Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition is a 2003 revision of D&D Third Edition.
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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.
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11answers
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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 ...
33
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4answers
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How to deal with lack of downtime as a wizard?
As we all know the wizard is a physically weak class that relies on his spells to perform in his adventures. Other than the spells gained at each level-up however he needs to spend 32 hours learning ...
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17answers
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Is a fumble on a natural 1 an official rule?
I am currently a player in a D&D 3.5 game where rolling a 1 on any attack roll is not only an automatic miss, but also means that something "bad" happens – such as dropping your sword, falling ...
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Do Teleportation spells transfer kinetic energy?
The Short question here is do teleportation spells in Pathfinder/3.5 carry over any kinetic momentum you were subject to before the teleportation. For context, please see this example situation (which ...
29
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4answers
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Can a lich redeem itself?
According to the rules,
The process of becoming a lich is unspeakably evil and can be undertaken only by a willing character.
What if a lich, having done this, slowly over time realizes its ...
28
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14answers
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Repercussions to DM-mandated limit on books allowable for characters?
When running a campaign, especially one with newer players mixed with optimizers, is it a fair call to limit the variety of books available for play? For feats, classes, prestige classes, magic items ...
28
votes
4answers
285 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 ...
27
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8answers
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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 ...
26
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20answers
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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 ...
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 ...
26
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6answers
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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 ...
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8answers
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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 ...
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6answers
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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 ...
25
votes
5answers
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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 ...
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5answers
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How is Polymorph “broken”?
I have read numerous posts from various websites saying that the wizard/sorceror spell "polymorph" breaks game balance. Even Wizards of the Coast somewhat admits that. Sticking to just the core ...
24
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4answers
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Why do Sorcerers use Charisma?
Sorcerers use Charisma as their primary Ability Score for spell-casting in Dungeons and Dragons. Wizards use Intelligence to cast, and Clerics use Wisdom. Intelligence and Wisdom make sense for the ...
24
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9answers
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Sword-and-board balance in D&D
Fighting with a weapon and a shield seem to be relatively ineffective in D&D relative to two-weapon or two-handed weapon fighting. This seems unfortunate, given their historical ubiquity, ...
24
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6answers
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How to improve the Diplomacy skill mechanic in D&D 3.Xe and Pathfinder?
In D&D 3rd Edition, 3.5 Edition, and even Pathfinder, it is ridiculously easy as a player to purposely or inadvertently break the skill system, especially with Diplomacy.
For example: A level 5 ...
23
votes
5answers
668 views
Problems with a party of only Spellcasters?
Given a party of only spellcasters (and only unique classes, i.e. only one character can take any specific class), what are possible roadblocks or problems the group may run into? Should they be ...
23
votes
7answers
726 views
How can gambling work in a world where magical divination is possible?
In a DnD 3.5 universe, could a spell such as Divination or Commune allow the caster to cheat at betting on sporting events? (For example, by asking a question like "Will Stan Stormbow win in this ...
23
votes
6answers
931 views
From D&D3.5 to GURPS
I always wanted to move from D&D to GURPS, but the different system and lack of pre-made material always put me and the players off. Have you tried such transition, how did the players handle it, ...
22
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3answers
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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 ...
21
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6answers
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How do you tell if a D&D book is 3.0 or 3.5?
I'm new to d20. I recently acquired a bunch of D&D books and I'm sure they are all either 3.0 or 3.5, but it doesn't say in the book which version it is. How can I tell which version the book is?
...
21
votes
11answers
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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 ...
21
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9answers
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Traps specifically for Smart characters
Does anyone have examples or suggestions on creating traps that are harder for Smart (High INT/WIS) characters?
Example: My NPC necromancer has set up his lair. In his arrogance he believes that ...
21
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6answers
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How does one become a god?
How does one become a deity? I read Deities and Demigods, but some things are either not explained or not mentioned at all.
Do you have to get a blessing from a god with 20+ divinity?
Can you ...
21
votes
2answers
250 views
Are there any rules for a Cleric to change his faith?
There are rules for a Cleric who loses faith, and how to regain his standing through atonement.
But what if he abandons one faith entirely for another? Presumably his new god/faith should be picking ...
