Level Up (A5E) O5E to A5e subclass compatibility overview.

FallenRX

Adventurer
So i decided to give a minor look over the subclass compatibility, and made a general list of observations i've found.
This game is marketed with the idea that any options are mostly compatible with O5E, and i find this is mostly true, infact this game is likely more compatible with O5E options than One DnD is atm, since it actually follows O5E's core progression. But saying its totally compatible is more than a bit of a stretch, as there are some key breaks and breakdowns in some places that require some work.
I feel looking over these breaks is important in a time where people are looking for alternatives to Core 5e by the Seattle company.

Here is my general overview, and some solutions to the problems with compatibility. Much to the game's credit, there is only one complete break with O5E to the point where i feel it is borderline inconvertible or simply not worth it.

A5e Subclass conversion overview

General Conversions.
When gaining expertise change it to expertise dice gain instead.
Use A5E spells when applicable.
Fatigue and Strife replace Exhaustion in any mention of it. (Mainly Fatigue.)
Any abilities involving food and water need to be adjusted to fit the Supply system.

Adept.
All moves that use Ki use Exertion instead.
Otherwise seems like little other changes are needed.

Bard.
No changes are needed but using A5e Versions of spells, if possible

Berserker.
You can just use barbarian subclasses as is.

Cleric.
No changes are needed, just use A5e Versions of Spells when possible.

Druid.
No changes are needed, just use A5e Versions of Spells when possible.

Fighter.
Battle Master incompatible without conversion, Anything using Action surge is just incompatible without extensive reworking(Eldritch Knight, Banneret),
all other subs are compatible but let players at 3rd level pick one martial tradition they aren't proficient in to learn, to bring in line with A5e archetypes.
Anything using second wind is compatible just have it automatically teach them the catch your breath maneuver, and gain the added benefit when using it from the sub.

Converting Battle master.
The main ideas to do so are simply.
1. let battle master use maneuvers but instead use Exertion instead of Superiority Dice.
2. Let battle master continue to use all of its maneuvers as seperate special moves and resources from the current system.
These are all fine, but lead to a lot of messy issues with doing so, to its best imo to simply call it incompatible as its designed around a different
design paradigm then A5e.

Herald.
You can use Paladin subclasses as is, just use normal spell lists instead of archetype schools.

Ranger.
Subclasses are mostly compatible except for spell lists on the newer ranger subs.
Just followed the guidelines for dealing with this on page 227 in the Adventurers guide.


And obviously use A5e spells when applicable.

Rogue.
Subclasses are compatible in general. Just change any expertise gained to gaining expertise dices per the rules of A5e.

Sorcerers.
Mostly Compatible but sorcerer spell lists are common place here. Some solutions.
1. Make a custom archetype spell list for each O5E Subclasses that does not learn innate spell list(Shadow Sorcerer).
2. Let them gain one extra spell from spell schools that fit their spell list.
3. Simply let them not have extra archetype spells and move on.
4. Just let them learn one extra spell from the sorcerer spell list.
5. Use Warlock or Cleric expanded spell lists in their stead.
Outside of this just use A5e spells when applicable.

Warlock.
Subclasses are compatible, just use A5e spells when applicable, and let them use the innate spell list to the O5e class.

Wizard.
Subclasses are compatible, just use A5e spells when applicable.

This is generally all i could find, if i missed anything please let me know so i can improve these notes.

But yea genuinely the game is mostly compatible with minor adjustments, but some big breaks in the fighter class.
 
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Pedantic

Legend
Ranger archetypes that grant spells are covered by a sidebar in the ranger class. They can use each spell granted 1/LR.

I think you're overcomplicating the fighter conversions, you can just update "when you use second wind" abilities to "when you use a maneuver" and give them the same amount of uses/SR as the o5e fighter has second winds.
Action Surge abilities can just be reworded to 1/SR.

The battlemaster dice can probably exist alongside maneuvers just fine, that character will just take a lot of options.
 

jphinney

Explorer
Can't you just use your O5E characters as is? Or create a new character and level them up to where they are now. The idea is that any O5E character can play beside the A5E character.
 

Pedantic

Legend
Can't you just use your O5E characters as is? Or create a new character and level them up to where they are now. The idea is that any O5E character can play beside the A5E character.
This is... Technically true, in that the numbers on proficiency will more or less line up, but you're going to have players missing out on the whole knack system, or maneuvers, and if you're going to use the journey rules, you really need to sort out the food creating spell changes and probably the ranger.

It will be playable, but less than ideal.
 

jphinney

Explorer
For my table, I gave them the option of going through character creation instead of converting. We were level 4 at the time. So, they made their same character and just went through the character creation, and leveling. Using similar choices to end up with their new A5E character. This also helped them understand the new rules and additions.
 




FallenRX

Adventurer
Ranger archetypes that grant spells are covered by a sidebar in the ranger class. They can use each spell granted 1/LR.

I think you're overcomplicating the fighter conversions, you can just update "when you use second wind" abilities to "when you use a maneuver" and give them the same amount of uses/SR as the o5e fighter has second winds.
Action Surge abilities can just be reworded to 1/SR.

The battlemaster dice can probably exist alongside maneuvers just fine, that character will just take a lot of options.
I noted that battle master could work fine.
As for action surge, ive found it best to not bother, that ability and mechanic when tryng to do it in its lonesome leads to very odd issues, and its best just avoided

Also didnt catch that ranger rule, updating the post.
 

VanguardHero

Adventurer
This is... Technically true, in that the numbers on proficiency will more or less line up, but you're going to have players missing out on the whole knack system, or maneuvers, and if you're going to use the journey rules, you really need to sort out the food creating spell changes and probably the ranger.

It will be playable, but less than ideal.
The thing that often gets glossed over is pretty much this. When there's a system with as severe balance problems as 5e and something fixes it like a5e does, there is foundationally no way to make meaningful changes without making the old underpowered Classes overshadowed by their fixed versions because it means nothing would have been fixed. Fixing Barbarian and Fighter to match up to Wizard necessitates them being stronger than the old Barbarian and Fighter. You can run them side by side if you for some reason wish, and it will be more balanced than 5e, but less balanced than Level Up proper.
 

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