D&D 5E Updating classic A&D adventures for D&D 5e: a work under development

[Bravesword]

Hi there!

I am preparing some adaptations from classic AD&D and D&D Adventures from early editions to D&D 5th Edition, with the purpose to present to my gaming table some classic villains and modules within the new set of rules. Essentially, my main idea is to update not only the rules, but also some plots and developments, with respect to the adventure development and backstory, following the new D&D 5e philosophy (exploration, social interaction and combat). I seek to use mainly all the materials currently released so far (the three Core Rulebooks and the Starter Set), adapting and creating additional material only when strictly necessary (especially monsters).

Curiously, I decided to begin this with one of the most classic settings and characters from D&D history, which brought me to the Greyhawk World. I play D&D since the early 90’s, but my gateway to the D&D worlds began with the Forgotten Realms and took me to Ravenloft, Dragonlance, Planescape and even to Eberron more recently. I have never wandered the lands of the Flanaees and met some of their personalities like Iuz, Iggwilv, Bigby and, of course, Mordenkainen, so I am very excited to do this - especially considering an approach more sword and sorcey and less traditional fantasy.

My first classic adventure that shall be adapted to D&D 5e is the classic Vecna Lives!

[SPOILER ALERT]

I personally chose this adventure for several reasons. Vecna is one of the most iconic villain of D&D history, and the opportunity to have my players use the former members of the Circle of Eight (and have them all killed by "Vecna" in the beginning of the adventure!) are too awesome to be ignored.

I am preparing the first part of the adventure, related to the investigation of the tomb of Halmadar/Vecna and its ruthless attack that kills all the members of the Circle. I would like to hear your toughts and considerations regarding two points:

1) What are your toughts for the character sheets of the members of the Circle of Eight? Considering that they are not at the highest level as presented in later sourcebooks, I believe that their main information could be summarized as the following:

- Tenser – human Wizard 18, LG;
- Bigby – human Wizard 16, N;
- Drawmij – human wizard 14, N;
- Nystul – human Wizard 15, N;
- Otiluke – human Wizard 14, N;
- Otto – human Wizard 12/Cleric 3, NG;
- Rary – human Wizard 17, N;
- Jallari Sallavarian – human Wizard 13, NG

2) With such powerful PCs, what kind of monsters would you include in the fight against Vecna/Halmadar? I am especially inclined to update Halmadar to be an aspect of Vecna, in a plot to be later explained in the adventure. However, I am trying to create an encounter that makes sense and that are deadly to the PCs as well.

I would like to have your ideas and suggestions, especially with respect to the attributes, feats and items that each of they should possess, according to the new concepts of character development and item magic management presented in D&D 5e.

I shall soon post an updated background and the maps prepared for the first part of the adventure, for your considerations and comments.

Thank you!

 

[GregoryOatmeal]

Awesome! Wish I could join.

I'd be weary of starting characters at higher levels (above 7), unless they're pretty gamer-savvy types. If one person is iffy on the rules it can sort of slow down a high-level campaign for everyone. Why don't you start at a lower level? I find these high level games in play...especially when you start out at the high level...are never quite as fun as they seem like they should be.

My campaign is a similar D&D greatest hits arch. My plan is:
- Lost Mine of Phandelver + Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
(the characters went to Saltmarsh and found the redbrands were running the mansion. Saltmarsh replaced Leilon on the map)
This takes us to the current point. Characters are level 4 entering the mine. From there it becomes:
- Carnival of Tears - I'm debating running this one. It may take place with the town of Neverwinter as the backdrop.
- Ravenloft
- White Plume Mountain - Maybe. I've never run this and have the 2E "Return To" version
- Hook Mountain Massacre - I've never run this.
- GDQ - Never ran these before. Played the Frost Giant as a one-shot in Pathfinder...it was sort of an awful slug. I'll probably run the first and see how the group likes it.
- Expedition to the Barrier Peaks - May go between G1 and G2. Never ran this one before.

I may use Vecna Lives after those...I'm open to suggestion.

