5E: Converting AD&D Monsters to Fifth Edition

[Casimir Liber]

300 feet and 2d12 sounds good

 

[Cleon]

300 feet and 2d12 sounds good

Works for me.

Updating the Baalphegor Working Draft.

So that leaves the Legendary Actions to sort out and we're done for the mechanical gubbins.

 

[Casimir Liber]

So at present I have pencilled in:

Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery.


Corrupting Guidance. Baalphegor uses Beguile or Twisting Words.


Summon Devil(s) (Costs 3 Actions). Baalphegor magically summons either an ice devil with an ice spear, or 1d2 horned devils. The devils appear in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of Baalphegor, acting as her ally, and can summon other devils if they have such power. The devils remain until Baalphegor dies or until she dismisses them as an action.

 

[Cleon]

So at present I have pencilled in:

Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery.

Corrupting Guidance. Baalphegor uses Beguile or Twisting Words.

I think it makes better sense to have the (Costs 2 Actions) ability be a "Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery or Twisting Words" power and make the single-action Legendary Action be Fiery Eyes.

Her Twisting Words seems a lot more useful than Fiery Eyes as it effectively dominates the target for a round.

We've also cut Beguile and folded the action utility of it into Twisting Words.

Summon Devil(s) (Costs 3 Actions).

Giving Baalphegor the ability to conjure diabolical minions would likely boost her Challenge Rating significantly.

We need to give her that ability if we're keeping true to the original monster and comparable high-powered fiends in 5E.

Unfortunately I've got no idea how one is supposed to calculate how summoning monsters affects a creature's CR, so I'll just have to use guesswork. I'd rather not go above Challenge 24 as that would increase her Proficiency Bonus and require recalculation of a whole bunch of numbers.

Baalphegor magically summons either an ice devil with an ice spear, or 1d2 horned devils.

I'm not keen on her summoning 1d2 horned devils or 1 ice devil because a pair of CR 11 horned devils are a lot more dangerous than a single CR 14 ice devil.

I'd suggest having her summon either a single horned devil or a small group of spined devils of roughly equivalent threat.

The Nine Hells article in Dragon Magazine #76 says the citadel of Mephistar has a staff of "Malebranche and spined devils". That's the capital of Caina, the plane ruled by Mephistopheles who's consort Baalphegor is. Presumably she spends most of her time near his side in Mephistar, so it makes sense that the minions she summoned will be devils who are the servants in that place.

 

[Casimir Liber]

OK

Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery or Twisting Words.


Summon Devil(s) (Costs 3 Actions). Baalphegor magically summons either a horned devil, or 1d4+1 spined devils. The devils appear in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of Baalphegor, acting as her ally, and can summon other devils if they have such power. The devils remain until Baalphegor dies or until she dismisses them as an action.

If Fiendish Invective costs 2 actions...then don't we need a legendary action that costs 1 action...?

 

[Cleon]

OK

Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery or Twisting Words.

Summon Devil(s) (Costs 3 Actions). Baalphegor magically summons either a horned devil, or 1d4+1 spined devils. The devils appear in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of Baalphegor, acting as her ally, and can summon other devils if they have such power. The devils remain until Baalphegor dies or until she dismisses them as an action.

That works for me.

If Fiendish Invective costs 2 actions...then don't we need a legendary action that costs 1 action...?

Was thinking of having the Fiery Eyes one cost 1 legendary action, as buried in my previous post:

and make the single-action Legendary Action be Fiery Eyes.

 

[Cleon]

Putting the above together makes three legendary options. Looking at the published Dukes and Princesses of Hell, they tend to only have 2 or three legendary options.

I notice that the Chains of Asmodeus hardback uses "Underlings" rather than "Devils" for its summoning Legendary Action, so should we use that for the Princess's summoning power?

That'd make something like:

Baalphegor can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Baalphegor regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery or Twisting Words.

Infernal Gaze. Baalphegor uses Fiery Eyes.

Summon Devils OR Call Underlings? (Costs 3 Actions). Baalphegor summons allied devils, either 1 horned devil or 1d4+1 spined devils. The summoned devils appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet that Baalphegor can see. A summoned devil remains until it or Baalphegor dies, or until it's dismissed as an action. Baalphegor can dismiss any number of her summoned underlings with the same action.
​

I'm leaning towards using Summon Devils rather than Call Underlings for the last Legendary Action's name, or maybe combine the two names into Summon Underlings. However, that's a Lair Action in Chains of Asmodeus.

Will use Summon Devils in the Baalphegor Working Draft. We can always change it later if necessary.

 

[Cleon]

That'd make something like:

Baalphegor can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Baalphegor regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Baalphegor uses Devilish Mockery or Twisting Words.

Infernal Gaze. Baalphegor uses Fiery Eyes.

Summon Devils OR Call Underlings? (Costs 3 Actions). Baalphegor summons allied devils, either 1 horned devil or 1d4+1 spined devils. The summoned devils appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet that Baalphegor can see. A summoned devil remains until it or Baalphegor dies, or until it's dismissed as an action. Baalphegor can dismiss any number of her summoned underlings with the same action.
I'm leaning towards using Summon Devils rather than Call Underlings for the last Legendary Action's name, or maybe combine the two names into Summon Underlings. However, that's a Lair Action in Chains of Asmodeus.

Will use Summon Devils in the Baalphegor Working Draft. We can always change it later if necessary.

So if that looks OK to you, I think we're done with the mechanics apart from figuring out what Challenge Rating she ought to be.

Ran her numbers through the CR Calculator and she came out as Challenge 21 as planned, but that doesn't make allowances for her summoned devils or how her enchantment abilities like Beguiling Aura and Twisting Words will affect her combat effectiveness.

Just out of curiosity, I ran the Chains of Asmodeus version of Glasya through the CR Calculator and it said she's CR 27, two more than her official CR 25.

The current Baalphegor looks way too fragile compared to the 5E Glasya.

What do you think of making her AC 20 and Hit Points 345 (30d8 + 210) which I guesstimate would make her Challenge 23 (50,000)?

 

[Casimir Liber]

Yes to legendary actions

Yes to CR 23 and AC 20 and 345hp. I think many of these monsters are underpowered so all for this

 

[Cleon]

Yes to legendary actions

Yes to CR 23 and AC 20 and 345hp.

Updated the Baalphegor Working Draft.

That just leaves the Description.

I think many of these monsters are underpowered so all for this

Yup.

I'm starting to suspect that either the CR Calculator underweighs the Challenge of some monsters I run through it or the usual Dungeons & Dragons stat creep has made more recent 5E monsters more powerful than the SRD ones.

Or both.