MRQ Conan

[rabindranath72]

Ok, here is something I have been working on for some time. As I said, I am using a mix of different BRP-like games for Conan, but I would not mind a more "cohesive" approach using the MRQ rules (barring some things I do not like, e.g. hit point locations.)

These are essentially the definitions for the "races" of the Hyborian Age in terms of cultural backgrounds. I took some of the material from the MRQ book, Lankhmar and Elric. The standard professions should work as-is. Still working on Sorcery, and how I think it should work (my personal preference is something close to Call of Cthulhu)

Comments, as always, are welcome!


Cultural Backgrounds

Barbarian

Regions: Cimmeria, Himelian Mountains, Nordheim

Available Professions: Acrobat, Animal Trainer, Bard, Blacksmith, Craftsman, Explorer, Farmer, Fisherman, Healer, Herdsman, Hunter, Mercenary, Peddler, Ranger, Shaman, Soldier, Thief, Witch, Woodsman

Basic Skill Bonuses: Athletics +2, Perception +1, Resilience +2, Stealth +1

Pick Two +1: Boating, Lore (Animal), Lore (Plant), Riding

Pick Three +2: 1H Axe, 1H Hammer, 2H Axe, 2H Hammer, Blowgun, Bow, Dagger, Shield, Sling, Spear, Staff, Throwing, Unarmed

Advanced Skills: Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional), Survival

Pick One: Craft, Dance, Lore, Play Instrument, Tracking

Money: 4D6 × 20 silver

Nomad (Desert)

Regions: Southern Desert (Southern Black Kingdom), Shem (east), Turan

Available Professions: Animal Trainer, Craftsman, Explorer, Hunter, Ranger, Shaman

Basic Skill Bonuses: Athletics +1, Lore (World) +1, Perception +1, Resilience +2, Riding +2, Stealth +1

Pick Two +3: 1H Axe, 1H Sword, Bow, Dagger, Shield

Advanced Skills: Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional), Survival

Pick One: Craft, Lore, Tracking

Money: 4D6 × 20 silver



Nomad (Temperate)

Regions: Hyrkania, Shem (west)

Available Professions: Acrobat, Animal Trainer, Craftsman, Explorer, Herdsman, Hunter, Peddler, Ranger, Shaman

Basic Skill Bonuses: Athletics +2, Lore (Animal) +1, Lore (Plant) +1, Lore (World) +1, Perception +1, Resilience +1, Riding +2, Stealth +1

Pick Two +2: 1H Axe, 1H Hammer, Blowgun, Bow, Dagger, Shield, Sling

Advanced Skills: Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional), Survival

Pick One: Craft, Languages, Lore, Tracking

Money: 4D6 × 20 silver

Primitive

Regions: Kush, Northern Black Kingdoms, Pictish Wilderness, Southern Black Kingdoms, Darfar, Southern Isles

Available Professions: Hunter, Ranger, Shaman

Basic Skill Bonuses: Athletics +2, Lore (Animal) +2, Lore (Plant) +2, Perception +2, Resilience +2, Stealth +2

Pick One +2: 1H Axe, 1H Hammer, Dagger, Sling, Spear

Advanced Skills: Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional), Survival, Tracking

Money: 4D6 × 10 silver



Civilised

Regions: Hyborian lands, Khitai, Stygia, Vendhya, Zamora, Zingara, Pelishtia (Shem)

Available Professions: Alchemist, Blacksmith, Courtier, Craftsman, Diplomat, Explorer, Knight, Lord, Physician, Priest, Scholar, Scribe, Soldier, Spy

Basic Skill Bonuses: Evaluate +3, Influence +3, Lore (World) +2

Pick Two +2: Rapier, Crossbow

Advanced Skills: Courtesy, Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional)

Pick Three: Artistic Expression, Craft, Dance, Language, Lore, Mechanisms, Play Instrument, Streetwise

Money: 4D6 × 75 silver

Mariner

Regions: Argos, Zingara, Barachan Isles, Turan, Hyrkania, Khitai, Stygia, Kush, Vanaheim, Southern Isles, Vendhya, Southern Black Kingdoms

Available Professions: Craftsman, Explorer, Fisherman, Mercenary, Merchant, Sailor