20
votes
5answers
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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 ...
20
votes
3answers
367 views
Passage of Time within a Rope Trick spell
My question is rather simple and has to do with the extra-dimensional space* created by a Rope Trick spell.
*Note: It is not clear to me whether this kind of space is a Demiplane or not, but should ...
20
votes
5answers
457 views
Can a flaming sphere be kicked away?
In the flaming sphere spell description it is said that "the surface of the sphere has a spongy, yielding consistency".
So the sphere has some "consistency" and acts like a physical object, rolling ...
20
votes
6answers
261 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 ...
20
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2answers
567 views
What are important things to keep in mind when converting a 3e/3.5e module to Pathfinder?
I'm interesting in converting one or more of my existing modules for 3/3.5 to work with the Pathfinder rules. I'm interested to know from others who have done this kind of conversion what ...
19
votes
6answers
694 views
How can I pass through a Blade Barrier?
Can I safely get through a "Blade Barrier" by crawling through with an overturned bathtub over me or does the blade barrier form inside it as well?
19
votes
3answers
387 views
If you speak with dead and then resurrect, will the resurrected remember?
If you cast speak with dead and then resurrection, will the resurrected remember the details of the conversation while dead, the people he spoke with, their identity, and so on?
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votes
3answers
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Do dead creatures take up space?
If a large creature dies, does its corpse still occupy a 10x10 area?
How does this affect movement and combat, specifically charging?
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2answers
333 views
Catching falling characters
In my experience, whenever a character falls because of a pit trap or a botched climb check there is always at least one player that that tries to catch them. I can't seem to find any specific rulings ...
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votes
9answers
897 views
Tried all the existing advice, but players still never roleplay fear
I've read some other posts on here about how to telegraph danger to my PCs and how to make them flee. The problem is, I believe I am actively using all the strategies in both of the posts and my PCs ...
18
votes
5answers
777 views
Can I see through an open doorway?
I have what might seem like a weird question, let me explain. I'm playing with a DM I've never played with before. In his game, a character has no idea what is in the next room until they are in that ...
18
votes
7answers
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Help! My party isn't challenged?
While I've been running my campaign, I'm starting to get stumped. I am playing with a party of four, and we recently switched from 3.5 to Pathfinder, but the problem was the same in both situations.
...
18
votes
2answers
417 views
Is there any information on how exactly verbal spell components must be phrased?
In a discussion about how to covertly hide a spell, it was brought up that you might be able to disguise a spell with a verbal component by sneaking the spell component words into a normal ...
18
votes
5answers
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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 ...
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votes
11answers
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How to build a Secret Base without killing the builders
Question
How can I build a secret base without having to just kill all the builders afterwards to keep the secret?
Explanation
Another player and I want to build a secret base for an assassins ...
17
votes
6answers
879 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 ...
17
votes
9answers
665 views
Any GM headaches or canon reasons not to let resurrected PCs fight their reanimated corpses?
Given that,
a character can be dissolved in acid and resurrected
A body isn't necessary for resurrection.
Also, given that,
a dark cleric/necromancer can raise a dead body to fight
It seems ...
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votes
5answers
709 views
Can you be Polymorphed and then be made into a Familiar?
If a character is converted to a snake using baleful polymorph, can they then be made a Familiar or a Druid's Animal Companion (or other similar conditions).
And what happens once they are changed ...
17
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5answers
627 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
7answers
993 views
Converting D&D 3.5 characters to D20 Modern characters
I'm considering running a campaign in the Urban Arcana D20 Modern setting. Instead of taking the usual approach by creating new characters for the D20 Modern system, I want to make the "modern" part a ...
17
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4answers
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What challenge ratings can my party handle?
I play D&D 3.5. I have a party of 6 players and myself as a DM. In my "career" as a DM, I seem to have no to little difficulty with adding monsters and encounters. But I have never understood how ...
17
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1answer
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What Wizard schools are best to specialize in? Which schools are best to sacrifice?
The Wizard gains the ability to specialize in a school of spells, gaining a bonus spell slot per level that must be used to prepare spells of that school. In exchange, he must ban two other schools; ...
