Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition is a 2003 revision of D&D Third Edition.
21
votes
11answers
15k views
Optimizing a D&D 3.5 Monk
I have complaints from someone in one of my groups that the 3.5 monk isn't good for anything offensive, only for defense and disarming (defenestration wasn't mentioned).
My experience has only been ...
59
votes
5answers
20k views
Differences between D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder
What are some of the rule changes that Pathfinder brings in comparison to D&D 3.5? I am curious what changes were made so I can explain to my group what it has to offer.
22
votes
3answers
18k views
What are the differences between D&D 3.5 and D&D 4th edition?
I have a small group of players who don't play often and we've been playing D&D 3.5.
I wanted to know if there are any significant differences between D&D 3.5 and D&D 4e? Do they use a ...
26
votes
15answers
1k views
Speeding Up Combat
I'm looking for ways to speed up the combat in my D&D 3.5 game. It seems that turns - both player and non-player - simply take too long. I have thought about giving everyone a 30 second timer, but ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
How do I handle Arcane Spell Failure?
Recently, we’ve seen several questions related to the topic of Arcane Spell Failure, and how to get around it. I have answered these (here and here), but neither question is directly about ...
6
votes
7answers
4k views
Is there a spell managing program/app for D&D 3.5e?
I'm playing a necromancer wizard in a D&D 3.5e game via Roll20.
I've found that it's very tedious to manage and choose my spells because I have to look in the list of the wizard/sorcerer spells ...
40
votes
11answers
3k views
How can I reward a character that doesn't want magic items?
So I've got a campaign where one of the characters, a fighter, severely distrusts magical items. The party level is 6+, and it seems difficult to figure out a way to compensate this character in ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
Can I use a full attack and natural attacks in the same round?
I'm playing a 7th level monk variant in D&D 3.5e and I'm a werewolf. The variant has a 1 for 1 BAB. (level 1 = BAB+1) If I'm in hybrid form, Can I make my 2 standard attacks followed by 2 claws ...
25
votes
8answers
4k views
What is the point of a spell component pouch?
While I'd like to think I know the general Dungeons and Dragons / Pathfinder rules pretty well, one thing I've never quite understood is the spell component pouch, especially in relation to the Eschew ...
16
votes
8answers
6k views
Homebrew D&D with only 2 players (plus DM)
I DM'ed for my buddies this semester and it was really fun. I got my roommate hooked and now he's asking for me to make another campaign (I've got a great idea). The problem lies in the fact that I'll ...
27
votes
8answers
3k views
Combat rules for large battles
In the later chapters of a future campaign I'm thinking of having a section where the players take charge of parts of an army and fight a larger battle. I don't want to hand-wave the strategy, I want ...
12
votes
5answers
634 views
Is there a system for modeling insanity in d20 3.5?
I'm running a Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 (not Pathfinder) game, and I want to create a system by which players can use certain abilities, but at the cost of sanity and self-control. Is there a system ...
20
votes
5answers
3k views
A PC dies every session - bad tactics or the normal outcome of adventuring?
In the campaign I'm currently playing in we have had a lot of character deaths occurring recently, almost (if not every) session. The party are 13th–14th level and are taking on significant ...
12
votes
8answers
4k views
Vow of Poverty, overpowered or underpowered?
I have read plenty of things about VoP in forums, and i have seen both opinions expressed.
If i understand it correctly, it does work on the assumption of a linear magic item acquisition from the ...
11
votes
4answers
430 views
Is there a reason to ignore/adjust the Wealth By Level chart?
While reading this
Cohort Question I was kinda struck by a quote in there and instead of asking an unrelated question in that area I figured it would be good to make a separate question.
The quote ...
15
votes
4answers
805 views
What are some resources or tips on dragons as PCs?
Our DM is preparing a new D&D (3.5) campaign in which we all have to play as a (True) dragon. We're all going to play non-evil dragons (we're allowed to pick chromatic ones and change their ...
10
votes
2answers
292 views
Best way to convert creatures from 3.x to 4E?
