Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Third Eye 01-03-05, 11:59 PM	Can anyone help me find a quick, easy way to convert existing mid level characters from AD&D 1st Edition to D&D V3.5 characters???? I played AD&D (1st Edition rules) many years ago and as DM ran a very successful campaign based on Greyhawk. Then a period of about 15 years passed where we didn't touch D&D (unfortunately). But now we've gotten back into it again and I've been running that same campaign based on those same 1st Edition rules for about a year now (playing full weekends monthly). My players have built their characters to average 7th level and I find that I don't have an adventure module to suit them at this time, so I hit the web to find out where I could get one. Thats when I found out that the rules are all very different (looks better). Of course the guys don't want to start from scratch again, so I'm trying to convert their characters to V3.5 ones. This is proving to be quite a long winded process. Any pointers from DMs who have been through this already would be much appreciated. I have got myself copies of the v3.5 Players Handbook and DM Guide. Looks like I'll need to be replacing my old Monster Manual also :weep: Anyway. Thanks in advance folks.
D_Martin 01-04-05, 12:30 AM	It would help if we knew what level the PC's were. Not quite sure of the conversion rate. But if you turned them from what they are in 1st, to the same level in 3.5, it might be pretty close. Not sure ...but I think you add a couple of levels to the 1st Ed. PC's.
Third Eye 01-04-05, 12:44 AM	Most of them are level 8 or 9. I have one multiclassed Thief/Fighter who is level 7/7 (which I gather from the new rules would make him a 14th level character??? I think, in this case the conversion doesn't work and he might end up being something like level 4/4ish (although I'm thinking this works out too low) :confused: I figured that the best way would be to convert them level to level and reset the experience points to the v3.5 levels which are very much lower. Is this going to create a character with the same abilities etc. e.g. In 1st Edition rules a 7th level fighter has > 70,000 experience points but in v3.5 7th level has only 21,000 experience points. This is a HUGE job to convert everyone in my campaign, lol.
Aeromus 01-04-05, 01:14 AM	A multiclass character gets his highest class level +1 per additional class. Example a 8/7 fighter Thief is a 9th level 3.5 char. Usually these are split, above example would be 4/4 +1 to any class of players choice. However a caster multiclass char is = to his caster level then 1 level of each other class. So a 6/6/6 Fighter / Mage / Thief would be a Wizard 6, Fighter 1, Rogue 1 Also Int does NOT move over at a 1 for 1 basis for Wizards In 2nd a 9int allowed 4th level spell access. So a Fighter with a 9 is still a fighter with a 9, but a Wizard with a 9 becomes a Wizard with a 14. Hope that helps.
ECOM 01-04-05, 01:51 AM	There is no easy way to convert the charicters. for single class charicters maintain the same level, ability scores, and equipment. then remake the rest of the charicter folowing the new rules in a way that best fits the consept of the charicter. for multi class charicters it is more complicated. for your 7/7 ftr/thief, I would make him a ftr 3 rouge 6 chariter level 9 That would be close also trancfer ability scores and equipment. I think your players will be happy as long as they dont lose any of there abilitys and the charicters feel the same. If they have class abilitys that they lose in the conversion offer it as a feat if it is not already one. or exchange abilitys and modify the classes as you see fit. The point is to make the new charicters feel like the old ones which they should not be hard if they retain all there old stuff. hope this helps
Third Eye 01-04-05, 02:40 AM	Thanks Aeromus and ECOM. I'll try out your suggestions. Looks like it would be a whole heap easier to start these guys off from 1st level again but I think I'd have a revolt on my hands, lol. Thanks also for the tip in Int Aeromus, I hadn't noticed that. I'll need to take this real slow so I don't stuff up. Good suggestions, thanks again.
Asciiman 01-04-05, 02:52 AM	Or you could just talk with whomever is the DM and do it based on the character concept. It may not be a straight conversion but you'll at least get to keep the feel of the character and the flavour.
D_Martin 01-04-05, 03:58 AM	I think Aeromus has the right idea. No real need to start over from level 1. Just have to go through a session explaining how multiclassing works and how it would affect PC's. The Ftr/Rog will be the biggest problem. How to split up as either a 4/4 or 7/1 or anywhere in between. My suggestion would be around Ftr5/Rog3 or so(2d6 sneak attack). 6/2 would be another feat for that PC, but only 1d6 SA. It shouldn't take more than 1 session, but who knows. The real problem is geting them to want to convert. There is a group I periodically play with of older peeps who are pretty set on 1E because they have been playing it so long. There will be a loss of some overall power for the multiclassed one, but not much. The others will find many more spells and added abilities to choose from. Almost forgot about setting up skills. That will take a lot of time to figure out. Tell the Ftr/Rog to start off as a Rog, then pick up the Ftr(more skill pts). Hope this helps :)
ShadowDragon8685 01-04-05, 04:23 AM	Well, the way I would do it (if I had a bunch of geriatric old players on my hands who wanted me to DM, for some reason,) would be to find their characters' levels, retain their equipment, find the best matching magical gear possible for what's magical, and simply remake the new versions of their old characters. What to do about the multiclass guy, I have no idea. You could make them all 14th level characters... You could also ask him if he wants to multiclass still, but I think he might be better off going straight Rogue, unless he was the party Tank. It's easy to get the feel of any kind of character, while using Rogue crunch. IE: If he was the party backstabber, just let him recreate as a pure rogue and focus on backstabbing. Rogues can, I believe, (and don't hold me on it,) still make Sneak Attacks, even if they're in full plate. They may need to burn their feats to use it, but it'll work. And while the Rogue hit die may be D6, chances are he'll have a high Constitution bonus to help. The best thing I can think of, though, is simply to remake their characters from the ground up. Identify their ending level, and start making the characters. Level them up as though they were adventuring, straight through, from step 1, and give them their gear back.
ShadowDragon8685 01-04-05, 04:25 AM	Of course, if that's all too much, then just stick with 1st edition AD&D. The load will be harder on you because nobody's crunch will be compatable with yours, but the story should work well enough.
penchant 01-04-05, 05:06 AM	IF you are set on converting I would do what Asciiman suggested. Forget trying to get it technically correct. Just pick a level like 7th, give that to everyone and then fit the new classes and abilities to the character concept. Transfer over what magic you can, but don't agonize too much over being accurate. Its just not possible. Myself I just scrapped the old world and started afresh. I was NOT going to convert some 100+ NPC's just for 3e.