Götterdämmerung a Rosetta Stone for D20 RPGs
This post isn’t finished, but this draft is ready for comments.
So ERG has an issue with converting A Broken Sky from Pathfinder 2e to Dungeons and Dragons 5e and that is the expectations and capabilities of each system are different. Owen has an ambitious project that releases every new supplement in 4 D20 rule systems, Pathfinder 1e, Pathfinder2e, Starfinder, and D&D 5e. There is a problem finding developers that are competent in all four systems, even folks who can convert from any of the Paizo systems to 5e are in high demand, but all four it’s a small group. So I’m working on a little more developer-facing content, those posts are usually marked game design.
At PaizoCon in 2019, the Pathfinder developers told us each new ancestry, not races, has a bunch of feats that it can take, like a lot of feats. Now that great variety is never intended to be taken by a single character the variety is there to allow for a lot of different characters to be built on the same chassis. We’ll come back to feats, but let’s break down what each ruleset gives each gives a starting character based on what they were born with or born into.
Attributes
In PF2e you get to point buy your character, all attributes start at 10 and then add an ability boost for your ancestry, 2 from your background, and one from your class to your class’s key ability score. You get ability boosts to four ability scores every 5 levels.
Eyes
5e only has Darkvision, low light vision no longer exists.
Funny Haircut
Dwarves have beards and braids, Elves have Beatles haircuts and pointy ears, Halflings have hairy feet etc.
Feats
The Pf2e Assimar gets to choose from 3 feats at 1st, 3 feats at 5th, 4 feats at 9th, 4 feats at 13th, and 1 feat at 17th. That’s 15 feats to choose from and that makes for a lot of different Assimar walking around your game world.
In D&D 5e the Dwarf gets a couple of traits that are common to all dwarves and two sub-races that give you a fixed ability bonus and a specific trait that’s equal to Toughness or Light and Medium Armor Proficiency. If I’m making a Dwarven Fighter or any other class that gets armor proficiencies my sub-race only gives me the Strength bonus, you don’t get to pick different feats or proficiencies if you get the same one from multiple sources in 5e. The Player’s Handbook Dwarves’ abilities are front-loaded at 1st level and you never get more. There will only ever be two kinds of dwarves from the PHB that’s a low cognitive load on the player learning the game the first time but it hurts replay value. With later expansions, you might get more dwarven sub-races, but it’s still a menu, not a toolbox.
The Mark of Warding dwarf from Ebberon seems much more involved than the two subraces out of the PHB. I will update this for Tashas and other books that change character building as I work through this. The MoW gets +1 INT, an alternate skill use, 3 spells it can cast based on the trait, and an expanded spell list if the character is a caster class.
Feats in Pathfinder 2e are everywhere, you get ancestry feats, skill feats, and general feats that come at you every level and increase the complexity and competency of your character.
Feats in D&D 5e are a very limited resource, you only get them at character creation and every five levels you can choose a feat instead of ability score increases, there are very few feats people choose over ability score increases.
So how do we take multiple fully fleshed out Pathfinder 2e ancestries and meaningfully convert them into D&D 5e races and subraces?
Player’s Handbook – 2014
Race | Ability Increase | Size | Speed | Vision | Languages | Racial & Subrace Benefits |
Dwarf | +2 Con | Medium | 25ft *armor | Dark | Common, Dwarvish | Artisan Tools, Poison Resiliance, Stoncunning, Axes & Hammers |
Hill | +1 Wis | Medium | – | – | Toughness | |
Mountain | +2 Str | Medium | – | – | Light & Medium Armor | |
Elf | +2 Dex | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Elvish | Keen Senses, Fey Ancestry, Trance |
High | +1 Int | Medium | – | – | +1 Extra | Swords & Bows, Cantrip |
Wood | +1 Wis | Medium | 35ft | – | – | Swords & Bows, Mask of the Wild |
Dark | +1 Cha | Medium | 120ft | – | Drow Weapons, Sunlight Sensitivity, Drow Magic | |
Halfling | +2 Dex | Small | 25ft | – | Common, Halfling | Lucky, Brave, Nimbleness |
Lightfoot | +1 Cha | Small | – | – | – | Naturally Stealthy |
Stout | +1 Con | Small | – | – | – | Poison Resilience |
Human | +1 All | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | |
Dragonborn | +2 Str, +1 Cha | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Draconic | Breath Weapon, Damage Resistance |
Gnome | +2 Int | Small | 25ft | Dark | Common, Gnomish | Gnome Cunning, |
Forest? | +1 Dex | Small | – | – | – | Nautral Illusionist, Speak with Small Beasts |
Rock | +1 Con | Small | – | – | – | Artificer Lore, Tinker |
Half-Elf | +2 Cha, +1, +1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Elvish | Fey Ancestry, Skill Versatility |
Hal-Orc | +2 Str, +1 Con | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Orc | Menacing, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks |
Tiefling | +2 Cha, +1 Int | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Infernal | Fire Resistance, Infernal Legacy |
Using just the PHB there are 14 Races and Subraces to choose from in the vein of it’s a menu, not a toolbox you’ll only ever make these 14 characters and the biggest complaint I ever heard from 5e player that had run 20 level campaigns was that every character felt the same after a while. 4e had similar complaints.
Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse – May 2022 – changed things up a bit;
- Ability Score Increases are either +2 and +1 to any two stats OR +1 to three different stats making the optional rule from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything official.
- You start off speaking Common and one other language you and your GM can agree on. Tasha’s had a list of alternate starting languages, but it’s basically free with DM approval now.
- Races take up one page each, nothing about height, weight, what kind of names they have and fluff that kept most PHB races to 2+ pages.
- Lots of Small creatures have 30ft movement, suck it Dwarves, Halflings and Gnomes.
- This is a book full of reprints so I don’t know if this is from two different style guides, but they can’t decide if Darkvision is the first ability after speed or goes with the other abilities alphabetically.
Race | Ability Increase | Size | Speed | Vision | Languages | Racial & Subrace Benefits |
Aarakocr | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Flight, Talons, Wind Caller |
Aasimar | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Healing Hands, Light Bearer, Celestial Revelation |
Bugbear | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Fey Ancestry, Long Limbed, Powerful Build, Sneaky, Suprise Attack |
Centaur | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 40ft | – | Common, Extra | Charge, Equine Build, Hooves, Natural Affinifty |
Changeling | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Changeling Instincts, Shapechanger |
Deep Gnome | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Gift of the Svirfneblin, Gnomish Magic Resistance, Svirfneblin Camouflage |
Duergar | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Duergar Magic, Dwarven Resilience, Psionic Fortitude |
Eladrin | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Fey Ancestry, Fey Step, Keen Senses, Trance |
Fairy | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Small | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Fairy Magic, Flight |
Firbolg | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Firbolg Magic, Hidden Step, Powerful Build, Speech of Beast and Leaf |
Genasi, Air | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 35ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Unending Breath, Lightning Resistance, Mingle with the Wind (cantrip, 3, 5) |
Genasi, Earth | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Earth Walk, Merge with Stone (cantrip, 5th) |
Genasi, Fire | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Fire Resistance, Reach of the Blaze (cantrip, 3rd, 5th) |
Genasi, Water | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Swim Speed, Acid Resistance, Call the Wave (cantrip, 3rd, 5th) |
Githyanki | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Astral Knowledge, Githyanki Psionics (cantrip, 3rd, 5th) |
Githzerai | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Githzerai Psionics (cantrip, 3rd, 5th), Mental Discipline, Psionic Resilience |
Goblin | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Fey Ancestry, Fury of the Small, Nimble Escape |
Goliath | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Little Giant, Mountain Born, Stone’s Endurance |
Harengon | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Hare Trigger, Leporine Senses, Lucky Footwork, Rabbit Hop |
Hobgoblin | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Fey Ancestry, Fey Gift, (Help, 3rd), Fortune of the Many |
Kenku | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Expert Duplication, Kenku Recall, Mimicry |
Kobold | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Draconic Cry, Kobold Legacy |
Lizardfolk | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Bite, Hold Breath, Hungry Jaws, Natural Armor, Nature’s Intuition |
Minotaur | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Horns, Goring Rush, Hammering Horns, Labyrinthine Recall |
Orc | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Adrenaline rush, Powerful Build, Relentless Endurance |
Satyr | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 35ft | – | Common, Extra | Ram, Magic Resistance, Mirthful Leaps, Reveler |
Sea Elf | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Swim Speed, Fey Ancestry, Friend of the Sea, Keen Senses, Trance |
Shadar-kai | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Blessing of the Raven Queen (teleport 30ft, 3rd DR), Fey Ancestry, Keen Senses, Necrotic Resistance, Trance |
Shifter | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Bestial Instincts, Shifting |
Tabaxi | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Climbing Speed, Cat’s Claws, Cat’s Talent, Feline Agility |
