Top-10 Differences Between PF2e & D&D 5e
Pathfinder 1e was created using the D&D 3.5 SRD, and shared a lot of similarities with that system. Pathfinder 2e was introduced in 2019, and revised many of the underlying rules (and design assumptions), but kept the same basic framework. You can definitely see continuity of design from D&D 3.5 to PF2e, but there are some interesting differences.
Here’s my top-10 list, for those who want to skip reading the books:
10. No short rests
5e “assumes” that characters have some number of 1-hour short-rests per day, and some classes (cough Warlock cough) are designed around this assumption. PF2e assumes that characters can usually rest for at least 10 minutes after each combat. These frequent breaks are expected, for mundane healing, repairing broken shields and armor, and refocusing to reset class abilities. The GM can deny players these breaks, but the norm should be having some time to recover.
9. All of the numbers are bigger. Much bigger.
PF2e adds your level to proficiency checks, to-hit rolls, and to your AC and saves. However, PF raises both attacks and target DCs at roughly the same rate, so your effectiveness against same level opponents remains flat and relatively bounded.
However, this means that level differences really matter! Low-level mobs with +5 to hit will have an impossible fight against your plate-wearing fighter with a 34 AC. Conversely, you need to be cautious when fighting a mob that is +2 against your party, since that translates into at least +2 AC, +2 saves etc. This is all by design.
8. Added complexity? Maybe?
With bigger numbers comes added complexity and lots of +1 bonuses that you might need to track. 5e mostly eliminated this in favor of simplicity (adv/dis). PF2e appears to have very few effects that last more than a combat though, so I think they have avoided the mess that was stacking in 3.5 (remember the daily buffs?)
7. Critical saves? Critical failures?
Much like 3.5, PF2e has Will, Fort and Reflex saves (based on Wis, Con and Dex respectively). However, rolling a 20 or 10 more than you needed to save results in a critical save, which gives you a greatly reduced result. Similarly, rolling a 1, or 10 below what you needed to save, gives you a critical failure. Crits can be scary now. So can critical failures.
6. Vancian casting is back… and it’s ok.
We’re back to 3.5 style spellcasting, at least for prepared casters. You want to cast fireball three times in a day? Then you have to prepare it three times.
I don’t think this is a big deal, and here’s why:
The game has spontaneous casters that don’t do this. e.g. bard, sorcerer, witch. You can choose your playstyle if you want to avoid prepared casting. There is also an archetype (like a feat) that will let you convert your prepared caster into a 5e style caster, for a slight loss in spells per day.
Classes have encounter abilities that are meant to be used and recharged after every fight. These, plus cantrips, are what you use most of the time.
Magic items are more common, and make up for the loss in flexibility compared to 5e.
5. Rituals are dramatic and ritualistic!
Rituals need to be found and learned, but once learned can only be cast with the aid of multiple people, and often take days to cast. This is less “casting from a spellbook” and more “a dozen cultists chanting for 48 hours without rest to summon the Big Bad”. Awesome.
4. Resurrection is a ritual.
You don’t want to have to rely on spells to bring people back. It’s much more challenging to accomplish.
3. Downtime! Crafting!
We have downtime rules! Your wizard/scholar can teach history to rich kids for money; your bard can play to standing ovations for coin! You can spend your downtime crafting new items for yourself!
2. Magic shops are back!
Easy crafting rules also means that magic items are more plentiful! Unlike 5e, which partially managed balance by cutting back on magic items….. PF2e expects characters to have multiple items at every level. In fact, they’re required for game balance (e.g. magical weapon for combat, staves and wands to give Vancian casters more spell diversity). There are even settlement rules that cover this (e.g. a level 5 settlement will have items under level 5 for sale).
1. Character balance is…. excellent?!
3.5 and 5e have balance issues. Some classes are simply more effective than others, with spellcasters dominating at higher levels. PF2e deliberately scaled back some of the spells in the game, and beefed up melee and non-magical combat so that classes are more equally balanced. Add in the excellent feat rules where you get a feat every second level or so, and you have an extremely interesting and colorful character creation system.