Conversion Hell and Possible Solutions

[cassusaevum]

After converting Rocky Cape to Pathfinder 2e, I'm finding that the conversion process is a pain in the ass.  In reading through Sea King's Malice, on top of the general conversion, there's also the problem of a lot of the monsters in SKM having no analogue in what has been released in Pathfinder to date.  That compounds the conversion difficulty for me.  To that end, here are some possible directions (presented in no particular order):

• Keep going with Pathfinder, but instead of Sea King's Malice, go off in a different direction.  We keep going, but the planned adventure switches to something else.
• Convert characters to 5e and go with Sea King's Malice, using 5e (and the module as written).
• And, because everyone might be secretly wishing we were doing something else, I'll also list Something Else as a possibility.  No idea at all what it would be other than "not PF2 or 5e."

Another thing to consider is the in-person dynamic.  Based on my understanding, we're probably a month away from gatherings, but that's somewhat in the air and people's individual risk tolerance may vary.  That's theoretically 1 "skip" game from now.  If folks were more interested in waiting until we can play in person (assuming we think it's 1 skip) I'm also down with that.

Let me know whatcha think.

[gamedave]

I'm personally ok with any of those options.

For option 1, IIUC, we've only done a prequel section, so there's no particular storyline binding us to the Sea King's Malice. We could just as well move on to pretty much any other PF2E adventure. Of course, for that, Nick would have to convert the adventure to the world we're already in, or we'd have to pretend we were always in Golarion. I'm ok with either of those, actually. Converting the "fluff" is usually easier than the mechanics, so Nick might find it easier to set a PF2E adventure path in the SKM world. I also think Golarian is similar enough that I could retcon Lyrie into it without much problem (I think there's a not-Ancient Egypt/Arabia region in Golarion...)

For option 2, in my personal experience, converting from one system to another is a fraught prospect. Perhaps ironically, it's of often harder, IMHO, to convert between systems like D&D5E and PF2E, where they're just different enough that you can't quite do the same things with your character while being just similar enough that it feels like you should be able to and really frustrating that you can't. Still, if everyone else wants to do it, I'm willing to give it a try. I don't think any of our character concepts are unworkable in 5E, and I think Lyrie would work as a Human (Variant) Scholar Wizard (Universalist). And I'd have a useful version of sleep again!

For option 3, I'm ok with that. I'm enjoying the current campaign, and if Nick is enjoying it other than the conversion problems, I'm all for trying to continue. But, if the GM ain't having fun, ain't no one having fun. And I'm always game (pun intended) to try new systems and campaigns and make new characters (making new characters is a major element of the fun of RPGs for me). I like Lyrie, and would enjoy continuing to play her, but I'm not particularly attached to the character, and I don't feel like I have any particular unfinished business with her. I'd miss Pyra, though...