Eldariel
2009-02-19, 10:46 PM
Premise: AD&D 2nd Edition (will henceforth be referred to as simply AD&D) combat worked rather well. Spellcasters had a bunch of awesome spells, with the more powerful ones having either possible drawbacks or additional price. Fighters had their weapons that they grew more and more skilled with, eventually simply being learning to open more chances to damage the opponent; more attacks. Rogues just had a bunch of unique skills and...yea. Turns were taken simultaneously and as long as actions were reasonable, they were taken. Everyone learned new skills depending on how hard their class was to master; the hardest classes were the strongest in per-level comparison but simply never were on the same level as the others, keeping the world fair.
3.0 came along and things changed. Spellcasters' spells lost pretty much all of the drawbacks and the whole "spell materials"-idea was reduced to "pay 200 gold for a bunch of spell material pouches and you'll have everything". Fighters still keep growing more skilled with weapons...but so does everyone else (oh, and Dragons have no problem biting you, clawing you, wingslapping you and tailslapping you in 6 seconds; seems against their physiology...oh, but if they opted to spend all that time biting you, they'd only bite once 'cause it has a recharge time...or something). Rogues still have a bunch of unique skills and nothing has changed (except nowadays spells do half of those things just as well). Turns are taken in order which means that the world is frozen (except for the crappy attempt at a fix that is "attack of opportunity") while someone takes an action, allowing walking between two angry Orcs, mooning at them, insulting their mother and then stunning them with a Color Spray while they can only try to insult you back (but you can't hear them since it's your turn and thus your speech is the loudest). Oh, and everyone gains levels at the same pace, but the former "slower classes" haven't had their progressions slowed down at all.
Synopsis (also TL;DR version): What went wrong with 3.5 in my opinion? Well, the biggest problems are the following five:
1. Spellcasters still have powerful effects, but the associated costs are gone.
2. Melee characters' shtick was given to everyone equally.
3. Natural creatures are more skilled at hurting people than trained combatants (but not as good as untrained combatants turning into said creatures with no practice in that creature's abilities).
4. Combat changed from real-time to turn-based and a turn lasts 6 seconds, which means that everyone has 6 seconds to end the world when nobody can bother them.
5. Every level for every class is equally long. However, the classes that formerly gained levels slower haven't had their level-by-level progression slowed down at all meaning they get the abilities much faster than in AD&D, while the fast-progressing classes get them at the same rate as in AD&D.
All of the problems need to be addressed separately, but they all contribute to the fact that full BAB (formerly warrior) characters just aren't as special as they used to be.
Solutions:
1.
The spell list from AD&D contains many of the same spells as the spell list from 3.5. It is simple enough to just use the AD&D version of the same spells. Many of the spells that did not exist in AD&D are similar enough to simply go with the original version. For example, AD&D version of Shapechange is as follows:
"Turn into any creature below demigod or specific dragon type status. Gain abilities except those that depend on the creature's Intelligence, innate magical abilities and magic resistance."
5000 gp jade circlet that shatters after used, lasts 1 round/level. Compare it to the 3.5 version and the 5000 gp material component becomes a 1500 gp material focus (infinitely usable), spell duration becomes 10 minutes/level and you are able to acquire, among others, many abilities dependent on the creature's intelligence; everything but it's spell-like abilities. It's easy to see what went wrong here (everything).
Likewise, AD&D Gate places the called creature under no obligation to do anything for you and only helps as far as alingment/similar goes. Also ages you 5 years.
If you lack an AD&D rules book, I suggest acquiring one through some means. Borrowing it (online or offline, your choice) or buying it (just the "AD&D Second Edition Player's Handbook" will do) is probably the best course of action.
Mayhap offering a Concentration-check (Spellcraft favors Int-casters too much) vs. 10+Spell Level x 2 for each spell and failure meaning botching the spell up somehow (still getting some effect, but not the intended one) could work, mayhap with automatic failure on 1. You could accidentially cause your spell to appear at the wrong location or wrong target or have a lesser or a greater effect than normally; simple stuff.
A more complete fix would be writing all spells of relevance with a drawback, but since the "mistakes" are pretty easy to figure out (spells requiring targeting can be mistargeted, spells creating obstacles can alter it in a wrong way, spells blocking an area can be malformed or placed, spells moving objects can move to the wrong places or make an incomplete moving leaving an item behind, spells that trigger on a condition can trigger on a wrong condition instead, etc.), and it'd be more work than I've got time for, I'm not the one to do that.
Note: This assumes that skill-boosting custom magic items stay far away from the game and that all other magical and mundane boosts are limited to +5 competence outside feat-bonuses; even the best Marshal can't inspire you to do something that's impossible with your physique.
2.
