Conan? [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Conan? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RedRory
03-28-07, 01:28 AM Hello all, I recently rediscovered the joys of the old Robert E. Howard Conan, Kull stories. I was thinking that running a campaign set in Hyboria would be a nice change from the typical high magic D&D. So I was wondering if anyone has used the Conan RPG or played campaigns with it? How did you find it and did it give the right Conan-feel or did it just approximate the typical D&D style?
I know there's some changes in rules and how the classes are done and that magic is incredibly rare and corrupting (kinda like Sanity rules in Call of Cthulhu?). I'd love to hear from anyone who's tried it.
spyone
03-28-07, 11:09 AM I've read it but not played it.

That said, i found it very satisfying. I have some quibbles, mostly about some of the new classes, but overall I found it not just a good representation of Conan's world but also a very good RPG book. The pages are pretty, the paper is good.

Some of my quibbles: their Barbarian class is very close to the Barbarian Class presented in 3.0/3.5, despite the fact that I cannot recall any of the barbarians depicted in Howard's stories who were also berserkers (I have just read them all in the past few months). I think they may have gone a bit overboard making basicly a racial package for every human ethnic type: just because the people of one region of Aquilonia are described as being excellent pikemen does not mean that needs to be expressed in game mechanics, IMO. I mean, I like that they've done that, but then I relaize they have presented 25 different variants on "human", and I think that may be too much.

Similarly, just because in one story Conan swims with his sword held in his mouth does not mean there needs to be a Class Ability to reflect that, IMO. If you absolutely must include it, it would be ok as a feat.

I like the magic rules a good deal. Spells are learned like skills, and a feat can grant (limited) access to spellcasting, so any class can become a spellcaster, and the one class designed to become a spellcaster (Scholar) always has the option of taking something else instead of more spells, so there could be a 20th level Scholar with no spellcasting ability if that's what you want.

I found the book to be worth what I paid for it, and that's fairly rare these days. I think it's availiable as a PDF, and that should be an even better deal.
GoriceXII
04-08-07, 02:48 AM I'm about to start planning for use of elements of Conan for my game. I had always been fascinated with the southern countries between the Black Kingdoms and Hyboria so I'm just hoping for the Shem sourcebook to show up at my local game store.

Shadizar and Stygia are the sourcebooks I currently have. I'm generally rather pleased--the cities have a definite Howardish flavour to them that D&D cities lack. Both of them give a decent overview of the countries and the culture and class references will be very helpful. Shadizar in particular has a set of maps and building blueprints that are goind to be very useful.
Malcadon
04-24-07, 03:23 AM As a fan of Howard's Conan yarns, I got the RPG book.

This is a good game. The game plays vary differently then the standered high-fantasy D&D game. You will not find healing spells. Mass-Damage is at 25! NPCs have no "Warrior" NPC class, they all use PC classes. Magic items are vary rare. Spells used by villains are powerful & deadly:b:. Weapons brake often. Monsters are rare, but somthing to be feared (think :88E: H.P.Lovecraft:coolcthul). No rating system to balance encounters. That sounds like fun!;)

The combat rules are major improvements over the standard D&D rules and can be used in D&D with little trouble. AC is replaced by Dogde and Parry defence with only shields effecting the score. Armor works as DR. Reflex bonus is added to Initiative (allowing characters to be quicker as they advance). Finesse is not a feat, but is automatic to all finesse weapons. Other good rules are Code of Honor, Allegiance (like Modern, but without ethics or morality), Reputation (like Modern, but not level-baced and are effected by the nature of the rep), and Fate points (you need is!).

Classes are diffient from D&D. You can use them in D&D, but it takes a little more work. Barbarian are more about making any thing they get their hands in to a weapon then learning fancy sword tricks. Borderers are like rangers. They have no animal companion or spells, and their Favoured Enemy becomes Favoured Terrain, but otherwise better fighters. The Scholar is a catch all class for all spell caster types. Pirates & Nomads add a flavor to the game, and Nobles are a good warrior class with good social abilities. You will not find any bards, monks, (more so) paladins and all NPC classes (except commoners).

