Converting dndNext or 4th to 3.5

[tim01300]

I am hoping to run Mines of madness a dnd next adventure using 3.5 rules. I have only run 3.5 and was hoping for insight on any problems or large changes I might find in monsters or the challenges the newer adventures might present. Along those lines I also have several pdfs of 4th edition. Does anyone have any experience doing this that may have tips? Would a dnd next 3rd level adventure be a walk in the park of 3.5 rules? Or a complete death dealing time? I honestly don't know much about 4th or dnd next.

One example that makes me question this is Mines of madness is built for four 3rd level characters but one of this first encounters is to fight 4 cockatrices at once.

Thoughts?

[galan]

4e and 3.5 are so different the is no point in universal converting.

the closest thing i can think of is looking at the monster, understanding what its schtick (it is a word in english too, right?) is, and then building the entire monster from scratch with this in mind. possible, but not easy.


not as familiar with dndnext (only play in it, never DMed), but i believe it is the same thing here too.

[Kane0]

In order to convert between editions you have to know both systems pretty well. You can do the bits and pieces you are familiar with more successfully, the whole lot takes a fair amount of system mastery and practice.

For example, look at healing surges in 4th ed and try to put something like that in 3rd ed. Not a seamless transition. Skills come across alright, as do feats, powers and stats but a lot of mechanics don't fit very well (caster level does not exist in 4e, for example).

Your best bet may be to run the adventure using 3.5 rules as is, adjusting and making changes as necessary. If you are the kind of DM that prefers prep over impromptu, read over the adventure and make any edition translations you may need beforehand. The plot and basic mechanics don't change much, just combat and other mechanic heavy aspects.

[Ailowynn]

Yeah, honestly the most converting you're going to be able to do without having a very good sense for both games is to draw the stories and some monsters out. Maybe with Next there could be some equivilamcies, but not so much with 4th.


schtick (it is a word in english too, right?)

Yeah:smallwink:

[lsfreak]

It's best not to view this as converting between editions, but converting between completely unalike games. It would not be simple and straightfoward to convert your Skyrim or Dragon Age character into 3.5, and you should expect similar levels of difficulty converting stuff between 4e or 5e and 3.5.