Character as Black Box: 3.5, Pathfinder, and 5e walk into a game... - OG Myth-Weavers

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Character as Black Box: 3.5, Pathfinder, and 5e walk into a game...

   
Character as Black Box: 3.5, Pathfinder, and 5e walk into a game...

This is not a 'which system is better' post.

So, we all know Pathfinder is essentially a clone of 3.5. By removing dead levels and different racial bonuses, a Pathfinder character might be slightly more powerful than an equivalent 3.5 character. I haven't played 5e yet, but it look like it runs on basically the same engine, with somewhat streamlined numbers. (I'd discuss 4e, too, but I haven't even flipped through it.)

But even 5e seems to be 99% identical in the weapon and spell list, and how stuff works. An 18 in an attribute translates to a +4 mod.

DM/GM asks for an attack roll. Player responds with 1d20+whatever. If you move, it's probably 30ft. if you're not short.

So...if the player doesn't ask stupid questions and the GM doesn't look at the character sheet, a GM would really have no way of knowing if a player is playing in a 3.5 game using 5e rules. Or vice versa or any combination of the above.

Would it break a game if you did?

What would happen if a GM was running a d20 game, and three players were using three different systems for their characters? What would have to happen in-game for a player to know with certainty that that other guy is definitely not using the same rules as I am?

5E has an advantage/disadvantage mechanism that should make it apparent real quick. Also the background and trait features are just different enough for 5E that I doubt it would slip by.

first skill checks would give away the pathfinder player. Making a PERCEPTION check (which i am all for combining Search, Spot and Listen)would be an easy give away.

For 3.5 and 5E it would depend on the classes. Monks for example are a bit different and would be an easy way to pick it out.

First saving throw would point out the 5e character.

However, could you run characters from these systems in the same campaign with out having to adapt them. I think you could use these systems all at the same time in the same fight.... Saves... Make a will/wisdom save

I'd like to comment that from what I know of 5th edition, they'd be given away as they went up levels; 5e characters don't gain pluses nearly as quickly as 3.5/Pathfinder characters, a 20 AC is something special for quite a few levels, while 30 AC would be truly epic territory.

Another thing that'd give away a 5e character; Guidance provides a 1d4 bonus instead of +1. And it's infinite uses.

The range of possible modifiers in 5e is pretty constrained. At higher levels, especially, the differences would be pronounced, when in 3.x everyone is rocking +8 primary stay items and the 5e character isn't. (And if the 5e character does, it becomes broken.)



The systems are close enough to negotiate through these things with understanding players and a hard-working DM, but you'd basically be running a different game for the 3.x players than the 5e player. The similarities across systems make it easy to adapt things in either direction, or to grasp conceptually how the unfamiliar system works, but the organic constraints in 5e are important to making the system function well.



It might be kind of like running a game where some characters are E6 and some aren't: The constraints end up making a difference despite the extensive overlap in rules. (5e isn't constrained in the same way that E6 is, though, so be careful how far you push the analogy.)

Don't forget Proficiency in 5e. Proficiency bonuses in 5e make it immediately obvious what system its using.





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