You can mulitclass without penalty, but hohing a favoured class gives you extra feats at some levels. Not just you get a bonus to you ability score every 4 levels, but you get a bonus ability score to all scores at level 6 and every 4 levels after that!:mymy:

Spells are well thought out, but are difficult to convert to D&D and the list is thin (at around 50 spells). Spells are grouped into sorcery styles that you must learn to gain the other spells. Like feats, spells have requirements before you can lean them. Spells requirements are skills (with ranks) and other spells. The spell craft skill is removed, and and knowledge (arcane) takes it place. Scholars have the decipher script skill and bardic knowledge (knowledge is power!).

I personaly use the rules in my D&D games.:thumbsup:
Aryxbez
04-24-07, 06:50 PM I'm glad to hear that the conan d20 game has gotten good comments. I might just buy the book now.

The bunches of races sounds like a good thing since once can now be the exact race they wanted to be. Although 25 races is too much.

If there is no CR system, then what is done to balance the encounters?!
Malcadon
04-25-07, 04:38 AM If there is no CR system, then what is done to balance the encounters?!

NOTHING!

Conan is not about crawling in damp caves and tunnels to slay hordes of orcs, some trolls, and then a mighty dragon.:dragon: Like the yarns (the Conan stories), the heroes will fall into the plot, find themselves way over thier heads (horde of cannabis, a horrible tentacled monster), and then try to think thier way out of a problem (or get thier asses soundly handed to them:surrender). You do not get punished for avoiding a threat, but just surviving is seen just as good (and a lot safer) then to jump headlong to face the theat.

This game is vary leathal to PCs for all out Hack-and-Slash, so role-playing playing and making greater use of non-combat skills/feats takes a major role in the game.

Note: I forgot to say before that the game is geared to give out extra skills & skill points at 1st level in the form of free background skills and racial bonues.

:fight!:The fighting is a little better then D&D as it has some extra flaver to spice up combat, like special manouvers you can preform if you meet the right circumstances, most of the fighting classes get two-weapon fighting for free at 1st level, or drinking a flagon of ale to recover 1 hp when you are at 0 hp:pint:.

This game kicks ass!:bow:
Aryxbez
04-25-07, 04:46 PM Well that is cool, so the lack of a CR system is so he PCs get their butts handed to them? (so to speak)
well that is interesting, so should PCs know this firsthand?
cat_god
04-26-07, 08:24 PM I have to ask...

What's best in life?
Aryxbez
04-26-07, 09:02 PM what are you talking about?

I am guessing you are talking about the game, so in conan, everyone wants gold. Also woman are very common as well.

so it's pretty much avarice,lust,gluttony are the things that drive the adventurers of Conan.
cat_god
04-26-07, 09:08 PM A quote from the movie.
Aryxbez
04-26-07, 09:40 PM ah yes, I remember, and conan responds with pretty much what I said. Sorry I didn't catch on quick enough
Malcadon
04-27-07, 06:54 AM I have to ask...

What's best in life?

"Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content."
-Conan, Queen of the Black Coast

If you need to know more about Conan D20 then go here:
(http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/series.php?qsSeries=7)
and read Atlantean Changes and Conan FAQ at the bottom.

You can find the forum here:
(http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/forum.php).
spyone
04-30-07, 10:12 AM I have to ask...

What's best in life?

And the movie answer would be:What is best in life? To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their women.
Malcadon
04-30-07, 11:49 AM And the movie answer would be:

"What is best in life? To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their women."

That was not even a real Conan quote. It was Genghis Khan:

"The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters."

But, who really counts the movie (dame, they made him look stupid! :rolleye2:).
cat_god
04-30-07, 08:57 PM I liked the movie. Admittedly, I've never read any of the stories (but I'm trying to find one of the compilations, I swear) and most of my knowledge of Conan is gathered from Wikipedia.

"The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters."

