Pathfinder Community Debates Porting Dungeons and Dragons Modules

On November 24 a long Reddit thread on r/Pathfinder2e opened a vigorous debate about porting Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition adventures to Pathfinder 2e. The conversation drew dozens of posters from across the hobby, and it quickly centered on a simple question for gamemasters and designers alike. Is the time spent converting an entire published campaign better invested elsewhere, or do some modules translate well enough to justify the work?

Topline takeaways were clear. Many community members concluded that converting a 5e adventure into PF2e often demands substantial mechanical and narrative work. Converters mentioned the need to restock monsters with PF2e analogues, rebalance encounters to match Pathfinder systems, and patch design or plot gaps that arise when changing game systems. For a full campaign book the community consensus leaned toward the effort often outweighing the benefit for most groups.

That consensus did not close the door on conversions entirely. Posters identified certain module types that are easier to adapt. Pure dungeon crawl adventures and long megadungeons were flagged as the most straightforward, because their focus on exploration and tactical combat translates more directly than story driven or lore heavy modules. Specific modules raised for discussion included Tomb of Annihilation, Lost Mine of Phandelver, and Dungeon of the Mad Mage, with opinions varying on which would be easiest to rework.

Practical advice from GMs who had attempted conversions formed a large portion of the thread. Experienced converters recommended concentrating on select maps, set pieces, or inspirational encounters rather than attempting a page by page conversion of a whole campaign. Common tips included replacing monsters with PF2e analogues, reworking treasure and experience progression, and using Pathfinder 2e encounter budget tools to rebalance fights. Dozens of anecdotes and partial conversion examples helped illustrate both successes and pitfalls.

For Pathfinder GMs thinking about borrowing content from 5e the community guidance is pragmatic. Pick the parts that play to PF2e strengths, expect meaningful mechanical work, and plan on treating published material as inspiration rather than a turnkey solution. The Reddit thread serves as a useful repository of hands on experience for anyone weighing a conversion project.