This problem is a complex one. Previously, only Fighters got good enough to get additional attacks. Now it's tied to BAB (a good idea as it functions with the multiclassing) and everyone gets some, Fighters just get more. However, the latter the attack, the less relevant it is due to the attack penalty making your new abilities worse, the higher you get (kind of bizarre really; did they think you make the iteratives on your old skill or something? Or are you just so hasty with the additionals that they don't hit? Or wtf.). Oh, and everyone can easily get as many attacks as fighters with a 4-level dip. So Fighter 4/X 16 is going to be as good as Fighter 20 at this. Let's fix:
-The new iterative (the last one) always start at -5. Mechanically, the penalty makes the iteratives just less relevant; kinda sucks when it's your primary class feature, huh?
So all iteratives start at -5. And first iterative on BAB 5. Then every 5 BAB thereafter. Why wouldn't a Fighter who dedicates his life to fighting be better than a Rogue who went through Fighter training and then dealt with shady dealings the rest of his career? Additional iterative on 20 rewards full BAB characters for sticking through.
The level after, the iterative goes to -4. Then to -3. Then to -2. Then to -1. And when you get a new iterative, the old one is at -0. So only your last attack ever has penalties. Makes more sense this way too; if a Fighter has multiple chances to damage opponent in a span of time, his skill does not magically evaporate when attacking.
The increased importance of BAB needs the following rule though: No temporary effect can change the wielder's BAB. Same already applies to skill ranks (except for that one superexpensive feat), base saves and casting class level. BAB is in the same line. So Divine Power can grant bonus to hit, but does not change BAB. Skillful weapon can allow you to gain bonus to hit equal to the difference between your BAB and medium BAB of your level, but does not change your BAB. Etc.
3.
3.0 did a great job bringing all creatures to the same line and under same rules in terms of most effects. The one thing they failed in though was attacks; natural weapon rules not only are completely different from manufactured weapons, but convoluted, weird, and completely trivialize the importance of BAB. Let's try to do something about that:
-A used natural weapons pair/group is treated like multi-weapon fighting. A creature with a pair or more of natural weapons of the same type, it can attack with them both/all as one attack action, at a penalty for that attack action equal to the number of attacks it uses (so -2 for two, -3 for three, -4 for 4, etc.).
-A creature with multiple types of natural weapons can choose, which weapon group to use for each attack action provided that that weapon group can reach the opponent.
-A weapon group with one weapon deals damage as a two-handed weapon.
A weapon group with two weapons deals damage as one-handed weapons.
A weapon group with three or more weapons deals damage as light weapons, but they are treated as one-handed for Power Attack.
Creatures can always Power Attack with natural weapons, but the Power Attack-damage bonus is always ½ of what it would be for a manufactured weapon (so 1-for-1 for one-weapon groups and 1-for-2 for multi-weapon groups).
-If the creature has a bite-attack or a similar attack done with an auxillary limb and the creature or the head enters opponent's square (such as in a grapple, moving when opponent is tripped, succeeding a bullrush attempt with the head or similar), the creature can do a bonus Bite-attack in lieu of its normal attack action.
-Pounce means that as one attack action at the end of a charge, the character can make an attack with all properly aligned natural weapons (such as Bite+Claw+Claw for a Dragon).
-Wing-attacks deal double damage when doing a flying charge past a creature. Other than that, they're usually too wieldy, except to hit characters moving past you.
-Only a creature with humanoid hands or a specific mention can use standard weapons. Some special weapons may be designed by non-humanoids, which are similarly unusable for humanoids and available to that creature type.
Concerning shapechanging:
-If creature's form isn't natural, using multiple weapons in one action requires the multi-weapon fighting feat, or the character suffers normal penalties for fighting with multiple weapons without proficiency (-4/-10 - 2 per weapon beyond two).
-If the shapechanger has not practiced the use of his new form, he suffers penalties due to the unfamiliarity with the use of the present body (unless the body is exceedingly similar to one he already knows, such as a Human changing into an Elf):
*Non-proficiency penalty of -4 on all attacks and special attack rolls, such as grapple, trip, disarm or sunder.
*All movement-speeds reduced to half and can only run at half the speed. Initially the creature cannot use any natural movement modes of the new form.
*The shapechanger is treated as having armor check penalty -4.
*The shapechanger cannot properly communicate with anything initially. The shapechanger can learn a creature's language through the Speak Language-skill once he is proficient in the form (this requires extensive time spent in that form and some method of actually learning the said form of communication), but unless the form can normally speak, the shapechanger can never speak other languages in that form.
*-2 penalty on all physical stats.
Alternate Shape-skill:
Character can acquire proficiency in a form through a month of practice exclusively in that form. This is represented through the "Alternate Shape"-skill, which is a class skill for classes with a Wildshape-type ability and crossclass for everyone else; mastering a form requires 4 ranks in this skill. All creatures with natural shape mimicking abilities, such as Doppelgangers and Changelings, treat this always as a class skill.
