D&Ders: Anyone done 2nd-to-3rd Ed. conversions?

[Colin Ex]

I found an old box set adventure (The Rod of Seven Parts, specifically) and getting it up to speed is a real pain in the ass. All the NPCs have to be converted, which is hard when (for example) the adventure is 10th level and certain enemy NPCs who are not the big badass are 10F/11T.

Anyone got any cool tricks I can use or want to kvetch about their own experiences?

-C

[Terran]

1. Oh man...there's a *3rd* edition?

It's been exactly 10 years since I last played, so I am completely out of it. And I first started playing in 1978, when there was only a hardback Monster Manual (this was even before "Advanced D & D) and the "rules" were in flimsy pamphlets. I miss those games, they were very free-wheeling.

"The Rod of Seven Parts" you say? I think I remember that title.

Some others to be nostaligic about:

Caverns of Thracia (Judges' Guild product)
Vault of the Drow (and whole preceding Giant Series)
White Plume Mountain

So many great one...!

[Colin Ex]

2. I've actually played some of those...

I played White Plume Mountain, it was a fucking blast. I don't remember much about it than that, though.

My group was going to do a slightly modified Vault of the Drow... you see, we had just come out of a Battlesystem war and were going to casually, you know, lead a small chunk of the army down there and wait to see what happened... :-) But we got out of it before it ever happened. Then we started up with third edition.

Third Edition is a lot easier to play, I think, and allows for more character customization. A lot easier to get into, and you can power-game like hell.

-C

[Terran]

3. I just remember

a BIG friggin crab at the end of White Plume Mountain that gets cooked by a release of very hot water somewhere in the mountain system. Now Caverns of Thraica I practically know by heart. I ran that three times for different groups and made my own elaborations each time. The third run was highly tailored to that group and gave them a VERY compelling reason to be there, added all sorts of subplots and subterfuges and long-distance conniving. I had every single piece of treausre descibed in detail, and even had great background music chosen for many of the more crucial scenes. I had the players start in Forgotten Realms' Calimshan, and used the opening piece of "Shaharezade" to elabororate on a description of the sun coming up over the biggest city in that world. It was great!

Sounds like 3rd Ed. is cool, if it makes play easier and more customized--the two big complaints against the game. Sorry I have nothing to contribute but reminiscenses!