Re: Orphanage OOC
I like it. Especially from a DM's perspective. Much easier to make encounters now that you don't have to try and build every NPC according to PC rules, and makes for more fun encounters. PC stuff has more options than base 3.5, more options early on than 3.5 with splat books. I think it's good.
It does not simulate reality as well as 3.5, as Corven is fond of pointing out. But the parts it does not simulate are the parts that as a DM I usually made up anyway. I don't need rules to figure out an NPC's Craft score, etc. It usually is a better simulation of reality for the DM to make the stuff up anyway, assuming the DM is good. So I don't care about that part of the system.