I have an on-going campaign set in the Wilderlands of High Fantasy and I have been using my vast library of D20/3.5 published materials. I do however, own many of the original Judges Guild modules. I want to use them, but they were written for OD&D or AD&D.
Look, let's be frank; those system are very stat-light in comparison. I am a lazy GM. Does anyone here have much experience converting older system stuff on the fly? Is it a game-breaker? Is there a set method for easy/quick conversions?
Thanks,
The quick and easy way would be to simply pick equivalent creatures out of the Pathfinder bestiaries, and use those versions, rather than attempt a direct conversion. If there's no direct lookalike equivalent, you can even steal the stats off something of the approximate level and abilities and "reskin" it ;) Obviously use things that are level-appropriate to the group.
Anything else such as traps, just use the Pathfinder rules and apply an appropriate DC.
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Frankly, just toning down some numbers, like in older edition it was okay to throw 10 fire giants at a party, now would be more appropriate to tune these numbers to be closer to the APL. Use npc that are already made online, so many of them, you have at least 6 npc for every challenge rating. Not sure if you read the monster codex simple class templates but might be worth using for some monsters. The advanced, Giant, Young templates are also your friends for quickly adjusting monster CR as you wish.
A Wizard(the simple class template) Cloud Giant takes less time and paperwork to make than Cloud Giant with 9 levels of wizard just to have the proper cr vs the APL.
Some of the Judges Guild modules were converted into 3.0 by Troll Lord games, I think. I know Dark Tower was, since I have it. They did straight conversions, such as the 20th level lich high priest of Set and the ancient red dragon in the basement. I am still unsure how 7-10 8th through 10th level characters are supposed to kill a 20th level lich and additional insano allies, but then Dark Tower never made a lot of sense to me anyway (One tower of Mitra, the Persian sun god, and one tower of Set?).
I have an on-going campaign set in the Wilderlands of High Fantasy and I have been using my vast library of D20/3.5 published materials. I do however, own many of the original Judges Guild modules. I want to use them, but they were written for OD&D or AD&D.
Look, let's be frank; those system are very stat-light in comparison. I am a lazy GM. Does anyone here have much experience converting older system stuff on the fly? Is it a game-breaker? Is there a set method for easy/quick conversions?
Thanks,
I've converted 1e and 2e stuff to 3e and pathfinder before. I've spent lots of time and minimal time at points on converting AD&D material.
Most stuff has a pathfinder equivalent. Very few monsters don't exist in the PRD or on d20pfsrd.com. Use those stats and be done with it if the CR is reasonable for your group. For NPCs use stats from the NPC codex on the PRD.
1e Magic items mostly exist in pathfinder.
For traps use your judgment.
If CR/EL for a converted thing is unreasonable then change the number of foes or choose a substitute monster, either swapping it in or using the new stats and the old description for the originals.