TheRavyn |
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I should also add a quick note about high-level conversion. The AP relies heavily on solo monsters, which can be taken down pretty easily by 5e characters. If you want a solo monster to challenge 5e PCs, it's CR needs to be about 150% of party level (like CR 15 for a 10th level party) and it helps to make sure it has legendary or lair abilities, so it's getting in some actions 2 or 3 additional times during the initiative order.
A quick and dirty conversion for something like when you want a lion to solo your players would be to simply double or triple its hp, and roll initiative for it 2 or 3 times, so it's acting 2 or 3 times during the round instead of just attacking once and then just standing there while the party whups on it. You'll get a more challenging and cinematic fight that way, it'll be more unexpected, and the players will likely feel a greater sense of accomplishment at taking down the snarly bastard.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
And it's fun playing in a new system too.
We were fighting a lich
Werecorpse |
That's really interesting that 11th level 5e = 14th level pathfinder. Partly because I would have said 14th level pathfinder = 16th level 3/3.5e. Maybe I could actually run Rappan Athuk to the end.
I am running pre 5e adventures converted to 5e as well (just started). I would imagine that the treasure has been filleted a bit to fit with the 5e approach to magic.
What magic items do you have at 11th?
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
By 10th level, my cleric had a Cloak of +1 to Con saves, a Medusa Mask (advantage on saving throws with visual components and petrify 1/day), and a Ring of Swimming. A few scrolls and potions.
We then got a dragon's hoard and I now have a +1 warhammer and a Belt of Frost Giant Strength (23). Which increased my melee attacks by +5!!!
I think the rest of the party has a bit more gear than me. But my main schtick is support. I'm there to keep them fighting and keep them fighting well. Bless is REALLY helpful. Just concentrating on bless is usually a lot more useful than using other magic items. I also use guiding bolt a lot because it gives advantage to the next attack against that target.
And if I don't need to cast bless on the party, I can use my magic to make me a better combatant, such as divine favor or shield of faith. I'm also a fan of casting spiritual guardians, walking into the middle of a bunch of mooks, and using the Dodge Action.
I recently got true rezzed by a balor-succubus (don't ask), so I've been exploring some of my "darker" spells, like bane, inflict wounds, bestow curse, and contagion.
Kalshane |
I just converted my own campaign over to 5E after an 8-month hiatus. The PCs are currently locked in battle in The Scribbler (we've got 7 PCs, though the wizard is going to be leaving the group because the player got a job working nights and won't be available, and had a couple players out last session, so between people trying to adapt to the new rules for their characters, and playing someone else's character, things went a lot slower than I anticipated.)
I made The Scribbler legendary, as well as giving him lair actions via the Shrine of Lamashtu. Has made for a fun, interesting fight, with him using legendary actions to Dimension Door away whenever the PCs try to box him in.
My PCs are only a level behind where the AP says they should be (since they were 12th level when we converted from PF) and I'll probably stick to that pace. Since I have to convert most of the baddies anyway, I don't mind having to make them a little tougher as part of the process.
For example, I had fun converting the elder earth elementals. I gave them the ability to stomp the ground to do damage in a line and possibly knock people prone and a Hulk-like "Thunderclap" ability to do damage and possibly stun in an area around them. We'll see how that fight goes.
I'm shocked a group of level 10s did so well against an Ancient White Dragon, though. I'm planning on just making him an Adult with extra HPs. The save DCs for an ancient white would be nearly impossible for my PCs to make and the breath weapon would drop most of them if they failed.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Kalshane |
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How did you guys do loot? I imagine that a lot of magic items were removed?
I completely re-did the party's items. Anything that was +1 or +2 became +1, anything +3 or +4 became +2. I pretty much did away cloaks of resistance and rings of protection, and only gave them one if I felt they were short on items once I was done converting everything else. Stat boosters also went away.
I did give each PC a custom magic item that either meshed well with their character concept and/or restored class abilities (or a facsimile thereof) that were lost in the conversion.
