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Hi all. I was able to gather 6 players, some from my normal 3.5 game and some new players interested in trying 4th edition. I didn't like Keep on the Shadowfell so decided to start the campaign with Hollow's Last hope and the Crown of the Kobold King (and hopefully Revenge of Kobold King if I can get a copy of it on Monday). So, I sat down and attempted a conversion of Hollow's Last Hope to 4th edition. It helped that I was a playtester (and even got my name in the back of the PHB :)
Here is what I came up with. Feedback is always appreciated as the group only made it to the Lumber Consortium Camp (section A on p. 5)and we ended the game before they entered into the camp. So, any changes that make mroe sense would be able to be added or changed to my game easily. Here goes my first attempt at conversion of a Paizo product to 4th.
1) It started with the line in front of Laurel's shop. If the party decided to break in front of the sick folks, they were going to have to complete a skill challenge with a complexity of level 2 to calm the crowd adn prevent a riot of sorts. That is 6 successes before 3 failures. I set the DC at 15 for either diplomacy, intimidate, or bluff (depending on how it was used). They could also use Knowledge (history) at a DC 15 to have any information on any of the people that might become upset. If they suceeded on the knowledge roll, they got a +2 bonus (similar to aid another) on diplomacy or intimidate check. The group decided to wait the couple of hours to see Laurel instead of forcing the issue (even though the DM tried to goad them several different times :)
2) Next was inside Laurel's shop, Roots & Remedies. She started as unfriendly to the PCs as she was so overworked and with the constant worry to her reputation in the village. The PCs had to alter her attitude toward them using diplomacy or bluff checks at a DC 15. I decided eintimidate wouldn't work with her since she figured the PCs were afflicted and would die before they could carry out any threats. This roleplaying session went very well, as I would have the players talk to her as normal roleplay. At random, I would have them roll a dice but they never knew when it was coming. Depending on the die roll, I would alter Laurel's replies, as well as her attitude. Again, this was a complexity of 2 (6 successes before 3 failures). It became interesting when the party was at 5 and 2. They became very nervous, trying their best not to offend her. When one of them finally said the right thing, I had the PC who was talking at the time make a roll and they succeeded. It is one of the few times I have had a party cheer at suceeding at a non-combat encounter. On a side note, if the DM plans and runs the skill challenges carefully, they can be a ton of fun.
Once the PCs had Laurel's attitude upgraded to friendly, they needed to see if they knew anything about Ulizmila's Hut (History DC 15 or Streetwise DC20), Eldest tree (Nature DC 20, History DC 22), and Dwarven Monastery (History DC 15, Streetwise DC20). Again, this comes down to a skill challenge for each with talking to various NPCs in the village. With me secretly rolling, they failed the Ulizmila's Hut skill challenge to gather info and are scared to death they have to eventually face Baba Yaga herself now. They failed Eldest Tree skill challenge to gather info and have been directed to the Lumberr Consortium Camp. They passed the Dwarven Monastery skill challenge so know its general location but not a lot about why it is now abandoned. Again, if the DM prepares the skill challenges carefully, and takes time to utilize them in the midst of roleplaying, they can be very effective and fun. We spent the first two of our four hour game session roleplaying and using four different skill challenges.
3) I decided to make the journey to the lumber consortium camp a 3 day journey as I wanted to use two random encounters found in Darkmoon Vale per day. I chose two per day to help teach the combat system to the players and almost none of them had any experience with 4th. I converted each of the encounters as follows:
A) Foul Tracks: DC 15 perception
B) Dead Fey: DC 15 Nature, DC 20 History
C) Woodsmen: Complete roleplaying session
D) Glowmold: DC 15 nature
E) Wyvern Sighting: DC 20 perception (p. 268, 4e MM)
F) Kobold Shaman: Zombie (p. 271, 4e MM)
G) Giant Mosquito: Converted to a Dire Stirge (P. 248, 4e MM)
H) Hunter's Snare: Converted a False-Floor pit trap (p. 87, 4e DMG) and made it an Elite version of the trap.
I) Giant moorsnake: Downgraded the Crushgrip Constrictor (p. 240, 4e MM) to the following: Int: +3, HP: 40, AC: 15, Fort: 14, Ref: 16, Will: 14, Bite (Standard at will): +6 vs. AC, 1d8+3 dmg & target is grabbed; Constrict (Standard at will): +6 vs. fort, 2d4+6 dmg & target is dazed until end of crushgrip's next turn. Skills: +6 stealth and +6 perception, low-light vision, xps: 200.
J) Gray Wolves x5 (p. 264, MM) xps: 600.
The party encountered C and G on the first day. The roleplaying was fun and we movedd on not worrying about skill checks. The battle with the dire stirge was also a fun combat and taxed the party to the extreme, dropping our rogue to neg HPs but she was saved by someone else's heal skill check.
The party encountered H and J on the second day. The warlord failed his passive perception check on the trap and fell in. The trap worked fairly well, even converting it to an outdoor trap. The wolves battle was fun and evenly matched.
