D&D 4E System for 4e monster conversion?

[Pog]

Has anyone set up a 4e to 13th Age monster conversion system? I'd like to get some more use out of my old monster manuals.

 

[Dragonblade]

13th Age has rules for monster creation and customization. It should be pretty straightforward to look at the 4e monsters, divide the level by 3 to get an approximate 13th Age level, then adjust by size or status. For large or elite monsters, add a level. For huge or bigger, or solos, add two levels. Minions become mooks. Then use the 13th Age monster stats by level charts and maybe tweak attacks or defenses by a point or two to suit your sensibilities.

The 13th Age monster charts give the monsters expected damage per round in one lump sum. But if you look at the existing 13th Age monsters, they sometimes divide that up across multiple smaller attacks, or special attacks that trigger on certain rolls.

For special abilities, you wouldn't want to bring over all the 4e monsters powers. Its probably too many. Pick 1-3 of the most iconic or interesting powers and then using the existing 13th Age monster powers for inspiration, convert them into something similar. Be sure to be cognizant that the monsters damage per round isn't too far out of whack with what they are expected to have at that level.

 

[Pog]

Cool, that's a fine reply, thanks. I assume that people have already started converting

 

[tomjscott]

A lot of people are doing straight d20 conversions, but I don't know of anyone yet doing 4e conversions. I agree wholeheartedly on Dragonblade's power suggestion. 4e just has way too many powers and 13th Age monsters have very few in comparison.

 

[Morrus]

One thing Simon Rogers mentioned in conversation at Gen Con is that a free official conversion document is on the cards - but that it's a question of time and resources as to when they can do it.

 

[Pog]

A convertion doc woul dnd very cool, if they found the time to do it. 13th Age's monster creation is fairly easy, though, so I'm finding that I can just look at old MM for inspiration and maybe a cool power or two, then go from that to building a 13th Age monster.