How would you go about converting 3.5 Invocations to 2e?

[Naoki00]

So this might seem like an odd question, but our table uses a lot of converted 3.5 content, specifically this class by Chris Bennett.

I’ve made a lot of homebrew for Pf1e, but I’m honestly not sure how to go about it for 2e as it’s design is rather different it feels. Would you make the invocations into class feats? Use them in place of spells entirely? Create new spells to fulfill the same flavor? I would just like to hear some thoughts on if it’s possible or if it would be a better idea to just try and work with what is available in the existing material.

[Tarondor]

I'd break them out into "the ones that feel like spells" and "the ones that feel like feats". Then I'd make them spells or feats.

The term "spell" is used more broadly in PF2e than it was in PF1e. For instance, many bard abilities (like Inspire Courage) are now spells. There's no reason your invocations couldn't do the same. Converting 3e material (or any material) to PF2e requires that you sometimes ignore the mechanics of the original and ask yourself what the ability is trying to accomplish. Then create something that is similar in PF2e rather than trying to cram a square peg into a round hole.

[vagrant-poet]

Focus spells and feat Abilities/Actions are the best way to capture a limited suite of abilities.

Spells as a subsystem are all about mix-and-match from a pool that is a subset of an even larger pool from one of 4 traditions.

[HumbleGamer]

Focus spells and focus cantrips might do the trick, but consider that ( apart specific classes and spells ) neither focus spells nor cantrips are meant to do massive damage as they were spells.

The only exception I can think of is the draconic sorcerer breath, for what concerns multitargets, and the witch frozen heart, for what concerns single target creatures ( though it's a fortitude save, which is probably the higher the enemy is going to have, most of the time ).

This could be solved by using feats or class feature to enhance "moderately good cantrips/focus spells" with peculiar effects ( conditions, forced movement, etc... ).

This will give variety and versatility.

[vagrant-poet]

Focus spells absolutely can be designed to do plenty of damage, either make a damage boosting class feature that can't be grabbed by a multiclass archetype, or simply don't create the archetype.

Then have the rest of the chassis be reduced in power in exchange. I suspect this is how a PF2e kineticist would work too, martial-like output from focus spells/cantrips that behave differently for the kineticist than others, because the focus spells are supposed to be the main thing, not utility, encounter powers to supplement spells/strikes, etc.

[HumbleGamer]

vagrant-poet wrote:

Focus spells absolutely can be designed to do plenty of damage, either make a damage boosting class feature that can't be grabbed by a multiclass archetype, or simply don't create the archetype.

Well, there are exceptions, but the majority of them can't compete with normal spells ( and it's totally right )

As for taking a dedication, you'll be behind a spellcaster, and given the enemy ST it might be hard to achieve good results ( your spellcasting stat will be at least 1 point behind, and your proficiency will be from 2 points behind ).

By lvl 12 for example, you could take dragon's breath, which would be 3 points behind a full spellcaster. it would become 1 point behind at lvl 15, and from lvl 15 on it would always be 3/4/5 points behind ( progression and eventually apex item ).

Not saying that offensive stuff for multiclass is always not worth it, but that supportive stuff ( healing/enhancing/etc ) excells, when it comes to a worse ( or slightly worse ) proficiency.

I think focus spells, given how refocus works ( and because so they can't afford to modify it ), are meant to be extra from a class. They enhance the class gameplay and sometimes provide a free damage boost which can be recovered through refocusing.

The magus, to say one, is an excellent example how focus spells should work on a melee class ( can choose between being quickened, swap runes depends the situation, get potency runes before other could do, etc... and since 4 spells per day and cantrip, no offensive stuff ). I am curious though about the focus spell to give the magus the chance to recover some spells.