Coverting N1 - Against The Reptile God to 5E

I'm enjoying my wife's Lord of the Rings movie marathon that's a tradition on New Years' Day, and I'm working in earnest to convert N1 - Against the Cult of the Reptile God. I'm going to use this thread to post some of my work, and hopefully get feedback from the kind folks here.

My overall intent is to tone down the treasure levels (waaay too much magic for 1st level), but try to keep everything as close to the original otherwise.

Starting in the village of Orlane, most of the NPC villagers are commoners, right out of the Moster Manual, but there are a few key NPCs I'm going to build out. The first ones I'm working on are the elves Dorian and LLywillan. Dorian is originally a fighter 3/magic-user 3, which I'm keeping as a fighter (eldritch knight) 3/wizard (abjurer) 3, and I've worked out his stat block below (feel free to steel it for your own nefarious use).

So, to figure out the CR (not that the players will likely end up fighting Dorian), here's what I've got. 44 hit points is a default defensive CR 1/4, his arcane ward ability would bring him up to 53 hp or CR 1/2, but his AC is 19, moving it to CR 3. His offensive attack (assuming he uses the magic weapon spell) is 9 or 10 damage, with an offensive CR of 1, and his attack bonus of +6, moving it to CR 2. If he casts magic missile, the average damage is 11, which doesn't change anything. This averages out to CR 3. Right?



Dorian
Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic good
wood elf fighter (eldritch knight) 3/wizard (abjurer) 3
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Armor Class 19 (chainmail and shield)
Hit Points 44 (3d10 + 3d6)
Speed 35 ft.
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Str 17 (+3), Dex 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Int 17 (+3), Wis 10 (0), Cha 12 (+1)
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Saving Throws Str +6, Con +5
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft, Passive Perception 13
Languages common, elven
Challenge 3 (700 xp)
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Abjuration Savant. The gold and time you must spend to copy an abjuration spell into your spellbook is halved.
Arcane Recovery. You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover totalling 1 spell level.
Arcane Ward. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, you create a ward that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has 9 hit points. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes damage instead. If this reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage. While the ward has 0 hit points, it can't absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
Darkvision. Accustomed to twilight forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Fighting Style (Defense). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency with the Perception skill.
Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Trance. Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Spellcasting. Dorian is a 3rd level eldritch knight and a 3rd level wizard that uses Intelligence as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell attacks). Dorian has prepared the following spells from the wizard's spell list, as well as knowing burning hands, magic missile and shield as an eldritch knight:

• Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, message, minor illusion, true strike
• 1st Level (4 slots): burning hands, detect magic, false life, longstrider, magic missile, protection from evil and good, shield
• 2nd Level (3 slots): magic weapon, web

Weapon Bond. You are bonded to your longsword and longbow. Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand. You can only summon one weapon at a time with your bonus action.
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ACTIONS

Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
Longbow. Missile Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range XXX ft./XXX ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) piercing damage.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) slashing damage.
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Equipment: Spellbook that contains comprehend languages, detect magic, disguise self, false life, identify, longstrider, magic weapon, protection from evil and good, sleep, and web

And here's his loyal friend Llywillan. He was a lot simpler to make, being a fighter 2/rogue 2 without any subclasses chosen. The module doesn't indicate his alignment, so I made him chaotic neutral.

His defensive CR would be based on 27 hp (CR 1/8). I forgot to figure in second wind with Dorian, so let's add half of his recovered 8 hit points, bringing him to 31 effective hp which makes no difference , and his Cunning Action should give him another +2 to effective AC, moving the CR to 1/4. To calculate offensive CR, I forgot to use action surge -- so his offensive damage, assuming sneak attack each round thanks to the involvement of his trusty friend Dorian would be 24/12/12, or 16 damage for CR 2. His attack bonus moves it to CR 3. Averaging these is slightly more than 1.5, so CR 2.


