D&D 5E Switching from Pathfinder to 5E

[Werebat]

I actually created a Sorcerer 3/Wizard 3 for a arena game last night and it worked just fine! That did not happen under 3.5.

What is the basic mechanic that makes spell caster multiclassing work in 5e as opposed to 3e (where it did NOT work without help from a PrC)?

 

[jadrax]

What is the basic mechanic that makes spell caster multiclassing work in 5e as opposed to 3e (where it did NOT work without help from a PrC)?

Pretty much, the Universal Spell Slot table. So you don't end up being capped at low level spells.

 

[Werebat]

Pretty much, the Universal Spell Slot table. So you don't end up being capped at low level spells.

Thanks, but I'm not sure I understand. Is this in the free Basic preview I have downloaded, or somewhere else?

 

[ren1999]

Anybody care to convert some of these other popular Pathfinder pregens so we can discuss the conversion? I still don't understand the skill system. Why isn't the Dexterity(Acrobatics)+5 the same as Dexterity(Save)+5?

 

[jadrax]

Why isn't the Dexterity(Acrobatics)+5 the same as Dexterity(Save)+5?

Because skills are not saving throws?

Its the same as why a Reflex save of +5 in 3.5 is not the same as a Acrobatics skill of +5.

 

[77IM]

Thanks, but I'm not sure I understand. Is this in the free Basic preview I have downloaded, or somewhere else?

It's in the latest play test packet (I'm assuming little has changed). Basically,
- Spells you can learn and prepare are based on individual class level. So a Wiz 3/Sor 3 is limited to 1st and 2nd level spells, but will have a lot of them.
- Spell slots per day are based on combined caster level. So a Wiz 3/Sor 3 will have the same spell slots as a Wiz 6 or a Sor 6, and will have up to 3rd-level spell slots.
- Spell power is based on spell slot and NOT caster level (for the most part). For example a Wiz 3/Sor 3 can't cast lightning bolt but could spend a 3rd-level slot on a very damaging magic missile.

Overall it's still better to go straight caster because higher-level spells are slightly better than lower-level spells even using the same spell slot. But multiclassing is certainly doable without a workaround prestige class.

 

[Ari Kanen]

I've been playing long enough to remember the old "red box" sets. I essentially skipped 4th Edition and switched over to Pathfinder when it came out. I've been reasonably happy with PF but much prefer the unofficial E6 or E8 version of it.

Today my interest in 5E was piqued when I read a thread here that claimed 5E is going to be something like E6.

I hadn't really been interested in 5E before hearing this.

I was wondering what sort of things a person accustomed to Pathfinder would notice first about 5th Edition. What are the big differences between the two systems?

How does 5th Edition handle magic item creation and acquisition as compared to Pathfinder, for example? This has been an issue for us in my PF games as players have noticed that they always end up selling off the magic they find and using the money to craft more optimized magic items (and also ending up with a large assortment of low cost but efficient magic items instead of expensive "cool" ones). They don't like this but can't seem to help themselves as they are playing to be efficient.

How is the balance of power between casters and non-casters in 5E?

How long does 5E stretch out that "low magic" feel? For example at what level in 5E would running a game that looked and played a lot like "The Lord of the Rings" stop working? At what level does 5E break from low fantasy to something closer to superheroes (with scry-buff-teleport, no more travel by foot or horse, etc. becoming the rule rather than the exception)?

I'm sure I'll be reading more on my own, but just curious what you good people here have observed.

I made a post, I think either on this board or Wizards that 5e pretty much captured what I was trying to achieve with E6 + Pathfinder. I think this is done with both bounded accuracy and how feats as a concept was re-worked.

The devs have stated that magic items are not an assumed component of the math, so if you have one a nice magic weapon, you'll still have an advantage, typically +1 + features like extra damage dice on a crit, or something like that. So you won't "need" a cloak of resistance, wand of cure light, and need to go to the magic item store to turn gold into mechanical advantage every level.

I think this will be something that people who really like character optimization will be generally unhappy with since its once less customization option or possible exploit, but I think most the GM/DMs will be really happy with.

The balance between martials and casters is still up in the air, but from a glance its not as cookie cutter as 4e, but it doesn't seem as disparate as 3.5/PF. They don't scale equally, but many of the spells have been reigned in. But I don't think Fighters will ever be able to compete with a Wish spell, but as such, this has been part of the DnD experience for a long time, and I think it might jive with how most people envision magic and martials in a narrative sense. In a game-ist sense though, it still might be considered "unbalanced."

I for one, think a pretty good balance has been struck and hope the DMG should allow for dialing that balance between low-magic and high, and low martial-caster disparty and high will be made available when that book comes out in November.