There certainly appears to be a lot of anti-4E sentiment around here, which I can't quite understand. While I agree that the tone of 4E can seem, taken to the extreme, antithetical to Hyborian Age gaming, some of the 4E game mechanics are eminently suitable for a Conan RPG, specifically the concept (if not the execution) of Healing Surges, minions, skill challenges, skill progression, encounter construction, and so on. I've taken on some of these elements for my upcoming Shem game I present them here for those who are interested:
To reflect the heroic stature of PCs in the world of Conan, while at the same time reducing the huge disparity between high and low-level characters, the following rules are offered:
Abler Heroes
PC heroes use the Heroic Generation method, CONAN: the Roleplaying Game, p.9. (8 +1d10 for each ability, or, for the sake of convenience, the following array: 17, 16, 15, 12, 11, 10)
More Feats: Gain feats at 1st level, 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter (5th, 7th, etc). Bonus feats for Favoured Class are gained at levels 1, 5, and 10.
Heroes gain one additional language (dialect, DM has the final say as to appropriate/related dialects) every even level. These are in addition to native language and bonus languages by race.
Skilled Heroes
More Skills:
You have a skill score equal to ½ level (round down) + attribute modifier + 5 (if “trained”) + 3 (if skill focus) for all skills, except those in which you have no proficiency (see below).
You are considered trained in a number of skills equal to your “Skill Points at Each Additional Level”. These must be chosen from your list of class skills, however skills gained from your Intelligence bonus need not be on your list of class skills.
If you multiclass, you may take the higher number of skill points from your classes, and may choose freely from between the two (or more) classes’ class skills list. If a skill is common to both class skills lists, then you use ½ character level, otherwise use ½ class level.
All other skills are “untrained,” except those denoted cross-class (“cc”) in CONAN: The Compendium, Solo and Duo Play; you have no proficiency at all with these skills.
For Example 1: a Barbarian 8 with Intelligence 13 (+1) is trained in 5 skills (4 + INT bonus). He selects Climb, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, and Move Silently as his trained skills, each with 4 + 5 (= 9) ranks. All other skills (except those marked ‘cc’, see below) are untrained, with 4 ranks each.
Soldier 2/Thief 6 with Intelligence 15 (+2), is trained in 10 skills (8 + INT bonus, as a Thief), which may be chosen from either the soldier or thief skill lists. If he takes training in Bluff (a class skill for Thief, but not available to Soldier class), he has 3 + 5 (= +8) ranks. If he is trained in Climb (a skill common to both classes), he has 4 + 5 (= 9) ranks. All untrained skills common to both classes are at 4 ranks, those skills on the Soldier list only are at 1 rank each, and those only on the Thief list are at 3 ranks each.
The Skill Training feat allows you to turn an untrained skill into a trained skill.
You may re-roll any skill checks for Background Skills, whether trained or not, taking the second result, whether it is better or not. The option to re-roll must be exercised before the results of the failed roll are revealed.
Remember, however, that you “may never achieve more than the most basic success with an untrained skill, however naturally able (you) might be… any result of 10 or above is treated as a result of 10.” (CONAN: the Roleplaying Game, p.83).
Replace minimum skill pre-requisites with “must be trained in (skill name).” Your effective skill ranks for the purposes of meeting skill prerequisites, is equal to one-half your class level +5 (since you are trained) +3 (if you also have skill focus with the skill in question).
For Example: As written, the spell Sorcerous Garden requires 10 ranks Knowledge (nature), 12 ranks Craft (herbalism), Summon Beast. Under this skill system, a Scholar trained in Knowledge and Craft skills automatically meets the skill prerequisites at 14th level. However, an eighth level scholar would qualify if he took Skill Focus: Craft (herbalism) and Skill Focus: Knowledge (nature) as well.
Fate of Heroes
All player characters and important NPCs get three Conviction points per session. These operate as follows:
Re-roll (take the better result; declared before the effects of the failed roll are revealed)
Recover (move one step up the condition track)
Second Wind (only once per encounter)
Any unspent Conviction is lost between sessions.
