Hey folks,
I'm running a 3.5 game and are nearing the logical conclusion with the PCs just now reaching 19-20 level. For the past 5 adventures I have been quietly playtesting PF beta rules on my npcs. The PCs in the party are heavily vested with prestige class levels (or in the case of our Ettin (and hence gestalt: Paladin/Barbarian) monsterous levels so the pathfinder power boost to core classes wouldn't affect them much at all.
I'm finding that by and large the the Pathfinder NPCs, particularly the single class NPCs are holding their own well against the party. I've much more ability to differentiate them from "Just another level 20 cleric" and have power to be a credible threat to my high level PCs. It's particularly easy to splash flavor into spellcasters using the schools/bloodlines/domains. As a side note I would like to see them collected into their own chapter.
Another factor which helps my NPCs is a 1 per level bonus to ability scores (rather than 1/4 levels). (capped at HD/2)
NPCs and PCs alike receive this bonus but in exchange stat boosting items are made drastically more expensive. (essentially to the costs of the tomes which would ordinarily grant inherent bonuses)
This has the two pronged bonus of permitting less magical item reliance and improving NPC balance vs the party.
Details are available here: Ability Bonuses.
I'm not sure how backwards compatible this would be particularly against expanded source book material, but I'm finding it pretty simple to convince everyone I play with that it's a superior system and retrofiting as you go seems relatively simple.
As an added bonus if anyone cares here's a full party of high level pathfinder drow suitable for level 19-21 party created using the rules described above: Drow
Hey folks,
I'm running a 3.5 game and are nearing the logical conclusion with the PCs just now reaching 19-20 level. For the past 5 adventures I have been quietly playtesting PF beta rules on my npcs. The PCs in the party are heavily vested with prestige class levels (or in the case of our Ettin (and hence gestalt: Paladin/Barbarian) monsterous levels so the pathfinder power boost to core classes wouldn't affect them much at all.
I'm finding that by and large the the Pathfinder NPCs, particularly the single class NPCs are holding their own well against the party. I've much more ability to differentiate them from "Just another level 20 cleric" and have power to be a credible threat to my high level PCs. It's particularly easy to splash flavor into spellcasters using the schools/bloodlines/domains. As a side note I would like to see them collected into their own chapter.
Another factor which helps my NPCs is a 1 per level bonus to ability scores (rather than 1/4 levels). (capped at HD/2)
NPCs and PCs alike receive this bonus but in exchange stat boosting items are made drastically more expensive. (essentially to the costs of the tomes which would ordinarily grant inherent bonuses)
This has the two pronged bonus of permitting less magical item reliance and improving NPC balance vs the party.Details are available here: Ability Bonuses.
I'm not sure how backwards compatible this would be particularly against expanded source book material, but I'm finding it pretty simple to convince everyone I play with that it's a superior system and retrofiting as you go seems relatively simple.
As an added bonus if anyone cares here's a full party of high level pathfinder drow suitable for level 19-21 party created using the rules described above: Drow
Do you make the 2nd level spells (bulls strength etc ) any different?
The way I handle it is kind the the reverse, to only allow a total of +5 to any whether by level increase or tome/wish (ie they all stack but you cant get +5 from each) and at 4th level they get +1 to one stat, at 8th they get +1 to 2 stats, at 12th +1 to 3 stats, 16th +1 to 4 stats, 20th +1 to 5 stats.
In theory this should result ine veryone getting to +5 in their main stat by 16th level at least but keeps the really high stats down -(which keeps the nasty DC's down)
It's hard to make a stantard class/Race NPC really efficient in combat compared to PCs.
The fact that your NPCs are stronger shows that PRPG are levelling up the base classes. But it's the same for PCs, so I think in the end, we will have just the same unbalanced encounters with just power up play.
That's my big concern actually.