I'll be posting some AD&D to HERO monster conversions and wanted to post the file I'm using that explains my methodology.
<ALIGN=CENTER><B>A ROUGH GUIDE FOR CONVERTING AD&D 1ST AND 2ND EDITION TO HERO</B>
Converting First (and Second) Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons characters and monsters to the HERO System is not the easiest task in the world, primarily due to AD&D's Level, Hit Dice (and Points), Armor Class, and Saving Throw system. However, it can be done, it just takes work. The conversions presented here are (admittedly) rough ones. I am attempting to capture the flavor the original creature, with most of the powers and abilities intact, but I'm not trying for a perfect translation.<BR>
The basic format for translation was taken from Second Edition <I>Fantasy Hero</I>. It works as follows (with some additions from me):
<TABLE>
<TR>
<TD>STR</TD>
<TD>Based off of the creature's Size (see The HERO System Bestiary, pages 26-27). Note that HERO STR goes much high then 1st & 2nd Edition AD&D STR (which tops out at 25). For the most part, AD&D STR = HERO STR. However, large creatures should get their STR per their size. Thus, we avoid the problem of 20' tall Storm Giants having a "mere" 25 STR and being unable to lift their own body weight.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>DEX</TD>
<TD>10 + Hit Dice. Note this means large creatures are also fast creatures. While that works well for demons, devils, and the like, it doesn't work so well for whales and dinosaurs (both of which would have DEX scores of 20-46 using this system). If all else fails, base the DEX off of creatures of similar size found in The HERO System Bestiary.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>CON</TD>
<TD>Based off of the CON of creatures of similar size found in The HERO System Bestiary.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>BODY</TD>
<TD>8 + (HP / 10). Also based off of the creature's Size (see The HERO System Bestiary, pages 26-27).</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>INT</TD>
<TD>Listed Intelligence. This is often modified per creatures listed in The HERO System Bestiary.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>EGO</TD>
<TD>Usually equal to INT. May be modified per creatures listed in The HERO System Bestiary.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>PRE</TD>
<TD>Based off of the creature's Size (see The HERO System Bestiary, pages 26-27).</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>COM</TD>
<TD>Based off of the COM of similar creatures found in The HERO System Bestiary.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>PD</TD>
<TD>Usually 2 x Figured.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>ED</TD>
<TD>Usually 2 x Figured.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>SPD</TD>
<TD>Round up from Figured.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>REC</TD>
<TD>Figured.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>END</TD>
<TD>Figured.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>STUN</TD>
<TD>Figured.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>Movement</TD>
<TD>Move / 2. Note -- this makes many creatures fairly slow, at least in HERO terms. Movement is often modified per the creature's Size.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>Resistant DEF</TD>
<TD>8 - Armor Class (minimum of 0). This tends to lead to resistant DEFs in the 3-6 range. A negative Armor Class should simply add to the base 8. So an Armor Class of 0 = 8 DEF, an Armor Class of -1 = 9 DEF. Be aware that AD&D Armor Class also accounts for the creature's DEX. If a low Hit Dice creature has a high Armor Class, then consider increasing the base DEX. If a DEX is listed in the text, then use that value as given.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>Damage Classes</TD>
<TD>Max Damage / 3. Be aware this can led to some high Damage Class attacks. For example, the remorhaz's red-hot back does 10-100 points of damage in AD&D. This would be (100 / 3 = 33) either 33 dice of Energy Blast, or 11d6 of Killing Damage. Way more than is needed for the typical game.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>OCV</TD>
<TD>3 + HD. This can lead to extremely high OCVs, however.</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>DCV</TD>
<TD>(10 + HD) / 3.</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
While this usually leads to some workable stats there is obviously room for customization, common sense, and general editing. Most other creature powers can be created based on what the text has to say, what we know about AD&D (<I>i.e.</I> all monsters have Infravision), and what similar creatures are capable of in such books as <I>The HERO System Bestiary</I> or the <I>HERO System Asian Bestiary</I> (due in fall of 2005). Finally, don't forget the various Creature Templates found on pages 21 to 30 of <I>The HERO System Bestiary</I>. They can help fill in various powers and abilities a specific creature many have.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Defenses:</B><BR>