Llywillan
Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic neutral
wood elf fighter 2/rogue 2
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Armor Class 14 (leather)
Hit Points 27 (2d10 + 2d8)
Speed 35 ft.
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Str 14 (+2), Dex 17 (+3), Con 11 (0), Int 10 (0), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 14 (+2)
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Saving Throws Str +4, Con +2
Skills Athletics +4, Insight +2, Perception +5, Stealth +5, Survival +5
Tools Thieves' tools +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft, Passive Perception 15
Languages common, elven, theives' cant
Challenge 2 (450 xp)
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Expertise. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for Stealth and Perception.
Cunning Action. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Darkvision. Accustomed to twilight forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Fighting Style (Archery). You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency with the Perception skill.
Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Sneak Attack. Once per turn, you can deal and extra 1d6 damage to a creature you hit if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a ranged or finesse weapon. You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Trance. Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep..
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ACTIONS

Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Longbow. Missile Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 150 ft./600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) piercing damage.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+2 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+3) slashing damage.
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Equipment: leather armor, longbow with 30 arrows, shortsword

This is getting easier, and quicker now that I have a stat block hammered out and most of the abilities can be cut and pasted.

Zakarias would have a defensive CR of 1/8, moved up 3 levels because of AC to 1. His offensive damage with action surge would be 18/9/9, for an average of 12. Lets say improved critical adds +1 damage, to bring it to 13, for a CR of 1. His +6 to hit moves it to CR2, so he averages out to CR 2.

Zakarias Ormond
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
human fighter (champion) 3
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Armor Class 19 (chainmail and shield)
Hit Points 24 (3d10)
Speed 30 ft.
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Str 16 (+3), Dex 10 (0), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 14 (+2)
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Saving Throws Str +5, Con +3
Skills Athletics +5, Insight +4 +3, Persuasion +4
Tools Woodcarver's Tools
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages common
Challenge 2 (450 xp)
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Improved Critical. Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Fighting Style (Defense). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
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ACTIONS

+1 Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) slashing damage.
Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
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Equipment: +1 longsword, shield, chainmail, shield

Nice work! I have only reviewed Dorian and have noticed some discrepancies. You have his total level of 6, but no proficency bonus noted.

By my calculations,

Proficiency bonus +3, CR 5
Armour Class 19, CR17
Hit Points 53, CR 1/2
Attack Bonus +3, CR 2
DPR 10, CR 1
Save DC ??, CR 2??

Total CR 27.5/6 = average of 4.5, or an adjusted CR of 5.

The only way I see to get him down to CR 2/3 is to either reduce his AC or lose some levels.

And another! Traver Stoutheart, the mayor's bodyguard. Keeping things relatively simple, I made him a 5th level fighter (champion), and gave him the feat Tough. The module has him wielding a broadsword, and everybody has a longsword, so I switched it to warhammer just to break the monotony.

His 56 hp set his defensive CR at ½, and his AC of 20 moves it to CR 3. His second wind doesn't move the CR up, as this bracket goes to 70 hp. His offensive CR is based on damage of 9+9+9+9/9+9/9+9, to average 24 damage, making it 25 with improved critical -- that sets his CR to 3, moved up to CR 4 because of his bonus to hit.

Traver Stoutheart
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
human fighter (champion) 5
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Armor Class 20 (splint mail and shield)
Hit Points 56 (5d10)
Speed 30 ft.
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Str 15 (+2), Dex 11 (0), Con 17 (+3), Int 7 (-2), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 9 (-1)
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Saving Throws Str +5, Con +6
Skills Animal Handling +2, Athletics +5, Survival +2
Feats Tough
Senses Passive Perception 9
Languages common
Challenge 4 (1,100 xp)
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Improved Critical. Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Fighting Style (Defense). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
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ACTIONS

Extra Attack. Zakarias makes two melee attacks.
+1 Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) slashing damage.
Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+5 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
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Equipment: +1 warhammer, shield, splint mail, shield

Hey LL! Thanks for the feedback. I'm still figuring out the CR calculations, but I did add in his proficiency bonus of +3 when I calculated his hit rolls. I don't understand your short forms, if you can help me out in detail?

LabyrinthLord718 said:

Nice work! I have only reviewed Dorian and have noticed some discrepancies. You have his total level of 6, but no proficency bonus noted.

