So here's the situation.
The DM:Only wants to play 1st ed /2ed D&D
Me: It's all good.
Everybody else: We want to play Pathfinder.
I've been the only player of the last four months. It's ok, but there needs to be at least two more players.
The DM is very loose with the rules .
I would like to play Castles and Crusades only because it has n old school feel while also cleaning things up.
I suggested a compromise. Try keeping Pathfinder simple.
So my question is how?
Things I've already thought of:
Stick to Main rule book only. No other classes, feats etc. MAYBE Spells from other books.
eliminate time wasters, like say Attacks of opportunity. Of course that means other things will change like maybe feats and what not.
Other detailed examples?
Make casting times slower, get rid of AOs.
Consider some of the fine converted adventures on this message board. I can't recall the name, but Slave Pits of the Undercity was excellent, my group really enjoyed it.
Most importantly, change the feel. Make it more wondrous, more magical. Worry less about Here's exactly how it works...and tell a good story.
"Most importantly, change the feel. Make it more wondrous, more magical. Worry less about Here's exactly how it works...and tell a good story."
Of course those are important and we do that already (believe me, you need a lot of imagination with 1st ed).
Another thing I thought of was you get all of the skills listed in the class, and you roll 1d20+ attribute mod+level. If you want another skill not on the list, it's a feat called Extra Skill.
Use the rules from the beginer box
Is your DM willing to work more with the pathfinder rules to create a rich and detailed environment?
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Other detailed examples?
Remove options like the aforementioned attacks of opportunity.
Remove iterative attacks. Make non-spontaneous casters (wizards, clerics, etc) abide by the spontaneous casters' number of spells known/level table (reduces the analysis paralysis of players deciding which spells to prep - much easier when you only have 5 to choose from).Skip traits, pare down the list of feats.
Remove special attacks like sunder, grapple, trip (or simplify them).
Simplify bonus stacking. Remove swift actions and immediate actions.
Simplify skills by making all skills a "take 10" (on other words, use 10 + ranks + ability mod as the skill score and judge all skill checks against that number without rolling).
These suggestions will need massaging, but your group can flavor to taste.
-Skeld
Like a couple of others have said, avoid the house rules and go with the Pathfinder Beginner Box. The rules in the boxed set are even available as a $10 pdf download.
One way to simplify skills I kind of liked is that your bonus to every skill on your skill list is your level + ability mod, with no other bonuses or penalties (unless you want them). You becomes moderately good at lots of things, but don't have to track ranks.
I like the above iterative attack progression too.
Other detailed examples?Remove options like the aforementioned attacks of opportunity.
Remove iterative attacks. Make non-spontaneous casters (wizards, clerics, etc) abide by the spontaneous casters' number of spells known/level table (reduces the analysis paralysis of players deciding which spells to prep - much easier when you only have 5 to choose from).
Skip traits, pare down the list of feats.
Remove special attacks like sunder, grapple, trip (or simplify them).
Simplify bonus stacking. Remove swift actions and immediate actions.
Simplify skills by making all skills a "take 10" (on other words, use 10 + ranks + ability mod as the skill score and judge all skill checks against that number without rolling).These suggestions will need massaging, but your group can flavor to taste.
-Skeld
What are iterative attacks?
What do you mean by the spells preps?Are traits in the main rulebook?
Use a lot of the Trailblazer rules.
They've done things like reduced the actions that provoke AOOs and simplified iterative attacks. For example, here's what a full attack looks like at BAB 1-20.
1: +1
2: +2
3: +3
4: +4
5: +5
6: +4/+4 (two attacks at -2)
7: +5/+5
8: +6/+6
9: +7/+7
10: +8/+8
11: +10/+10 (two attacks at -1)
12: +11/+11
13: +12/+12
14: +13/+13
15: +14/+14
16: +16/+16 (two attacks at -0)
and the rest are just two attacks at full BAB.It really speeds up a lot of the combat and makes the players do a lot less math by keeping every attack at the same bonus. It also makes the fighters deal more damage than they do with the +20/+15/+10/+5 system.
--Edit--
One of the simplifications they made to the movement system is that any time you only move 5 feet, you don't provoke. This is much simpler than figuring out whether or not you took a five-foot step, and removes trying to determine effects of difficult terrain and forced movement. Five feet = no AoO. Ten or more? Gettin' whacked.
I'm 100% behind this. I played in a game with 16th level characters. The ranger (who had the two weapon fighting tree) took forever. Everytime it was his turn, everyone but the dm would get up for a break. I think though that everyone but the fighter should have only one attack a turn.