Level Up (A5E) Conversion rules?

[Invader Rin]

Hello, first time poster. I've been looking through A5e for some time now. And at first I wasn't sure about it, I picked up the PDF a while back and skimmed, but now that I'm actually looking through it, I'm surprised by how helpful running my games whenever I run into issues with 5e. I've been thinking perhaps I might want to make the jump, but one of the hurdles for me is well I own a lot of 3rd party material that I have used to introduced new classes to my homebrew games, it be great if I didn't just suddenly strip them out of my games because I didn't know how to convert them over.

I've looked through here to see if there's any helpful tips, but haven't found much. So I decided to just make an account and ask. For some specifics, I'm looking for guides to how to covert classes like the Magus by Benjamin Huffman or the Blood Hunter by Matt Mercer to name a few. Anything that can help me out will be much appreciated.

 

[Morrus]

You don't need to convert them--you can just use them as is. The A5E classes are 5E classes, as are the two classes you mentioned. It's the same core game system.

 

[Invader Rin]

Thanks for the quick reply.

You don't need to convert them--you can just use them as is. The A5E classes are 5E classes, as are the two classes you mentioned. It's the same core game system.

Really? What about the way A5e handles martial classes, giving them accesses to these new maneuvers and traditions along with some new skills they can use out of combat? Wouldn't both these classes be missing out on those? Because that's one of new things I really liked about A5e.

 

[Morrus]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Really? What about the way A5e handles martial classes, giving them accesses to these new maneuvers and traditions along with some new skills they can use out of combat? Wouldn't both these classes be missing out on those? Because that's one of new things I really liked about A5e.

Every class has its own thing. Some of the A5E classes have maneuvers. Those classes you mentioned have other things. They're all 5E classes though!

I personally think the A5E classes are more interesting, more fun, and have more choices, but all the other 5E classes are perfectly compatible.

 

[Invader Rin]

I personally think the A5E classes are more interesting, more fun, and have more choices, but all the other 5E classes are perfectly compatible.

I agree, which is why I was kinda hoping for a way to translate these 3rd party classes over so they are more aligned with the rest of A5e.

 

[foxblade]

I agree, which is why I was kinda hoping for a way to translate these 3rd party classes over so they are more aligned with the rest of A5e.

you'll have to go case by case and maybe make changes as you see fit. the best way to start may be to look at exploration knacks from all the a5e classes and see what fits the theme of whatever 3rd party class you're looking at (bloodhunter plays nicely with warlock [Secrets of Arcana] and fighter [Soldiering Knacks], for example). Maneuvers are a bit easier as you can just look at similar a5e classes and build off of those after picking a good thematic fit (herald has a fair translation to how I think a bloodhunter should learn maneuvers over time and good traditions for a bloodhunter are Eldritch Blackguard and Tooth and Claw). Hope this helps!

 

[foxblade]

I agree, which is why I was kinda hoping for a way to translate these 3rd party classes over so they are more aligned with the rest of A5e.

Really, what I find that a5e does the best is that it gives other pillars of the game fair time in the spotlight. So you will have to remake some of those classes to fix that. However, a lot of 3rd party classes already do that better than the base WotC classes anyway, so then what you have to do is the other thing that a5e does well: giving choices at levels. So if you find bloodhunter (for example) gives exploration and social an okay shake, than what you could do is add a similar option for a class feature that the player gets to choose between that meaningfully changes the character feeling {see how Steely Mien for the Fighter works, for example).

 

[xiphumor]

So I know this isn’t exactly the answer you were hoping for, but I wanted to let you know that the 3rd Party community has been working to try to fill some of these gaps.

Although not identical in flavor to the Magus, if you’re looking for an excellent A5e gish, grab MoAR Complete by Purple Martin Games to gain access to the Wielder class, which is probably the best gish I’ve seen, mostly because it answers the flavor question really well. (Also, I basically consider anything PMG puts out to be deuterocanonical to A5e. You can trust anything they put out.) Here’s a link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/453064

As for the Blood Hunter, there isn’t a 3PP answer yet, but I do know at least one publisher is interested in making one. Keep an eye on Plant Witch Press down the line.

 

[Corinnguard]

Maneuvers are a bit easier as you can just look at similar a5e classes and build off of those after picking a good thematic fit

For Benjamin Huffman's Magus class, you could try adding the Arcane Knight combat tradition or MoAR Complete's Cutting Omen combat tradition. Both of these combat traditions were designed with gish in mind.

OT, if you are interested, Laser Llama has their own take on the Magus. https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mslo6ktmq1Yg5WTSjDQ

 

[Invader Rin]

you'll have to go case by case and maybe make changes as you see fit. the best way to start may be to look at exploration knacks from all the a5e classes and see what fits the theme of whatever 3rd party class you're looking at (bloodhunter plays nicely with warlock [Secrets of Arcana] and fighter [Soldiering Knacks], for example). Maneuvers are a bit easier as you can just look at similar a5e classes and build off of those after picking a good thematic fit (herald has a fair translation to how I think a bloodhunter should learn maneuvers over time and good traditions for a bloodhunter are Eldritch Blackguard and Tooth and Claw). Hope this helps!

That's fine. I'm willing to put in the work, I just needed to be pointed in the right direction. But thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.

Really, what I find that a5e does the best is that it gives other pillars of the game fair time in the spotlight. So you will have to remake some of those classes to fix that.

That's the biggest reason why I was thinking about making the jump. Mostly everything on the side having to do with martial classes and even the exploration aspect of the game made me really want to jump int A5e. I have one player who always wants to do things that involve with crafting, exploring, building, or doing something that's completely out of knowledge of the game and when I try looking for answers in vanilla 5e barely has the answers to them. Which is why my games are heavily homebrewed these days.

Although not identical in flavor to the Magus, if you’re looking for an excellent A5e gish, grab MoAR Complete by Purple Martin Games to gain access to the Wielder class, which is probably the best gish I’ve seen, mostly because it answers the flavor question really well. (Also, I basically consider anything PMG puts out to be deuterocanonical to A5e. You can trust anything they put out.) Here’s a link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/453064

As for the Blood Hunter, there isn’t a 3PP answer yet, but I do know at least one publisher is interested in making one. Keep an eye on Plant Witch Press down the line.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll give them a look.

OT, if you are interested, Laser Llama has their own take on the Magus. https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mslo6ktmq1Yg5WTSjDQ

Funny that you would mention Laser Llama, I've actually stumbled into their work when I saw him posting an alternative version of the Blood Hunter a while back. I was planning to use their version sense it kind of addresses some of the issues I had with the class and even more so does similar fixes that I was working on myself.