Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pukunui Oct 21, 2014 14:07:57	Hi folks,   I recently got a used copy of B2 - Keep on the Borderlands, and I finally got a chance to read through it last night. It looks like it would be fairly easy to convert to 5e, especially since WotC included several versions of the Caves of Chaos in the playtest -- one appears to have rudimentary monster stats in it, while the other just refers to a seemingly non-existent Caves of Chaos Bestiary. Luckily, most of the NPCs and monsters in the module are in the 5e MM.   As far as I can tell, the only monsters in the caves that would need custom stats are: the "very large" kobold guards in area 4 (perhaps use an updated version of the dragonshield kobolds from the playtest bestiary) the kobold chief (one of the playtest pdfs refers to him as a "kobold trap lord", but I couldn't find any stats for such a monster anywhere) in area 5 the evil priest in the temple could be based on either the cult fanatic or the priest but should probably be upgraded, as CR 2 probably isn't high enough.   I think everything else is covered. The orc leaders could just be orogs (since the orc war chief in the MM is CR 4, although that might be OK), while the goblin leader can be a goblin boss, and the bugbear leader can be a bugbear chief, and so on.      Some other thoughts: 5e's overland travel speeds are very generous. The wilderness map provided with B2 is scaled at 100 yards per square. The text says you can cover 1 square per hour while searching (presumably equivalent to 5e's slow pace) or 3 squares per hour while traveling regularly (presumably equivalent to 5e's normal pace). That's only 300 feet per hour, whereas 5e lets you travel 300 feet per minute at a normal pace! I feel like there's an overabundance of plate armor in the keep. I'd probably downgrade most of it to a breastplate or something. Everybody and their mother has at least one magic weapon in the keep! Talk about monty haul. The kobold lair doesn't feel very "kobold-ish" to me. For one thing, there's only the one inconveniently placed pit trap by the entrance. I feel like there should be more traps. I also feel like it should be more of a warren, and what's with the larder? I'm having a hard time picturing kobolds having a proper larder with a lockable door. How does one confuse the players (and/or their PCs) in the minotaur's labyrinth without also confusing oneself?     Cheers, Jonathan
#2 VoltaicLime Oct 21, 2014 14:22:36	The module could probably use an update to modern standards of dungeon and encounter design.
#3 pukunui Oct 21, 2014 14:30:55	VoltaicLime wrote:
#4 ankiyavon Oct 21, 2014 14:41:43	pukunui wrote:
#5 pukunui Oct 21, 2014 15:01:35	Oh so there is a 4e version? I'll have to have a look for it.   EDIT: Based on the product description, the 4e Encounters version is really only inspired by the original module. The Caves of Chaos, for instance, have been replaced with the Chaos Scar, while the keep has been replaced (rennamed?) Restwell Keep.   The Encounters module Against the Cult of Chaos, however, sounds promising. It looks like it's an amalgamation of T1 - The Village of Hommlet, N1 - Against the Cult of the Reptile God, and the Caves of Chaos from B2 - Keep on the Borderlands. Plus, it got D&D Next playtest conversion notes.
#6 BRJN Oct 21, 2014 17:37:11	pukunui wrote:
#7 Corwyn77 Oct 21, 2014 21:18:02	pukunui wrote:
#8 pukunui Oct 21, 2014 21:22:09	Corwyn77 wrote:
#9 ankiyavon Oct 21, 2014 21:40:07	Corwyn77 wrote:
#10 pukunui Oct 21, 2014 22:07:17	In terms of the module, the terrain doesn't seem to matter. In terms of 5e, however, some terrain will reduce your travel speed by half.