snailgosh
2015-03-08, 10:35 PM
My roommate is currently trying to heavily modify the 3.5 system to his likings and I want to get feedback on some of his decisions from you guys.
One of the most drastic changes:
He did away with the normal action economy. You don't have simply one standard, one move, one swift action per turn.
Instead, there's a new ability named Quickness (QCK). You get 5 + QCK modifier of Action Points (AP) per turn.
Actions that used to be standard actions usually cost 3AP and former move actions 2AP.
Moving up to your speed costs 1AP, with all races having their speed halved. You can move before and after your attacks, but there are no more 5ft. steps.
Free actions remain free, but swifts and immediates cost 1AP and you can have more than one per turn. There is no Quicken Spell, however.
There is no full attack anymore, but each attack is resolved for it's AP cost. Attacks with light weapons cost 2AP, one-handed ones 3AP and two-handed weapons demanding 4AP.
Also attack and damage are now incorporated into a single die roll. 1d20 + modifiers is compared to the target's AC and you deal the difference (the damage potential) as damage (Light weapons deal half the potential as damage and two-handers x1.5).
He is also messing with spells and stuff to make higher level magic less potent. I think best approximation would be an E6 environment.
So - if you look at these changes and assume an E6 environment, what are resulting implications? What needs to be balanced better against each other?
Also, please don't suggest me different systems that employ these or similar mechanics by default. He is dead set on using 3.5 as a base.
One of the most drastic changes:
He did away with the normal action economy. You don't have simply one standard, one move, one swift action per turn.
Instead, there's a new ability named Quickness (QCK). You get 5 + QCK modifier of Action Points (AP) per turn.
Actions that used to be standard actions usually cost 3AP and former move actions 2AP.
Moving up to your speed costs 1AP, with all races having their speed halved. You can move before and after your attacks, but there are no more 5ft. steps.
Free actions remain free, but swifts and immediates cost 1AP and you can have more than one per turn. There is no Quicken Spell, however.
There is no full attack anymore, but each attack is resolved for it's AP cost. Attacks with light weapons cost 2AP, one-handed ones 3AP and two-handed weapons demanding 4AP.
Also attack and damage are now incorporated into a single die roll. 1d20 + modifiers is compared to the target's AC and you deal the difference (the damage potential) as damage (Light weapons deal half the potential as damage and two-handers x1.5).
He is also messing with spells and stuff to make higher level magic less potent. I think best approximation would be an E6 environment.
So - if you look at these changes and assume an E6 environment, what are resulting implications? What needs to be balanced better against each other?
Also, please don't suggest me different systems that employ these or similar mechanics by default. He is dead set on using 3.5 as a base.