Day 3 is where we stopped and I plan to throw in F in the early morning hours before the sun comes up, and either A or B to make the party think the lumber consortium is causing irrepairable harm to the forest. Should prove interesting.
The rest from here on is just my conversions as it will take place in our next game session.
4) At the lumber consortium, to be able to speak with the supervisor, they need to complete a skill challenge of complexity 3 (8 successes, 4 failures) due to the lumber consoritum employees bullying the townsfolk, at least in my campaign.
5) Under B: Bait encounter, I have made the trap holding the fox a DC 14 strength check to free it. They can use a heal DC 15 or a nature DC 20 to start nurding it back to health. After healed, a PC has to complete a skill challenge complexity 2, utilizing DC 20 nature or DC 22 diplomacy, to have the fox continue to follow him or her and become an animal companion.
As for the encounter, I set it up with a Hobgoblin Commander (p. 140, 4e MM), 2 Hobgoblin Archers (p.139, 4e MM), and 2 Hobgoblin Warriors (p. 138, 4e MM).
6) Under C: The Forest Elder, there was nothing I could use as a basis to convert the Tatzlwyrm, so I place 2 harpies (p. 154, 4e MM). To climb the tree is an athletics DC 10. To spot the bodies in the trees, it will require a DC 15 perception.
7) Under D: The Hag-Haunted Hollow, I changed the door to make it a bit more difficult to enter and used stats found on the 4e DMG, p. 65. The door now has AC5, Fort 10, HPs 20, and requires a DC 16 strength to pry open since it is stcuk.
As for the cauldron, I winged it using the same page from the DMG and made the rest up with what seemed to make since. Here are the stats for the cauldron:
Init +0, HPs 60, AC 5, Ref 5, Fort 10, Xps 175. SD: Half damage from piercing and slashing weapons. SA: Grab (per 4e PHB, p. 290). Str 14 atk vs Reflex, if hit, enemy is swallowed whole. SA: Swallowed whole -- Take 1d4 dmg inside from movements of cauldron until escape (Acrobatics or Athletics versus Fort). Can cut out by using light blade to deal total of 10 points damage to cauldron's innards (AC 15).
I also placed the following treasure in the room, discovered with a perception DC 15: Magic Orb +1 and Amulet of Health +1.
8) Finally we arrive at Part 3: The Ruined Monastery. A DC 20 history check will let the PC know about the dwarven statue mentioned in the center column. The encounter here has been changed to 3 gray wolves (p. 264, 4e MM) and a dire wolf (Same page).
9) Under #2: The Yard, a DC 15 nature check replaces the DC 15 survival check. The treasure I added here were +1 Thieves Tools, a potion of healing, 50' silk rope, 42 gold pieces, and 8 days supply of Journeybread.
10) Under #3: Watchtower, I placed 3 Deathjump Spiders (p. 246, 4e MM). I also made the stairs require a DC 10 acrobatics check, and if failed, the PC has it collapse upon him dealing 2d6 damage.
11) Under #4: Entry Hall, I changed the survival to a DC 20 perception to find the tracks.
12) Under #5: Waiting Room, I made the door an AC5, Fort 10, HPs 20, and a Str DC 16 since it is stuck. A DC 15 religion check on the silverr throwing hammerr will reveal the deity Torog (p. 23, 4e PHB)
13) Under #6: Cloak Room, I changed the search check to a DC 15 perception.
14) Under #7: Guest Quarters, I changed the open lock to a DC 20 thievery check. A passive perception DC 17 allows one to spot the trap (a trip rope). Thievery DC 17 disarms it. I set the trap up as follows:
Falling Debris Trap, Level 4 Lurker Trap, Close Burst 3, Atk: +9 vs. ref, Hit: 2d8+4 dmg, Miss: Half Damage, XPS: 175.
15) Under #8, Gurtlekep's Room, I made the room about twice the size shown on the map. Inside, is a kobold patrol consisting of a Kobold Slyblade, Kobold Wyrmpriest, Kobold Dragonshield, and 4 Kobold Minions (pp.167-169, 4e MM). Their treasure they have pillaged from their wanderings around the monastery include 62 gold pieces, an amethyst, 2 pearls, and a suit of Darkleaf Hide Armor +1 (p. 228, 4e PHB). The 3 gemstones all radiate faint magic for a later encounter.
16) Under #9: Ruined Library, I filled the room full of Doomspore Powder, adapting and changing the doomspore powder trap (p. 88, 4e DMG). A Dungeoneering DC 20 allows a character to identify the gray fungus as doomspore fungus. If the dust is not disturbed, nothing happens. If the PCs shuffle through scrolls, shuffles through the room without making a stealth DC 15, etc.... they set the "trap" off. It is as follows:
Close burst 1, Target: Bloodied Creature in Burst (though I may change this to anyoen in the area, not just a bloodied character), Atk: +6 vs. Fort, Hit: 1d10 poison, ongoing 5 poison dmg (Save ends), XPS: 350 if no PC is affected by the fungus and they recover the treasure. The treasure, atop one of the bookshelves, is a ritual scroll of endure elements.
