I'm really liking the Pathfinder RPG thus far. But, I know my gaming group doesn't want to switch rules at all.
So - since I'm the GM and I like to have little to no work converting stats and the like...
What sort of disadvantage (and how bad..) would my players be at having 3.5 characters fighting Pathfinder NPCs?
I'm really liking the Pathfinder RPG thus far. But, I know my gaming group doesn't want to switch rules at all.
So - since I'm the GM and I like to have little to no work converting stats and the like...
What sort of disadvantage (and how bad..) would my players be at having 3.5 characters fighting Pathfinder NPCs?
Personally, I'd say it won't be horribly unbalancing. Yes, 3P does up the power some, but not so much that it outweighs all of the many, many other factors that can influence how difficult a challenge is. Besides, in combat (where balance is most important), NPCs are typically in a single encounter, so many of the new options won't be apparent to the PCs anyway - especially matters that affect resource management.
Yeah, I'm also pretty sure they wouldn't notice what would be special abilities or not.
I tend to give my players lots of goodies so they're usually pretty powerful and can take on a lot.
I was just wondering if it could be too much.
Well, take your best sniper rifle, give it to a sniper, strip the sniper of all his other weapons, and put it unloaded on the bottom of a bathtub. Stand the sniper at one end of the bathtub. At the other end of the bathtub, place a grizzly bear. The two fight to the death. Who wins?
I don't need to point out that in most cases, the sniper has all the advantages that we've artificially taken away from him. There are many factors in combat balance. From playtesting, I've seen a standard four-archetype party of four members endure wave after wave of Thistletop goblins, and survive without a single PC death. (I've also heard from the PCs how close that came to a TPK.) So in general, I'm more impressed with 3.P PCs than 3.5, but I'm sure an experienced group of 3.5 players will stomp their 3.P equivalents run by new players.
Can you give us a little more situational feedback, so we know what we're looking for? I'd say a BIG factor is whether the 3.5 people know what the 3.P party is capable of, especially the cleric's channeling power.
No - the players wont know they're up against 3.P NPCs. Other than that.. I tend to arm my players with lots of goodies.. so they have that.
I'm really liking the Pathfinder RPG thus far. But, I know my gaming group doesn't want to switch rules at all.
So - since I'm the GM and I like to have little to no work converting stats and the like...
What sort of disadvantage (and how bad..) would my players be at having 3.5 characters fighting Pathfinder NPCs?
I'll be doing what you're doing (as both myself and my players have absolutely zero interest in the Pathfinder RPG rules), and AFAICT, it looks to be no problem whatsover, IMO (and that includes the currently wacko Alpha rules).
For me, it'll look like Pathfinder NPCs will actually be worth their CRs now (as I've found that current 3.5 class-based NPCs are simply not worth their CR compared to monsters).
I'm really liking the Pathfinder RPG thus far. But, I know my gaming group doesn't want to switch rules at all.
So - since I'm the GM and I like to have little to no work converting stats and the like...
What sort of disadvantage (and how bad..) would my players be at having 3.5 characters fighting Pathfinder NPCs?
What level are you talking about? At first level, a few extra hp can make a big difference, but at higher levels it'll hardly matter at all.
What level are you talking about? At first level, a few extra hp can make a big difference, but at higher levels it'll hardly matter at all.
All levels really. Some converted now - levels 10 - 12
Then when we start the new campaign it will be first level.