D&D 5E Converting Older Editions Modules

[Plaguescarred]

[h=1]Converting Older Editions Modules[/h]

I am sure WoTC will eventually publish guidelines to convert older edition materials. In the meantime, if some of you look for guidelines to convert older edition modules, i did a few in the past and can help if you want. When i convert older edition modules to 5E i usually;

1) Identify every task or trap requiring ability check or saving throw determine the DC based on an estimated difficulty.

2) Identify every encounters and their monsters looking for exact match or possible replacement if the item has no 5E stats (even sometimes just reflavoring) I keep an eye toward room size vs creatures numbers as older module often had numerous enemies in small rooms. I use the Encounter XP Table (most accurate is in this Legends & Lore column) to re-budget them based on the number of PC and estimated difficulty.

3) Identify every magic items and look for exact match or possible replacement if the item has no 5E stats (even sometimes just reflavoring).

Here's for exemple a few of my conversion notes i could find since WoTC's forum change;

The Burning Plague 3E Adventure Conversion Noites
Cave of Shadow 3E Adventure Conversion Notes
Dry Spell 3E Adventure Conversion Note
A Dark and Stormy Knight 3E Adventure Conversion Notes
Night of the Walking Dead 2E Adventure Conversion Notes
.

Hope that help!

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[TABLE="width: 100%"][TR][TD]Level[/TD][TD]Easy[/TD][TD]Moderate[/TD][TD]Challenging[/TD][TD]Hard[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]1[/TD][TD]20[/TD][TD]50[/TD][TD]100[/TD][TD]150[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]2[/TD][TD]20[/TD][TD]70[/TD][TD]140[/TD][TD]210[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]3[/TD][TD]40[/TD][TD]110[/TD][TD]220[/TD][TD]330[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]4[/TD][TD]50[/TD][TD]150[/TD][TD]300[/TD][TD]450[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]5[/TD][TD]70[/TD][TD]200[/TD][TD]400[/TD][TD]600[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]6[/TD][TD]80[/TD][TD]250[/TD][TD]500[/TD][TD]750[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]7[/TD][TD]100[/TD][TD]300[/TD][TD]600[/TD][TD]900[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]8[/TD][TD]120[/TD][TD]350[/TD][TD]700[/TD][TD]1,050[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]9[/TD][TD]130[/TD][TD]400[/TD][TD]800[/TD][TD]1,200[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]10–11[/TD][TD]150[/TD][TD]500[/TD][TD]1,000[/TD][TD]1,500[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]12–13[/TD][TD]200[/TD][TD]600[/TD][TD]1,200[/TD][TD]1,800[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]14[/TD][TD]250[/TD][TD]700[/TD][TD]1,400[/TD][TD]2,100[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]15–16[/TD][TD]250[/TD][TD]800[/TD][TD]1,600[/TD][TD]2,400[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]17[/TD][TD]300[/TD][TD]900[/TD][TD]1,800[/TD][TD]2,700[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]18[/TD][TD]350[/TD][TD]1,000[/TD][TD]2,000[/TD][TD]3,000[/TD][/TR][TR][TD]19–20[/TD][TD]350[/TD][TD]1,100[/TD][TD]2,200[/TD][TD]3,300[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

 

[TerraDave]

I will using some 30+ year old classics, and am wondering how hard it will be.

Right now, doesn't look so bad. But I am curious what others will be doing.

 

[Crothian]

I will convert as I always have which is pretty much on the fly. I have yet to run into a module or situation that required me to sit down and convert everything ahead of time like this. It sounds boring a waste of time.

 

[Grazzt]

I will using some 30+ year old classics, and am wondering how hard it will be.

Right now, doesn't look so bad. But I am curious what others will be doing.

I recently ran my players through U1 (Saltmarsh). Conversion was pretty simple for that one as it's a lot of NPCs more so than monsters. For DCs (traps, whatever) I just eyeballed it and set it to whatever seemed fair, but challenging.

NPCs, used the ones from the Starter set to baseline the ones in U1. For example, a particular assassin in there became a rogue. I didn't stat him as I would a PC (because it looks like, at least from Starter set you can stat NPCs as monsters...see the Ruffians and the Evil Mage); just gave him AC, hp, attack that seemed in range for CR (using the Starter set monsters/NPCs as baseline), and then threw on the Sneak Attack ability of the rogue because I could.

 

[TerraDave]

[MENTION=7]Grazzt[/MENTION] thats good to see.

Hoping to take a similar approach. With the MM and DMG, shouldn't be too hard.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I've done a few one-to-one conversions from older editions to the playtest rules. The math, unfortunately, just didn't work. T1, which is apparently supposed to be really hard, became an excruciating grind of "open this door, effortlessly kill everyone inside, open this door, effortlessly kill everyone inside..."

Now, this is probably because the monster math sucked throughout the playtest, and that's probably better now.

My problem is that I don't know how difficult these encounters were meant to be. I suppose what I really want is a way to gauge encounter difficulty for old editions. If I know how tough a giant crayfish is in 1e, I can do the math and create the encounter in 5e.

 

[kenmarable]

I'm thinking that with the streamlined rules, on the fly conversion might be pretty easy, especially once you get a feel for general DC, AC, hp, damage, etc, ranges.

I know I'm hankering to dust off my Planescape stuff and finally have that Infinite Staircase-Modron March-Dead Gods-Faction War campaign! Glancing things over, I feel far less trepidation thinking about converting these, especially on the fly, to 5e than to Pathfinder (our current game of choice). Especially iffy before because almost all of those modules were written for mid-level and I'd have to convert not just editions but to a full range of levels. Looked possible with a lot of prep work (which I don't have a lot of time for, one of the main reasons I haven't gotten around to it) but now is looking a fair bit easier. I'm hoping when the DMG and MM are out, that my hopes hold up.

 

[ExploderWizard]

My problem is that I don't know how difficult these encounters were meant to be. I suppose what I really want is a way to gauge encounter difficulty for old editions. If I know how tough a giant crayfish is in 1e, I can do the math and create the encounter in 5e.

There is often more to judging the difficulty of an old module encounter than just the math. Some 1E encounters are nigh unwinnable in white room simulations. The feasting hall in G1 is a TPK waiting to happen in a straight up assault. A great many victories in the older modules depended more on player decisions and the approach taken than on the monster math. That's why it is sometimes harder to match difficulty expectations with newer rule sets.

 

[GX.Sigma]

There is often more to judging the difficulty of an old module encounter than just the math. Some 1E encounters are nigh unwinnable in white room simulations. The feasting hall in G1 is a TPK waiting to happen in a straight up assault. A great many victories in the older modules depended more on player decisions and the approach taken than on the monster math. That's why it is sometimes harder to match difficulty expectations with newer rule sets.

I think player decisions matter more than monster math in 5e too (well, they will if my players want to survive!). I just want an estimate of what the "white room" difficulty is, so I can plug that into the CR/XP system and come up with something that's similar to what the adventure designers intended.

i.e., if the feasting hall is supposed to be near-impossible, and it ends up as merely "difficult," the adventure won't play as intended.

 

[jadrax]

I think player decisions matter more than monster math in 5e too (well, they will if my players want to survive!). I just want an estimate of what the "white room" difficulty is, so I can plug that into the CR/XP system and come up with something that's similar to what the adventure designers intended.

i.e., if the feasting hall is supposed to be near-impossible, and it ends up as merely "difficult," the adventure won't play as intended.

You may be overestimating how much thought the designers put into it.

Its a big room, its contains *rolls 4d6* 19 Hobgoblins...