Every rank represents a week's worth of 8-hours-per-day practice and reduces all the penalties by 1/4 rounded down and acquires one extraordinary special attack or movement types (at the same penalties as normally) of the said form.
So a shapechanger with 1 rank in "Alternate Shape" towards Tiger can attack at -3, move at the speed of 25' and use one of the creature's special attacks; Improved Grab, Rake or Pounce.
Two ranks would allow the shapechanger to use a second ability and reduce the penalties to -2 and move at the speed of 30'. Penalties to physical stats are reduced to -1.
Three ranks would allow the shapechanger all of Tiger's special attacks, -1 on attack rolls and a speed of 35'.
Finally, fourth rank would mean mastery of the Tiger-form. All the penalties are 0 and provided a suitable means to learn communication (say, practicing admidst tame or wild tigers, or using magical replicas), the character learns to talk. Also, if the creature in question has more than 4 extraordinary special attacks and movement modes, the character masters all the additionals.
Whenever a character takes a rank in Alternate Shape, he must decide whether this goes towards a new creature or an old one. If character wants to study a creature over and beyond the limit his present capacity on Alternate Shape allows, each new rank instead replaces an old rank; in effect, he overwrites his experience as a creature with his experience as another.
-All form-altering abilities and spells need to be adjusted to limit the bonuses they can grant. Whenever using a class-based ability to change form such as Wildshape, the character faces the following limitations:
-The character does not always gain full ability modifiers from his new form. Instead, he gains modifiers appropriate to the creature up to a maximum of ½ his class level as enhancement bonus. So a level 10 Druid changing into a Brown Bear only gets +5 Enhancement on his Strength instead of gaining Strength 26, or +16 to his existing Strength. The Druid also only gains +5 enhancement to his Constitution. As enhancement bonus, this grants the Druid extra hitpoints normally. These hitpoints are lost last (as if using Con-boosting item) and if he changes shape to a form with less Con-bonus while only having the bonus hitpoints left, he will die.
-Magic items change to match the new shape if possible and keep functioning. Normal items are melded. Magic weapons and similars are likewise melded.
-Normal Wildshape never grants Extraordinary or Supernatural non-attack abilities. If the shapechanger gains the ability to acquire such abilities (such as Master of Many Form's Extraordinary Wildshape), he can acquire as many of the form's appropriate Extraordinary or Supernatural (if e.g. using Assume Supernatural Ability) Abilities as the effect allows, provided that he succeeds a Knowledge-check to know about those abilities (the DC is 10+creature's base HD+5 for each ability; DM decides the order in which the shapechanger learns about those abilities).
So for example, to learn enough of Troll's Regeneration to acquire it, a Master of Many Forms 7 could attempt a Knowledge: Nature-check of DC 10+6+5 = 21. If he succeeds, he knows enough about Troll's Regeneration to create it in his spell. If he fails, he does not. If the shapechanger has failed such a Knowledge-check on this particular creature, he cannot attempt again without further study on the subject (a rank in the appropriate Knowledge or simply doing a week's worth of research with a subject, or through sources such as books).
Likewise, to learn more about a creature (after succeeding a check on one of creature's abilities, but wanting to learn multiples), the shapechanger can try again after study (as defined above), and if his check exceeds last check+5, he learns an additional ability. So if our Druid beats DC26, he could also add low-light vision to his Troll-form. If he fails the old DC, however, he does not magically "forget" anything. The character cannot make this check before changing shape though, so our Master of Many Forms couldn't try to learn applying a trait on Trolls before using Giant Wildshape into one (the check is made as the Wildshape is first used).
Abilities relying on multiple minds or abilities that grant spellcasting or spell-like abilities can never be learned.
A spellcaster works the same way, except his limit is his caster level instead of his wildshape-level and normal items fall to the ground when Polymorph-type spell is cast, rather than meld with his new form. The Polymorph-line has the same limitations as Wildshape; it never grants Extraordinary or Supernatural Abilities without a feat to that end.
4.
Turn-system actually works just fine with everyone taking their turn at the same time. You just tell your DM what actions you intend on doing and once everyone's actions are in, the DM plays the turn out. An action can be something like "I block the Orc's passage and attack him" or "I charge at the spellcaster." If the said Orc was charging the spellcaster and a Fighter was trying to block him, if the Fighter's move-speed is high enough to interpose between the Orc and the spellcaster before the Orc has moved past the interception point, the Orc runs headfirst into the Fighter and either attacks him instead or tries to Overrun/Bullrush him (when action becomes invalid, DM asks for changes from the intercepted player). If the Fighter reaches the interception point when Orc is right in front of him (running past), he can attack the Orc or try to Bullrush/Trip him (stopping the movement). If he fails, he follows the Orc, but the Orc gets to the spellcaster and provided that he was at most a move action away, hits the caster before he has finished the spell (forcing Concentration).