Basic Skill Bonuses: Acrobatics +1, Athletics +2, Boating +3, Dodge +1, Lore (Animal) +1, Lore (World) +2, Sing +1, Throwing +1

Pick Two +2: 1H Hammer, 1H Sword, Dagger, Unarmed

Advanced Skills: Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional)

Pick One: Craft, Language, Lore, Shiphandling

Money: 4D6 × 25 silver

Noble

Regions: Hyborian lands, Hyrkania, Turan, Khitai, Kush (Chaga caste), Shem, Stygia, Vendhya, Zamora, Zingara

Available Professions: Courtier, Diplomat, Explorer, Knight, Lord, Physician, Scholar, Soldier, Spy

Basic Skill Bonuses: Influence +2, Lore (World) +2, Persistence +2

Pick Two +1: Evaluate, Dodge, Perception, Riding

Pick Two +3: 1H Sword, 2H Sword, Dagger, Rapier, Shield

Advanced Skills: Language (Native) +10, Lore (Regional)

Pick Two: Craft, Dance, Language, Lore, Play Instrument, Shiphandling
Money: 4D10 × 100 silver

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Darn, I dont have the Elric or Hawkmoon books.

Wouldnt sorcery just translate to RQ sorcery at least in part? Conan spells have power point cost, the magic attack roll is a mod on a POW vs POW roll.

Sorcery is going to be the difficult bit. Racial bonuses are just going to translate into a +5% for every +1. Feats would have to be discarded or somehow built into the character sheet, or maybe left for legendary abilities, or some used as advanced skills.

Its surprising how many critters are duplicated. Ghouls with their Ghoul rot, spirits, giant snakes, zombies, big cats, hags, skeletons, dinosaurian 'dragons'.

Most of the characteristics can be translated with little difficulty. Conan, with a CON of 21, would probably have around 19 - 20 hit points, though, with a high powered BRP option, it could be around 40 overall hit points. Equipment translates straight into the RQ version, so Conans greatsword would do 2D8 damage, plus Conans bonus of probably 1D8.

Its fairly easy, its just that theres a lot of conversion to do, if you include scenarios, etc..

[rabindranath72]

Quite sincerely I do not care about converting d20 Conan sorcery (or anything else) to MRQ.
Take d20 Conan sorcery for example; it is just a possible implementation of some Howardian concepts: sorcery as study, knowledge passed from blasphemous tomes, rites and sacrifices, artifacts etc.

[Deleriad]

On the crunch side there are some basic and simple modifications to MRQ that should weight the system onto the skill side of skill vs numbers.

1) allow Hero Points to be used to convert serious wounds to minor wounds. - That aids PC survivability immeasurably. That said, I wouldn't allow someone to spend 2HPs to convert a major wound into a minor wound - you need some jeopardy.

2) If playing with opposed roll combat (of whatever flavour) allow parries to be declared after the results of an attack are known. - That favours skill massively. In general opposed roll combat also favours skill more than unopposed combat.

3) Although most people don't use the rule about moving into combat triggering a reaction attack, use it. That's the main way a Conan-like barbarian can deal with hordes of attacking mooks as he can kill them before they get to him.

4) Use the First Aid rules from the GM's Handbook. In a world without magical healing, First Ais is very important.

5) Do use hit locations for PCs and Generic Hit Points for mooks (as in Signs & Portents). You may not like hit locations but they make combat a lot more survivable. I'm convert to either hit locations or General Hit Points but not both at the same time.

Basically, by using one addition, one modification and sticking close to the printed system you'll weight the system massively into a skill over numbers set-up. MRQ's smaller but broader skill base will fit the genre better than standard BRP while the use of Dodge/Persistence/Resilience instead of POW vs POW to resist magic also tends to fit the genre better.

I think that's all you need to do in terms of system tweaks.

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Quite sincerely I do not care about converting d20 Conan sorcery (or anything else) to MRQ.
Take d20 Conan sorcery for example; it is just a possible implementation of some Howardian concepts: sorcery as study, knowledge passed from blasphemous tomes, rites and sacrifices, artifacts etc.

I think we can all agree that Mongoose have done a good job, or made a silk purse out of a sows ear, anyway. I think part of the success is the flavour that it evokes, and that has quite a lot to do with the sorcery section. It may be just one interpretation of the literature, but it goes a long way to creating the atmosphere. I think its a vital component if you are converting the D20 Conan rpg game. If you are creating a Runequest engine, from scratch, for the Hyborian Age, thats a different matter.