Defenses in AD&D can be tricky. Many creatures are immune to certain attack forms. The best way to simulate this is to give the creature Physical or Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 3/4, and place a limitation of "Only Versus X" per page 78 of <I>HERO System 5th Edition.</I> Add in 20 DEF Armor, only versus the same sort of attack and you should be all set.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Distance:</B><BR>
When converting breath weapons and spell effects, I went with a formula of 1" = 10 yards (AD&D's "outside" scale). Thus, all I had to do was divide any numbers in two to get HERO game inches.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Time:</B><BR>
Remember, in AD&D, 1 Turn is 10 Minutes, 1 (Melee) Round is 1 Minute, 1 Segment is 6 Seconds. Creatures who can cast a spell "Once Per Round" technically can cast said spell once per Minute, which makes said powers virtually useless in HERO's combat system. For the most part, I presume any spell-like ability to be castable once per Phase, while anything that takes 1 Turn to actually take 10 Minutes. This is best simulated as follows: One Recoverable Charge (takes 10 Minutes to recover; -1 1/4). If you wish, make the power recoverable every Turn, thus preserving the AD&D intent while making the power a bit more useful in HERO.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Magic Use:</B><BR>
When converting specific spells, I checked the<I> Player's Handbook</I> and did my best to adapt from there. Creatures who have magical ability (<I>i.e.</I> Clerical, Druidical, Illusionist, or Magic User spell levels) simply get an allotment of points to spend on spells and the like. Some creatures, such as the kir-in and it's 18th-level magic user ability, might be better served with a Variable Power Pool.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Magic Resistance:</B><BR>
Probably the biggest problem in translating AD&D to HERO is magic resistance. Simply put, magic resistance is the chance of a spell from an 11th-level character failing outright when used on the target creature. This chance goes down by 5% for each level above 11, and up by 5% for each level below 11. Thus, a creature with 50% Magic Resistance has a 50/50 chance of a spell cast on it by an 11th level character failing outright, before any saving throw is needed. For a 10th level character, the chance is 55%, for a 12th level character, 45% (and so on). How does one convert this to HERO? I honestly have no idea, since it would require some sort of level system for magic to be adopted, which sort of defeats the idea behind HERO's game mechanics. However, I have attempted to capture the basic spirit of the idea with the following:<BR>
Magic Resistance in HERO is defined as Dispel. As most spells seem to center around 60 Active Points 20d6 of Dispel would work fairly well for 100% Magic Resistance (the average roll on 20d6 being a 70). 12d6 is 50% Magic Resistance, and so on. Variations on this are possible, of course. The first would be to use the Set Effect Rule. Thus, 20d6 of Dispel always rolls 60 points of Dispel, making the character immune to anything of 60 Active Points or less. However, this does mean that anything 61 Active Points or greater will do full damage! If that seems unrealistic, consider using Suppress instead (this does require the "Suppression Field" option, however). With this method, 100% Magic Resistance is 12d6 of Suppress, 50% is 6d6, and so on. Suppress works well with the Set Effect Rule, however, this also requires one to buy 20d6 of Suppress to get 100% Magic Resistance.<BR>
Here is the write up for 100% Magic Resistance using Dispel:<BR>
<B>Magic Resistance: </B><I>Dispel Magic Spells 20d6, any magical spell one at a time (+1/4), Area of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Continuous (+1), Damage Shield (+1/2), Inherent (+1/4), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (285 Active Points); Always On (-1/2). Total cost: 190 points.</I><BR>
As you can see, the Advantages of Damage Shield and Area Of Effect (One Hex) have been used to create an anti-magic field. Incoming spells hit the field, activate the Damage Shield and are (hopefully) Dispelled. As it is a Continuous power, you should only need the "any magical spell one at a time" Advantage as the Dispel will automatically switch from spell to spell as they arrive. You might want to bump that up to "all magical spells at once" (+2) in order to deal with the question of Linked and/or Multiple Power attacks, however. Finally, the "Personal Immunity" Advantage allows the character to cast spells on themselves, while the "Always One" Limitation means friends cannot use Healing spells and the like to assist the character when ever needed.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by shadowcat1313
Bookmarks