DM Sol_train
Squire
Back behind the screen 20yrs post 2E
Posts: 33 
Favorite D&D Class: Druid (Pathfinder Wolf-shaman)
Favorite D&D Race: Human
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Post by DM Sol_train on Dec 24, 2015 15:20:28 GMT
My main group is actually in Pathfinder running through the Emerald Spire super dungeon. So that, and 5th edition are my go to systems at this time. I'd like to tweak cantrips in my pathfinder game to allow them to scale so a wizard/sorcerer who doesn't want to use a weapon wouldnt need to. But 1d3 damage is horrid. I heard either 4 or 5 E cantrips and spells level up to a degree. How does it work, and do you think it could safely be transfered to PF w/o breaking the game? |
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Post by friartook on Dec 24, 2015 15:31:29 GMT
My main group is actually in Pathfinder running through the Emerald Spire super dungeon. So that, and 5th edition are my go to systems at this time. How does it work, and do you think it could safely be transfered to PF w/o breaking the game? Be careful with that! 5e has changed a lot of small mechanics to a greater or lesser degree in order to balance out gameplay. Not saying you shouldn't/can't do it. Just saying to be careful about changing these mechanics too much. For example, if you want to make cantrips at-will abilities, I'd recommend you don't alter their base damage. Or, you could alter the base damage but not make them at-will. I'm just recommending you tread lightly on altering these type of mechanics. 5e is very balanced compared to 3.5/PF, but they've tweaked a lot of little things on both sides of the screen to make it so. Edit: Sorry, just realized I didn't answer the first part of your question. Here's how cantrips work in 5e: Cantrips are spells the caster just knows and always has prepared. They don't need to be memorized and can be used over and over again (unless you use spell components, then they are contingent upon those). Cantrips are designed to give caster classes an equivalent to a non-caster class's melee attacks. They generally do similar damage to melee weapons (1d6 up to 1d10 max). Some of them have a "level up" mechanic on the damage; at certain levels the damage increases (I think its around levels 5, and again a couple times before level cap). In general, spell casting in 5e is based on "spells prepared", "spells known" and "spell slots". The mechanics of these relationships change by class; Wizards have a spell book, but can only "prepare" a set number of spells out of their "spells known"; Clerics "know" all of the spells on the Cleric spell list, but may only "prepare" a certain number per long rest. Each class can cast their prepared spells a certain number of times depending on how many "spell slots" they have to spells of that level. Cantrips are spells that are always "known", always "prepared", cannot be switched out, and do not use up spell slots. They are considered "level o spells". The spell slot mechanic is why I am urging caution. Caster class balance is deeply tied in with the mechanics of "spells known", "spells prepared", and "spell slots". |
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DM Sol_train
Squire
Back behind the screen 20yrs post 2E
Posts: 33
Favorite D&D Class: Druid (Pathfinder Wolf-shaman)
Favorite D&D Race: Human
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Post by DM Sol_train on Dec 25, 2015 19:17:54 GMT
From what I've been hearing the two systems have enough difference that it would be hard to just move across the scaling level/#'s, etc.
Cantrips are unlimited casting in PF as well, but what I was looking for is similar to what you mention about being able to use magic as your round-to-round attack method similar to any of the other classes. BAB for wizard is horrid, but it does target touch AC so that helps, but you'd never get multiple attacks/round.
A couple ways I was considering is adding Int bonus (or Cha for sorcerer) to damage. so a acid orb or ray of frost would deal out 1d3+ 1 to 4 (possibly higher at higher levels). Not excessive compared to a typical melee weapons doing 1d6 or 1d8 + Str.
Since that's not technically scaling, I was also looking at how some of the 1st/2d level spells add 1/2 level to damage or such with maybe a +5 cap.
I need to run some calculations out in excel considering touch vs normal AC as well just to see some avg damage outputs per round.
Basically it would allow a caster to be a near fully magic class for their combat for a flavor perspective. I'd like them to want to use spells for all attacks, but at 1d3 (avg damage 2) most players would just opt for their crossbow. Maybe it becomes a non-issue once they can start buying wands of MM and acid-arrow though.
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DM Sol_train
Squire
Back behind the screen 20yrs post 2E
Posts: 33
Favorite D&D Class: Druid (Pathfinder Wolf-shaman)
Favorite D&D Race: Human
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Post by DM Sol_train on Sept 1, 2016 1:27:46 GMT
Its been a while since I popped in and posted.
Thoughts on story-arc based leveling vs straight XP?
We're still running my homebrew campaign roughly 2 nights 3-4 hours every other week on average (since I alternate with my son GMing the adventure path Rise of the Rune Lords). The party just leveled up to 6th after about 15mo of gaming. I've done away with tracking XP, and using more story based level-up approach. Since its with 3 of my children and my wife, all new to gaming and they all enjoy the RP aspect it seems to be a better approach. We recently went 4 sessions w/o a combat, so it would be even slower if that was all they got credit for. While there wasn't combat, there were several skill challenges including searching through and escaping from a burning warehouse, a lot of exploration, and diplomacy with some high ranking guard-officers. While those don't always involve mechanics, and PF is a lot of crunch, I still feel like its adding the PCs abilities and experience. Plus if not for that they'd probably be 3rd level after 15 mo of playing which wouldn't be fun. |
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Post by 00dlez on Mar 22, 2017 3:26:56 GMT
Curently playing a PF game in the Dark Sun setting - first and only brush with PF but it's been solid so far. I've mostly only played 3e/3.5, but our crew rarely gets into high levels or too power gamey to really break those systems... I like both.
I've always really loved doing castle/settlement development stuff (man did I read the CRAP out of the Stronghold Builder's guide!) and PF has a pretty user friendly system for downtime and development for those sorts of things.
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