TEXT: The Fine Art of 
  Monster Conversion
  A Basic Fantasy RPG Supplement
  Version 2006.1
  Copyright © 2006 Ray Allen
  All Rights Reserved
  Distributed under the terms of the 
  Open Game License version 1.0a
  Basic Fantasy Website:  basicfantasy.newcenturycomputers.net
  INTRODUCTION
  Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game (BFRPG) is based upon the d20 game engine. This short document will show the 
  process of converting monster statistics from the d20 SRD format to BFRPG.  As an example, we will convert a 3.5e 
  monster.
  Consider the 3.5e Couatl below:
  Couatl
  Size/Type: Large Outsider (Native)
  Hit Dice: 9d8+18 (58 hp)
  Initiative: +7
  Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
  Armor Class: 21 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural), touch 
  12, flat-footed 18
  Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+17
  Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d3+6 plus poison)
  Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d3+6 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
  Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+6, improved grab, 
  poison, psionics, spells
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., change shape, 
  ethereal jaunt, telepathy 90 ft.
  Saves: Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +10
  Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 19, 
  Cha 17
  Skills: Concentration +14, Diplomacy +17, Jump +0, 
  Knowledge (any two) +15, Listen +16, Search +15, 
  Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +15 (+17 scrolls), Spot 
  +16, Survival +4 (+6 following tracks), Tumble +15, Use 
  Magic Device +15 (+17 scrolls)
  Feats: Dodge, Empower Spell, Eschew Materials, Hover, 
  Improved Initiative
  Environment: Warm forests
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or flight (3-6)
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Treasure: Standard
  Alignment: Always lawful good
  Advancement: 10-13 HD (Large); 14-27 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +7
  A couatl is about 12 feet long, with a wingspan of about 
  15 feet. It weighs about 1,800 pounds.  Couatls speak 
  Celestial, Common, and Draconic, and also have the 
  power of telepathy (see below).
  Combat
  A couatl uses its detect thoughts ability on any creature 
  that arouses its suspicions. Since it is highly intelligent, a 
  couatl usually casts spells from a distance before closing. 
  If more than one couatl is involved, they discuss their 
  strategy before a battle.
  Constrict (Ex)
  A couatl deals 2d8+6 points of damage with a successful 
  grapple check.
  Improved Grab (Ex)
  To use this ability, a couatl must hit a creature of up to 
  two size categories larger with its bite attack. It can then 
  attempt  to  start  a  grapple  as  a  free  action  without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple 
  check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
  Poison (Ex)
  Injury,  Fortitude  DC  16,  initial  damage  2d4  Str, 
  secondary damage 4d4 Str.
  The save DC is Constitution-based.
  Psionics (Sp)
  At will-detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, 
  detect thoughts (DC 15), invisibility, plane shift (DC 20). 
  Effective caster level 9th. The save DCs are Charisma-
  based.
  Spells
  A couatl casts spells as a 9th-level sorcerer.
  
