Anyone using other systems with Conan?

A

Arcadayn

Mongoose
I'm not a fan of D20, and originally picked up Conan to use as a sourcebook for a Hyborian Rolemaster campaign (I have already run a few successful Hyborian RM games with the GURPS book). I have to say that after getting the book last Friday and reading through it, I'm pretty intrigued by the D20 modifications. Mongoose has done an excellent job of capturing Howard's atmosphere

Nevertheless, I still plan on converting many concepts over to Rolemaster. Just out of curiousity, is anyone else using Conan with a different rule system?
 
My group and I are playing with the rules as they are with only a few house rules. They are fun and we're going to keep using them.

However, I am also a Rolemaster junkie and I can see it being fairly straight forward to convert. The sorcery would present a few problems, but much fewer than D&D. You already have PP's and could just arrange the spells into lists (e.g. a Hypnotism list or a Necromancy list).

What about using HARP? (if you haven't got it yet - why not?). It would be much easier to convert the sorcery and this system is significantly quicker in play.
 
I've been running my campaign with basic 3.5 d20 rules until Mongoose's version came out, and I've since switched over. The PC's seemed to enjoy it, so hopefully I can convince them to switch permanently ;)
 
I have previously run Conan campaigns in the distant past, circa 1980's. I originally tried the TSR boxed set when it came out (very disappointing...could have been a great game IMO had more effort and support been put into it by its publisher :evil: ). I then tried doing it with 1st edition Fantasy Hero back then (players enjoyed, but was a lot of work :oops: ). Never did try the GURPS version which I also have. When I looked over the new Savage Worlds system by Pinnacle/Great White Games, I thought this would be a great fit (I still do, players didn't :( )! So, it looks like I will be using Mongoose's version which I really like also (especially now with the errata being corrected) and will be running a campaign later this week :D !! Can't wait for Scrolls of Skelos and Road of Kings.
 
I've got HARP, I just still prefer the detail of Rolemaster (i.e. combat and character creation). I don't really see the need to reorganize the Conan spells into lists. I would just make the PCs buy each spell individually. What I see as the most time consuming process is the conversion of Conan races to RM stats.
 
Arcadayn said:
I've got HARP, I just still prefer the detail of Rolemaster (i.e. combat and character creation). I don't really see the need to reorganize the Conan spells into lists. I would just make the PCs buy each spell individually. What I see as the most time consuming process is the conversion of Conan races to RM stats.
Click to expand...
Rolemaster was designed to be used in a modular fashion, though of course it hangs together better as a unified game system. You don't have to convert the characters, just keep a list of equivalencies handy – multiply stats x 5 to change from Conan to Rolemaster's d100 system. Make liberal use of descriptions from the critical hit charts (though you might not want to use the actual effects) and you're good to go.
 
If I run a Hyborian Age campaign (I hope to, but lack players) I'll probably use Robin Laws's HeroQuest rules -- they're very easy to adapt to different settings. It'll work especially well for representing Howard's themes and freewheeling narrative shifts rather than the blow-by-blow microsimulation d20 encourages.
 
HARP is working well for me. It's an extremely flexible system that is especially well suited to the Hyborian world.

Mongoose: thanks for releasing your Conan series. They are most excellent source books. I'm just going to use them with a different system. No slam against your rules, of course... you had to work within the d20 niche.
 
If I were to use the Conan book for its non-mechanics, I would absolutely use Savage Worlds as the base mechanics. It allows for more cinematic actions than d20 mechanics do but is still stable. I'd probably keep the class abilities (or at least some of them) and turn some feats into edges.
 
I agree I would definately use Savage Worlds. Although I would probably start with OGL D20 first. I think my players might appreciate the detail in character advancement. But as soon as we started to get bogged down in looking up rules and struggling to keep the session flowing I would drop the system straight away and convert to Savage worlds. For savage worlds I would try and incorporate the various differences in races, also I think that the sorcery section would need some tinkering.
 
:arrow: Aside from the various rpgs, has anyone developed a simpler desktop boardgame using Conan material? I'd think that would be something that could be done in an evening, with a few cards, basic combat, army and magic rules, and a cool map of the Hyborian age to move character pieces on.
 
More of a young adventure boardgame than a Risk-type game- I picture a map of the Hyborian age with a sort of movement track looping over it, with different kinds of adventures possible in various spaces- search temple/tomb, explore wilderness, encounter pirate ship, encounter monster/thief/wizard, etc- with a variety of cards, die-rolls, and tokens to use in resolving events/encounters. A bad analogy would be the "Star Wars/Life-Jedi's Path" game- but better, because the Hyborian age rocks.
 
Does anyone know if there is a formula for converting AD&D to 3rd edition to Conan. I had heard there was the earlier part , but had never seen it. Just curious if there is an formulatic way of converting things other than the story.

Thanks
 
No, it wouldn't be an rpg- it would be a mead-and-pretzels boardgame with fewer player characteristics to keep track of, and cards, tiles, dice and token pieces to use- something that could be played in an evening, and introduce new/younger/euro-game players to the hyborian age, as potential rpg players with the more advanced system. Just a thought, since I prefer map/boardgames anyway.
 
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