select one group of weapons, as noted below. Whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
...
A fighter also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with weapons from this group. This bonus also applies to the fighter's Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from this group.*Emphasis added

And Armor training increases max Dex with armor...which could still increase your AC....