Tortle | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Claws, Hold Breath, Natural Armor, Nature’s Intuition, Shell Defense |
Triton | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Swim Speed, Amphibious, Control Air and Water (Fog Cloud, 3rd, 5th), Emissary of the Sea, Guardian of the Depths |
Yuan-ti | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Magic Resistance, Poison Resilience, Serpentine Spellcasting (cantrip, animal friendship, 3rd) |
Any of these that says * Magic is typically one or more spells limited by a long rest, or a cantrip or 1st level spell at 1st level and another spell at 3rd level another at 5th level, they vary but its a couple of spells sometimes growing with the character. The various spell set traits are not all created equally
Ebberon Rising From the Last War – November 2019 – I won’t break down all of the dragonmarks initially there’s a lot going on in this table already there are 17 races and yet 9 are from the PHB, 6 are covered in Mordenkainen’s with five of those getting better in the MK version. So that leads me to believe the math changed slightly and that if we had an MK Kalashtar and Warforged they might be better, but like the Changeling they could be completely untouched.
Race | Ability Increase | Size | Speed | Vision | Languages | Racial & Subrace Benefits |
Changeling | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Same as Mordenkainen’s version |
Dragonborn | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Same As PHB version | ||||
Dwarves | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Same As PHB version | ||||
Elves | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Same As PHB version | ||||
Gnomes | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Same As PHB version | ||||
Bugbear | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Same as Mordenkainen’s version without Fey Ancestry |
Goblin | Same as Mordenkainen’s version without Fey Ancestry | |||||
Hobgoblin | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Martial Training (2 weapons, light armor), Saving Face |
Half-Elves | Same As PHB version | |||||
Halflings | Same As PHB version | |||||
Humans | Same As PHB version | |||||
Kalashtar | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Dual Mind, Mental Discipline, Mind Link, Severed from Dreams |
Half-Orc | Same As PHB version | |||||
Orc | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Agressive, Powerful Build, Primal Intuition |
Shifter | Same as Mordenkainen’s version without Bestial Instincts | |||||
Tieflings | Same As PHB version | |||||
Warforged | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Constructed Resilience, Sentry’s Rest, Integrated Protection, Specialized Design |
Mythic Odysseys of Theros – July 2020 – added some more races.I am going to use the same notation as Mordenkainen’s because we won’t be going backwards to the PHB ability increases and languages.
Race | Ability Increase | Size | Speed | Vision | Languages | Racial & Subrace Benefits |
Centaur | Same as Mordenkainen’s version, has Survivor vs Natural Affinity | |||||
Leonin | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 35ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Claws, Hunter’s Instincts, Daunting Roar |
Minotaur | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Medium | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Horns, Goring Rush, Hammering Horns, Imposing Presence |
Satyr | Same as Mordenkainen’s version | |||||
Triton | Same as Mordenkainen’s version, has Wall of Water vs Water Walk |
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything – November 2020 – changes things up but makes them optional and yet a lot of the things we got from Tasha end up sticking around as normal in later books. I wonder if Tasha boils frogs in her cauldron?
- Customizeable Character Origins change the default ability increases for your race, the +2, +1 increases, not the +1, +1, +1 increases. Also you get common and another language off a short list. Changing the extra language to a free space came later and really should have been a GM approval or GM list from the start since the campaign might change the list from Tasha’s in ways they could not otherwise accommodate.
- 14 new subclasses, 15 new feats, new magic items, new spells, magic tattoos
- Updated Artificer class with a new subclass
- Group Patrons some of my GMs have run campaigns where all the players worked for the same entity so this has been happening at the homebrew level for a while now.
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft – May 2021 – adds three new races all of which get the Medium or Small choice of size, but lookout Dhampir’s Deathless Nature and the one from Reborn are totally different abilities. None of these were reworked for Mordenkainen’s.
