Where do I start? Updating a 3.0 PrC to a 3.5 one

[Malak'ai]

Hey Everybody!

Just wondering if any of you homebrew sages could help me out with updating a PrC from 3.0 to 3.5.

The Prc is the DeepWood Sniper from Masters of the Wild.
The game setting is strickly 3.5 and the concept for the character would fit the DWS perfectly, I just have no idea where to start with update the class.
I've looked for alternitives and asked in one of the other forums for help but so far nothing else comes close IMO.

So if anyone can be of help, I would be really appreciative.

[Sypher667]

I've wanted that PrC updated myself, but my DMs always just allow it. As far as I remember, nothing in the class itself is 3.0 exclusive. All of it should convert directly as is.


After looking at the class, change "Intuit direction" and "wilderness lore" to Survival and Know (Nature) and you should be good to go. The only thing that concerns me is the magic weapon spell mentioned, as I do not know if it would be magic weapon or greater magic weapon. Other than that, looks fine.

[Answerer]

Intuit Direction and Wilderness Lore are, I think, both Survival. Pretty sure Knowledge (Nature) existed in 3.0 pretty much exactly like it is now.

[Malak'ai]

Yeah, I figured Intute Direction and Wilderness Lore both became part of Survival, so that was a problem... It's things like the class abilities (Improved crit multipliers and things) that have me a bit worried.
In games I've run it's always been mixed 3.0/3.5 (taking the more sensible of the two options) so there was no problem... Alway, WTH is the Keen Edge that you get at lvl 6? Never could figure that one out in the past.

[Techwarrior]

In 3.0 the spell keen edge doubled the critical threat range of any weapon, even ones that were blunt, as if it had the keen enchantment. It has a ten minutes per level duration, 1 action casting, and is a 3rd level transmutation spell given to sorc/wiz and bards. Don't know about the deepwood sniper thing, but that's what the spell keen edge does.

[Malak'ai]

Ok, so Keen Edge mimics the Keen weapon property thats fine, but why give it to DWS's at 6th lvl when they already get Keen Arrows class ablitly at 1st, neither would stack together... So for the update, does that mean I can choose a different ability from one of the other archer type classes so that it it stays equal with number of abilities as the origional, or just drop it completely?

[Veklim]

MotW doesn't actually list the keen edge ability in the text of the class anyhow, so it's safe enough to ignore it honestly. Or you could make it the second half of a scaling keen-like ability, so you increase your threat by 1 at 1st (keen arrows), and then by 2 at 6th (keen edge). I'd not let it stack with improved crit or keen personally, but you could allow stacking with improved crit if you're feeling generous.

With regards to magic weapon, greater would be better, but you'll only ever get a +2 if you stick to the class level/caster level thing. May I humbly suggest you run it as +1 magic per 3 class levels, with extra help against DR (counting as silver/cold iron/adamantine/etc) at 10th perhaps?

As for take aim, it's currently next to pointless. My suggestion would be to make it either a move action, or perhaps even a swift action (my personal choice) as this would bring an flagging and useless ability to the foreground with little effort.

The range bonus is fine, and needs no tweaking at all. One thing to remember is that the Cragtop Archer kinda took over a lot of the DWS's schtick in some respects, and may be worth looking at for more inspiration. However, I have run a quick-fix DWS in a campaign already (basically what I suggested above) and it seemed to work just fine!

[toapat]

Ok, so Keen Edge mimics the Keen weapon property thats fine, but why give it to DWS's at 6th lvl when they already get Keen Arrows class ablitly at 1st, neither would stack together... So for the update, does that mean I can choose a different ability from one of the other archer type classes so that it it stays equal with number of abilities as the origional, or just drop it completely?

keen in 3rd edition does stack with improved critical and a bow of impact, where as all 3 in 3.5 ed do not stack.

on a bow, a critical range of 17-20 wouldnt be a problem though, as the weapon is very weak

[Malak'ai]

keen in 3rd edition does stack with improved critical and a bow of impact, where as all 3 in 3.5 ed do not stack.

on a bow, a critical range of 17-20 wouldnt be a problem though, as the weapon is very weak

Depends on what additional damage your bow causes. Flaming burst doing an extra 4D10 of fire dam per crit along with the 5d8 and what ever STR bonus you get for a str adjusted bow (or Mighty bow), thats nothing to just shrug at.

And thanks Veklim, I'll see what i can wrangle out .

[Techwarrior]

Actually, even in 3.0 a bow of impact didn't stack with keen edge, they were considered the same spell.