3.5 - Pathfinder compatibility questions

[Ranged Ranger]

First off, I have never played pathfinder/used pathfinder material, but I've heard that it was designed to be compatible with 3.5 material...

So my main question is does the compatiblity work both ways?

Specifically, if a 3.5 psionic/magic using character wanted to use powers/spells from the pfsrd, would that generally be balanced?

Would the powers/spells require modification for use?

[Anxe]

In general, yes. Case by case basis though. It also depends on the power level of a campaign.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Generally, yeah. There's not a 100% overlap, but both games have such a wide range of power and balance that "does this fit with my group" is a much more useful metric than "where did this come from?"

[Psyren]

In general this is fine. Pathfinder has a lower overall ceiling than 3.5, so the spells are generally weaker (minus the occasional problematic one like Blood Money.) But PF spells don't have anything like 3.5 Ice Assassin or Streamers. I would also suggest using the PF versions of spells that are in both sources, like Polymorph, Wall or Iron, Blasphemy, or Wish.

What I will caution you and your group to consider though is that the PFSRD contains a lot of third-party material, so you may want to limit your scope to just the Paizo stuff even if you do allow that site. Not because Paizo are kings of balance or anything, but because most of the first-party material has had many pairs of eyes on it by now, and so anything with inherent problems (like Blood Money) has likely been sussed out by now.

In addition, if you're playing in 3.5, remember that PF no longer has XP costs.

[peacenlove]

A spell / power ported to PF (or back at 3.5) needs to have its effect re evaluated and examined by the DM.
For instance, spells that used to grapple/bull rush now use the unified CMB/CMD system, [death] effects now deal moderate amounts of untyped damage and so on.

Skills have also merged (for instance spot/search/listen to perception), or disappeared (Concentration).
A spell that gave +8 to spot checks now give either +8 to Perception checks dealing with sight, or a flat bonus of +8 Perception, depending on the GM's ruling.

[Ranged Ranger]

Thanks to all of you for the information.