Race | Ability Increase | Size | Speed | Vision | Languages | Racial & Subrace Benefits |
Dhampir | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 35ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Ancestral Legacy, Deathless Nature, Spider Climb, Vampiric Bite |
Hexblood | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | Dark | Common, Extra | Ancestral Legacy, Eerie Token, Hex Magic |
Reborn | +2,+1 or +1,+1,+1 | Med or Small | 30ft | – | Common, Extra | Ancestral Legacy, Deathless Nature, Knowledge from a Past Life |
Ancestries from A Broken Sky
Ancestry | Ability Increase | Size | Speed | Vision | Languages | Ancestral Abilities |
Avalar | Int , Dex, Free | Medium | 30ft | Dark | Common | 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th |
Elder | ||||||
Youthful | ||||||
Chardram | Dex, Cha, Free | Small | 25ft | Low | Common | 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th |
Ashen | Rerolls | |||||
Coal | Advantage on saves | |||||
Wildfire | Acrobatics Initiative | |||||
Knomoi | Str, Int Free | Medium | 25ft | Low | Common | 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th |
Bright | Bonus to Earn Income and Recall Knowledge checks | |||||
Calm | Resists Emotion effects better? | |||||
Dark | Dark | Cold Resistance | ||||
Undyn | Medium | Dark | Common | 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th | ||
Cresting Tide | Wis, Cha, Free | 30ft | Swim Speed 20ft, 2x Hold Breath | |||
Placid | Int, Wis, Free | 25ft | Swim Speed 30ft, 3x Hold Breath | |||
Thresher | Str, Con, Free | 20ft | Swim Speed 40ft, 5x Hold Breath |
So if I take arought cut at the Avalar and a lot of different similar racial abilities from Mordenkainen’s this is what I get. We’re going to assume +2, +1 or +1, +1, +1 for abilities and Common plus one extra language to fit the newest thinking coming out of WotC.
Avalar
Air Spirit as Keen Senses
Ancestral Spirit as Avalar Magic (Firbolg get Detect Magic) and progressing to get another spell at 3rd and another at 5th.
Avalar Lore could be proficiency with Artisan tools? Artificer’s Lore from PHB Gnomes?
Lightstepper is neither the Firbolg’s Hidden Step or the Wood Elf’s Mask of the Wild
Obstinate Grace would end up some kind of Insight advantage used proficiency times per long rest.
Unburgened Breath could easily be the Air Genasi’s Unending Breath
Unseen Wings the Air Genasi also gets 5ft extra movement
Catapult Leap could be the Satyr’s or Harengon’s extra jumping ability
Shadowstepper could not only be advantage a proficiency number of times per long rest it could be the progress of Lightstepper under some Stealth Avalar “sub race” build.
Timeless Inventor could be PHB Gnome’s Tinker in progressions with the Avalar Lore ability
Avalar Reserves is going to be Magic Resistance like Gnomes, Satyr and Yuan-Ti
Balm of the Winds is going to be like the Air Genasi Mingle with the Wind progression
Cloud Memory is going to be similar to a Luck ability of the Harengon or Halflings?
Skin of the Clouds is similar to a Githyanki aboity that takes skills or proficiencies from the Astral plane
Wings of Light is like the Celestial Revelation Radiant Soul from the Aasimar
Now I’d need to cut those into a Stealth progression, Magical Inventor Sage progression and the Wings of Light dude progression and there are still things going to get lost when I do that.
Chardram in 5e should get 30ft movement, abilities and languages per the new standard. So lets get to the feats
Clamber maybe a proficiency in climbing or advantage when climbing using athletics
Clever Forager not quite sure how 5e exploration and survival interact with the intent of this
Fire Spirit is basically Fire Resistance
Inner Flame is Chardram Magic or fire Magi (Faerie Fire, 3rd, 5th progression)
Ignored and Unseen some race has a Stealth bonus similar to this, they can hide behind just a single medium creature and stuff
Out of the Way I’m not certain Smalls in 5e penalize their enemies enough to make this an ability, maybe look at the other Small abilities though
Bite back anything like the Lizxard Folk bite?
Burning Spirit gets produce flame, maybe add to the Inner flame progression, but produce flame is first, them faerie fire.
