5E: Converting AD&D Monsters to Fifth Edition

[Casimir Liber]

Heh, yeah. okay like in this video...will whip up a statblock...

 

[Cleon]

Heh, yeah. okay like in this video...will whip up a statblock...

Shouldn't that be in Homebrews? You're not converting an existing AD&D monster to 5E, which is the nominal purpose of this thread.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Shouldn't that be in Homebrews? You're not converting an existing AD&D monster to 5E, which is the nominal purpose of this thread.

You are correct - I will place post-haste

 

[Cleon]

You are correct - I will place post-haste

No hurry. I'd suggest leaving a link to the Giant Sea Slug (Nudibranch) here once you've started the Homebrew.

 

[Casimir Liber]

While on this thread...as we did for trogs, I did a couple of lizardfolk buffs. lizardfolk sorceror here as a devotee of Chac (Tlaloc) - or any weather god really. To mix it up as different to shaman. Idea of sacred bloodlines...

 

[Casimir Liber]

Also brought blackscale lizardfolk into 5e...with some melee quirks to make them interesting foes

 

[Cleon]

Only had time for a quick read through. The blackscale lizardfolk looks fine at first glance, but the lizardfolk sorcerer looks more like a Challenge 4 to me.

I wouldn't give Summon Frogs a Recharge 6 as it means the sorcerer can spam it and amass an army of, on average, 83 giant frogs. (10 minutes = 100 rounds, so with recharge 6 that averages 15 2/3rd summons of 2d4 frogs per summons).

I'd make it a X/day ability, probably only 1/day.

 

[Casimir Liber]

Only had time for a quick read through. The blackscale lizardfolk looks fine at first glance, but the lizardfolk sorcerer looks more like a Challenge 4 to me.

I wouldn't give Summon Frogs a Recharge 6 as it means the sorcerer can spam it and amass an army of, on average, 83 giant frogs. (10 minutes = 100 rounds, so with recharge 6 that averages 15 2/3rd summons of 2d4 frogs per summons).

I'd make it a X/day ability, probably only 1/day.

Good point and changed. Anything else as keen to publuish as topical on twitter

I keyed it out on CR caluclator and came out as 3 - but if you feel spells make it stronger then 4 is fine

 

[Casimir Liber]

Also made a blackscale champion - listening to podcasts about how to make more intereting combats so a champion type with some surprises

 

[Cleon]

Good point and changed. Anything else as keen to publuish as topical on twitter

I keyed it out on CR caluclator and came out as 3 - but if you feel spells make it stronger then 4 is fine

Well it's kind of at the dividing line. NPC type spellcasters tend to have CR of at least half their level in 5E, i.e.:

Mage (9th level spellcaster) CR 6 (level+3 / 2)
Druid (4th level spellcaster) CR 2 (level / 2)
Priest (5th level spellcaster) CR 2 (level-1 / 2)

The lizardmage is a 7th-level caster, which ought to put it at Challenge 3½ from the spells alone. Most of its spells are lightning or thunder, so do an additional 2d6 damage due to its Heart of the Storm trait, which I think is worth another half-CR for 4.

Also, it's HP, AC and melee ability are noticeable better than a typical spellcaster.

By the way, did you consider having it produce frogs as a spell instead of an action? It could use a variant conjure animals, either a 1/day Innate Spellcasting or just added to its spell selection?

Like so:

3rd Level (3 slots): conjure animals (giant frogs only), gust of wind, shatter, warding wind

Innate Spellcasting. The lizardfolk sorcerer's spellcasting ability is Charisma. The lizardfolk can innately cast the following spell, requiring no material components:

1/day: conjure animals (giant frogs only)​

That would make a couple of significant changes though.

First, it summons eight giant frogs each time instead of 2d4, as conjure animals summons eight beasts of challenge rating 1/4 or lower.

More importantly, conjure animals is a Concentration spell while Summon Frogs doesn't require concentration, allowing the sorceror to cast spells while its frog allies protect it.