17) Under #10: Desecrated Shrine, there is no 4e translation of Darkmantle and I ran out of time to try to convert them. So, I changed them to Dark Creeper x3 (p. 49, 4e MM). The party finds the altar was once dedicated to Moradin. A DC 10 religion shows the altar has now been set to venerate Torog. If the amethyst and both pearls are placed in the altar, all creeatures in the room with the same alignment as Moradin, receive the benefits of Healing Word (p. 62, 4e PHB) and Bless (p. 64, 4e PHB) for 1 hour duration.
18) Under #11: Hallway, it remains as written.
19) Under #12: Infested Ruins, I had it occupied by 4 shadowhunter bats (p. 27, 4e MM).
20) Under #13: Armory, A perception DC 20 finds the secret door. a perception after that of DC 15 finds 40 normal arrows.
21) Under #14: Secret Prison, I haunted it with 2 skeletons (p. 234, 4e MM) and 8 Decrepit Skeletons (Same page). There is no magic ring in here as written, but one of the skeletons will wield a Vicious +1 Battle Axe (+1 Atk and Dmg, and crit deals an extra 1d12).
22) Under #15: Wolf Den, there are now 4 gray wolves (p. 265, 4e MM). Found in this room are 100 gps and an empty ritual book that has the small ote on the inside cover.
23) Under #16: Graypelt's Chamber, It is inhabited by a worg (p. 265, 4e MM). It speaks Abyssal. The treasure found aftre this battle is 354 gold pieces, Light Crossbow, Potion of Healing, 6 Ironbloom Mushrooms, and a Symbol of Life +1 (p. 237, 4e PHB) with the symbol of Moradin etched into it.
Well, that's what I did with D0. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to reply to this thread. I hope this helps someone eout to cut down on some conversion work in the future.
Chief Technical Officer
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Please let me know if you are not interested in any future updates regarding other Paizo modules. It took a while to type the above, and if no one is interested in the 4e conversions, I won't waste the space on the messageboards listing them.
I know I'm really pleased to see stuff like this—I hope people who are playing 4E are as well!
I don't have the rules yet, but I'll probably use this in the fall for my new meatspace game.
Thanks dude!
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Please let me know if you are not interested in any future updates regarding other Paizo modules. It took a while to type the above, and if no one is interested in the 4e conversions, I won't waste the space on the messageboards listing them.
I don't play 4e, and don't expect to, but please continue with these conversions. I think that it serves a great purpose, as it shows the editions side by side in such a way that comparisons of how things are handled in both editions can be very useful to critiquing (and improving) both.
I have not been able to digest this in detail, but will post comments & questions when my goblins (4 & 2) get put into their den. Thanks again for taking the time to share this with the boards.
The 'Ling
Please let me know if you are not interested in any future updates regarding other Paizo modules. It took a while to type the above, and if no one is interested in the 4e conversions, I won't waste the space on the messageboards listing them.
I've got a ways to go on my current campaign (SCAP), but I'm happy to see conversions like this to items I have that I'd like to use in my *next* campaign which will probably be 4E.
Keep on rockin'!
Good Job!
I have started running a converted Wizards Amulet and Crucible of Freya.
I am converting Mad Gods Key and There is No Honor into one adventure for my 4E Game.
I am looking at combining all of the 'Hollow adventures with Burnt Offerings.
Let me know if you want anything.
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Here's what I built for the Tatzlwyrm
Tatzlwyrm Level 2 Solo Soldier
large natural beast (reptile) XP 625
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +7
HP 140 (8 x level +1 +Con)x4; Bloodied 70
AC 18; Fortitude 17, Reflex 15, Will 12
Saving Throws +5
Speed 6
Action Points 2
m Bite (standard; at-will) +9 vs. AC; 1d10+3 and the target is grabbed.
m Constrict (standard; at-will)
Affects a target the Tatzlwyrm has grabbed; +7 vs. Fortitude; 1d10+3 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of the Tatlzwyrm’s’s next turn.
m Pounce
When the Tatzlwyrm charges, it does an additional 1d6 worth of damage and knocks its target prone
Poison Breath (minor; at will) Poison
Affects a target the Tatzlwyrm has grabbed as the Tatzlwyrm breathes its noxious breath upon the player; +3 vs. Fortitude; target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
Ptoouie (standard, at will)
The Tatzlwyrm spits its current victim at nearby companion who is no more than three squares away. +7 vs. reflex for each, 1d10+3 damage. Both targets are prone.
miss both targets are prone
Thrash (free, when first bloodied; encounter)
Immediately upon being bloodied the Tatzlwyrm lashes out at all around it. Close burst 1, +7 vs. AC, 2d6+3 damage
Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Str 16 (+4) Dex 15 (+3) Wis 12 (+2)
Con 18 (+5) Int 3 (–3) Cha 12 (+2)
Thanks! This is incredibly helpful.
Your conversion, Asmor's Monster Maker, and we have one ready for adventure insert creature.
Asmor's Monster Maker 2.0 found here.