For example, our trip-focused fighter (who naturally converted to a Battlemaster) got his +1 silver holy flail replaced with this:
Chain of Penitence (requires attunement)
This magical silver flail does an additional 1d6 points of radiant damage on a hit. In addition, when you make an attempt to trip an opponent while wielding this weapon, you are not limited by the size of the opponent, though creatures two or more sizes larger than you gain Advantage on their attempt to resist. Against opponents of your
own size or smaller, you gain Advantage on Strength (Athletics) rolls to trip.
I also cut down on a lot of treasure. Most generic +whatever items are gone. Any unique or flavorful items (or those that may have an effect later in the AP) are kept.
Kalshane |
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I'm also pretty happy with the custom weapon I gave the cleric of Sarenrae.
Flame of the Dawnflower (requires attunement by cleric or paladin of Sarenrae)
You can use a bonus action to speak this magic scimitar’s command word, causing flames to erupt from the blade. These flames shed a bright light in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet. While the sword is ablaze, it deals an extra 2d6 fire damage to any target it hits. The flames last until you use a bonus action to speak the command word again, or until you drop or sheathe the sword. In addition, when the sword is ablaze, you can expend a use of your Channel Divinity ability to change the additional damage type from Fire to Radiant for one minute. While the radiant damage is in effect, the light shed is treated as if it were a Daylight spell.
Kalshane |
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Yeah, I found converting/creating magic items to be really easy. I just look at other items that are about the same power level I'm looking for and then add/subtract/alter abilities to taste. A lot easier than trying to come up with an appropriate plus or GP value.
I also enjoy that magic items aren't required to make the math work, so I can eliminate huge piles of generic modifier items that PCs will inevitably just sell if they're not better than what they already have.
Monsters are little more difficult, though I'm using the online monster converter that someone linked in another thread as a start and then adapting from there. NPCs I'm just stating up like PCs in 5E and not really worrying about XP value since I decided to go with milestone leveling after the conversion.
I'm also finding the guideline someone else suggested of divide the PF DC in half and then add 5 (then adjust as necessary) seems to be pretty spot-on for determining the DCs of the challenges they're facing and works really well on-the-fly if I find I missed converting something.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
houser2112 |
I recently got true rezzed by a balor-succubus (don't ask), so I've been exploring some of my "darker" spells, like bane, inflict wounds, bestow curse, and contagion.
What he's not telling you is that he is exploring this darker side while playing a mirror image of himself against the party in the Illusion area. Fun times.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
TheRavyn |
Part 5 is complete as of last Sunday! The party is 11th level. Part 5 was pretty good, it started out kind of grindy, but the players soon picked up on there being lots of role playing opportunities in the Runeforge, which made things more interesting. I also tried to up the environmental aspects of the Runeforge, which meant more skill use, something I really need to add more of when doing my conversions. Skill challenges in the original AP (maybe just PFRPG in general?) seem to play second fiddle to combat encounters, which is kind of a waste of 5e's cool pared-down and more improvisational skill system, so I'll be keeping more of an eye on that aspect.
It's pretty satisfying looking back on the last five adventures - it's definitely been an epic campaign so far!
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Yeah, it's been exciting and interesting. My cleric died twice so far, got raised twice so far, so I rolled up a creepy drow bard called Whisper in case my dwarf cleric of Life dies yet again. I still want to do the support roll, and I think a College of Lore bard would be good at that. I also want a few "F You!" spells, like counterspell and hellish rebuke, and maybe shield.
Kalshane |
Part 5 is complete as of last Sunday! The party is 11th level. Part 5 was pretty good, it started out kind of grindy, but the players soon picked up on there being lots of role playing opportunities in the Runeforge, which made things more interesting. I also tried to up the environmental aspects of the Runeforge, which meant more skill use, something I really need to add more of when doing my conversions. Skill challenges in the original AP (maybe just PFRPG in general?) seem to play second fiddle to combat encounters, which is kind of a waste of 5e's cool pared-down and more improvisational skill system, so I'll be keeping more of an eye on that aspect.
It's pretty satisfying looking back on the last five adventures - it's definitely been an epic campaign so far!