I've reccently discovered a load of monsters I created for 3.x D&D and would love to convert them to 4E.
Do any guides exist for this? Or could someone give me the most important points to ...
7
votes
3answers
838 views
Can I convert a 4e D&D character to 3.5e?
I have a character in 4e that I've been using for a while, but I recently met a DM who wants me and a friend to play his 3.5e campaign, since he doesn't like 4e or something... but our characters are ...
5
votes
3answers
266 views
Is there any good place on the internet that hosts monster playtests?
I've been a DM for a while for 3.5. I've run many NPC characters, however only a small fraction of monsters out of the books (comparatively). Also, I like to use templates liberally as well as advance ...
18
votes
5answers
2k views
What are the major differences between D&D 3.0 and D&D 3.5
I found a bunch of D&D books at a used bookshop, but am now realizing half are 3.0 and half are 3.5... How compatible are these with each other? What are the major rule changes I'll need to watch ...
17
votes
5answers
623 views
Does an intelligent undead have a soul?
This is a question that arose when an evil cleric PC cast Create Undead on someone (who was dead at the time and was never an undead before) and then commanded (as in, he used his Command Undead class ...
17
votes
5answers
612 views
Can magic items that deal fire damage function underwater?
From the DMG p93:
Spells or spell-like effects with the fire descriptor
are ineffective underwater unless the caster makes a
Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level). If the check succeeds, the
...
11
votes
4answers
501 views
Does Wealth By Level allow for “free” potions?
The principle behind the wealth by level table in the DMG is to summarize the amount of magical gear that a character will have access to at each level.
It's clear that the potions, scrolls and other ...
10
votes
1answer
245 views
Do special abilities require an action every round they are active?
Extraordinary ability is a free action to use. Is it a free action to turn on, and then no action afterwards. For instance, if someone is using hide in plain sight, and then becomes unconscious, is ...
8
votes
4answers
467 views
What are the most effective ways to protect a character against critical hits?
My DM has some evil dice. These dice seem to roll a much higher than average number of 20s, resulting in a much higher than average critical hit rate against the party. What are some ways a character ...
26
votes
20answers
3k views
Beyond hit points: injury in D&D
I'm interested in adding a touch of realism to combat in D&D 3.5 or Pathfinder. Hit points are a very simple way of measuring injury and stamina, that contributes to the "hit things first, ask ...
25
votes
6answers
1k views
In an even fight, how many rounds does a typical monster need to drop a PC?
Inspired by the closed question: DnD Next Hitpoint Inflation,
There have been claims of HP inflation in dnd-next, and there certainly were increased in the absolute value of HP in 4e. In order to ...
14
votes
3answers
2k views
Can characters reach Mach 1 and higher in D&D 3(.5)?
A few years back our group tried to come up with the fastest possible D&D character. If I remember correctly we could build a character that could go faster than the speed of sound, but I can't ...
26
votes
6answers
2k views
Techniques for making high level D&D play more manageable?
Many people complain about high level D&D 3.x play. It can become less enjoyable for both players and GMs because of the huge nest of rules and complexity required for every character, the prep ...
17
votes
6answers
873 views
How to kill a character without making their player too angry
I have been DMing a game for a group of friends. In between two sessions, which ended with them facing a few enemy NPCs, I realized that these intelligent opponents had a very good way to kill one of ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
Are 3.5 Bards mechanically weak?
People frequently seem to think that Bards are mechanically weaker than other classes, and I was wondering if this was true?
28
votes
4answers
283 views
How can the players reduce the workload of a game master?
As you know DMs do most of the job for the campaign (maps, plot, NPCs etc) and quite a bit of storytelling.
Players, on the other side, bring in their creativity and add extra spice to the game ...
13
votes
5answers
1k views
How to reduce minis dependence in d20-based games?
In Pathfinder and similar versions of D&D, there is a lot more miniatures/tactical map dependence than in earlier versions (and in most other RPGs). I am interested in reducing the dependence on ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
Playing as, not with, ourselves
A few of the members of our gaming have had the probably-not-unique idea of statting ourselves as if we were player characters in a campaign. Our problem is trying to find a basis of comparison for ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
High Level (16-20) Adventures
My party is currently working their way through Castle Whiterock. It's designed to run a D&D 3.5 party from 1st to 15th. We're playing it using Pathfinder rules and are part-way through level 9 ...