[Deleriad]

I think its a vital component if you are converting the D20 Conan rpg game. If you are creating a Runequest engine, from scratch, for the Hyborian Age, thats a different matter.

I think the OP is starting from scratch. Given that d20 Conan is an interpretation of the books then it seems odd to convert an interpretation when you have the source material and chance to create your own interpretation. That said, I'm sure there's loads of good ideas that can be used from d20 Conan.

[rabindranath72]

I think its a vital component if you are converting the D20 Conan rpg game. If you are creating a Runequest engine, from scratch, for the Hyborian Age, thats a different matter.

I think the OP is starting from scratch. Given that d20 Conan is an interpretation of the books then it seems odd to convert an interpretation when you have the source material and chance to create your own interpretation. That said, I'm sure there's loads of good ideas that can be used from d20 Conan.

Exactly. There are surely loads of good ideas from d20 Conan (for example, I cross-linked the classes and races to get backgrounds and professions), but the treatment of some topics (e.g. sorcery) need not replicate the rules in d20 Conan.

[PrinceYyrkoon]

I think its a vital component if you are converting the D20 Conan rpg game. If you are creating a Runequest engine, from scratch, for the Hyborian Age, thats a different matter.

I think the OP is starting from scratch. Given that d20 Conan is an interpretation of the books then it seems odd to convert an interpretation when you have the source material and chance to create your own interpretation. That said, I'm sure there's loads of good ideas that can be used from d20 Conan.

Exactly. There are surely loads of good ideas from d20 Conan (for example, I cross-linked the classes and races to get backgrounds and professions), but the treatment of some topics (e.g. sorcery) need not replicate the rules in d20 Conan.

Would you include the race variation bonuses then?

I'd be thrilled if someone came up with a workable RQ magic system that was good for Conan! Id use it for other stuff too!

[rabindranath72]

I think the OP is starting from scratch. Given that d20 Conan is an interpretation of the books then it seems odd to convert an interpretation when you have the source material and chance to create your own interpretation. That said, I'm sure there's loads of good ideas that can be used from d20 Conan.

Exactly. There are surely loads of good ideas from d20 Conan (for example, I cross-linked the classes and races to get backgrounds and professions), but the treatment of some topics (e.g. sorcery) need not replicate the rules in d20 Conan.

Would you include the race variation bonuses then?

I'd be thrilled if someone came up with a workable RQ magic system that was good for Conan! Id use it for other stuff too!

There is no need of race variation bonuses in the RQ framework. That's what cultural backgrounds are for.

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Right.

The only difficulty then, is the magic system. I guess you could rule, Pendragon-like, that magic is the sole domain of NPCs. Do you see RQ sorcery as being compatible? I see Hyborian Age magic as being long, time-consuming rituals, which isnt too far away from RQ sorcery.

[rabindranath72]

Right.

The only difficulty then, is the magic system. I guess you could rule, Pendragon-like, that magic is the sole domain of NPCs. Do you see RQ sorcery as being compatible? I see Hyborian Age magic as being long, time-consuming rituals, which isnt too far away from RQ sorcery.

Elric has a system for pacts, demons, summonings etc. which can be used almost as-is. It also depicts the cults, and that information can also be used to describe the covens and cults in the Hyborian Age (e.g. the Black Ring, the Asurans, the cult of Mitra etc.)
The other RQ spells can be also used as-is.
The best IMO treatment of Hyborian Age sorcery is in the old TSR Conan game (from which d20 Conan took many bits), though it is suggested that it be used mostly for NPCs. Also the AD&D1e CB1,2 modules showed a nice use of the AD&D rules for Hyborian Age campaigns in just 4 pages. As long as you restrict the spell lists of magic-user, AD&D1e works fine. Even clerics, if used by the book, can be used; the AD&D 1e rules assume that up to 2nd level you are free to cast any cleric spell, but from 3rd level onward you must petition higher entities (who might well require sacrifices...)

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

If Conan went RQ I would be all over that like a fat kid on a smarty!

[Mugen]

I also recommend Sorcery (either MRQ or OpenQuest) for a magic system in Conan.