New Around Here

[Captain Stabbin]

Hello,

I'm new to this website and to forums. I was looking for tips and advice for running games for DnD 3.5e. I've been DMing for 5e for a few years and have a few of the old 3rd edition books that I picked up because they looked neat. I'm currently going through the old SRD for 3.5e. I've checked out several of the old threads on this website already, but didn't really see anything specific to 3.5e aside from character creation.

Hope this finds you well.

Cheers.

[Drew]

Welcome to the forum, Captain. It's great to hear you're diving into 3.5e. Since you're already familiar with 5e, you’ll find that the main differences will revolve around things like action economy, skills, and combat tactics.

A few tips to help you as a DM for 3.5e:

1. Combat Can Be Slower: Forum-based gaming is already slower than normal, and 3.5e has more granular rules for combat, which can lead to slower-paced sessions, especially with larger parties. Try to keep things moving by simplifying some of the more complex rules or using pre-prepared NPCs and monster stats.

2. Balance Between Classes: Some 3.5e classes are more complex than others, and certain combinations can break the game if not carefully monitored. It's a good idea to keep an eye on party composition to ensure that no one player is running away with power or leaving others behind.

3. Skills Matter More: Unlike 5e where proficiency is straightforward, 3.5e gives you more control over how skills work. Make sure you're calling for lots of skill checks to create variety in your encounters, especially for social interactions, problem-solving, or exploration-based challenges.

4. Magic Is Stronger: Magic items and spells are much more common and varied, so be sure to balance your encounters accordingly. It's easy to overwhelm players with magical items, so don't forget to give the non-casters time to shine.

5. Prepare for the 'Action Economy' Effect: The 3.5e action economy can be a bit more difficult to manage. Watch out for things like the full-attack action, swift actions, move actions, and free actions, each of which can stack up in ways that either enhance or slow down encounters.

Lastly, don't hesitate to get creative with the wealth of options in 3.5e. There are lots of supplements and optional rules that can make your games even more exciting. If you have any questions about specific mechanics, feel free to ask. There are plenty of us who still love 3.5e.

Looking forward to hearing how your games go. Good luck, and enjoy the journey into old-school rules.