Oh, that's the quote! I've been wondering what it was.
Malcadon
05-01-07, 07:37 AM I liked the movie. Admittedly, I've never read any of the stories (but I'm trying to find one of the compilations, I swear) and most of my knowledge of Conan is gathered from Wikipedia.

The movie was just a choped up version of Howards best works. A thing to note is that his history is VARY diffrent from the movie. He never know his mother, she died giving birth to him on a battlefield (after kick alot of ass). As a kid he was mighty by is own right, being built like a man at 13, and killing wolves and bares with only his fist! (wheel? What Wheel?) He was never enslaved and thrown in the gladiatorial pit (He left his tribe out of wanderlust).

Some good compilations to read is: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian; The Bloody Crown of Conan; and The Conquering Sword of Conan. (http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Conan-Cimmerian-Cimmeria-Book/dp/0345461517)

You can find free stories (text only) at Wikisource, under Robert E. Howard (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Robert_E._Howard) or Project Gutenberg of Australia (http://www.gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty.html#letterH). The stories are public domain because REH died '36 with no next of kin.

PS: Pigeons from Hell is a good read.
cat_god
05-01-07, 06:59 PM Those are the exact compilations I"ve been looking for.
RedRory
05-02-07, 10:52 PM Thanks for the responses. I hadn't checked this thread for awhile and in the meantime I got the Conan RPG. I have to say I'm really digging it and am looking forward to running a conan campaign. It'll be a big change from the Savage Tide path I'm running. I was curious if anyone has ran a campaign and how it went?
There was some references to the style of play all which sounded good. Too much of D&D in its current incarnation plays to a video game mentality. As a DM (at least with my players) I see far more satisfaction when the party outwits the baddie than just pummeling them into the ground (though that is good sometimes too). A less uber heroic style generally leads to more thinking and engagement as the party is outgunned and needs their wits to get them through. Call of Cthulhu is the absolute extreme of that end but from what i've gone over I think Conan might be a happy medium.
Thoughts?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RedRory 03-28-07, 01:28 AM	Hello all, I recently rediscovered the joys of the old Robert E. Howard Conan, Kull stories. I was thinking that running a campaign set in Hyboria would be a nice change from the typical high magic D&D. So I was wondering if anyone has used the Conan RPG or played campaigns with it? How did you find it and did it give the right Conan-feel or did it just approximate the typical D&D style? I know there's some changes in rules and how the classes are done and that magic is incredibly rare and corrupting (kinda like Sanity rules in Call of Cthulhu?). I'd love to hear from anyone who's tried it.
spyone 03-28-07, 11:09 AM	I've read it but not played it. That said, i found it very satisfying. I have some quibbles, mostly about some of the new classes, but overall I found it not just a good representation of Conan's world but also a very good RPG book. The pages are pretty, the paper is good. Some of my quibbles: their Barbarian class is very close to the Barbarian Class presented in 3.0/3.5, despite the fact that I cannot recall any of the barbarians depicted in Howard's stories who were also berserkers (I have just read them all in the past few months). I think they may have gone a bit overboard making basicly a racial package for every human ethnic type: just because the people of one region of Aquilonia are described as being excellent pikemen does not mean that needs to be expressed in game mechanics, IMO. I mean, I like that they've done that, but then I relaize they have presented 25 different variants on "human", and I think that may be too much. Similarly, just because in one story Conan swims with his sword held in his mouth does not mean there needs to be a Class Ability to reflect that, IMO. If you absolutely must include it, it would be ok as a feat. I like the magic rules a good deal. Spells are learned like skills, and a feat can grant (limited) access to spellcasting, so any class can become a spellcaster, and the one class designed to become a spellcaster (Scholar) always has the option of taking something else instead of more spells, so there could be a 20th level Scholar with no spellcasting ability if that's what you want. I found the book to be worth what I paid for it, and that's fairly rare these days. I think it's availiable as a PDF, and that should be an even better deal.