-If a creature runs past you and you have Combat Reflexes or unoccupied (that is, not-attacking), properly lined natural weapons (such as Dragon's wings and tail when someone tries to run past him), you can make attacks of opportunity as normal while completing your own action. Of course, "hitting everyone who runs past me" is a perfectly valid action too, which would have you hitting people running past you for as long as you have attack actions left.
-Characters can take a full attack as a standard action.
-Characters can move before and after their standard actions. They aren't struck by idiocy immediately when they're done with whatever they were doing.
-When attacking a creature, the character isn't considered threatened by that creature. This grants no special protection against other creatures
-An attack takes about the same time as 5' of movement from a 30' speed character. This does not grant characters extra chances to damage a target (every strike isn't a damaging strike), but it does determine how many attacks of opportunity a character can do in any span of time (so if someone runs away and you are not running after him, you can only get one good hit in with 5' reach until he's outside your reach).
-Standard action takes about the same time as moving 30' for a creature with movement speed of 30'.
-Immediate actions can be used while the turn plays out. Swift actions have to be pre-determined like the other abilities. Unlike normally, character has to skip the present turn's swift action to have an immediate action open.
-Character can take a swift action instead of a standard action. Move action cannot be replaced in such a manner.
5.
Slowing the slowest classes down is the obvious solution. However, it would mean a much larger rework than is rational. Instead, giving the faster classes more class features seems like the way to go to represent that as the things they pick up are less difficult, they pick up more of them. Instead of doing redundant crap, I'll just refer you to any number of Fighter/Barbarian/Ranger/Rogue/Monk/whatever reworks you can find in these forums or anywhere else and use them. The work has been done well; no point in redoing it all.
There, with those rules in place, the most glaring problems should be gone. It's amazing how many balancing AD&D rules can be used almost as-is in 3.X and they still work just as well as so long ago. The game makes more sense and should even be more enjoyable. They shouldn't be hard to remember; the actual changes can be summarised to:
Regarding Magic:
-AD&D versions of spells are used, if not available, refer to the closest AD&D equivalent and work from there.
Regarding Iteratives:
-Iteratives BAB 5 and every 5 BAB thereafter, all done at full attack bonus, except the last acquired.
-When you get a new iterative, it's at -5. For every point of BAB thereafter, the penalty is reduced by 1 until the it disappears when the next attack is acquired.
-Nothing changes BAB.
Regarding Natural Attacks:
-Natural attacks are grouped into groups of same weapons (so two claws is one group, one bite is one group, etc.). Groups with more than 1 weapon have TWF penalties -1 for each additional weapon. Attacking with one group is one attack action. Same with attacking with two weapons.
-Natural weapons Power Attack for half the normal PA damage. Groups with one weapon have 1-1 PA returns, groups with more have 1-2 PA returns.
-Bite can be used as a bonus attack when grappling, in tripped character's space, bullrushing with head, or otherwise the head ends up in opponent's square (creatures with lunging heads such as Dragons can therefore easily include a Bite in their attack routine even if using only claws).
-Wings deal double damage on a flying charge.
Regarding Polymorph:
-You aren't initially proficient with forms when changing shape taking -4 to attacks and armor check penalty, and moving at ½ speed with none of its special abilities. Alternate Shape-skill is added; 4 points allows mastery of new form (including the form's mundane form of communication) and each points allows learning one extraordinary special attack.
-Polymorph-line never grants non-attack special abilities of any kind without class features or feats that allow it. Further, you can never learn spellcasting, spell-likes or abilities that rely on multiple minds.
-With feats to gain such abilities, the character must succeed a Knowledge-check on the creature learning at least one ability to apply that to his shapeshift. Failed check cannot be attempted again until either gaining an additional rank in the Knowledge, or doing at least a week's worth of research on either a subject, or other sources (such as written or other creatures, if the knowledge exists) on the said subject.
-Shapechanging effects can only grant stat bonuses equal to ½ of the effect level (Wildshapers' Wildshape level, spellcasters' caster level, etc.) and the bonus is applied on top of character's normal stats as enhancement.
Regarding Combat and Turns:
-Instead of taking individual turns, all characters give actions and take turns simultaneously. Immediate action can be taken while turn takes place (requires saving your swift action though). If a character's action is interrupted, the DM can ask him what to do with the remainder of his turns.
-Character isn't threatened by creature he's attacking.
-Moving 5' at 30' speed takes about the same time as one attack.
-Character can replace his standard action with swift action.
