Subtle Rule Changes

[Jeff Wilder]

The Pathfinder Line area of effect seems to officially use the literal text of 3.5, rather than the more generous reading of the 3.5 PHB example, which seemed to be what wotc was actually using in 3.5 & DDM.

Not to mention that the PFRPG rulebook also provides line templates, implying that lines are limited (as cones and bursts are) to a choice of one of those templates.

A little muddy indeed.

 

[frankthedm]

Not to mention that the PFRPG rulebook also provides line templates, implying that lines are limited (as cones and bursts are) to a choice of one of those templates.

A little muddy indeed.

I don't think that is the intended implication, but as you point out, someone could end up reading it that way.

 

[Nyeshet]

Personally, I found the text for regeneration in the preview of the Beastiary interesting. For the round after the creature received damage by the correct energy type, any damage will get through the regeneration. It is literally turned off like a switch (emphasis mine):

[sblock="Regeneration"]Regeneration (Ex) ... Creatures with regeneration heal damage
at a fixed rate, as with fast healing, but they cannot die as
long as their regeneration is still functioning (although
creatures with regeneration still fall unconscious when
their hit points are below 0). Certain attack forms,
typically fire and acid, cause a creature’s regeneration
to stop functioning on the round following the attack.
During this round, the creature does not heal any damage
and can die normally. The creature’s descriptive text
describes the types of damage that cause the regeneration
to cease functioning....[/sblock]

I can see this causing some changes in how PCs fight some creatures. Now, after the caster burns the beasties, the fighter and rogue can get in some attacks past the regen - so long as they are near enough and quick enough to get in a hit. I can see this encouraging more team tactics and discouraging (or at least not encouraging) the need for a magical menagerie of weapons (flaming, etc) to deal with such creatures. Could be interesting, although it will take a bit to get used to.

 

[freyar]

Personally, I found the text for regeneration in the preview of the Beastiary interesting. For the round after the creature received damage by the correct energy type, any damage will get through the regeneration. It is literally turned off like a switch (emphasis mine):
...

You're right, I noticed that before and then forgot. That's quite a big change, actually.

Another issue from the bestiary preview (and bonus bestiary) is the change in monster advancement. All we know about now is the "advanced monster" template, though I'm hoping for more.

 

[gwcummings]

Familiars can no longer share spell effects that their masters cast on themselves. I don't understand why this was removed. Was this ripe for abuse? Familiars were borderline useful to begin with and now this change only weakens them more. What's the point of an improved familiar if you can't buff them together with yourself?

It was very ripe for abuse. Nothing like a wizard and his familiar breathing fire or some such after the wizard casts Dragon's Breath.

 

[pawsplay]

Non-class skills now cost 1 rank/level. Not only can you now have a studious Fighter, but qualifying for Prestige Classes just got easier. In fact, from a skill standpoint, in PF there is a perverse incentive to quality for a PrC with an unusual path, since you will get a nice selection of skills from the PrC anyway. For instance, a 5th level Fighter can quality for Assassin easily, and gets Acrobatics, Bluff, Disguise, and so forth as class skills. Happy birthday, fighter/assassin!

 

[pawsplay]

It was very ripe for abuse. Nothing like a wizard and his familiar breathing fire or some such after the wizard casts Dragon's Breath.

Let us not forget, either, that Pun-Pun begins with a psion, a psicrystal, and his share powers ability...

 

[uffinf]

Concentration checks are more difficult and the difficulty scales with level fairly well.

I had to do some side by side comparisions to make sure, Concentration check aren't automatic anymore as there is no way to boost them except when casting defensively or grappling via the feat .

 

[Vurt]

Not that we ever used the massive damage rules much, but they've also been changed in Pathfinder. Now you make a DC 15 Fort save if you lose more than half your hp in a single attack (minimum 50).

 

[an_idol_mind]

Unless I'm missing something, it seems that an armor check penalty is only applied to the Swim skill once, rather than being doubled as it was in 3.5. Not something that will impact many campaigns, but it's one less exception to remember.