GoriceXII 04-08-07, 02:48 AM	I'm about to start planning for use of elements of Conan for my game. I had always been fascinated with the southern countries between the Black Kingdoms and Hyboria so I'm just hoping for the Shem sourcebook to show up at my local game store. Shadizar and Stygia are the sourcebooks I currently have. I'm generally rather pleased--the cities have a definite Howardish flavour to them that D&D cities lack. Both of them give a decent overview of the countries and the culture and class references will be very helpful. Shadizar in particular has a set of maps and building blueprints that are goind to be very useful.
Malcadon 04-24-07, 03:23 AM	As a fan of Howard's Conan yarns, I got the RPG book. This is a good game. The game plays vary differently then the standered high-fantasy D&D game. You will not find healing spells. Mass-Damage is at 25! NPCs have no "Warrior" NPC class, they all use PC classes. Magic items are vary rare. Spells used by villains are powerful & deadly:b:. Weapons brake often. Monsters are rare, but somthing to be feared (think :88E: H.P.Lovecraft:coolcthul). No rating system to balance encounters. That sounds like fun!;) The combat rules are major improvements over the standard D&D rules and can be used in D&D with little trouble. AC is replaced by Dogde and Parry defence with only shields effecting the score. Armor works as DR. Reflex bonus is added to Initiative (allowing characters to be quicker as they advance). Finesse is not a feat, but is automatic to all finesse weapons. Other good rules are Code of Honor, Allegiance (like Modern, but without ethics or morality), Reputation (like Modern, but not level-baced and are effected by the nature of the rep), and Fate points (you need is!). Classes are diffient from D&D. You can use them in D&D, but it takes a little more work. Barbarian are more about making any thing they get their hands in to a weapon then learning fancy sword tricks. Borderers are like rangers. They have no animal companion or spells, and their Favoured Enemy becomes Favoured Terrain, but otherwise better fighters. The Scholar is a catch all class for all spell caster types. Pirates & Nomads add a flavor to the game, and Nobles are a good warrior class with good social abilities. You will not find any bards, monks, (more so) paladins and all NPC classes (except commoners). You can mulitclass without penalty, but hohing a favoured class gives you extra feats at some levels. Not just you get a bonus to you ability score every 4 levels, but you get a bonus ability score to all scores at level 6 and every 4 levels after that!:mymy: Spells are well thought out, but are difficult to convert to D&D and the list is thin (at around 50 spells). Spells are grouped into sorcery styles that you must learn to gain the other spells. Like feats, spells have requirements before you can lean them. Spells requirements are skills (with ranks) and other spells. The spell craft skill is removed, and and knowledge (arcane) takes it place. Scholars have the decipher script skill and bardic knowledge (knowledge is power!). I personaly use the rules in my D&D games.:thumbsup:
Aryxbez 04-24-07, 06:50 PM	I'm glad to hear that the conan d20 game has gotten good comments. I might just buy the book now. The bunches of races sounds like a good thing since once can now be the exact race they wanted to be. Although 25 races is too much. If there is no CR system, then what is done to balance the encounters?!
Malcadon 04-25-07, 04:38 AM	If there is no CR system, then what is done to balance the encounters?! NOTHING! Conan is not about crawling in damp caves and tunnels to slay hordes of orcs, some trolls, and then a mighty dragon.:dragon: Like the yarns (the Conan stories), the heroes will fall into the plot, find themselves way over thier heads (horde of cannabis, a horrible tentacled monster), and then try to think thier way out of a problem (or get thier asses soundly handed to them:surrender). You do not get punished for avoiding a threat, but just surviving is seen just as good (and a lot safer) then to jump headlong to face the theat. This game is vary leathal to PCs for all out Hack-and-Slash, so role-playing playing and making greater use of non-combat skills/feats takes a major role in the game. Note: I forgot to say before that the game is geared to give out extra skills & skill points at 1st level in the form of free background skills and racial bonues. :fight!:The fighting is a little better then D&D as it has some extra flaver to spice up combat, like special manouvers you can preform if you meet the right circumstances, most of the fighting classes get two-weapon fighting for free at 1st level, or drinking a flagon of ale to recover 1 hp when you are at 0 hp:pint:. This game kicks ass!:bow:
Aryxbez 04-25-07, 04:46 PM	Well that is cool, so the lack of a CR system is so he PCs get their butts handed to them? (so to speak) well that is interesting, so should PCs know this firsthand?
cat_god 04-26-07, 08:24 PM	I have to ask... What's best in life?
Aryxbez 04-26-07, 09:02 PM	what are you talking about? I am guessing you are talking about the game, so in conan, everyone wants gold. Also woman are very common as well. so it's pretty much avarice,lust,gluttony are the things that drive the adventurers of Conan.
cat_god 04-26-07, 09:08 PM	A quote from the movie.
Aryxbez 04-26-07, 09:40 PM	ah yes, I remember, and conan responds with pretty much what I said. Sorry I didn't catch on quick enough
Malcadon 04-27-07, 06:54 AM	I have to ask... What's best in life? "Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content." -Conan, Queen of the Black Coast If you need to know more about Conan D20 then go here: (http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/series.php?qsSeries=7) and read Atlantean Changes and Conan FAQ at the bottom. You can find the forum here: (http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/forum.php).
spyone 04-30-07, 10:12 AM	I have to ask... What's best in life? And the movie answer would be:What is best in life? To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their women.
Malcadon 04-30-07, 11:49 AM	And the movie answer would be: "What is best in life? To crush your enemies. To see them driven before you. And to hear the lamentations of their women." That was not even a real Conan quote. It was Genghis Khan: "The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters." But, who really counts the movie (dame, they made him look stupid! :rolleye2:).
cat_god 04-30-07, 08:57 PM	I liked the movie. Admittedly, I've never read any of the stories (but I'm trying to find one of the compilations, I swear) and most of my knowledge of Conan is gathered from Wikipedia. "The greatest pleasure is to vanquish your enemies and chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth and see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride their horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters." Oh, that's the quote! I've been wondering what it was.
Malcadon 05-01-07, 07:37 AM	I liked the movie. Admittedly, I've never read any of the stories (but I'm trying to find one of the compilations, I swear) and most of my knowledge of Conan is gathered from Wikipedia. The movie was just a choped up version of Howards best works. A thing to note is that his history is VARY diffrent from the movie. He never know his mother, she died giving birth to him on a battlefield (after kick alot of ass). As a kid he was mighty by is own right, being built like a man at 13, and killing wolves and bares with only his fist! (wheel? What Wheel?) He was never enslaved and thrown in the gladiatorial pit (He left his tribe out of wanderlust). Some good compilations to read is: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian; The Bloody Crown of Conan; and The Conquering Sword of Conan. (http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Conan-Cimmerian-Cimmeria-Book/dp/0345461517) You can find free stories (text only) at Wikisource, under Robert E. Howard (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Robert_E._Howard) or Project Gutenberg of Australia (http://www.gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty.html#letterH). The stories are public domain because REH died '36 with no next of kin. PS: Pigeons from Hell is a good read.
cat_god 05-01-07, 06:59 PM	Those are the exact compilations I"ve been looking for.
RedRory 05-02-07, 10:52 PM	Thanks for the responses. I hadn't checked this thread for awhile and in the meantime I got the Conan RPG. I have to say I'm really digging it and am looking forward to running a conan campaign. It'll be a big change from the Savage Tide path I'm running. I was curious if anyone has ran a campaign and how it went? There was some references to the style of play all which sounded good. Too much of D&D in its current incarnation plays to a video game mentality. As a DM (at least with my players) I see far more satisfaction when the party outwits the baddie than just pummeling them into the ground (though that is good sometimes too). A less uber heroic style generally leads to more thinking and engagement as the party is outgunned and needs their wits to get them through. Call of Cthulhu is the absolute extreme of that end but from what i've gone over I think Conan might be a happy medium. Thoughts?