-Creature with Combat Reflexes or natural weapons not being used right now can take attacks of opportunity at passing creatures as normal.
-You may full attack as a standard action.
-Characters can move before or after their standard action.
Regarding experience:
-Non-spellcaster classes should use an alternative build that grants more class features. This reflects their faster XP growth in AD&D.
3.0 came along and things changed. Spellcasters' spells lost pretty much all of the drawbacks and the whole "spell materials"-idea was reduced to "pay 200 gold for a bunch of spell material pouches and you'll have everything". Fighters still keep growing more skilled with weapons...but so does everyone else (oh, and Dragons have no problem biting you, clawing you, wingslapping you and tailslapping you in 6 seconds; seems against their physiology...oh, but if they opted to spend all that time biting you, they'd only bite once 'cause it has a recharge time...or something). Rogues still have a bunch of unique skills and nothing has changed (except nowadays spells do half of those things just as well). Turns are taken in order which means that the world is frozen (except for the crappy attempt at a fix that is "attack of opportunity") while someone takes an action, allowing walking between two angry Orcs, mooning at them, insulting their mother and then stunning them with a Color Spray while they can only try to insult you back (but you can't hear them since it's your turn and thus your speech is the loudest). Oh, and everyone gains levels at the same pace, but the former "slower classes" haven't had their progressions slowed down at all.
Synopsis (also TL;DR version): What went wrong with 3.5 in my opinion? Well, the biggest problems are the following five:
1. Spellcasters still have powerful effects, but the associated costs are gone.
2. Melee characters' shtick was given to everyone equally.
3. Natural creatures are more skilled at hurting people than trained combatants (but not as good as untrained combatants turning into said creatures with no practice in that creature's abilities).
4. Combat changed from real-time to turn-based and a turn lasts 6 seconds, which means that everyone has 6 seconds to end the world when nobody can bother them.
5. Every level for every class is equally long. However, the classes that formerly gained levels slower haven't had their level-by-level progression slowed down at all meaning they get the abilities much faster than in AD&D, while the fast-progressing classes get them at the same rate as in AD&D.
All of the problems need to be addressed separately, but they all contribute to the fact that full BAB (formerly warrior) characters just aren't as special as they used to be.
Solutions:
1.
The spell list from AD&D contains many of the same spells as the spell list from 3.5. It is simple enough to just use the AD&D version of the same spells. Many of the spells that did not exist in AD&D are similar enough to simply go with the original version. For example, AD&D version of Shapechange is as follows:
"Turn into any creature below demigod or specific dragon type status. Gain abilities except those that depend on the creature's Intelligence, innate magical abilities and magic resistance."
5000 gp jade circlet that shatters after used, lasts 1 round/level. Compare it to the 3.5 version and the 5000 gp material component becomes a 1500 gp material focus (infinitely usable), spell duration becomes 10 minutes/level and you are able to acquire, among others, many abilities dependent on the creature's intelligence; everything but it's spell-like abilities. It's easy to see what went wrong here (everything).
Likewise, AD&D Gate places the called creature under no obligation to do anything for you and only helps as far as alingment/similar goes. Also ages you 5 years.
If you lack an AD&D rules book, I suggest acquiring one through some means. Borrowing it (online or offline, your choice) or buying it (just the "AD&D Second Edition Player's Handbook" will do) is probably the best course of action.
Mayhap offering a Concentration-check (Spellcraft favors Int-casters too much) vs. 10+Spell Level x 2 for each spell and failure meaning botching the spell up somehow (still getting some effect, but not the intended one) could work, mayhap with automatic failure on 1. You could accidentially cause your spell to appear at the wrong location or wrong target or have a lesser or a greater effect than normally; simple stuff.
A more complete fix would be writing all spells of relevance with a drawback, but since the "mistakes" are pretty easy to figure out (spells requiring targeting can be mistargeted, spells creating obstacles can alter it in a wrong way, spells blocking an area can be malformed or placed, spells moving objects can move to the wrong places or make an incomplete moving leaving an item behind, spells that trigger on a condition can trigger on a wrong condition instead, etc.), and it'd be more work than I've got time for, I'm not the one to do that.
Note: This assumes that skill-boosting custom magic items stay far away from the game and that all other magical and mundane boosts are limited to +5 competence outside feat-bonuses; even the best Marshal can't inspire you to do something that's impossible with your physique.
2.
