I love the Saga rule set. It is simple, balanced, fun, and allows for a nearly endless ideas.
It's right up there with Pathfinder for me.
Would it be easy to modify Pathfinder's changes to the d20 system to be compatible with it?
Think of it as a mostly streamlined d20 ruleset. Frankly, if 4e had went with it, they'd have lost a lot less business.
Here's a review at slashdot: Slashdot Review of Star Wars Saga Edition.
I'd be easier, all things considered, to port Pathfinder fluff. Some changes are not compatible.
To Elaborate on earlier: I loved Saga, I felt it was the best SW system to date and it really captured the SW feel for me. Though I haven't played FF's new entry yet on account of no Jedi.
So If I were to convert Saga to Pathfinder, I'd actually do the opposite, namely convert Pathfinder classes to Saga. Why? Because frankly, it'd be loads easier.
First, I would convert most class's features into talent trees. Then, I'd do the same for all their archetypes, allowing a Fighter to pick up "talents" such as Armor Training & so on. Sure there would be a ton, but you could just pick and chose from all the archetype abilities really. So long as you met the requisite in a tree that is.
Secondly, spells. It'd come down to adjusting how spell DCs work since spells in 3.X need a defense roll, but Saga uses passive saves. I'd start by removing the standard DCs and instead merely do a variation of concentration check to determine if one's spell hits. Probably 5 + CL of spell + Ability mod + 1d20. If I wanted to mix up spell save's in power, I could scale the CL for spells(for example a 2 for 1st level spells, 4 for 2nds , 6 for 3rds, etc for a full caster) so higher level saves would have a greater chance of success. Add a custom feat to augment that by +5 to that roll.
Third, rework skills and make em like Saga. Tho honestly I like PF's skills, so I'd probably keep those.
Bam, You have PF in your Saga ruleset with a minimal amount of work.
To Elaborate on earlier: I loved Saga, I felt it was the best SW system to date and it really captured the SW feel for me. Though I haven't played FF's new entry yet on account of no Jedi.
So If I were to convert Saga to Pathfinder, I'd actually do the opposite, namely convert Pathfinder classes to Saga. Why? Because frankly, it'd be loads easier.
First, I would convert most class's features into talent trees. Then, I'd do the same for all their archetypes, allowing a Fighter to pick up "talents" such as Armor Training & so on. Sure there would be a ton, but you could just pick and chose from all the archetype abilities really. So long as you met the requisite in a tree that is.
Secondly, spells. It'd come down to adjusting how spell DCs work since spells in 3.X need a defense roll, but Saga uses passive saves. I'd start by removing the standard DCs and instead merely do a variation of concentration check to determine if one's spell hits. Probably 5 + CL of spell + Ability mod + 1d20. If I wanted to mix up spell save's in power, I could scale the CL for spells(for example a 2 for 1st level spells, 4 for 2nds , 6 for 3rds, etc for a full caster) so higher level saves would have a greater chance of success. Add a custom feat to augment that by +5 to that roll.
Third, rework skills and make em like Saga. Tho honestly I like PF's skills, so I'd probably keep those.
Bam, You have PF in your Saga ruleset with a minimal amount of work.
This is the way I'd do it too. No real butchering or Frankenstein'ing. Just elegant simplicity.
Nice.
Thanks guys.
Though I did forget the base saves for classes(I was super tired when I wrote that up). One would have to decide if a classes base strong saves would be +2, +3, or +4. Saga had such an emphasis on prestiging, while PF does not. Depending on if you want to carry over that design principle, you could up the save mods so one would never have to leave your class unless you wanted to.
After that... I'd be curious to test some classes against Saga one's.
The defenses provided by class was designed with the idea you would multiclass or prestige, which is what Pathfinder originally moved away from (as Grall mentions).
Using Jedi (levels 1-7) as an example, +1/+1/+1 was applied to defenses. Upon selecting Jedi Knight at 8th-12th, +2 to all defenses. Master at 13th+ granted +3 to all.
Any defense that provides a +1 multiplier is increased by +1; a +2 modifier is increased by +2.
I'd not recommend screwing with defenses very much, frankly. A lot of talents and feats, even a few racial traits focus on boosting these. At most, I'd do the following for single classes:
1st: Base defense.
8th: Base defense increase.
16th: Base defense increase.
If base defense = +0,add +0 at each increase.
If base defense = +1, add +1 at each increase.
If base defense = +2, add +2 at each increase.
The basic chart is as follows:
Jedi: +1 to all. (paladin, magus)
Soldier: +1 Ref, +2 Fort. (fighter)
Scoundrel: +2 Ref, +1 Will (rogue)
Noble: +1 Ref, +2 Will (bard)
Scout: +1 Fort, +2 Ref (ranger)
For Clerics/druids, I'd go +2 will, +1 fort
For Wizards/sorcs, I'd consider +2 will, +1 ref