 

[Nebulous]

My campaign is a similar D&D greatest hits arch. My plan is:
- Lost Mine of Phandelver + Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
(the characters went to Saltmarsh and found the redbrands were running the mansion. Saltmarsh replaced Leilon on the map)
This takes us to the current point. Characters are level 4 entering the mine. From there it becomes:
- Carnival of Tears - I'm debating running this one. It may take place with the town of Neverwinter as the backdrop.
- Ravenloft
- White Plume Mountain - Maybe. I've never run this and have the 2E "Return To" version
- Hook Mountain Massacre - I've never run this.
- GDQ - Never ran these before. Played the Frost Giant as a one-shot in Pathfinder...it was sort of an awful slug. I'll probably run the first and see how the group likes it.
- Expedition to the Barrier Peaks - May go between G1 and G2. Never ran this one before.

I may use Vecna Lives after those...I'm open to suggestion.

My guys just hit 5th level at the end of Lost Mine. I'm doing some homebrew now, and they're enjoying their characters and don't want to switch it up, so we're going to stay in the area. But I too want to sample the PLETHORA of old modules i've never run. I really, really, really liked Lost Mine of Phandelver, and I don't really want to homebrew every single little thing coming up. Tying in a pre-made scenario is the route i'd prefer to take.

 

[Nebulous]

Something about the cover of this is just begging me to run it. Anyone want to help me adapt it to 5e?

 

[Nebulous]

So what's the main difference between White Plume original and White Plume remake?

 

[Gecko85]

So what's the main difference between White Plume original and White Plume remake?

Return is a sequel, not a remake.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

White Plume remake is larger and has a reason for the weirdness of the original.

I like it. Stick it in Mt Hotenow and have fun.

 

[Nebulous]

White Plume remake is larger and has a reason for the weirdness of the original.

I like it. Stick it in Mt Hotenow and have fun.

I think i will!

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Vecna Lives is pretty widely considered to be terrible. This review sums up its flaws, nicely, but the fact that it requires all the gods to be idiots and the players RP the Circle of Eight as complete boobs in order to get wiped out. How exactly did they reach such high levels when their plan of investigation consists of "run into an unknown tomb with no preparation".

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/classic/rev_2525.phtml

For all its bright spots, 5th edition is pretty terrible at "party vs one thing" and really should have stolen more from 4E in terms of "simulating stories" of heroes vs. an epic evil. I guess give Vecna the lair power of "Gains 2000 temporary HP" or something, because 8 wizards vs anything is going to be a joke, as he'll be focus fired to death the first round. I'd personally skip the terrible intro and just flash to the actual PC's catching glimpses of their mentor's deaths, and run it with them around 7th level. Knowing the Circle was killed by the thing you now have to go against should be scary enough without them having to sit through the cheating and railroading required to kill them in game time.

On the other hand, Return to White Plume Mountain is friggin amazing, superior to the original IMO. Drop the Keraptis virus spells an adventure or two earlier, let the casters rejoice at their new power, then freak out as they realize they've essentially memorized a Trojan horse designed to subsume their identity. The faction themes of the various false keraptis are fun, and most of the encounter pieces can be quite memorable. Our favorite was Mossmutter, where the monk got swallowed so he could spelunk through its body to tear up the moldy scroll at its heart. The bizarre Keraptis Resistance fighters were also pretty memorable, and restoring Nix (or Nox, whichever) to himself resulted in adding a pair of long term antagonists to the game.

 

[E'an Todd]

Interesting to see other DMs doing the same sort of thing I'm trying; I've been running Lost Mine since late July, and the party just finished it. I'm not really attached to the Realms, in fact fairly blah about them. So I decided to homebrew the setting, just keeping the map but renaming the locations and going from there. I've always wanted to run some of the classic adventures that I've read and reread over the last 30 years, and decided this time to take the opportunity. So I'm adapting A1-4 right now, using copies of both the individual adventures and the rerelease/expansion that had more plot. I'm restatting the Aspis currently, and figuring out encounter balance for the first part. My plan is to use Desert of Desolation after, then move to GDQ.

There is a distinct lack of dragons in them I'm noticing compared to HotDQ/RoT/LMoP...I'm not sure whether that's bad or not yet. I could toss in the Slavers having an allied dragon or two for some set pieces.