This problem is a complex one. Previously, only Fighters got good enough to get additional attacks. Now it's tied to BAB (a good idea as it functions with the multiclassing) and everyone gets some, Fighters just get more. However, the latter the attack, the less relevant it is due to the attack penalty making your new abilities worse, the higher you get (kind of bizarre really; did they think you make the iteratives on your old skill or something? Or are you just so hasty with the additionals that they don't hit? Or wtf.). Oh, and everyone can easily get as many attacks as fighters with a 4-level dip. So Fighter 4/X 16 is going to be as good as Fighter 20 at this. Let's fix:
-The new iterative (the last one) always start at -5. Mechanically, the penalty makes the iteratives just less relevant; kinda sucks when it's your primary class feature, huh?
So all iteratives start at -5. And first iterative on BAB 5. Then every 5 BAB thereafter. Why wouldn't a Fighter who dedicates his life to fighting be better than a Rogue who went through Fighter training and then dealt with shady dealings the rest of his career? Additional iterative on 20 rewards full BAB characters for sticking through.
The level after, the iterative goes to -4. Then to -3. Then to -2. Then to -1. And when you get a new iterative, the old one is at -0. So only your last attack ever has penalties. Makes more sense this way too; if a Fighter has multiple chances to damage opponent in a span of time, his skill does not magically evaporate when attacking.
The increased importance of BAB needs the following rule though: No temporary effect can change the wielder's BAB. Same already applies to skill ranks (except for that one superexpensive feat), base saves and casting class level. BAB is in the same line. So Divine Power can grant bonus to hit, but does not change BAB. Skillful weapon can allow you to gain bonus to hit equal to the difference between your BAB and medium BAB of your level, but does not change your BAB. Etc.
3.
3.0 did a great job bringing all creatures to the same line and under same rules in terms of most effects. The one thing they failed in though was attacks; natural weapon rules not only are completely different from manufactured weapons, but convoluted, weird, and completely trivialize the importance of BAB. Let's try to do something about that:
-A used natural weapons pair/group is treated like multi-weapon fighting. A creature with a pair or more of natural weapons of the same type, it can attack with them both/all as one attack action, at a penalty for that attack action equal to the number of attacks it uses (so -2 for two, -3 for three, -4 for 4, etc.).
-A creature with multiple types of natural weapons can choose, which weapon group to use for each attack action provided that that weapon group can reach the opponent.
-A weapon group with one weapon deals damage as a two-handed weapon.
A weapon group with two weapons deals damage as one-handed weapons.
A weapon group with three or more weapons deals damage as light weapons, but they are treated as one-handed for Power Attack.
Creatures can always Power Attack with natural weapons, but the Power Attack-damage bonus is always ½ of what it would be for a manufactured weapon (so 1-for-1 for one-weapon groups and 1-for-2 for multi-weapon groups).
-If the creature has a bite-attack or a similar attack done with an auxillary limb and the creature or the head enters opponent's square (such as in a grapple, moving when opponent is tripped, succeeding a bullrush attempt with the head or similar), the creature can do a bonus Bite-attack in lieu of its normal attack action.
-Pounce means that as one attack action at the end of a charge, the character can make an attack with all properly aligned natural weapons (such as Bite+Claw+Claw for a Dragon).
-Wing-attacks deal double damage when doing a flying charge past a creature. Other than that, they're usually too wieldy, except to hit characters moving past you.
-Only a creature with humanoid hands or a specific mention can use standard weapons. Some special weapons may be designed by non-humanoids, which are similarly unusable for humanoids and available to that creature type.
Concerning shapechanging:
-If creature's form isn't natural, using multiple weapons in one action requires the multi-weapon fighting feat, or the character suffers normal penalties for fighting with multiple weapons without proficiency (-4/-10 - 2 per weapon beyond two).
-If the shapechanger has not practiced the use of his new form, he suffers penalties due to the unfamiliarity with the use of the present body (unless the body is exceedingly similar to one he already knows, such as a Human changing into an Elf):
*Non-proficiency penalty of -4 on all attacks and special attack rolls, such as grapple, trip, disarm or sunder.
*All movement-speeds reduced to half and can only run at half the speed. Initially the creature cannot use any natural movement modes of the new form.
*The shapechanger is treated as having armor check penalty -4.
*The shapechanger cannot properly communicate with anything initially. The shapechanger can learn a creature's language through the Speak Language-skill once he is proficient in the form (this requires extensive time spent in that form and some method of actually learning the said form of communication), but unless the form can normally speak, the shapechanger can never speak other languages in that form.
*-2 penalty on all physical stats.
Alternate Shape-skill:
Character can acquire proficiency in a form through a month of practice exclusively in that form. This is represented through the "Alternate Shape"-skill, which is a class skill for classes with a Wildshape-type ability and crossclass for everyone else; mastering a form requires 4 ranks in this skill. All creatures with natural shape mimicking abilities, such as Doppelgangers and Changelings, treat this always as a class skill.
Every rank represents a week's worth of 8-hours-per-day practice and reduces all the penalties by 1/4 rounded down and acquires one extraordinary special attack or movement types (at the same penalties as normally) of the said form.
