Forum: Public Forum

Alfie,

Glad to be of help.

If your mind was still on 3.0 you will need to check specifically:

• Grapple/Grab/Constrict/Swallow whole.
• Shapechange and all various shape-shifting rules.

These saw some serious changes between 3.0 and 3.5 and have now seen even more.

The former have been redone with the advent of the CMB/CMD system. The old grapple check values are usually the same and at worse in the same ballpark.
The latter is a serious change. Gone are all the odd rules and exceptions for changing a monster's (or PC's) shape. The concept of change as in now using a spell mechanic from the transmutation school.

The fact that you feel nothing has changed shall be filed under the "damn if they do, damn if they don't". On the one hand your reaction is positive as it proves the system to be compatible, on the other it could be seen as negative as in... well nothing is really new.

Originally Pathfinder RPG was released because Paizo knew that the amount of PH 3.5 was slowly dwindling and they needed a system to support their product line. Now, I am a bit annoyed myself at all the system books being produced that of course contribute to changing the system. So, yes, if you plan on using the system only for its basis, i.e. the "core" component that keeps D&D 3.5 alive, the Bestiary is not needed, and as I pointed out in the previous post, if you are in need of a Shambling mound, you will need your old MM (3.0 or 3.5) because it is not in the Bestiary! If it works fine to pick up the odd missing monster, I see no reason why it would not work with all of them.

Be sure to download the errata for the first printing of the book. Technically your copy should be the second printing, but you should check.

Laurent,