25
votes
5answers
2k views
What makes grease a good spell?
I often see people list grease as good go-to 1st level spell. Why is this?
The spell description lists 3 of its uses: forcing saves and slows movement of enemies, disarming enemies, and preventing ...
20
votes
6answers
260 views
Should PCs be limited to choosing forms into which to polymorph (or wild shape, etc.) that the PCs have previously encountered?
In trying to set reasonable limits on a PC's usage of the polymorph chain of spells. Is it plausible to require that the PC have some form of interaction with the target creature? Or can a PC ...
17
votes
1answer
2k views
What changed in Eberron between 3.5e and 4e?
Both in terms of setting fluff and game mechanics, what are the differences between the original D&D 3.5 version of Eberron and its D&D 4th edition version?
16
votes
1answer
708 views
Is a Dragonwrought Kobold a True Dragon?
The Monster Manual refers to some creatures with the Dragon type as “True Dragons,” and some later books refer to True Dragon status as a prerequisite for various options.
Races of the ...
15
votes
3answers
426 views
Can an undead cleric resurrect himself?
Inspired by the current OOTS story thread, I was trying to think my way around a resolution for the situation and wondered:
Would it be valid for an undead cleric to cast resurrect on himself?
15
votes
2answers
404 views
How can I play monsters and NPCs up to their potential?
In many cases discussions about balance in 3.5 will, inevitably, involve one side or another invoking an anecdote of the time they fought this monster, or a member of that class, and they didn't ...
11
votes
4answers
435 views
Help turning my NPC Druid Undead
I have an upper level NPC druid that I plan on killing and then making undead, along with his animal companion.
1) Do the rules allow the undead animal companion in this situation? (If so does it ...
11
votes
4answers
378 views
Is there a working adaptation of Skyrim's Dragon Shouts to DnD3.x?
I wonder if there's a well designed and tested, working - and, of course, unofficial (?) - adaptation of Skyrim's Dragon Shouts (Thu'um) to DnD 3.x (or possibly Pathfinder)?
If not, how would you ...
11
votes
3answers
508 views
Guide to convert a 3.5e DM to a 4e DM
I have never played fourth ed, I have read most of the new books, but it is so different as to be quite foreign to my play style. Is there a primer or guide out to help 3.5 DMs switch to 4th smoothly? ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
How do you make a wizard who doesn't need a spellbook?
I know what you're thinking: "Dude, just play a Sorcerer". Well, I ask this question because of two main reasons. Wizards get some extra spells for specializing, and my DM says sorcerers are rare.
I ...
15
votes
5answers
663 views
Covertly casting a spell
This question about Charm Person got me musing about a problem with the spell. Obviously, you can't cast Charm Person in the middle of a forum to sway an interlocutor to your side without the other 20 ...
14
votes
4answers
567 views
Why do Spell-Like Abilities provoke attacks of opportunity?
Both in D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder, Spell-Like Abilities are described as having "no verbal, somatic, focus, or material components." In both systems, however, activating them as a standard action ...
14
votes
5answers
260 views
How do I quicken / sum up larger (but not army-scale) d20/DnD3.x combat?
I'll be rather specific:
Imagine you have five lv7 characters (in DnD3.5), a bunch of their followers (skeletons raised by their priestess and whatnot), and they're facing about the same number of ...
13
votes
6answers
4k views
Alternatives to Familiars in DnD 3.X
Players tend to not keep very effective track of their familiars. Where can I find (or equally what can I use as) alternative Class Features for Wizards and Sorcerers to replace Familiars which will ...
11
votes
4answers
433 views
Which skill is more suitable for provoking someone?
If a character wants to provoke some sort of reaction (be it anger, or even just breaking his self-imposed silence) by talking to another [player] character; which skill is best suited for a skill ...
