Crossing the Streams/Editions

[Vampyre_Lord]

Hello all!

Im planning a final fight for my current campaign where the party fights alternate versions of themselves using rules from older editions and maybe even other systems. the ones im looking at in particular are 4th Ed, 3.5 Ed, and pf2. this is a long way out, so i have plenty of time to plan and hammer out any conflicts to make things work, i was wondering where i should start? like, are there any standout, incongruous mechanics that would need to be sorted? it feels like these are all fairly close together design wise, so it shouldnt take TOO much work?

for instance, 5e's bounded accuracy would make the number crunch a challenge, but the core AC system is in place and works between them all (afaik). same with saves.

this is a testing ground/exhibition since after this campaign, we'll probably be moving to a different system. I'd like to also throw GURPS in, but that one DOES seem a bit TOO different, so i might just do a one shot there...

thanks for any advise or ideas you may have!

[Unoriginal]

for instance, 5e's bounded accuracy would make the number crunch a challenge, but the core AC system is in place and works between them all (afaik). same with saves.

This is absolutely not accurate.

There are similarities because they're all using the same kind of dice, but that's all.

I'm not trying to discourage you or anything, just trying to show how the task is much bigger than what you're saying.

To give an example: AC 20 in 5e is good regardless of your level, while that very much is not the case in 3.X.

To give another example: 3.X, 4e and 5e all have different save systems and expectations regarding said saves.

Those are only the tips of the iceberg. HPs expectations are different, magic is different, other abilities are different.

Are you planning on making those alternate versions of the PCs a bunch of NPCs they run into and have one fight with, or is the plan to have them be recurring presence? Or do you want to make your players play those alternate versions?

[Arkhios]

Hello all!

Im planning a final fight for my current campaign where the party fights alternate versions of themselves using rules from older editions and maybe even other systems. the ones im looking at in particular are 4th Ed, 3.5 Ed, and pf2. this is a long way out, so i have plenty of time to plan and hammer out any conflicts to make things work, i was wondering where i should start? like, are there any standout, incongruous mechanics that would need to be sorted? it feels like these are all fairly close together design wise, so it shouldnt take TOO much work?

for instance, 5e's bounded accuracy would make the number crunch a challenge, but the core AC system is in place and works between them all (afaik). same with saves.

this is a testing ground/exhibition since after this campaign, we'll probably be moving to a different system. I'd like to also throw GURPS in, but that one DOES seem a bit TOO different, so i might just do a one shot there...

thanks for any advise or ideas you may have!


This is absolutely not accurate.

There are similarities because they're all using the same kind of dice, but that's all.

I'm not trying to discourage you or anything, just trying to show how the task is much bigger than what you're saying.

To give an example: AC 20 in 5e is good regardless of your level, while that very much is not the case in 3.X.

To give another example: 3.X, 4e and 5e all have different save systems and expectations regarding said saves.

Those are only the tips of the iceberg. HPs expectations are different, magic is different, other abilities are different.

Are you planning on making those alternate versions of the PCs a bunch of NPCs they run into and have one fight with, or is the plan to have them be recurring presence? Or do you want to make your players play those alternate versions?

I seem to recall having seen that in pf2, your AC could climb as high as 50+. Both 3.X and 4th edition can reach to similar heights, but in 5th edition you will be struggling. A lot. Not to mention to Hit bonuses. To hit AC that high, most creatures (including all PC's) would need a natural 20. In general, 5th edition To Hit bonuses get as high as +14, if you have maxed your ability score used to make attack rolls at 20 and get a +3 bonus to hit from Magic Weapon spell, or have a magic weapon or similar item with same bonus (most won't see their ability scores above 20. A barbarian may get as high as 24, but that's about it. With a combo of two legendary magic items you can get up to Str 30, but even then you'd have at most +19 To Hit. Still missing at least 22 points to plausibly hit an AC 50 more than 5% of the time.)

[Vampyre_Lord]

This is absolutely not accurate.

There are similarities because they're all using the same kind of dice, but that's all.

I'm not trying to discourage you or anything, just trying to show how the task is much bigger than what you're saying.

To give an example: AC 20 in 5e is good regardless of your level, while that very much is not the case in 3.X.

To give another example: 3.X, 4e and 5e all have different save systems and expectations regarding said saves.

Those are only the tips of the iceberg. HPs expectations are different, magic is different, other abilities are different.

Are you planning on making those alternate versions of the PCs a bunch of NPCs they run into and have one fight with, or is the plan to have them be recurring presence? Or do you want to make your players play those alternate versions?

i guess i was trying to say that yeah, they use the same dice to represent similar things. so its not like im trying to make a d% system or d6 system interact with it, but i totally see your point. and saves CAN be forthis would be a one and done fight at the end of the campaign. i would be running the alternates but as transparently as possible to show the workings of them so the players can at least see whats happening.

so comparing lvl 20 to lvl 20 in any given systems, the numbers end up so dramatically different that 5e cant really stand a chance. but would there be level points where things are more evened out in the assumptions? like, a lvl 10 character from 3.5 vs lvl 20 in 5e or something? kinda like "wow, you guys are at the end of your career? im only half way through!" type of tease for these other systems?

i will admit im very unfamiliar w/ 4e, so maybe that one is out... idk, is this idea just crazy?

[Unoriginal]

i guess i was trying to say that yeah, they use the same dice to represent similar things. so its not like im trying to make a d% system or d6 system interact with it, but i totally see your point. and saves CAN be forthis would be a one and done fight at the end of the campaign. i would be running the alternates but as transparently as possible to show the workings of them so the players can at least see whats happening.

so comparing lvl 20 to lvl 20 in any given systems, the numbers end up so dramatically different that 5e cant really stand a chance. but would there be level points where things are more evened out in the assumptions? like, a lvl 10 character from 3.5 vs lvl 20 in 5e or something? kinda like "wow, you guys are at the end of your career? im only half way through!" type of tease for these other systems?

i will admit im very unfamiliar w/ 4e, so maybe that one is out... idk, is this idea just crazy?

Idea sounds fun, it's just that it's better to facilitate things for you and not try to use the actual other edition rules.

Make NPCs statblocks with some of the iconic/recognizable abilities from the editions in question, and you'll be golden.

Ex: Fighter 3.X counterpart has more attacks, but each has a decreasing chance to hit.