I was looking over some of my 4e materials, for use in 5th games.
One of the challenges, is in converting the monsters presented to 5th math/stats. I don't want to just use the corresponing monster from the 5th MM because I want to keep the flavor and special ablities of the 4e creature.
In general, I was thinking that attacks that targeted something other than AC would become 'vs. Save' attacks. So for an attack that targeted Reflex, the PC would make either an Int or Dex save to negate or reduce damage/effects. Fortitude would require a Con or Str save, Will... a Char or Wis save.
But the math is a problem. Certainly for the higher level creatures... 5th just won't stand up to +23 to/hit modifiers.
I imagine that this has been discussed before? Perhaps I missed it.
4e scaled +1 to hit per level.
5e scales +1 to hit/save per every 4 levels.
So... i would divide by 4 (round up).
+23 vs AC -> +6 to hit.
and add 8 to saves.
+23 vs Ref -> +14 dex save.
I would also drop the split attacks, since things are rebalanced against that in 5e.
Ref -> Dex save
Fort -> Con save
Will -> Wis save
mellored wrote:
If it was a beast in 4E and it's not in your local zoo, it should be a monstrosity. 
Monster HP is way lower too; I'd probably just aim for a CR and recalcuate based on the DMG.
I actually find the hp/damage to match up farily good (except level the first few levels, and beyond 20).
5e HP starts a bit lower, but scales faster.
4e fighter has 20 base (+6 HP per level). = 26 level 1 -> 140 level 20 -> 200 level 30.
5e fighter has 4 base + (8) per level = 12 level 1 -> 164 level 20
4e monsters have double HP, but half the damage. (and are more likely to trade that damage for special stats effects).
i.e.
a 4e level 19 beholder tyrant would do 28 damage with an pure damage eye beam, and have 900 HP.
a 5e level 22 ancient red dragon does 55 damage with claw+claw+bite, and have 546 HP.
(both have "legnedary" actions and saves).
So really, just modify the to-hit and your set.
For low level monsters (1-5ish), you can pretty much just use the monster's bloodied value as its full hit points and leave everything else as-is. I ran a group through the Keep on the Borderlands Encounters path, just halving monster hp, and it worked pretty well.
mellored wrote: