Converting from 3.5 / Pathfinder

[Bjarkmundur]

I know absolutely nothing about 3.5 or pathfinder, but I looked at a few of the classes and it seems pretty.... reasonable. I mean, it looks much closer to 5e than say 4e or World of Darkness. Could one play a 3.5 class in 5e, and manage it by level-by level tweaks to keep things reasonable?

...asking for a friend, of course :P

[JackPhoenix]

No. There is enough differences between the editions that you would have to look at the class abilities as a whole, and convert it up-front. Trying to do it on level-by-level basis would lead to unholy mess.

[OutOfThyme]

There's a lot of different assumptions behind game balance in 5e and 3.5e. For example, in 3.5e, you're expected to take feats in your leveling process, but in 5e, feats are a variant rule, and are generally completely optional. Off the top of my head, here's the ones I can think of that would force some effort into converting 3.5e classes to 5e:

1) Base Attack Bonus: 5e doesn't have this, and the equivalent to iterative attacks is just the Extra Attack class feature. You'd need to remove this entirely.
2) Skill Points. Change this to proficiency, and it should generally work.
3) Fortitude, Reflex and Will saves also need to be changed to Ability saving throws, and there might be some difficulty doing that.
4) Removing any listing of "Bonus Feat" in favor of Ability Score Improvements, but following the ASI progression in 5e classes that best mimic them.

And I'm pretty sure that's not even all of it. 3.5e is a monster of a system, and there's probably a few things I'm forgetting to account for.

[Bjarkmundur]

Well yeah, I was pretty sure I didn't have to clarify stuff like that. I'm talking classes, specifically, not game mechanics. Of course I'd use 5e rules whenever applicable.

[LichPlease]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?568081-The-Occultist-Pathfinder-to-5e-Conversion

Here is my conversion of the Pathfinder Occultist. It is a more complex class but hopefully it helps gives you some ideas on how to go about converting. I suggest going here - https://aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Occultist - for a side-by-side comparison and analysis.

[Great Dragon]

@Bjarkmundur:
I am also learning 5e.

Some of the class Abilities did get transferred from 3e (and other Editions), but you might find some either confusing or disappointing. Figuring out the Devs logic for how Classes/Subclasses work can give one (Me!) headaches.

Without access to all the (3x) books, remembering some of the things is hard.
(I'm not really versed in Pathfinder, sorry)

Also, without knowing what you're looking to convert, I can only guess. And make some (random) examples.

For the most part, the only ones that I really have problems with are Prestige Classes.

I'm sure you already know that 5e made a lot of these into Subclass options.

(The Factotum gave me quite a few problems, which I'm still in the process of Playtesting.)

Like the Shadowdancer is now a type of Monk. (Which also stole "Ninja")

And the Arcane Trickster being available at 3rd, instead of 6th or 7th.
With the Spellthief PrC added at 17th Level.
They (5e) did add a new Mage Hand trick at 13th level, where you can use a Bonus Action to get Advantage on an attack.

Depending on what Abilities of a given Class or PrC is desired, can also determine when it can be made available. Most follow the logic of Low Level Abilities still being available when access is gained at 3rd level. With moderate abilities being available at 6-7 level (9th for Rogue), and high abilities being unlocked between 13th and 17th Levels.
Each "base" Class kinda has different "unlock" levels.

But, like you pointed out (I think) a lot of Class/PrC have features every level, and getting them all into only 3 or 4 "slots" can be frustrating.
One thing might be "if something doesn't fit into either Class or Subclass features, make it a Feat."


****
Well, hopefully my ramblings are helpful.
Until next time, my friend.

[Âmesang]

Here's WotC's "Conversions to 5th Edition D&D" pdf:
https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/DnD_Conversions_1.0.pdf

They're more "guidelines/suggestions" than anything else.