By my calculations,

Proficiency bonus +3, CR 5
Armour Class 19, CR17
Hit Points 53, CR 1/2
Attack Bonus +3, CR 2
DPR 10, CR 1
Save DC ??, CR 2??

Total CR 27.5/6 = average of 4.5, or an adjusted CR of 5.

The only way I see to get him down to CR 2/3 is to either reduce his AC or lose some levels.

Click to expand...

So here's Alan Clayborn, the 4th level ranger. Defensive CR is 1/8, moved up to 1/2 because of the 17 AC. Average damage works out to 15 per round, and 19 if you count in hunter's mark, so CR 2, with +6 to hit moving it to CR3. Average works out to CR 2.

Hey, these NPCs would be of use to folks if we saved them in a PDF, right?

Alan Clayborn
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic good
human ranger (hunter) 4
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Armor Class 17 (+1 chainmail)
Hit Points 35 (4d10)
Speed 30 ft.
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Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 15 (+2), Int 13 (+1), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 12 (+1)
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Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +3
Skills Athletics +5, Nature +4, Stealth +3, Survival +4
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages common, giant
Challenge 2 (450 xp)
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Favored Enemy. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track giants, as well as Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
Fighting Style (Two -Weapon Fighting). When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage on the second attack.
Natural Explorer. You are familiar with forest terrain, and double your proficiency bonus when making an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to it. There are also benefits for travelling for an hour or more through forest lands.
Primeval Awareness. You can use your action and expend one ranger spell slot to focus your awareness on the region around you. For 1 minute per level of the spell slot you expend, you can sense whether the following types of creatures are within 1 mile of you, or within 6 miles if you are in forests): aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. This feature doesn't reveal the creatures' location or number.
Spellcasting. Alan is a 4th-level ranger that uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12; +4 to hit with spell attacks). Alan knows the following spells from the ranger's spell list:
• 1st Level (3 slots): animal friendship, cure wounds, hunter's mark
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ACTIONS

+1 Shortsword and Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6/+5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one or two targets. Hit: 8 (1d6+4) and 7 (1d6+3) slashing damage.
Longbow. Missile Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 150 ft./600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+1) piercing damage.
Hunter's Prey (Giant Killer). When a Large or larger creature within 5 feet of you hits or misses with an attack, you can use your reaction to attack that creature immediately.
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Equipment: +1 shortsword, shortsword, longbow, +1 chainmail

And Marieke. Again, trying to vary things up with the endless reams of longswords. She gets a spear, so I made her a great weapon fighter, and gave her a magic +1 spear.

Base defensive CR for 27 hp plus half of the second wind making it 32 hp is CR 1/8, AC of 18 brings it to 1/2. Offensive CR is based on average damage of 8+8/8/8 or 11, and we should make it 12 because of her fighting style ability. That's CR 1, moved to CR 2 because of her to-hit ability. Average it out, it comes to CR 2.

Marieke
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic good
human fighter (champion) 3
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Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 27 (3d10)
Speed 30 ft.
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Str 15 (+2), Dex 17 (0), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 10 (0), Cha 14 (+2)
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Saving Throws Str +4, Con +4
Skills Athletics +4, Intimidation +4, Perception +2
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages common
Challenge 2 (450 xp)
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Improved Critical. Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Fighting Style (Great Weapon Fighting). When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you are making with a melee weapon you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain the benefit.
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ACTIONS

+1 Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) piercing damage.
Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
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Equipment: +1 spear, plate mail

And the moment we've been waiting for, Ramne the wizard! I made him a diviner, and tried to give him skills and spells that will make him durable and self-sufficient in his little cottage.

So, to calculate CR, his base defensive CR is based on his 36 hp would be 1/4, adjusted by his AC of 10 down to 1/8. However, he could cast stoneskin, which negates the poor AC, leaving it at 1/4. His offensive CR would be based on him casting lightning bolt three times, at 28 damage per round, for a CR of 4. His bonus to hit really doesn't come into play I don't think. That means his CR averages out to 2?!? I'm really surprised its that low, but if his AC is only 10, I suppose that makes sense.

