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D&D 5E Pathfinder AP conversion to 5e
- Thread starter Werebat
- Start date
Astrosicebear
First Post
I would say moderately difficult.
You would have to worry about conversion of npcs and monsters as well as encounter balance. Not to mention the story elements and PFRPG setting elements. Then you'd also have to modify treasure parcels.
It would take a long time, but could be done. Would probably be much easier after the DMG is released.
You would have to worry about conversion of npcs and monsters as well as encounter balance. Not to mention the story elements and PFRPG setting elements. Then you'd also have to modify treasure parcels.
It would take a long time, but could be done. Would probably be much easier after the DMG is released.
TheRustyOne
Explorer
I've been converting Shattered Star about a week ahead, and so far the biggest bugbear has been treasure. Right now I've been keeping anything under 50gp as is, and anything over 50gp I keep 10% of gp greater than 50, so frex 100gp would be 100-50gp, 50gp time 10 percent = 5gp, so 55gp of treasure. I'm still worried it's too much.
My table is currently on chapter 4 of Age of Worms, a 3.5 AP from Paizo. While Pathfinder obviously has things that are unique to itself, I would imagine it is fairly similar. My steps to converting this AP include:
1. Compile a list of all encounters for the chapter. Take note of the creatures involved and the Encounter Level Difficulty.
2. Choose monsters. Find as many creatures as possible from the Monster Manual that match creatures from the chapter. For the rest of the creatures, chose a creature that is reasonably close and modify any special traits to fit what the AP calls for. Finally, modify NPCs as necessary to match what are in the encounters.
3. Figure out encounter balance. For each encounter, determine the moderate encounter difficulty for your party if they were the level called for in the EL for the encounter regardless of the actual level of your party. This will give a variety of encounters from deadly to easy.
4. Determine treasure and magical items. APs determine what the treasure will be, so find the 5e version of what you will be handing out or make up an appropriate 5e version. This will be much easier when the DMG comes out in a month. I record all of these in a separate document.
5. Determine DCs of checks and saves. Reflex = Dex, Fortitude = Con, Will = Wis. Because abilities and skills scale so quickly in 3.5, these numbers often need to come down. This will be easier with the DMG, but in general using the following guideline will help. 5 = Trivial (don't bother), 10 = easy, 15 = moderate, 20 = Hard, 25 = Very Hard, 30 = Need some luck because a trained character with a +6 proficiency and 20 in the corresponding ability will need to roll a 19. In general, numbers will need to scale down by 5 or 10 or more as the AP progresses.
I have made myself a bestiary of the creatures in the AP as I come across them. I then copy and paste them into a second document that has the creatures for each encounter grouped together on a page along with how many there are supposed to be of each type. At the table, I have a binder full of these pages so I have everything I need creature-wise at my fingertips. I use my spell card generator to make spell cards for any magic using NPCs and insert the spell cards in a trading card binder sleeve so they are right next to the NPC and I don't have to search through my PHB. My laptop is open to the current place in the chapter.
This is definitely more work than running everything off the cuff. However, you generally know where the party is going, so you can prepare everything well in advance. I can't really give you a good time estimate because I also make scenery and paint minis, but I will be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
1. Compile a list of all encounters for the chapter. Take note of the creatures involved and the Encounter Level Difficulty.
2. Choose monsters. Find as many creatures as possible from the Monster Manual that match creatures from the chapter. For the rest of the creatures, chose a creature that is reasonably close and modify any special traits to fit what the AP calls for. Finally, modify NPCs as necessary to match what are in the encounters.
3. Figure out encounter balance. For each encounter, determine the moderate encounter difficulty for your party if they were the level called for in the EL for the encounter regardless of the actual level of your party. This will give a variety of encounters from deadly to easy.
4. Determine treasure and magical items. APs determine what the treasure will be, so find the 5e version of what you will be handing out or make up an appropriate 5e version. This will be much easier when the DMG comes out in a month. I record all of these in a separate document.
5. Determine DCs of checks and saves. Reflex = Dex, Fortitude = Con, Will = Wis. Because abilities and skills scale so quickly in 3.5, these numbers often need to come down. This will be easier with the DMG, but in general using the following guideline will help. 5 = Trivial (don't bother), 10 = easy, 15 = moderate, 20 = Hard, 25 = Very Hard, 30 = Need some luck because a trained character with a +6 proficiency and 20 in the corresponding ability will need to roll a 19. In general, numbers will need to scale down by 5 or 10 or more as the AP progresses.
I have made myself a bestiary of the creatures in the AP as I come across them. I then copy and paste them into a second document that has the creatures for each encounter grouped together on a page along with how many there are supposed to be of each type. At the table, I have a binder full of these pages so I have everything I need creature-wise at my fingertips. I use my spell card generator to make spell cards for any magic using NPCs and insert the spell cards in a trading card binder sleeve so they are right next to the NPC and I don't have to search through my PHB. My laptop is open to the current place in the chapter.
This is definitely more work than running everything off the cuff. However, you generally know where the party is going, so you can prepare everything well in advance. I can't really give you a good time estimate because I also make scenery and paint minis, but I will be happy to answer any other questions you may have.
Have you considered abandoning the mundane treasure in the AP in favor of the September playtest treasure tables? [MENTION=2525]Mistwell[/MENTION] put it in a generator on this site.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/dnd_view_block.php?id=1438
Just replace "Level" with the CR of the creature. You can even have it run multiple times in a single click for multiple creatures of the same CR.
TheRustyOne
Explorer
Actually, I had not. I should take a look at it. I have considered using some DCC articles on converting modules to Dungeon Crawl Classics treasure. Maybe somewhere in between the two would be the sweet spot.
smartmonkey
First Post
Well, one nice thing is that gold can't be used to buy or make magic items like it was in 3.5, so the worst case scenario is that PC's end up with a lot of disposable cash. This might be problematic sometimes - it makes for easy bribes, etc - but many enemies are going to be immune to bribes, and, worse, the sorts of investments PC's tend to make with piles of cash (buying themselves nice homes, inns, setting up family members, etc) make for excellent targets.
I don't think you can really do treasure too wrong with 5e. Not yet, anyhow.
I don't think you can really do treasure too wrong with 5e. Not yet, anyhow.
Astrosicebear
First Post
Handing out all the items in a 3.5/PFRPG AP would do it.
Youd have to very carefully monitor the magical treasures.
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