Classic Adventures: Converting Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh to D&D Next

Update: You can now purchase a pdf of this adventure!


Last time I focused on character relationships as a way to make a classic adventure more interesting. I also shared my notes on how I converted the end of Temple of Elemental Evil's moathouse into D&D Next format.

I want to more specifically cover how we can easily take a classic adventure and convert it to D&D Next. Recently I converted the classic U1, Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, for use in D&D Next. How easy was this? It took me 30 minutes while I was in the passenger seat of a car!

Oh, and before I go further, it is worth mentioning that Wizards recently released some ideas on extending Caves of Chaos after a party has done initial explorations.

Why Secret?

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Interlude: Extending the Five Minute Workday

Legends & Lore discussed the Five Minute Workday, the concept that after a very short period of time (such as one battle), the players decide to rest again so as to regain all of their resources. I was pretty dissatisfied with the column, in part because I didn't understand what it was advocating. After reading it several times, it seems to say the following:

• WotC is working on the math of the game to ensure a solid foundation.
• The focus to achieve balance is shifting from the encounter (4E's innovation) to the adventuring day (of previous editions).
• The adventuring day is defined by a number of rounds of combat with a certain number of enemies.
• Hit Points are the tracking mechanism.
• DMs will be crystal clear on target rounds/day expected.

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D&D Next and Classic Adventures:

Organizing the (Caves of) Chaos

Update: Wizards is now making pdfs available at D&D Classics. You can purchase pdf versions of the original B2, as well as a bundle of the Basic series of adventures!


Last time we mentioned that it is easy to convert classic adventures to D&D Next. We also talked at a high level about some of the shortcomings of old adventures and then went through the history of The Keep on the Borderlands. Thanks for the great feedback on that and earlier blogs!

This time I want to look at how we can use the D&D Next playtest packet to improve on classic adventures. The easiest way to do that is to look at Caves of Chaos. In later installments we can apply these lessons to other adventures.

Goals When Converting to D&D Next

Here are...

D&D Next and Classic Adventures:

Using Classics and the History Behind the (Caves of) Chaos

Today I want to start a series on how classic adventures can be used with D&D Next. With recent announcements suggesting that we won't get some additional playtest content for a while, this is hopefully useful. How deeply I delve into the subject will in part depend on your feedback. If this is useful, I'll keep the series going longer.

D&D Next: Gateway to the Past

One of the joys of D&D Next is that it translates really easily to previous editions. I have a vast collection of old adventures (and classics can be often had for $10 or less through your local gaming store or on E-Bay. Update: pdf versions of D&D material can now be found on D&D Classics.com!). Starting with 3E it became really...

The Lurker Fallacy

Playtesting D&D Next has been a lot of fun and has created many interesting discussions within our group related to game design, play styles, and editions. Sometimes, however, our group finds something where we are all unanimous. Such a thing is the design of lurkers in 4E and the design of the rogue in D&D Next.

It was no surprise to us to see the rogue be designed as it is. It continues a long trend from the very beginning of 4E, and it goes like this: A lurker is often a creature that disappears from site, landing a devastating blow the next turn. And, here's the added kicker that really seals the deal: 'devastating' is usually defined as double damage (and sometimes less).

Example: The 4E Twig Blight

1. It has a rechargeable melee power that deals 2d6+8 damage

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Addendum: D&D Next Monster Design and Organized Play

Yesterday I wrote about D&D Next Monster Design. I wanted to add a bit more after looking at it through the lens of Organized Play.

First, I want to plug something I had the pleasure of playtesting and helping with: the Midgard Bestiary for 4th Edition! This is a Kickstarter by Kobold Quarterly. KQ is pretty awesome for bridging the editions. They take the best of each (as well as edition neutral content) and provide fantastic publications. One of my favorites is their guide to Board Game design, and I don't even make board games! This monster book is really sweet. I like it so much... more on that later... For now, let's say the monsters are proof of what you will read below!


Organized Play is a large category of play that encompasses...

The Threat of D&D Next Monster Design

An Open Playtest

Even before the release of D&D Next as an open playtest it became pretty obvious that Wizards was really intent on listening to gamers, gathering feedback, and making changes based on that feedback. That's fantastic. It creates an opportunity for fans to engage in the process. I like that for many reasons, only one of which is the ability to influence the final offering. While that is pretty exciting and significant, my favorite benefit is that it helps fans think about how an RPG is made and helps all of us become more informed about the process, the challenges, and the impacts of various decisions.

I've been fortunate enough to be part of the playtest from fairly early on. It helped me really think back on the different editions...