The original module calls for him to know lesser globe of invulnerability. Since there isn't such a spell in 5E, I gave him a scroll of globe of invulnerability. He's pretty loaded with magic items, but it seems appropriate.

Whiskers is included below, since I'd need its stat block as well.

Ramne
Medium humanoid (human), lawful good
human wizard (diviner) 7
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Armor Class 10
Hit Points 36 (7d6)
Speed 15 ft.
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Str 7 (-2), Dex 9 (-1), Con 7 (-2), Int 17 (+3), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 13 (+1)
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Saving Throws Str -1, Dex +0, Con -1, Int +7, Wis +7, Cha +2
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Nature +6
Feats Tough
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages common, draconic
Challenge 2 (450 xp)
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Arcane Recovery. You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover totalling 3 spell levels.
Divination Savant. The gold and time you must spend to copy an divination spell into your spellbook is halved.
Expert Divination. When you cast a divination spell of 2nd level or higher using a spell slot, you regain one expended spell slot. The slot you regain must be of a level lower than the spell you cast and can't be higher than 5th level.
Portent. When you finish a long rest, roll two d20's and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn.
Spellcasting. Ramne is a 7th level wizard that uses Intelligence as his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell attacks). Ramne has prepared the following spells from his spellbook:
• Cantrips (at will): light, mage hand, prestidigitation, true strike
• 1st Level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, sleep
• 2nd Level (3 slots): arcane lock, continual flame, invisibility
• 3rd Level (3 slots): dispel magic, lightning bolt
• 4th Level (1 slot): dimension door, stoneskin
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ACTIONS

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d8-2) bludgeoning damage.
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Equipment: quarterstaff, ring of protection, wand of wonder, spellbook containing 8 1st, alarm, arcane lock, clairvoyance, continual flame, detect magic, dimension door, dispel magic, find familiar, identify, invisibility, lightning bolt, locate object, mage armor, magic missile, protection from evil and good, sending, shield, sleep, stoneskin, unseen servant, scroll of globe of invulnerability, two potions of healing, potion of speed, 200 gp of diamond dust for two castings of stoneskin


Whiskers
Tiny fey, unaligned
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Armor Class 13
Hit Points 1 (1d4-1)
Speed 30 ft.
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Str 3 (-4), Dex 16 (+3), Con 8 (-1), Int 2 (-4), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 3 (-4)
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Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 0 (10 xp)
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Keen Hearing and Smell. The weasel has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on healing or smell.
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ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.

And Snigrot Dogroot! I originally started a thread trying to figure out CR calculations with him in mind, but now I have a better idea how this works.

His defensive CR would be based on 17 hp (CR 1/8), unmodified by AC, but +2 to effective AC due to Cunning Action to bring it to 1/4. Comparing Relentless Endurance to Undead Fortitude, it would add an effective +7 hp but it doesn't really change anything. Calculating his average damage would assume a surprise sneak attack savage attack assassination super-strike, so 14/5/5 or 8, for CR 1/2, moved up to CR 1 due to his +5 to hit, and that will average out to CR 1.

Snigrot Dogroot
Medium humanoid (orc),neutral evil
half-orc rogue (assassin) 3
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Armor Class 12
Hit Points 17 (3d8)
Speed 30 ft.
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Str 14 (+2), Dex 15 (+2), Con 11 (0), Int 12 (+1), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 11 (0)
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Saving Throws Dex +4, Int +3
Skills Deception +4, Intimidation +2, Slight of Hand +4, Stealth +4
Tools Thieves' Tools
Senses Darkvision, Passive Perception 9
Languages common, orc
Challenge 1 (200 xp)
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Assassinate. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.
Expertise. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for Stealth and Perception.
Cunning Action. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Menacing. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice an additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Sneak Attack. Once per turn, you can deal and extra 1d6 damage to a creature you hit if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a ranged or finesse weapon. You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
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ACTIONS

+1 Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+3) piercing damage.
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Equipment: +1 dagger, six doses of oil of tagggit