  A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT
  THE FINE ART OF MONSTER CONVERSION
  It can choose its spells known from the sorcerer list, the 
  cleric list, and from the lists for the Air, Good, and Law 
  domains.  The  cleric  spells  and  domain  spells  are 
  considered arcane spells for a couatl, meaning that the 
  creature does not need a divine focus to cast them.
  Typical Spells Known (6/7/7/7/4; save DC 13 + spell 
  level)
  0-cure  minor  wounds,  daze,  disrupt  undead,  light, 
  obscuring mist, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1st-
  endure elements, mage armor, protection from chaos, 
  true  strike,  wind  wall;  2nd-cure  moderate  wounds, 
  eagle's  splendor,  scorching  ray,  silence;  3rd-gaseous 
  form, magic circle against evil, summon monster III; 4th- 
  charm monster, freedom of movement.
  Change Shape (Su)
  A couatl can assume the form of any Small or Medium 
  humanoid.
  Ethereal Jaunt (Su)
  This ability works like the ethereal jaunt spell (caster level 
  16th).
  Telepathy (Su)
  A  couatl  can  communicate  telepathically  with  any 
  creature within 90 feet that has an Intelligence score. The 
  creature  can  respond  to  the  couatl  if  it  wishes-no 
  common language is needed.
  That's a lot of information!  There's a good chance that 
  most of it will never be used in a game, even if the 
  creature is used in combat.  First, the easy parts of the 
  conversion: there are no BFRPG equivalents of the SRD 
  stats below, so they may be ignored.
  Size/Type: Large Outsider (Native)
  Initiative: +7
  Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d3+6 plus poison)
  Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
  Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 19, Cha 
  17
  Skills: Concentration +14, Diplomacy +17, Jump +0, 
  Knowledge (any two) +15, Listen +16, Search +15, 
  Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +15 (+17 scrolls), Spot 
  +16, Survival +4 (+6 following tracks), Tumble +15, Use 
  Magic Device +15 (+17 scrolls)
  Feats: Dodge, Empower Spell, Eschew Materials, Hover, 
  Improved Initiative
  Challenge Rating: 10
  Alignment: Always lawful good
  Advancement: 10-13 HD (Large); 14-27 HD (Huge)
  Level Adjustment: +7
  This leaves the following to be converted:
  Armor Class: 21 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural), touch 
  12, flat-footed 18
  Hit Dice: 9d8+18 (58 hp)
  Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d3+6 plus poison)
  Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+17
  Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+6, improved grab, 
  poison, psionics, spells
  Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., change shape, 
  ethereal jaunt, telepathy 90 ft.
  Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
  Organization: Solitary, pair, or flight (3-6)
  Treasure: Standard
  Saves: Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +10
  Environment: Warm forests
  Of these stats, AC, Hit Dice, Attack, Base Attack/Grapple, 
  Speed and Environment are the easiest to convert.  
  AC: AC is usually a 1:1 conversion; in the case of the 
  Couatl  this  would  be  21.  (Ignore  the  3.5e  AC 
  breakdown.)   However,  because  d20  monsters  often 
  have very high armor class values, above 25 the ratio 
  should be 1:2, so that 25-26 = 25, 27-28 = 26, 29-30 = 
  27, etc. Otherwise, 3.5e monsters with very high armor 
  classes become unhittable when converted.
  Hit Dice: The monster's Hit Dice in 3.5e can vary. The 
  example creature just happens to use a d8.  To convert 
  the Hit Dice, simply drop the d(x) so 9d8+18 will become 
  9+18. However, note that in BFRPG the “plus” value 
  2
  