[johnbragg]

I know absolutely nothing about 3.5 or pathfinder, but I looked at a few of the classes and it seems pretty.... reasonable. I mean, it looks much closer to 5e than say 4e or World of Darkness. Could one play a 3.5 class in 5e, and manage it by level-by level tweaks to keep things reasonable?

...asking for a friend, of course :P

Not really. You'd need someone who understood both 3X and 5E very well to just to a new class from the ground up, based on the idea behind the 3X/Pathfinder class. Or, very likely, it would be an archetype of an existing class.

Or it's only a "character class concept" because people became so marinated in 3X design concepts, mentally, that a "Crusader" felt different to them than a "Paladin."

[Kane0]

You'd need both 3.PF and 5e experience and even then it wouldn't be clean. It's not just the base mechanics, it's the design. There are assumptions about skills, feats, spellcasting, (prestige) classes, ACFs, etc that just don't port over well as is. Most find it smoother and easier to recreate the concept using the 5e methods rather than just straight porting.

That said, if you wanted to run a shoot-from-the-hip sort of game then the FLAILSNAIL approach works just fine, but if you're going down that path balance is one of the things intentionally thrown out the window. Well balance beyond that imposed by the DM and players at any rate.

[Spriteless]

I mean, if you have your heart set on a 3.p class, you could maybe do it. But D&D 3 and Pathfinder classes are like shopping carts filled with cool abilities you mix and match. D&D 5 is choosing from ready baked archtypes. D&D 3 and Pathfinder have a finely tuned pseudo physics engine filled with interesting choices and tradeoffs, D&D 5 has an engine that barely exists outside of PCs.

For example, the D&D 5 Rogue of Assassin archetype has packed up a bunch of rules from D&D3/pathfinder into its class. Rules for surprise attacks don't exist normally, but it is iconic to a certain type of rogue, so that certain type of rogue is the only one to get it.

So, if there is a certain action a Pathfinder character does 80% of the time, you could write a class or an archetype for an existing class that does that action and includes the fun decisions associated with it, and it might fit into D&D 5 really well. But a level by level conversion of a versatile powerset would be time consuming, and yield results that fit into D&D 5 less.

[Kane0]

If you have specific content you have in mind there's plenty of people here willing to lend a hand too.

[Great Dragon]

Or it's only a "character class concept" because people became so marinated in 3X design concepts, mentally, that a "Crusader" felt different to them than a "Paladin."

Partly?
Psionics were different enough that most didn't really lump them with Mages.

The Tome of Battle classes were different, in that they had access to "magic" maneuvers.

Incarnum was (to me) weird.

Converting any of these into 5e (UA Psionics attempts - so far - are disappointing) would take a lot of work, and Playtesting.

[JMS]

Partly?
Psionics were different enough that most didn't really lump them with Mages.

The Tome of Battle classes were different, in that they had access to "magic" maneuvers.

Incarnum was (to me) weird.

Converting any of these into 5e (UA Psionics attempts - so far - are disappointing) would take a lot of work, and Playtesting.

I wholeheartedly agree with these examples, I will say that some concepts, the ones that didn’t add a new subsystem, are a bit easier. CWar Samurai, Hexblade are both well represented in 5e, better than 3.5.

[Great Dragon]

CWar Samurai, Hexblade are both well represented in 5e, better than 3.5.

I do like the 5e Samurai.

However, I'm against the 5e Hexblade.
But, then that's partly because I'm a Grognard, and partly because it so easily overshadowed all the other Warlocks.

[Lyracian]

Here's WotC's "Conversions to 5th Edition D&D" pdf:
https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/DnD_Conversions_1.0.pdf
They're more "guidelines/suggestions" than anything else.
Thank you for that; we are half way thought converting our game from 3.5 to 5th so that may be useful.

[Great Dragon]

@Âmesang
Yes, that also helps me, when I want to bring something into my games.
I can convert AD&D 1&2 to 3.x fairly easy.
I might even check into Pathfinder.

This not only gives me a guide, but can be shown to people interested in how I went about it.

Thanks, much!