DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Greater Barghest

A horrifying wolflike monster with blue-tinged fur, long sharp claws, and a fiendish glint of intelligence in its hateful, glowing eyes darts out of the shadows. 

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual

DnD 3.5 to 5e Spell Conversions: Analyze Portal

 

Analyze Portal

3rd-level divination (ritual)

---

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a crystal lens and a small mirror)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
• Classes: Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard

You can detect the presence of any magical portal or gate to another plane of existence within one mile. If you can see a portal or gate within 30 feet you can spend a bonus action on your turn to determine any of the following information:

• What key or command word is needed to activate the portal.
• Any special circumstances governing the portal’s use (such as specific times when it can be activated).
• A glimpse of the area where the portal leads.

---

One of the spells from my conversions of the entire Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Spell Compendium into 5e and published in Spells of Antiquity. Here's a super situational one- probably not your first or even 10th choice for a sorcerer, but definitely in the "nice to have on the back burner" page for your party wizard. Definitely plays into certain campaigns more than others. I believe it originated in the Manual of the Planes and would have been mentioned alongside Sigil, the city of doors, which gives it a lot more utility than a classic dungeon crawl.

DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Athach

The creature looks like a portly giant dressed in shabby rags and furs. It has a third arm growing from its chest. Its wide, slobbering mouth has curving tusks that jut from its lower jaw. It has tiny eyes, a small nose, and lopsided ears- one huge and one tiny. 

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual

DnD 3.5 to 5e Monster Conversions: Arrowhawk

 

The creature has a sinuous, snakelike body with a long neck and tail. Two pairs of feathered wings extend from the body, one on the top and another on the bottom. Most of the body is covered with iridescent blue scales, with tufts of yellow feathers at the base of the neck and the tail. The head has a black, toothed beak and four eyes, one pair above the beak and the other below. 

- Dungeons and Dragons v3.5 Monster Manual

 

DnD Magic Item Conversions: A Bear and a Vending Machine

 

Arabel's Huggable Bear

Wondrous Item, Very Rare (requires attunement)

Aura: Strong Abjuration

This huggable, lovable stuffed magical bear is made of white ermine. It sports an onyx nose, sapphire eyes and is stuffed with owlbear down. If you fall asleep while within 5 feet of this bear, it creates a 10-foot radius sphere of protection centered on itself. Each sleeping creature in this area automatically succeeds on any Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom saving throws it makes, and it prevents those creatures from having bad dreams.

When a creature spends at least 4 hours sleeping in the area as part of a long rest, it regains all of its spent hit dice at the completion of that rest instead of half. 

---

Ardraken's Refreshment Simulacrum

Wondrous Item, Legendary

Aura: Very Strong Conjuration and Transmutation

This strange item was created by a wizard after he encountered a similar object while adventuring in another dimension. It appears to be a rectangular box, approximately the same size as a medium creature and colored in blue, red and white patterns. It has a single slot, large enough to fit most kinds of coinage and small gems into it. The slot deposits the payment within an extra-dimensional space that only the Simulacrum can access.

If a creature deposits at least two silver into the slot, a moment later a hidden compartment opens, containing a liquid-filled glass bottle. Normally, the bottle is filled with a refreshing, nonmagical elixir. However, if a creature deposits at least 500 gp into the slot, roll a d100 to determine what the bottle contains.

D100 | elixir

1-25 | A refreshing, nonmagical elixir. 

26-50 | A potion of healing or one other common potion.

51-75 | A potion of greater healing or one other uncommon potion.

76-90 | A potion of superior healing or one other rare potion.

91-99 | A potion of supreme healing or one other very rare potion.

100 | A legendary potion.

The simulacrum can automatically detect if fake or illusory currency is being given to it. If the simulacrum is threatened, or detects any attempts to cheat it, the simulacrum dispenses a glass bottle filled with a bright green potion. The bottle immediately shatters, spraying its contents in a 15 foot-radius sphere centered on the simulacrum. Each creature and each object not being worn or carried in the area other than the simulacrum must make a DC18 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 8d6 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Replication. When the simulacrum has accumulated 50,000 gp worth of coinage and gems in its extra-dimensional storage space, everything in the space is consumed and a second simulacrum appears in the nearest unoccupied space to the first simulacrum. The second simulacrum is identical in every way to the first, with one exception: when the second simulacrum is first created, the DM rolls a d20. On a 1, the second simulacrum is neutral evil instead of neutral good. Whenever the evil simulacrum dispenses a refreshment, there is a 50% chance it is actually poison, and any creature that drinks it must make a DC18 constitution saving throw. A creature takes 4d8 poison damage and is poisoned for 1 hour on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Sentience. Ardraken’s Refreshment Simulacrum is a neutral good magic item with an Intelligence of 10, a Wisdom of 10, and a Charisma of 14. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. The simulacrum can speak, read, and understand common, and it communicates in a friendly, robotic voice. It does not speak often, typically not beyond offering creatures refreshment and directing them where to deposit payment.

Personality. Adraken’s Refreshment Simulacrum was created to provide refreshment to anyone who can pay for it. It desires both to fulfill this primary purpose but also to accumulate enough wealth to replicate itself. To that end, it will sometimes offer discounts or free drinks to adventurers willing to help the simulacrum position itself in locations with large populations.

---

Here are some more magic items converted from the Dungeons and Dragons 2e Encyclopedia Magica into 5e and published on the DMsGuild under Artifacts of Antiquity Volume 2. Here's a couple of odd ones: a special teddy bear that protects you from spooky dream magic and an actual sentient vending machine that just wants to provide refreshing beverages and make more copies of itself.

DnD 3.5 to 5e Spell Conversions: Amorphous Form

 

Amorphous Form

3rd-level transmutation

---

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: S, M (a pinch of gelatin)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
• Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You transform a willing creature you touch, along with everything it’s wearing and carrying, into an amorphous oozelike state for the duration. The spell ends if the creature drops to 0 hit points or dies. An incorporeal creature isn’t affected. While transformed, the creature uses the Amorphous Creature stat block.

The creature is limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of its new form, and it can’t speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech.

The target’s gear melds into the new form. The creature can’t activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of its equipment.

---

One of the spells from my conversions of the entire Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Spell Compendium into 5e and published in Spells of Antiquity. So, even when you aren't a plasmoid, sometimes you just gotta pretend otherwise. Though you do get a slam attack, this really isn't much of a combat form, which it more than makes up for by having some pretty decent utility.

DnD 3.5 to 5e Spell Conversions: Amanuensis

Amanuensis

Transmutation cantrip

---

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 10 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a quill and a bottle of ink)
• Duration: 1 minute
• Classes: Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard

You cause writing from one source to be copied into a book, paper, or parchment. Over the course of one minute, this spell can copy up to 250 words and creates a perfect duplicate of the original. The spell copies only nonmagical text, not illustrations or magical writings (such as the text of a spellbook, a spell scroll or glyph of warding). If the target contains both normal and magical writing only the normal text is copied, leaving a blank space in the copied text where magical writing would be expected. Likewise, if the target contains text and illustration, only the text is copied. Blank paper, parchment or a book must be provided for the spell to write upon. This spell does not translate the copied writing. If you do not understand the original, you have no additional ability to understand the copy.

---

One of the spells from my conversions of the entire Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Spell Compendium into 5e and published in Spells of Antiquity. This one is a particularly interesting mountain of letters I don't care to try pronouncing out loud. This is mostly just a physical CTRL+C/CTRL+V for when you really need to remember exactly what the important book says, but don't want to steal it to do so.