D&D 5E DMG help with converting Pathfinder adventures to 5e?

[techno]

Still waiting, like many others, for my DMG. Now that it is out, is there anything in the DMG that will help make converting Pathfinder adventures to D&D 5e easier--particularly monsters, NPCs, and traps? Thanks.

 

[fjw70]

There are no rules for converting from any other game or edition to 5e. However, there are rules for creating those things for 5e.

 

[Blackwarder]

Conversion guides will come out online in the future, AFAIK last I heard start of 2015 but that might have changed

Warder

 

[Morrus]

I don't imagine it'll reference Pathfinder. 3.5, but not PF.

 

[Tormyr]

The DMG is the finishing piece in the puzzle to be able to convert adventures to 5e, but it does not work in the manner of, "I will plug my earlier edition thing in and get what the 5e version looks like." Basically, you need to assess each encounter; replace creatures, magic items, and traps from 5e versions where available; create 5e versions from the guidelines where there is not a 5e equivalent; and adjust encounter balance to the difficulty called for in the adventure.

 

[Boarstorm]

I don't imagine it'll reference Pathfinder. 3.5, but not PF.

I'm unclear on how the OGL works as to who owns what. Could they if they were so inclined? General question to any armchair lawyers.

 

[aramis erak]

I'm unclear on how the OGL works as to who owns what. Could they if they were so inclined? General question to any armchair lawyers.

The problem would be use of the Trademark "Pathfinder"...

 

[techno]

It would seem that making it easy for those playing your #1 competitor's (and market leader's) game to convert their adventure path content to D&D 5e would be a shrewd move on WotC's part.

 

[Emirikol]

Here's how you do it in the meantime:
* Look at the monster from Pathfinder
* Use an equivalent monster from the 5e monster manual.
* Perfect match is irrelevant and a waste of your time
* The heavy use of massive stat blocks in 3.5/Pathfinder for NPC spellcasters and whatnot are the same: use the "Evil Mage" from the Beginner box and run with it from there. Need a tough fighter? Use a bugbear or hobgoblin stat block.

Traps are a bit more difficult b/c we dont' have much to work with.

IMO, wasting a lot of time attempting to convert something perfectly serves zero purpose. Grab a pencil and a post-it, and make quick reference notes to your DMG.

Skill checks should also be easy to convert. They're either a 5,10,15,or 20.


I completely intend to do this for the EGYPTIAN adventure path and will probably use the pathfinder adventure paths for my future play in 5e. They're simply better playtested and have more depth of play than "simpler" dungeon crawls.

Further thoughts?



jh

 

[Morrus]

It would seem that making it easy for those playing your #1 competitor's (and market leader's) game to convert their adventure path content to D&D 5e would be a shrewd move on WotC's part.

Violating another company's trademarks is a very, very long way from a shrewd move.