Gladius Legis
Legend
Another thing, if you choose to stat the NPCs out with monster blocks, rather than as PCs, they get higher proficiency bonuses than +6 if their CRs are past 20. Which alone makes them quite a bit more threatening.
So the levels of these characters have fluctuated quite a bit in older editions already.
If you look at what is gained at level 21+ in earlier editions, other than spell progression tables, most of them could be converted to the boon system in place in 5e. That is, you max the NPC at 20th level, then add whatever appropriate extra abilities you think it important.
Right. I followed a 2e to 5e conversion guide that someone made by consulting with Morrus and others on EN World. That said, the CRs of the 5e builds still need to be tweaked. None of this conversion has been playtested and needs to be . . .
The extra hit points for higher levels always appealed to me in earlier editions.
I like the idea of the boon system. Using the suggestion of raising ability scores (DMG 5e 230) could lead to augmented hit points resulting from Constitution score increases.
I haven't seen any tables.
I do know 30,000 XP is the distance betweel levels 15 and 16, and 16 and 17. To compare, going from level 19 to 20 takes 50,000 XP. So you gain Epic Boons at a faster rate than you gain your final levels if you award them by XP.
Another thing, if you choose to stat the NPCs out with monster blocks, rather than as PCs, they get higher proficiency bonuses than +6 if their CRs are past 20. Which alone makes them quite a bit more threatening.
How would you convert the NPCs to 5e?
1. Cap the levels at 20?
2. Present your own interpretation of spell progressions?
3. Base the conversion from a reference monster in the 5e MM?
4. Use an existing resource, perhaps something from the DMs Guild, to base conversions from?
5. Something else?
I’m not sure what you mean about the hit points. They capped the Hit Dice in AD&D so all you got were a couple of hit points.
But regardless of that, also keep in mind that the abilities NPCs and monsters get don’t have to be available to PCs. So a boon allowing them to be attuned to more magic items, or use multiple contingency spells wouldn’t be out of the question. For the specific characters you’re talking about, they are about the biggest exceptions to the rules there are.
And because of the way the Realms have specifically modified the way magic works in world as each edition came out, you can realistically allow such abilities that only the chosen of Mystra gain. You really can go outside the norm quite a bit here, as far as Im concerned..
For epic NPCs like them, being met by such high level characters, and the fact that these NPCs aren’t typically designed to be foes, I don’t think you really need to be concerned about CRs much. I think that certain NPCs and monsters should be beyond the CR system, and not part of the usual approach that you’ll eventually be a high enough level to kill them.
I’d take a similar approach to Sauron, Gandalf, and others in LotR for example.
I’m converting three adventures from D&D’s 2nd edition to its 5th. Almost done with the NPCs—only high-level spellcasters remain.
And they’re some big names in the Forgotten Realms: Elminster (26th-level wizard), Khelben (26th-level wizard) and the avatars of Azuth (22nd-level wizard) and Myrkul (23rd-level wizard).
That’s just four examples. There are others.
Keep in mind that the conversions may appear in the DMs Guild. The conversions should have an acceptable rationale as their basis.
How would you convert the NPCs to 5e?
1. Cap the levels at 20?
2. Present your own interpretation of spell progressions?
3. Base the conversion from a reference monster in the 5e MM?
4. Use an existing resource, perhaps something from the DMs Guild, to base conversions from?
5. Something else?