Converting 5e Modules into DCC

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AQuebman
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Converting 5e Modules into DCC

Post by AQuebman »

Has anyone gone through the conversion of something in 5e into the DCC system? I want to give my players a taste of playing DCC but with the familiarity and structure of a 5e style module plus some added dcc weirdness of my own making.

My initial thought was take the HP and DMG of 5E mobs and halve them but I wasnt sure how to handle special abilities and feats on monsters. Saving throws should pretty easily convert to fort ref or will so im not as worried about those.

Any tips or ideas?
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Ravenheart87
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Re: Converting 5e Modules into DCC

Post by Ravenheart87 »

I want to give my players a taste of playing DCC but with the familiarity and structure of a 5e style module plus some added dcc weirdness of my own making.
What's the point of that? Tell them straight they are going to play DCC, tell them how it's different, and if they are still okay with it, run some sweet DCC adventures with a DCC-feel as intended. If they don't get the "we are not in Kansas anymore" feel right in the beginning they might have false assumptions, a feel of false security, and think that DCC is just D&D5e with different rules. They might not find it amusing once suddenly the sh*t hits the fan and you turn things up to eleven. No need to lie to your players to ease them into another system. The point of playing another game is playing that other game, not some watered down version of it. I suppose you don't ease your players into playing Vampire: the Masquarede, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, or any other game either, so why would you do it with DCC? :)
My initial thought was take the HP and DMG of 5E mobs and halve them but I wasnt sure how to handle special abilities and feats on monsters. Saving throws should pretty easily convert to fort ref or will so im not as worried about those.
People Them With Monsters blog has a handy monster conversion chart, you can use that to convert monsters: http://peoplethemwithmonsters.blogspot. ... urces.html
Vorpal Mace: a humble rpg blog with some DCC-related stuff.
Dorian
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Re: Converting 5e Modules into DCC

Post by Dorian »

From what I've see on 5e modules they are a set of rails that lead you from one combat to the next. I'm new to DCC, however, I'm not new to OSR. There is nothing OSR about going from one balanced encounter to the next. Your results in this regard may be sub-optimal.

That said I can offer general advice about adapting any module to any system. And this is how I'm using other modules with DCC.

Ignore all the monsters and stats given in the module. Go find the equivalent monsters for the system you are migrating to and use those. If the exact monster does not exist find some similar monster and re-skin it. You do not need to worry about experience point conversion because DCC awards points based on the challenge.

With traps just change the type of save if necessary. This is really easy with DCC because there are only three types of save.

That only leaves treasure. I've seen DMs hem and haw about how much treasure is offered, does it make sense from a historical perspective and so forth. I really appreciate that DCC looks at hard coinage as rare and emphasizes a barter system. Personally,
I think what's more important is that the players are appropriately billed. DCC makes no specific recommendations on this that I've seen. Everything below is just me.

Award the players whatever coinage you want and then take it away. Wizards have to buy supplies and safe passage to dark places to learn under the only warlock who knows the spell. And he won't work for free. Just attaining that spell could be a very expensive adventure for the whole party. Likewise, thieves need tools, training, and they have to pay guild fees. Warriors have to pay for combat training and every time they enter town they make a save or lose money to vice.
Clerics have to support the local temple and its congregants. And of course hirelings aren't cheap. You can't get a farmer to go with you into a dungeon for less that a silver coin. Even then his loyalty will only extend so far. You have to pay for his armor, food, housing etc. All so that he could possibly just run away.

Just make sure that they have something to spend money on. As they get to higher levels let the treasure flow while they are trying to pay for that castle the warrior is building, tower the wizard is building, guild the thief is starting, or temple the cleric is building.

Again, this is just what I do and it isn't DCC specific. It works for any module and any system. YMMV.

Good Luck
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