Monster Conversion

How to Convert Monsters from Other RPGs

Role Playing Games have exploded across our culture in the last 50 years.  It seems almost every science fiction and fantasy genre has at least one game devoted to it.  Many have multiple games.  Never have game players had such a richness of choice.  Along with these choices we have almost as many RPG game systems.  From the original system based on levels we have branched out to stat based, language based, story based, and card-based games to name a few.  Many have innovative mechanics, awesome stories, and great monsters.

How do we convert these great monsters to Mythic Heroes & Legends? 

Trying to answer this question may be a fool’s errand.  Ok, I’ll jump in!

To be serious, I am not sure this is entirely possible to answer.  The best way forward, I think, is to give some basic guidelines and philosophy on MH&L and where I am aiming with the game.  I will limit this discussion now to level-based games.

Level Based Systems- 

These are the easiest systems to convert.  In the original versions of RPGs, the monster’s stats can be taken almost one-to-one.  Newer iterations take a bit more work.

Hit Dice- The base number of hit dice should be used.  For systems that add a few extra hits, simply add those.  If the system uses different dice to represent larger/stronger monsters, simply scale up the dice accordingly using percentages.

Say a system uses a D8 for its standard hit dice.  The monster in question though is larger and stronger and uses a D10 instead.  This monster has 6D10 +3 for hit points.

For MH&Ls start with 6 hit dice (D6).  Since these monsters are roughly 25% stronger (D8 to D10 is about a 25% increase).  Use 8 hit dice and then add 3.  So, 8+ 3 Hit Dice.

Armor- This is a somewhat easy conversion.  For ascending armor class just use the given number (some systems may require you add 10 as well).  For descending armor class systems, the usual process is to subtract the class number from 20.  A heavily armored monster with thick chitinous plates like plate armor rated as an armor class of “2’ will convert to an “18” for MH&L.  The only caveat here is that some monsters may rely on their swiftness and dexterity for protection.  With these you may want to give the monster an armor class value of 18 but count it as having leather armor with regards to special bonuses for weapons.

Example: A giant Sabre-Toothed Tiger has an armor class of 4.  This converts to 16 in MH& L, but the Tiger’s skin is counted as being equivalent of Unarmored… giving players with scimitars a +1 to hit!

Damage (and Attacks)- This is a more difficult conversion and will take some reflection from the Referee.  For monsters using weapons, the conversion is straightforward.  Just use the damage from the weapon, granting especially strong monsters a +1 or +2.  The classic example here is an Ogre.  It wields a huge, heavy club.  It does heavy damage (roll 2D6 taking the highest) and adds +1 for its great strength.

For monsters with multiple attacks or huge weapons the answer is more complicated.  MH&L is designed to be a simple version of early roleplaying games.  One of the simplifications is the balancing of encounters for the Referee.  Here the monster level should be roughly equal to player level to produce a “balanced” encounter.  Now, the players will usually win.  They will often have bonuses based on superior characteristics, better weapons, and better armor (often magical weapons and armor) plus hopefully better tactics. 

Further, MH&L is designed to give players options to make wise or perhaps foolish choices.  A character’s level should be roughly equal to the number of successful attacks to bring him down.  The same applies to monsters.  While brutal to lower-level characters, this allows more experienced characters to carefully judge the danger level.

Giving monsters multiple attacks or great damage complicates this matter. MH&L thus seeks to limit monsters to 1 attack, doing standard damage (light, medium, or heavy- just like weapons).  There are some exceptions.  Giants for instance often do 2D6 or 3D6 damage due to their great size.  Don’t however get into a shooting match with them!  Even the dreaded Purple Worm only does 1 D6 damage, though they can swallow you whole!

Some monsters can attack multiple times.  Here again a conversion should seek to limit these attacks to those that are strongly inherent to the monster.  In the case of the Purple Worm, it has a second attack from the stinger on its tail.  Chimeras have three heads; thus, they are granted 3 attacks.

Special Abilities- Here again MH&L seeks to limit special abilities for monsters for the sale of simplicity to one per monster.  If the converted monster has a plethora of special abilities, it is best to limit them in MH&L to those that most define the monster.  The others can be dropped.  A ghoul has a chill touch that can paralyze a foe.  This defines a ghoul well.  Some monsters will of course demand more.  A giant spider for example has a poisoned sting and a better chance of surprising a foe.  Again, limiting the monster for the sake of simplicity is the goal.

Movement- This is judged by a simple Slow, Normal, Fast, very Fast scale.  Slow monsters should mover 3-4.  Normal monsters move 5.  Fast monsters that perhaps have a large stride or are especially dexterous move 6.  Monsters with 4 feet or that fly move from 7-12.  Here the Referee is best using judgment plus comparing the movement of the monster in the original system to the movement of a normal man in the original system.  This will be a good guide.