Demonic Spoon
2014-08-14, 01:45 PM
Has anyone tried migrating an existing game of D&D from 4e or 3.5 to 5E (obligatory (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html))? Is this even plausible? Is this a terrible idea that I should be whipped for considering?
I'm intrigued by the idea. Challenges:
1. Recreating the characters. This is a fairly big one.
-With the PHB materials, it seems like most archetypes can be reasonably ported depending on how wacky they are. Abilities may get switched around, though, and that may be a bit weird
2. Magic items and the philosophy change from WBL to the death of ye olde magic mart
-Another fairly big thing. Presumably existing magic items would need to be houseruled into 5e. Way easier to do at lower levels than higher levels. In fact, at higher levels, without a mechanism to deprive players of all their stuff during the transition, it probably wouldn't work
3. Lore changes
-These are fairly minor, and where there's a conflict they can be houseruled
4. Bounded accuracy
-High level characters are way less powerful in 5e than 3.5e. Depending on what kinds of things the players are used to doing and what levels they are, this may or may not be a dealbreaker. In particular, if the players have lots of past experience with clearing waves upon waves of low level mooks with little effort.
5. Monsters
-Any monsters that exist as part of the world and need to be encountered again need to be ported. Probably not a huge deal unless there's a recurring monster that isn't in the first MM or basic rules, and then it could presumably be homebrewed
Thoughts? Is this something that should ever be considered, or is it better to just start anew?
I'm intrigued by the idea. Challenges:
1. Recreating the characters. This is a fairly big one.
-With the PHB materials, it seems like most archetypes can be reasonably ported depending on how wacky they are. Abilities may get switched around, though, and that may be a bit weird
2. Magic items and the philosophy change from WBL to the death of ye olde magic mart
-Another fairly big thing. Presumably existing magic items would need to be houseruled into 5e. Way easier to do at lower levels than higher levels. In fact, at higher levels, without a mechanism to deprive players of all their stuff during the transition, it probably wouldn't work
3. Lore changes
-These are fairly minor, and where there's a conflict they can be houseruled
4. Bounded accuracy
-High level characters are way less powerful in 5e than 3.5e. Depending on what kinds of things the players are used to doing and what levels they are, this may or may not be a dealbreaker. In particular, if the players have lots of past experience with clearing waves upon waves of low level mooks with little effort.
5. Monsters
-Any monsters that exist as part of the world and need to be encountered again need to be ported. Probably not a huge deal unless there's a recurring monster that isn't in the first MM or basic rules, and then it could presumably be homebrewed
Thoughts? Is this something that should ever be considered, or is it better to just start anew?