I'm going to be joining a game soon where one of the group members used the 3.5 SRD as a base, but scavenged some mechanics ideas from 4th edition and rewrote the 3.5 rules. The major things of note:
- Uses the 4th ed concept of Saving "Throw" Defenses, that the caster "attacks," rather than the target making saving throws. Your save defenses are 10+ 0.5 char level +class bonus (0 or 2, each class can pick 2 that are good, and one that is 0)
- Uses 4th ed type skills
- Each class gets a combat BAB and a magic BAB. If it doesn't cast spells, it gets 1/2 progression; if it gets 9th level spells, it gets full "BAB" for magic attacks, and if it gets spells, but not 9th level, it gets 3/4 "BAB" progression for magical attacks. Any magical attack will use the Magic BAB, even something that would be considered a touch attack in a normal 3.5 game.
- "Leveling" is much like 4th edition - there isn't a class table for each character class.
- Almost all class abilities, aside from one or two granted at first level, have been turned into talents that can be chosen whenever you gain a new talent.
- Feats are gained at level 1, 2, and every second level thereafter (4, 6, 8...)
- Talents are gained at level 1, and ever second level thereafter (3, 5, 7...)
- Prestige Classes as they exist in 3rd edition do not exist. They are paragon talent choices, much like 4th edition (though some got gimped - ie, Arcane Trickster: no way to advance sneak attack and casting).
- No automatic iterative attacks from high BAB. However, there are feats that grant 2nd, 3rd, and 4th attacks.
There are also some spell changes (cloudkill no longer does Con damage - it seems nothing does ability damage of any type), but that's the big parts. Spellcasting is exactly like 3.5 casting.
Now, there are some interesting options that present themselves to me as I looked through a few of the classes:
Druids can pick Wildshape (based on Alternate Form, and limited by HD) at first level, usable Wisdom modifier times per day. By 3rd level you could be getting Large wildshape (4x/day). By 5th level I could be wildshaping into a plant, or a Huge animal, or a Small, Medium, or Large Elemental (with all Ex, Su, and Sp abilities). By 7th level I could be a Huge Elemental. Actually, I can't, due to HD limits.
All that, plus spellcasting, animal companion (with beefier HD progression), Nature Sense, and the ability to use Summon Nature's Ally as a standard action spell-like ability once per encounter.
However, the campaign is currently 12th level. But I could still be a Huge Elemental way early.
Sorcerers had several interesting talents scavenged from various sources, especially the Warlock. They also get a d6 HD.
They are auto-trained in arcana, which now includes Use Magic Device.
They can choose to get eldritch blast as one talent (which progresses at 1d6 per odd Sorcerer level, so 10d6 at 19th level). Attack is versus Reflex defense, but uses Full magic BAB + Cha mod for the attack bonus.
They can choose an element to add to the eldritch blast, including sonic.
They can choose a talent that allows, as a full-round action, changing your eldritch blast into a 20-ft burst emanating from you, that attacks Fort defense and deal Force damage.
A talent useable once per encounter that deals 1d8 damage to all living creatures within 20 feet (attacks Fort), and the sorcerer heals HP's equal to all the damage he deals.
A talent that makes a "web" (centered on you? Range?) that deals energy damage equal to your elemental eldritch blast in a 20-ft radius. The next round it does one less d6 damage, and so on, persisting until no d6's of damage remain. It only damages on a successful attack against Reflex. A successful attack also traps the targets in place, who must make an Acrobatics check (DC 10+ 0.5 sorc level +Cha mod) to get free.
Talents that grant Energy resistance 5 to a specified element.
All that on top of a normal Sorcerer with free Eschew Materials.
Those are the two classes that stuck out at me. Thoughts? What would be good ways to optimize these? I'm going on the assumption no outside 3.5 sources are going to be available.
I'll come in at 12th level, and my starting stats will be 16, 16, 15, 15, 14, 14.
