D&D 3E/3.5 Converting spells from 2E / 3E to 5E

[Quartz]

Has anyone looked into converting spells from older editions to 5E? Are there any guidelines?

I still have the old 2E Wizard Spell Compendium books. Converting from 2E to 3E was usually very simple, often not much more than deciding on the save required. 5E seems to be more complex, particularly with damage-oriented spells.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Old-school damage spells mostly did a die per caster level, fireball & lightningbolt being the classic examples. If they didn't give a save, they did about half that.

Use magic missle as a guide for no-save damage, and fireball as a guide for save:1/2 damage.

 

[Tormyr]

Any spells you are looking at in particular?

 

[Quartz]

Any spells you are looking at in particular?

No, none in particular. I was just looking at my bookshelves and spotted them and wondered.

 

[shamsael]

More damage spells is not something that interests me. I would like to go through the 2E Spell Compendium and update some of the utility spells.

 

[the Jester]

Has anyone looked into converting spells from older editions to 5E?

Yes- I have already converted several homebrew spells for my "Perversion" domain update, as well as one BoVD spell for the same cause. Also a number of other spells rather at random.

Are there any guidelines?

Not that I've seen. Until I have all 3 core rulebooks, I'm keeping all my homebrewing in a "tentative conversions" file.

 

[the Jester]

Here are the conversions that I've done so far of non-homebrewed material. You may recognize them from the 2e Tome of Magic, various FR sources, the 3e BoVD and the 1e PH.

EDIT: Oops, missed Alustriel's banner!

Alustriel's Banner
2nd-level illusion (Art domain, bard, paladin, sorcerer, wizard)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (either a real trumpet or horn or a tiny model of one made out of bone, ivory, whittled wood or metal)
Duration: 10 minutes

This spell causes an impressive fanfare to sound as a banner appears in midair wherever you desire within range, even high in the air. The banner may be of any size up to 30' on a side and of any appearance desired, from rigid and shield-like to a long flowing pennant, and can look new or ancient. The banner can emit a glow if you so desire, as if subject to a light spell. You may have the fanfare either be an original composition or yours or one that you have before. If you wish to imitate an existing seal or device on the banner, you must have seen it before.

Call Upon Faith
2nd-level transmutation (Adventure domain, cleric)
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round

You call upon your faith to grant you success. As long as the spell lasts, you have advantage on all ability checks, though not attacks or saves.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature or increase the duration by one round for each level of the slot above 2nd. If you choose to affect additional targets, each one must be within 30' of you.

Dispel Exhaustion
4th-level illusion (bard, Calm domain, sorcerer, wizard)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hour

You give up to six creatures creature within range a temporary sensation of vitality and refreshment. Each affected creature gains 2 temporary hit points per Hit Die and its exhaustion level is reduced by 2. It gains advantage on Constitution checks and saves. In addition, the target gains a bonus action each round that it can use to move half its speed.

When the spell expires, each target loses its remaining temporary hit points, if any, and its exhaustion returns to its previous level.

Morality Undone
4th-level enchantment (ritual) (bard, cleric, paladin, Perversion domain)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60'
Components: V, S, M (a powdered holy symbol of a good deity)
Duration: 1 hour

If the target fails a Will saving throw, it becomes evil until the end of the duration. The ethical component of the subject's alignment is unchanged. The subject retains whatever outlook, allegiances and outlooks it had before, so long as they do not conflict with its new selfish and bloodthirsty outlook on all things.

 

[Quartz]

Wow, that last one's a bit of a killer - consider the use against a paladin or cleric.

 

[the Jester]

Wow, that last one's a bit of a killer - consider the use against a paladin or cleric.

Yeah, it's the BoVD spell. I'm using it for my Perversion domain, along with a bunch of other custom stuff- wall of vice, etc.

 

[Li Shenron]

I am interested in converting 3e spells into 5e, as part of my Rokugan 5e conversion.

More damage spells is not something that interests me. I would like to go through the 2E Spell Compendium and update some of the utility spells.

I also am more looking forward to convert non-damaging spells. But maybe those don't actually need much changes at all, except:

- consider if a "buff" spell needs to require Concentration
- out-of-combat spells which look like they are needed only occasionally can be Rituals