Looking to Start: Resources?

[IcemanJRC]

So, as the thread title says briefly. I'm looking to play 3.5 as it seems to be the most popular edition on these forums and I've heard good stuff about it. What I'd like to know is, what resources do you all recommend? I'm wondering if the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/) should be enough to play a learning game and, if not, what books should I look at procuring? Are there any must haves aside from a basic players handbook? Do I even need a players handbook? What does the community recommend?

[DefKab]

Well, to play the game, you need a group of people... For Basics, you will get by with just the Dungeon Masters Guide, the Players Handbook, and the Monster Manual. If you don't want to work too hard to get ahold of that, the Pathfinder system keeps it all online for anyone to use. d20pfsrd.com Has all you need to play, or run, a campaign. But you still need people.

[Serpentine]

Yes, you can play a game with just the SRD. One of the few really important things it's missing is levelling tables, but for getting started you can do without.

[IcemanJRC]

@DefKab: So Pathfinder material and 3.5 are interchangeable for the most part?

@Serpentine: Oh that's good, thank you. If I need to I'm sure I could get the tables from another player or the DM.

[Yora]

Interchangeable for the most part. It's not identical, but you can easily use books for one game with the other.

While you can perfectly play with the SRDs, you can not learn the game with them. The Monster Manuals would be an exception, but you either have to have the PHB and DMG or someone who knows the game and teaches it to you.

[IcemanJRC]

I see... Thank you. I'll be sure to be on the look out for the books then. Gonna have to start snooping around my local game shop. So Players Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide are essential and Monster Manual is good to have? But a teacher and the SRD should work in a pinch? Thank you very much.

[Lastgrasp]

Grab Pathfinder Core Rulebook or use the Pathfinder SRD. It's currently in print and supported. You don't have to hunt for used books. Plus paizo has pretty large fan base.

If you want to run the game all you need is the core and bestiary. The core is PHB/DMG in one book.

[DefKab]

Really, I wouldn't even say Interchangeable... Pathfinder is a good level higher than 3.5 in power. It's a different play style. Those who know one can learn the other easily, but it's hardly compatible. The problem is that 3.5 has about 100 books to support. Everything you need for ALL of Pathfinder is on the website. Everything you need for ALL of DnD? That you can get for $4.5K...

[Yora]

That would also be my advice. From what I remember, most of the really important parts that are in the DMG in 3.5e are in the Core Rulebook in Pathfinder. Though there is a Game Masters Guide for PF as well, but it seems to include mostly those parts that are not really neccessary (or even helpful).

But that there are less optional books for PF does not seem like a valid point. For D&D, you need only 3 (or 2) books, everything else is purely optional. That's a bit like only buying in the store that has only two types of soup instead of another store that has 10. :smallwink:
There's no benefit of having all books for either D&D or PF.

[OracleofSilence]

also, keep in mind that pathfinder classes tend (excepting the druid) to be more powerful then their 3.5e "equals" if you are trying for transparency. But in general, yes they are interchangeable.

[Yora]

With the rulebooks, I also would stick to only one system.
Either the 3.5e books with the Complete-Series, or the PF books with the Ultimate-Series.
But when you have books like Eberron Campaign Setting, Fiendish Codex, or Lords of Madness, you can just use them in your PF-game without any second thoughts.

[Lastgrasp]

GMG is not essential as stated. I run Pathfinder and I cherry pick from 3.5 as needed. Magic items and spells need little to no conversion. I use Monsters from 3.5 and they need a slight conversion. Some of the monster qualities have changed, you need to adjust the CR down 1 generally, bump up hps, add up CMB/CMD, etc.

Also in Pathfinder you have more of a incentive to stay in your class. There are prestige classes still and a new archetype system to customize your character.

Advanced Players Guide is very nice book too.

[Godskook]

Probably the most important piece of advice I can give you is to figure out how willing you are to impose hardship on your players' characters, and then make sure they know this about you. Most relevant to my own experiences is are you willing to cut off the Archer's good hand, steal the wizard's spellbook, or de-level your PCs?