Can you give me some examples of the sort of skill challenges you used? I'm currently prepping Runeforge for my group right now and it could definitely use some spicing up.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
TheRavyn |
TheRavyn wrote:Can you give me some examples of the sort of skill challenges you used? I'm currently prepping Runeforge for my group right now and it could definitely use some spicing up.Part 5 is complete as of last Sunday! The party is 11th level. Part 5 was pretty good, it started out kind of grindy, but the players soon picked up on there being lots of role playing opportunities in the Runeforge, which made things more interesting. I also tried to up the environmental aspects of the Runeforge, which meant more skill use, something I really need to add more of when doing my conversions. Skill challenges in the original AP (maybe just PFRPG in general?) seem to play second fiddle to combat encounters, which is kind of a waste of 5e's cool pared-down and more improvisational skill system, so I'll be keeping more of an eye on that aspect.
It's pretty satisfying looking back on the last five adventures - it's definitely been an epic campaign so far!
Off the top of my head:
Persuasion - I'd assign a DC based on how convincing the party's discussion with denizens of the Runeforge, and whether they offered gifts. For instance, "we have a common enemy" plus a gift usually garnered a DC 12, while "give us what we want or die" got more like a 25.Acrobatics/Athletics - one of the wings featured a sewer-like set up. The party was in constant danger of slipping off walkways into disease-causing effluvia, so lots of checks (but easy, I think like a 5 or 10 most of the time, and still the barbarian kept falling in lol!). Also keeping from getting washed down a drain during a "cleaning" event, sucked down into a sinkhole (almost had a drowning) and swimming down to recover some valuable remains.
Perception/Investigation - the former to "accidentally" notice neat stuff, the latter for when actively searching. As with most of the AP, there's tons of background info and details the DM reads about, but never factors into the adventure - I plant this stuff around when possible to add versimilitude. Though in some cases it's just impossible lol - I learned this early on from the strangely extensive background given for a stranded horse in book 1. I keep waiting for that horse to reappear later in the AP like a disguised demigod or something lol.
Kalshane |
Off the top of my head:
Persuasion - I'd assign a DC based on how convincing the party's discussion with denizens of the Runeforge, and whether they offered gifts. For instance, "we have a common enemy" plus a gift usually garnered a DC 12, while "give us what we want or die" got more like a 25.
Acrobatics/Athletics - one of the wings featured a sewer-like set up. The party was in constant danger of slipping off walkways into disease-causing effluvia, so lots of checks (but easy, I think like a 5 or 10 most of the time, and still the barbarian kept falling in lol!). Also keeping from getting washed down a drain during a "cleaning" event, sucked down into a sinkhole (almost had a drowning) and swimming down to recover some valuable remains.
Perception/Investigation - the former to "accidentally" notice neat stuff, the latter for when actively searching. As with most of the AP, there's tons of background info and details the DM reads about, but never factors into the adventure - I plant this stuff around when...
Okay. Thanks.
Shalelu ended up claiming the horse as her share of the reward for helping the party clear out that dungeon in my game. Seemed appropriate.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
TheRavyn |
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I'm hoping that after chapter 6, we can go on a high level adventure that deals with that mysterious horse.
Last encounter, book six: Karzoug, defeated at last, falls to his knees coughing, blood running from the corner of his mouth. "I would have conquered the world," he gasps, pulling away his human mask to reveal his true face, that of the Thistletop warhorse, "if it hadn't been for you meddling kids..."
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Jody Johnson |
We are almost done with Book 3.
Generally the conversion has been going well.
However, the changes to Silence (casting time) and the Concentration mechanic had an unexpected gutting of the Mammy Graul encounter.
I should have made her a Sorceror with the appropriate metamagic. The lack of buff-suites impacts the caster as bigbad design.
Which is a plus but a major change to account for.
The party is generally running several levels below the PF rating and pretty much doing entire locations in a single go (my preference).
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
TheRavyn |
However, the changes to Silence (casting time) and the Concentration mechanic had an unexpected gutting of the Mammy Graul encounter.
I should have made her a Sorceror with the appropriate metamagic. The lack of buff-suites impacts the caster as bigbad design.
Which is a plus but a major change to account.
I had a similar experience. Under PFRPG rules, the AP relies heavily on solo-monster encounters. Which were kind of pushovers until I realized what was missing - in 5E the nastiest solo monsters all have "Legendary" and/or "Lair" abilities - once I started making sure my big nasties had these in place, solo encounters got a bit tougher.
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
SmiloDan RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Diego Valdez Customer Service Representative |