So a shapechanger with 1 rank in "Alternate Shape" towards Tiger can attack at -3, move at the speed of 25' and use one of the creature's special attacks; Improved Grab, Rake or Pounce.
Two ranks would allow the shapechanger to use a second ability and reduce the penalties to -2 and move at the speed of 30'. Penalties to physical stats are reduced to -1.
Three ranks would allow the shapechanger all of Tiger's special attacks, -1 on attack rolls and a speed of 35'.
Finally, fourth rank would mean mastery of the Tiger-form. All the penalties are 0 and provided a suitable means to learn communication (say, practicing admidst tame or wild tigers, or using magical replicas), the character learns to talk. Also, if the creature in question has more than 4 extraordinary special attacks and movement modes, the character masters all the additionals.
Whenever a character takes a rank in Alternate Shape, he must decide whether this goes towards a new creature or an old one. If character wants to study a creature over and beyond the limit his present capacity on Alternate Shape allows, each new rank instead replaces an old rank; in effect, he overwrites his experience as a creature with his experience as another.
-All form-altering abilities and spells need to be adjusted to limit the bonuses they can grant. Whenever using a class-based ability to change form such as Wildshape, the character faces the following limitations:
-The character does not always gain full ability modifiers from his new form. Instead, he gains modifiers appropriate to the creature up to a maximum of ½ his class level as enhancement bonus. So a level 10 Druid changing into a Brown Bear only gets +5 Enhancement on his Strength instead of gaining Strength 26, or +16 to his existing Strength. The Druid also only gains +5 enhancement to his Constitution. As enhancement bonus, this grants the Druid extra hitpoints normally. These hitpoints are lost last (as if using Con-boosting item) and if he changes shape to a form with less Con-bonus while only having the bonus hitpoints left, he will die.
-Magic items change to match the new shape if possible and keep functioning. Normal items are melded. Magic weapons and similars are likewise melded.
-Normal Wildshape never grants Extraordinary or Supernatural non-attack abilities. If the shapechanger gains the ability to acquire such abilities (such as Master of Many Form's Extraordinary Wildshape), he can acquire as many of the form's appropriate Extraordinary or Supernatural (if e.g. using Assume Supernatural Ability) Abilities as the effect allows, provided that he succeeds a Knowledge-check to know about those abilities (the DC is 10+creature's base HD+5 for each ability; DM decides the order in which the shapechanger learns about those abilities).
So for example, to learn enough of Troll's Regeneration to acquire it, a Master of Many Forms 7 could attempt a Knowledge: Nature-check of DC 10+6+5 = 21. If he succeeds, he knows enough about Troll's Regeneration to create it in his spell. If he fails, he does not. If the shapechanger has failed such a Knowledge-check on this particular creature, he cannot attempt again without further study on the subject (a rank in the appropriate Knowledge or simply doing a week's worth of research with a subject, or through sources such as books).
Likewise, to learn more about a creature (after succeeding a check on one of creature's abilities, but wanting to learn multiples), the shapechanger can try again after study (as defined above), and if his check exceeds last check+5, he learns an additional ability. So if our Druid beats DC26, he could also add low-light vision to his Troll-form. If he fails the old DC, however, he does not magically "forget" anything. The character cannot make this check before changing shape though, so our Master of Many Forms couldn't try to learn applying a trait on Trolls before using Giant Wildshape into one (the check is made as the Wildshape is first used).
Abilities relying on multiple minds or abilities that grant spellcasting or spell-like abilities can never be learned.
A spellcaster works the same way, except his limit is his caster level instead of his wildshape-level and normal items fall to the ground when Polymorph-type spell is cast, rather than meld with his new form. The Polymorph-line has the same limitations as Wildshape; it never grants Extraordinary or Supernatural Abilities without a feat to that end.
4.
Turn-system actually works just fine with everyone taking their turn at the same time. You just tell your DM what actions you intend on doing and once everyone's actions are in, the DM plays the turn out. An action can be something like "I block the Orc's passage and attack him" or "I charge at the spellcaster." If the said Orc was charging the spellcaster and a Fighter was trying to block him, if the Fighter's move-speed is high enough to interpose between the Orc and the spellcaster before the Orc has moved past the interception point, the Orc runs headfirst into the Fighter and either attacks him instead or tries to Overrun/Bullrush him (when action becomes invalid, DM asks for changes from the intercepted player). If the Fighter reaches the interception point when Orc is right in front of him (running past), he can attack the Orc or try to Bullrush/Trip him (stopping the movement). If he fails, he follows the Orc, but the Orc gets to the spellcaster and provided that he was at most a move action away, hits the caster before he has finished the spell (forcing Concentration).