  THE FINE ART OF MONSTER CONVERSION
  A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT
  added to the monster's hit dice does not affect the chance 
  of hitting in combat; it is recommended that large hit die 
  “plus” values be converted to actual hit dice, with one hit 
  die being added for each 4.5 points of bonus removed. 
  This would result in the Couatl having 13 hit dice.
  Attack, Damage, and “To Hit” Bonus: The 3.5e attack 
  contains  both  the  attack  information  as  well  as  the 
  damage  caused.  Move  the  attack  (e.g.,  Bite)  to  the 
  BFRPG monster's attack. Special Attacks are noted as “+ 
  special”. The “to hit” bonus is not normally used (as the 
  monster's attack bonus is taken from the table in the 
  BFRPG core rules), but if desired the 3.5e stat may be 
  retained; move the bonus from either the 3.5e attack line 
  or the first bonus from the “Base Attack/Grapple” to the 
  Hit Dice line above inside parenthesis.
  Damage: This is easy to convert.  Physical damage is 
  moved to the BFRPG Damage stat. Special Damage is 
  noted as well.
  Special Attacks and Special Qualities: The number of 
  special attacks in the 3.5e stat block will determine the 
  number of “*” to be added to the Hit Dice number.  Both 
  Special Attacks and Special Qualities should be described 
  in  the  monster  description.   Feel  free  to  omit  some 
  asterisks if the monster has many special abilities but not 
  all are likely to be used in a given combat.
  Speed: This  stat  should  be  placed  in  the  BFRPG 
  “Movement” field.  Maneuverability should be converted 
  from 3.5e to BFRPG as follows: 
  Perfect = Type A
  Good = Type B
  Average = Type D
  Poor = Type F
  Clumsy = Type H
  Organization:  This will need to be interpreted for the 
  BFRPG “No. Appearing” stat. Use your best judgment to 
  convert from the 3.5e to the BFRP “Wild/Lair” or refer to 
  an earlier edition Monster Manual stat block.
  Treasure: This is the most difficult part of the conversion. 
  If there is a 1e or 2e Monster Manual available, compare 
  the Treasure Type from the monster's stat block in the 
  older work and select a type or types that are similar in 
  BFRPG.  If not, make an educated guess as to what that 
  monster would have.
  Saving Throws: Monster saving throws are usually rolled 
  on  the  Fighter  Saving  Throw  table.  Discard  the  3.5e 
  saving throws and replace them with a Fighter level value, 
  generally equal to the hit dice of the creature (unless 
  another character class is more appropriate).
  Morale: Morale checks are rolled on 2d6 in BFRPG. 
  There is no 3.5e equivalent to this statistic. To determine 
  the morale of a creature use the following table:
  2
  Runs away if it can.
  3 – 5
  Almost always runs.
  6 – 7
  Normal, will run if companions run.
  8 – 9
  Stable, will stay and fight if companions stay and 
  fight.
  10 – 11 Loyal, will stay and fight most of the time.
  12
  Fanatical, these guys are insane!
  The Morale stat from a 1E or 2E Monster Manual (if 
  available) may be of assistance in determining this value.
  XP Value: The experience point value for the creature is 
  calculated  as  per  the  XP  Values  table  in  Character 
  Advancement in the BFRPG core rules.
  Environment: The environment stat should be included 
  in the monster description below the stat block.
  Once all of the stats are moved to their new positions and 
  the description edited, we would have something that 
  looks like this:
  Couatl
  Armor Class: 21
  Hit Dice: 13**** (+10)
  No of Attacks: 1 Bite + special
  Damage: 1d3 + poison/2d8
  Movement: 20' Fly 60'
  No. Appearing: 1d6 Wild/Lair 1d2
  Save as: F9
  Morale: 12
  Treasure Type: B, I
  XP Value: 1375
  A couatl is about 12 feet long, with a wingspan of about 
  15 feet. It weighs about 1,800 pounds and can be found 
  in warm forests. They can speak the Common tongue, 
  as well as communicate telepathically with any creature 
  within 90 feet that has an Intelligence score. The target 
  creature  can  respond  to  the  couatl  if  it  wishes—no 
  common language is needed. They have Darkvision to 
  60 ft
  A couatl uses its ESP ability on any creature that arouses 
  its suspicions. Since it is highly intelligent, a couatl usually 
  casts spells from a distance before closing. If more than 
  one couatl is involved, they discuss their strategy before 
  a  battle. A  couatl  deals  2d8+6 points  of  constriction 
  3
  
  A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT
  THE FINE ART OF MONSTER CONVERSION
  damage with a successful hit with its bite attack. The bite 
  injects a deadly poison and the victim must save vs. 
  poison or die.
  A couatl has these spell-like abilities and may use them at 
  will—detect  evil,  ESP  and  invisibility.  A  couatl  casts 
  spells as a 9th-level wizard and can choose its spells 
  known from the wizard and cleric list. The cleric spells 
  are considered arcane spells for a couatl, meaning that 
  the creature does not need a deity to cast them.
  A couatl can polymorph itself into any small or medium 
  humanoid  as  well  as  become  intangible.  When 
  intangible,  the  coatl  is  invisible,  insubstantial,  and 
  capable of moving in any direction, even up or down, 
  albeit at half normal speed. As an intangible creature, it 
  can  move  through  solid  objects,  including  living 
  creatures. It can see and hear on the Material Plane, but 
  everything looks gray and ephemeral. Sight and hearing 
  onto the Material Plane are limited to 60 feet.
  4
  
  THE FINE ART OF MONSTER CONVERSION
  A BASIC FANTASY SUPPLEMENT
  Open Game License
  INTRODUCTION
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  The Fine Art of Monster Conversion:  A Basic Fantasy Supplement Copyright 
  © 2006 Ray Allen
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  5
  
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