RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Answers:
1) None of the Core classes are, IMHO, 'front loaded' more than any other classes. Casters technically might be called front loaded since they get the full spell list for purposes of wands/scrolls etc. but that's stretching. Looking at the Cleric/Wizard/Sorcerer tables (and to a lesser extent the Druids) it might appear they still have 'dead levels' but a number of their class features are burried in their class descriptions, not on the tables.
2) It is very backwards compatible, IMNSHO. Some of the classes may require NPCs to be reworked, but for the most part give the monsters a CMB and a CMD and you're good to go. The 3.x conversion guide is a free download here
3) Outside of the RPG rules, I'd suggest Classic Horrors Revisited for Eberron, with the Karsus. The NPC guide for quick prefab characters and maybe Heart of the Jungle for jugle rules and more stuff to stick in Xen'drik.
Hope this helps, and welcome to Pathfinder!
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1) Yep, pretty much all true. Prestige classes are for a change in flavor now, not to crank up the power of your character. A 20th level core class character is actually worth playing now.
2) The Pathfinder core classes are a little bit more powerful than 3.0 or 3.5 characters. Basically, subtract one from all 3.5 CRs, though as with all things CR, it's an inexact science at best. But yes, they're very cross-compatible.
3) Nothing specific that I can think of mechanically, but the latest cycle of Pathfinder Adventure paths, Kingmaker, has inspired more than one conversion for Eberron.
If you want to look at the mechanical changes for Pathfinder, check out the free Pathfinder Reference Document. If you like what you see, the next step from there is the PDFs of the core book and the bestiary. They're only 9.99 each, and as you said, they're filled with great art.
2) I have a ton of 3.5 adventures (including piles of adventures from another excellent Paizo product, Dungeon Magazine). Money and time are both tight so I can't go and buy all the PF system books and I don't have the time for full conversions. How backwards-compatible is PF with 3.5?
To expand on this:
I have run both 3.0 and 3.5 adventures after doing no more than figuring CMB/CMD for the various creatures in the modules. Other changes were made on the fly with reference to an on-line Pathfinder SRD. During one such session, I even had a mix of PF and regular 3.5 characters. Worked like a charm.
The older adventures seem to work fine. Pathfinder characters ARE a bit stronger, so I gave all the important enemies +2 to hit and +10 hp. Worked brilliantly.
classes in the PRD
1) I understand there was an effort to eliminate "dead levels" (where PCs don't gain anything interesting when making a level) and front-loaded classes [...] Can folks shed some light on this? Is it true?
Just go there and look for yourself. It's all there.
I'd definitely say that the classes are more well-rounded now, with more options and more incentive to stay for the duration. But in the end, you'll have to decide for yourself. And the rules are right there.
2) I have a ton of 3.5 adventures (including piles of adventures from another excellent Paizo product, Dungeon Magazine). Money and time are both tight so I can't go and buy all the PF system books and I don't have the time for full conversions. How backwards-compatible is PF with 3.5?
I've been running the Adventure Paths with PF rules (alpha, beta, then final) pretty much from the word go, and we're halfway through Legacy of Fire (the last of the 3.5e paths). It works fine.
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Another book you might want to consider is the Faction Guide which will work quite well with the machiavellian politicking that's a major element of Eberron.
Another book you might want to consider is the Faction Guide which will work quite well with the machiavellian politicking that's a major element of Eberron.
Note that the factions are from Golarion, though.
Another book you might want to consider is the Faction Guide which will work quite well with the machiavellian politicking that's a major element of Eberron.Note that the factions are from Golarion, though.
the basic concept would work wonderfully for translating the Dragonmarked Houses, however. You'd have to write your own set of bonuses, but I can definitely see the worth of such an action.
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#1: Remember how the Scout in the Complete Adventure was the class where, try as you might, you just couldn't bring yourself to take a level in something else because you wanted each little goodie -- not overpowering but just goodie -- each level in Scout?
Well, Pathfinder has tried to come close to that. Some Classes are more successful than others but Fighter, Wizard and Sorcerer, especially, seem to have succeeded.
#2: I run pre published adventures after I heavily modify them. So my "conversions" are pretty radical; Everyone I've talked to, though, who run prepublished adventures "as-is" have expressed lots of ease of converting 3.5 to Pathfinder.
I'm not an Eberron fan and I only think of "Queen with the Burning Eyes" and the two Nic Logue adventures (all from Dungeon) so my recommendation, "Gallery of Evil" may not be really true to Eberron, but it's what I think of.
I've been GMing for over thirty years, and have run every version of D&D. I've converted older adventures to newer systems, usually without a hitch or even much actual conversion.
That said, there is practically no work at all involved in converting from 3e to Pathfinder. There are two figured stats (CMB/CMD) that are very easy to do and that's pretty much it! I really like and will henceforth swipe rkrause2's idea of giving 3e NPC's +2 to hit and +10 hp.
And for the monsters? I just go to the Pathfinder SRD online and use that version of the monster 99% of the time.
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My players recently tried 3.P, and begged me to change my on-going Curse of the Crimson Throne game to 3.P. That was 2 weeks ago. I converted everything I needed to in no time. And rolled all the initiative ahead of time. It's so easy, I'm now doing the same for Legacy of Fire, just to learn the system some more.
As for Eberron, I think that 3.P will fit well into the system. You may want to look into making some changes to the Eberron Races yourself, but nothing that should take hours of work, perhaps just increasing the ability bonus they receive by +2. Also the rules for Factions are easy to implement into the various houses, but I'd reserve that only if your players are adventuring for multiple factions.
Consider the PCs to be +1 CR with straight conversions.