5E: Converting AD&D Monsters to Fifth Edition

[Cleon]

This thread is a 5E continuation of Converting First Edition Monsters but also encompasses conversions of Second Edition AD&D monsters that do not have dedicated 5E conversion threads.

Finished conversions will be added to the Completed Fifth Edition Creatures Index.

Note that the original Converting First Edition Monsters thread is reserved for 3.5 conversions as it's for creating additions to the Creature Catalog.

Index of 5th Edition Conversions of AD&D Monsters

NAME​	CR​	D&D Beyond [CC]​	Enworld​
Amblypygid, Giant​	1/2​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Devil (Duke of Hell)—Adonides​	21​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Boalisk​	3​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Ghuuna​	7​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Lizardfolk Sorcerer​	4​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Lizardfolk—Blackscale​	3​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Lizardfolk—Blackscale Champion​	4​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Pedipalp, Giant (Acid Archer)ᴴ​	1/4​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Schizomid, Giant​	1/8​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Solifugid, Flyweight​	1/4​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Solifugid, Giant​	3​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Solifugid, Rhagodessa​	1​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Troglodyte Guard​	1​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Troglodyte Chieftain​	4​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Troglodyte Shaman​	3​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Troglodyte Warchief​	2​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Utahraptor​	2​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Uropygid, Giant​	1​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​
Uropygid, Giant (Mastigoproctus)​	3​	Completed [Post]​	Completed​

 

[Cleon]

Upon reflection, it makes more sense to make this a generic AD&D to 5E conversion thread in case we want to do any monsters that debuted in 2E AD&D.

Will update the title accordingly.

 

[abe ray]

Maybe you could do the skullcap ivy for 5th edition?

 

[Cleon]

Maybe you could do the skullcap ivy for 5th edition?

It doesn't seem a terribly good candidate as it's more a symbiote than a monster.

 

[abe ray]

Ok, then how about the planar equines?

 

[Cleon]

Ok, then how about the planar equines?

I recall you proposing converting planar equines before.

You where talking about the various types of Equar weren't you? The ones from the Dragon Magazine #243 article "Destriers of the Planes" by Steve Berman.

Those are still on the waiting list for a 3E Creature Catalogue conversion as well.

Well there's nothing stopping you from starting a 5E conversion.

Personally, I'd take the 5E SRD Nightmare and modify as appropriate.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Okay - am reworking Canyon of Stone Giant THane with dodkong and came across this on thread on twitter (apparently from Dragon #254) and want to convert to 5e:

Which thread shall it go in. Was tossing up between this and Raam - so which or both and which thread?

 

[Cleon]

Might as well do it here since it's already an AD&D to 5E conversion thread.

I'd do the Cairn first, if only to be alphabetical.

By the way, the Raam is the same as the Rom from 2E AD&D's MC13 Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix (1992), so it qualifies too.

Both have 3E conversions in the Creature Catalog.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Ok I made an image for the boalisk so has new location (i.e update link) here

 

[Cleon]

Ok I made an image for the boalisk so has new location (i.e update link) here

I'm not seeing any picture in the linked version.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Weird...I am...clear the cache?

 

[Cleon]

Weird...I am...clear the cache?

Still looks the same, i.e. pictureless.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Was just musing as pondering including crabfolk (was fond of ad&d crabmen) but search didn't turn up anything until I found this FG wiki page which suggests they are in 5e under another name (Aldani)...but the aldani seem pretty different to me. The srd has crabmen ...surprised they didn't tweak that to 'crabfolk' which delayed me finding the entry....So I guess the srd crabmen are sorta like the 5e inheritors of their 1e namesakes.....pity not in canon but whatevs actually ignore all this, they are in 5e as "crab folk" (fooled by the space)

 

[Cleon]

Was just musing as pondering including crabfolk (was fond of ad&d crabmen) but search didn't turn up anything until I found this FG wiki page which suggests they are in 5e under another name (Aldani)...but the aldani seem pretty different to me. The srd has crabmen ...surprised they didn't tweak that to 'crabfolk' which delayed me finding the entry....So I guess the srd crabmen are sorta like the 5e inheritors of their 1e namesakes.....pity not in canon but whatevs actually ignore all this, they are in 5e as "crab folk" (fooled by the space)

This Crab Folk credited to Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio I?

Yes, they're clearly meant to be the same creature as the old Fiend Folio version.

It's odd that this 5E version is so fast with Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft. considering the AD&D version is slower than a human. That's faster than a 5E Giant Crab!

And why is it Giant type?

Wouldn't Monstrosity make more sense, like a Minotaur or Yuan-ti.

 

[Casimir Liber]

This Crab Folk credited to Mordenkainen's Fiendish Folio I?

Yes, they're clearly meant to be the same creature as the old Fiend Folio version.

It's odd that this 5E version is so fast with Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft. considering the AD&D version is slower than a human. That's faster than a 5E Giant Crab!

And why is it Giant type?

Wouldn't Monstrosity make more sense, like a Minotaur or Yuan-ti.

Well I guess they've made this new canon that they are ogres transformed by a greenhag (and are hence giant class)...which seems really silly to me anyway so I'll be ditching in my world.

 

[Cleon]

Well I guess they've made this new canon that they are ogres transformed by a greenhag (and are hence giant class)...which seems really silly to me anyway so I'll be ditching in my world.

So what. Minotaurs are humanoids transformed into bullmen according to the 5E Monster Manual and they're monstrosities.

A crabman resembles an ogre far less than a minotaur resembles a human, so why keep them giant? It makes no sense.

Plus it has unwanted side-effects, like make them vulnerable to giant slayer weapons.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Agreed. Pondering on expanding them a little - as I really love the Yoon-Suin setting. So obviously switch them to Monstrosity. Will cook up a sorceror/druid/shaman-type with water spells/powers and ability to lead-summon a water elemental, and cook up giant nudibranches (ever done them in the CC?)

 

[Cleon]

Agreed. Pondering on expanding them a little - as I really love the Yoon-Suin setting. So obviously switch them to Monstrosity. Will cook up a sorceror/druid/shaman-type with water spells/powers and ability to lead-summon a water elemental, and cook up giant nudibranches (ever done them in the CC?)

Sea slugs? Haven't come across them in 5E.

At least nudibranchs are carnivorous so you have an excuse for a giant one wanting to feast on the PCs.

I don't believe 5E has official stats for a Giant Slug yet, but they crop up in earlier editions of the game. Most D&D giant slugs spit acid, since they were inspired by a 50-foot acid-spitting giant slug that Conan encountered in the story, The Halls of the Dead, although it's worth mentioning that the unfinished outline by Robert E. Howard that De Camp based the story on didn't describe the monster so it probably wasn't a gigantic slug originally.

 

[Casimir Liber]

There is a giant slub on dndbeyond - it's from the Tortle package here

nudibranchs have great colours and some have some chemical defences that could make for good tactical combat...

 

[Cleon]

There is a giant slub on dndbeyond - it's from the Tortle package here

nudibranchs have great colours and some have some chemical defences that could make for good tactical combat...

I was thinking more the "Stinging Skin" of coopted nematocysts some of them have. The chemical defenses are mostly only effective against enemies that try to take a bite out of them.