Fate points operate as detailed in CONAN: the Roleplaying Game 2E, pp.75-6: Left for Dead, Mighty Blow, Parry or Dodge, Resist Terror, Repentance, Destiny. These are in addition to Conviction, above.
Sinews, not Suits
The Maximum DEX bonus from armour on Table 6-4: Armour Table, p. 144, should read “Maximum DEX bonus, Base Dodge defence Bonus, and Reflex defence bonus.” (This is exclusive of other dodge or reflex bonuses, such as from Fighting Defensively, Lightning Reflexes, etc.) This will make armour an attractive proposition for you at low-level, but at higher levels, you must make a difficult choice whether or not to sacrifice mobility for protection.
(NB: a character is flat-footed at the start of combat, and does not gain the benefit of parry or dodge defence until his first action (p. 160), but he may thereafter change freely between them, provided this is done before his opponent’s attack roll.)
Not all of the listed armour types fit with this GM’s vision of the Hyborian Age: Heavy Armour is unavailable, as are Visored Helms.
Damage Reduction from armour is only considered once you are bloodied (one-half your maximum hit points or less), as befits the abstract nature of hit points.
The rules for carrying capacity, loads and movement (pp. 11-14) discourage the accumulation of equipment.
The High Living rule (p.130) is used. See also Commencing an Adventure (“As Games Master you are always at liberty to remove from (or add to) the characters’ equipment lists between adventures”) in the Campaigns chapter (p.332+).
More Mooks
PCs should be tougher than most human opponents. This is reflected by use of the 4E D&D Minions mechanic. Furthermore, an opponent who is bloodied (one-half maximum hit points or less) who is again hit is, usually, rendered incapable of further part in a battle, and is considered unconscious, or demoralised, and will take flight or surrender, as determined by the GM.
Note the Multiple Opponents rule, p.187, and the Aid Another rule, p.178, however.
Second Wind and Extended Rests
If you are reduced to one-half your maximum hit points or less, you can spend a Conviction point as a standard action to catch a “second wind” once per encounter. This action restores a number of hit points equal to your Healing Surge value (one-quarter of your full hit point total, round down, as described in 4E D&D).
Only heroic characters and important NPCs can catch a second wind.
After you rest for ten minutes while you are bloodied, you regain a number of hit points equal to your Healing Surge value. After an Extended Rest (as defined in 4E D&D) you recover all lost hit points, but not persistent conditions (see below) or ability score damage; these are restored between adventures, or as decided by the GM.
Damage Threshold Rules
To reflect a more gritty, yet cinematic feel to combat, the following is suggested:
Damage Threshold is equal to your Fortitude Score (10 plus Fortitude save bonus + Constitution bonus + Size modifier [+/- 5, 10, 20, 50] + Toughness feat bonus)
If you are hit for greater than or equal to your Fortitude score (after armour penetration and damage reduction is taken into account), you move down the Condition Track, as described in Star Wars Saga Edition rules, p.149
Whenever you move down the Condition Track, make a Constitution check, DC 10 + 2 per step down the Condition Track. If you fail, the condition is persistent. If you roll a ‘natural 1’, you fall unconscious and the condition is persistent. If you roll a ‘natural 20’ you ignore the condition entirely
At low levels, hit points and Damage Threshold are reversed: Damage Threshold is the lower figure, while your hit point total equals the higher figure
You may spend a point of Conviction to move one step up the condition track (unless the condition is persistent)
Persistent Conditions are removed between adventures. They prevent the use of Healing Surges after short and extended rests, but Second Wind may still be employed
The Massive Damage rule still applies, and is used in addition to the damage threshold rules, above. Massive damage threshold scales by size, as above. On a failed Fortitude save, the character is reduced to -1 to -10 hit points (random roll)
Most unimportant NPCs are treated as Non-heroic characters: they are automatically reduced to unconscious or dead if their Damage Threshold is equalled or exceeded, or if they are hit while bloodied (see above).
Against inanimate objects, constructs, undead, and the like, Damage Threshold does not apply, but Massive Damage does.
Any comments or suggestions are most welcome.
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