D&D 5E Official conversion guides from ALL editions are coming this fall!

[arjomanes]

I hope their conversions are as slick as the 1e to 5e conversion tool someone released. This alone lets me use the 1e Monster Manual and old modules in my game.

I'm running a Labyrinth Lord --> D&D 5e Basic game now. It's two sessions into the 5e conversion and I'm using monsters and modules from 1e AD&D, Pathfinder, 3rd party OSR (LotFP and Frog God Games), and even one from 4e (Khybers Harvest - Free RPG Day).

Out of all of them, the 4e module is the trickiest. That one I basically took the map and the ideas, but had to switch out most of the mechanics completely. I swapped out the regular guards and cultists, but had to rebuild the dolgaunts and dolgrims to mirror 5e monsters (I based them off simplified 3.5 monsters). For the skill challenge, I just mined it for ideas, but made the necessary checks less structured.

Maybe once the PHB and DMG are available, then hopefully 4e will be easier to convert for fans of that edition. I'm not sure if the DMG will have rules for mini combat and grids, or if that will be a separate expansion.

 

[Agamon]

No I completely understand.

Hmmm. May or may not? No idea what you're talking about. While it would be nice to just port rules over wholesale, you will probably have to convert what you use. Not sure where anyone said may or may not.

 

[Agamon]

I hope their conversions are as slick as the 1e to 5e conversion tool someone released. This alone lets me use the 1e Monster Manual and old modules in my game.

Yeah, there's a 2e conversion tool, too. These are pretty cool looking, and it's great that WotC is going to officially support this kind of thing, considering they are also supporting older material with the reprints and the pdfs at dndclassics.

 

[fjw70]

Just imagine if these could walk you through how not just to convert material, but how to use material from other editions.

IOW, wouldn't it be cool if it said, "Here's how you can use 4e powers, 3e prestige classes and 2e kits in your game"?

I could see 4e powers being ported into 5e without conversion. Most of them (at least the weapon ones) were written generically enough to be used in 5e.

 

[BOZ]

That is really awesome, definitely looking forward to this, especially if they have one for each edition!

 

[Werebat]

Will they be converting PF to 5E too?

If so, can they please, please, please, please, PLEASE ditch the obnoxious "touch attack" mechanic for the Gunslinger? The one that is supposedly "balanced" by the also obnoxious "gun jamming" mechanic?

 

[Branduil]

Will they be converting PF to 5E too?

If so, can they please, please, please, please, PLEASE ditch the obnoxious "touch attack" mechanic for the Gunslinger? The one that is supposedly "balanced" by the also obnoxious "gun jamming" mechanic?

I'd be surprised if WotC released a conversion guide for a game they don't own. I'm sure homebrewed conversions will be available, though.

 

[Dungeonosophy]

Now if WotC would just release "themed" special editions of the 3 core books.

They'd have the exact same text as the regular 5e books, but with old-school fonts and illustrations. Maybe even commission the artists from those era (if they're still alive) to make some more illos, especially for the Monster Manual.

https://sites.google.com/site/dndphilmont/edition-themes

• OD&D-style: A manila-paper, staple-bound version in a wood-grain box.
• BECMI-style: A Mentzer-era Red Box style.
• AD&D-style: Either the "demon-idol" style or the later "orange-spine" style.
• 2e-style: The blue-logo style.
• 3e-style: The gears-and-jewels style.
• 4e-style

 

[fjw70]

Will they be converting PF to 5E too?

If so, can they please, please, please, please, PLEASE ditch the obnoxious "touch attack" mechanic for the Gunslinger? The one that is supposedly "balanced" by the also obnoxious "gun jamming" mechanic?

5e will have its own firearm rules.

 

[Raith5]

I am very interested to see how a 4e campaign could be converted into 5e, but isnt a lot is going depend what ends up in the DMG? I assumed that the DMG would have optional rules that would support either adding or subtracting elements of the game and thereby enable groups to emulate their preferred playstyle and editions.