-If a creature runs past you and you have Combat Reflexes or unoccupied (that is, not-attacking), properly lined natural weapons (such as Dragon's wings and tail when someone tries to run past him), you can make attacks of opportunity as normal while completing your own action. Of course, "hitting everyone who runs past me" is a perfectly valid action too, which would have you hitting people running past you for as long as you have attack actions left.
-Characters can take a full attack as a standard action.
-Characters can move before and after their standard actions. They aren't struck by idiocy immediately when they're done with whatever they were doing.
-When attacking a creature, the character isn't considered threatened by that creature. This grants no special protection against other creatures
-An attack takes about the same time as 5' of movement from a 30' speed character. This does not grant characters extra chances to damage a target (every strike isn't a damaging strike), but it does determine how many attacks of opportunity a character can do in any span of time (so if someone runs away and you are not running after him, you can only get one good hit in with 5' reach until he's outside your reach).
-Standard action takes about the same time as moving 30' for a creature with movement speed of 30'.
-Immediate actions can be used while the turn plays out. Swift actions have to be pre-determined like the other abilities. Unlike normally, character has to skip the present turn's swift action to have an immediate action open.
-Character can take a swift action instead of a standard action. Move action cannot be replaced in such a manner.
5.
Slowing the slowest classes down is the obvious solution. However, it would mean a much larger rework than is rational. Instead, giving the faster classes more class features seems like the way to go to represent that as the things they pick up are less difficult, they pick up more of them. Instead of doing redundant crap, I'll just refer you to any number of Fighter/Barbarian/Ranger/Rogue/Monk/whatever reworks you can find in these forums or anywhere else and use them. The work has been done well; no point in redoing it all.
There, with those rules in place, the most glaring problems should be gone. It's amazing how many balancing AD&D rules can be used almost as-is in 3.X and they still work just as well as so long ago. The game makes more sense and should even be more enjoyable. They shouldn't be hard to remember; the actual changes can be summarised to:
Regarding Magic:
-AD&D versions of spells are used, if not available, refer to the closest AD&D equivalent and work from there.
Regarding Iteratives:
-Iteratives BAB 5 and every 5 BAB thereafter, all done at full attack bonus, except the last acquired.
-When you get a new iterative, it's at -5. For every point of BAB thereafter, the penalty is reduced by 1 until the it disappears when the next attack is acquired.
-Nothing changes BAB.
Regarding Natural Attacks:
-Natural attacks are grouped into groups of same weapons (so two claws is one group, one bite is one group, etc.). Groups with more than 1 weapon have TWF penalties -1 for each additional weapon. Attacking with one group is one attack action. Same with attacking with two weapons.
-Natural weapons Power Attack for half the normal PA damage. Groups with one weapon have 1-1 PA returns, groups with more have 1-2 PA returns.
-Bite can be used as a bonus attack when grappling, in tripped character's space, bullrushing with head, or otherwise the head ends up in opponent's square (creatures with lunging heads such as Dragons can therefore easily include a Bite in their attack routine even if using only claws).
-Wings deal double damage on a flying charge.
Regarding Polymorph:
-You aren't initially proficient with forms when changing shape taking -4 to attacks and armor check penalty, and moving at ½ speed with none of its special abilities. Alternate Shape-skill is added; 4 points allows mastery of new form (including the form's mundane form of communication) and each points allows learning one extraordinary special attack.
-Polymorph-line never grants non-attack special abilities of any kind without class features or feats that allow it. Further, you can never learn spellcasting, spell-likes or abilities that rely on multiple minds.
-With feats to gain such abilities, the character must succeed a Knowledge-check on the creature learning at least one ability to apply that to his shapeshift. Failed check cannot be attempted again until either gaining an additional rank in the Knowledge, or doing at least a week's worth of research on either a subject, or other sources (such as written or other creatures, if the knowledge exists) on the said subject.
-Shapechanging effects can only grant stat bonuses equal to ½ of the effect level (Wildshapers' Wildshape level, spellcasters' caster level, etc.) and the bonus is applied on top of character's normal stats as enhancement.
Regarding Combat and Turns:
-Instead of taking individual turns, all characters give actions and take turns simultaneously. Immediate action can be taken while turn takes place (requires saving your swift action though). If a character's action is interrupted, the DM can ask him what to do with the remainder of his turns.
-Character isn't threatened by creature he's attacking.
-Moving 5' at 30' speed takes about the same time as one attack.
-Character can replace his standard action with swift action.
-Creature with Combat Reflexes or natural weapons not being used right now can take attacks of opportunity at passing creatures as normal.
-You may full attack as a standard action.
-Characters can move before or after their standard action.
Regarding experience:
-Non-spellcaster classes should use an alternative build that grants more class features. This reflects their faster XP growth in AD&D.