Ember Heart a resist cold so many times per long rest, maybe just one?
Grace of the flame acrobatics and movement?
Bounder as the Tabaxi climb speed equal to walking speed, maybe Clamber gets them the climbing speed and this one boosts it
Fireproof is fire resistance same as Fire Spirit so we’ll maybe balance those in a progression
Spark of Lightning is similar to the Halfling or Harengon ability, but just very specialized
Viper Mouth progresses from Bite Back
Healing Flames this is going to be a weird mix of medicine, healer’s kit, short rests and stuff, maybe double the levels of exhaustion removed by a long rest (normally 1). Since its core is survival it might fit in a progression with Clever Forage for keeping the party alive, but that seems weird since its a fire mojo flex.
So we can make Fire magic progressions
Knomoi in 5e should get 30ft movement, abilities and languages per the new standard. So lets get to the feats
Bolstered Defense is Dwarven no movement hindrance
Complex Thoughts can be Halfling or Harengon reroll abilities
Craft Adept grants proficiency in two skills possibly with crafting tools in 5e
Device Adept skilled with thieve’s tools you can reroll failures or have advantage proficiency bonus times per long rest
Earth Spirit advantage vs forced movement attacks and effects and saves
Three Legged Stance ignores some difficult terrain as long as you have a free hand
Push Back maneuvers fall under fighter combat superiority, but some races have weird maneuvers so I’ll research this more
Unknown Knowledge grants proficiency in one of two skills
Wrestler gains advantage in athletics wrestling proficiency times per long rest?
Flint Heart advantage on saves vs earth effects or maybe just bonuses like the various reiliences?
Skin of the Earth acid resistance
Soul of the Mountain is Toughness by another name that stacks, we can get away with regular Toughness just like Hill Dwarves have
Gear Keeper advantage to thieves tools so many times per long rest part of a device focussed progression?
Path Carver ignore difficult terrain and ignore acrobatics penalties when crossing stone or earth – research
Undyn sdaudjudvsjufv
Mind Flow like the Githyanki pulling trained skills from the Astral plane
Still Waters advantage proficiency times per long rest on Deception checks, I’ll look into static bonuses, but they’re thin on the ground in 5e.
Water Spirit bonus on Will saves again static bonuses rare will look at alternatives
Deep Secrets more powerful proficiency of the day
Shifting Tides as the Wood Elf’s Mask of the wild
Voice of the Sea similar to the Leonin’s Daunting Roar but Roar and Draconic Cry don’t have as much range
Water Born grants water breathing the Amphibious races already have this
Crashing Wave gets static damage bonus to unarmed and bludgeoning, possibly slashing and piercing -research
Deep Diver cold resistance
Rite Keeper is very particular and I don’t think 5e has one – research
Wave Master the Conjure Elemental 4th level in Tasha’s is as close as I find right now, and since the racial abilities top out at 2nd level spells we have to make a custom spell that summons a CR 2 lesser water elemental.
Summon Lesser Water Elemental
2nd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Components: V, S, M (water inside a gold-inlaid vial worth at least 400 gp)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You call forth an elemental spirit. It manifests in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. This corporeal form uses the Lesser Water Elemental stat block. The creature resembles a bipedal form wreathed in the water. The creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.
The creature is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its move to avoid danger.
Notes on Tables, Repetiion and Mastery
So at this point I almost want to make a chart that maps the PF2e feats because of who raised you, you’re good at two skills, to the 5e you have proficiency at 2 skills and other racial abilities that let you reroll failed skill checks and the PF2e abilities that improve a critical fail to just a failure and allow a number of failures to be rerolled or turned into normal successes per day. So that we can swap them one for one. That may not be the way everyone would translate it and the designer is free to change as they see fit for the concept, but guidelines are supposed to help.
In practice as a draftsman we repeated known shapes and angles over and over until we know what they should look like and could construct angles, circles and elipses from the raw math if we didn’t have a template of the exact size needed. If it came really close, you were supposed to pencil whip it, or eyeball it. Musicians play it by ear, designers tweak it until it looks or feels right, professionals make judgement calls. But unless you’re Motzart, it takes a lot of practice doing the right thing the right way until your muscle memory and judgement can just do that on automatic.
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Paul
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