Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition vs Starfinder

Compare Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition and Starfinder side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.

	Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition	Starfinder
Genre	Fantasy	Sci-Fi
Tags	Ascending AC, Character Building, Classic Fantasy, Crunchy, Dungeon Crawl, Tactical, Vancian Casting	Tactical, Crunchy, Character Building, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration
Core Mechanic	Roll a d20, add relevant modifiers, and compare the total to a target number. An equal or higher total succeeds. Ability checks, skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws use this framework. Combat uses initiative and defined action types, while damage dice are rolled after a hit.	d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e.
Dice	d20	d20
Complexity	Very High	High
Availability	Paid	Free core rules
Runnability	5 of 5 book tools	5 of 5 book tools
License	OGL v1.0a (SRD); core books proprietary	ORC
Third-Party Publishing	Not yet researched	Not yet researched
Publisher	Wizards of the Coast	Paizo
Year	2003	2024
Languages	English	English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Best For	Groups running fantasy campaigns that want class-based character advancement, prepared-spell resource planning, and position-sensitive combat. It also supports GMs who want encounter construction, monsters, treasure, and campaign procedures in the core set.	Sci-fi fans who want Pathfinder 2e's tactical depth with plasma rifles and starships. Great for PF2e veterans looking for cross-compatible space adventure.
Highlights	Class levels, skills, and feats create distinct mechanical advancement paths for characters. Grid combat combines initiative, movement, action types, attacks of opportunity, and special attacks into positional decisions. The Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual supply encounter, campaign, and creature-construction procedures alongside player rules.	Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity
Considerations	Character creation requires choices across race, class, ability scores, skills, feats, equipment, and spells. Spellcasting uses separate class lists, spell levels, daily spell counts, and preparation rules. Encounter design requires the GM to reconcile challenge ratings, creature statistics, treasure, and adventure procedures.	Steep learning curve, fewer classes and options than PF2e (still growing), tactical starship combat rules deferred to a future supplement with current rules being narrative only