Conan questions for a potential player

[DigitalMage]

My mate purchased Conan 2nd Ed at UK Games Expo this weekend and despite having too many games we want to play already he might try to run this for our weekly group.

I have to say that I am not familiar with Conan (I haven't read any books, just seen the two Arnie films) but I think it probably matches my idea of fantasy a bit better than D&D (magic is much low key and magic items should be rare and fantastical). I also like the wandering barbarian theme.

Whenever I play a game I like to be familiar with both rules and setting so I don't have to worry about learning a system or being spoon fed a setting - instead I can concentrate on roleplaying and be able to create character with a background that fits the campaign.

Now with Conan - I really can't be arsed reading yet another implementation of the d20 system and so am unlikely to buy the core book. However as a player of D&D 3.5, M&M and Star Wars d20 RCR I think I can probably understand the rules enough to not worry.

However are there any good sources of information (in a nice concise format) for the Conan setting as used in the RPG? Any primers on the world of Conan?

Also, I originally bought RuneQuest and Slaine to do the Conan sort of thing (and still haven't had a chance to run it) so what makes Conan do it better than RuneQuest?

Finally, is there or will there be a pocket version of Conan 2nd ed? I believe the current one is for 1st ed, correct?

Sorry for the mish mash of questions.

 

[Hervé]

However are there any good sources of information (in a nice concise format) for the Conan setting as used in the RPG? Any primers on the world of Conan?

Check The Hyborian Age at http://hyboria.xoth.net/index.htm.
Its creator, Thulsa can often be found lurking on these forums. It's the best Conan gaming site, at least for me.

You can also find a wealth of info on Dale Rippke site, Dark Storm Legends at:
http://www.dodgenet.com/~moonblossom/hyborian.htm

Also, I originally bought RuneQuest and Slaine to do the Conan sort of thing (and still haven't had a chance to run it) so what makes Conan do it better than RuneQuest?

For me almost every game system is better than D20, but you'll find manypeople on this forum who think otherwise. But as you're seem familiar with D&D you won't have any problems with the rules despite some minor changes in the system (and in the mood of the game). For instance, armor doesn't modify you AC but absorbs damage, there's no healer class, very few magic items, magic is handled in a very different way and so on... I find the RQ system much better, but that's only a point of view.

Finally, is there or will there be a pocket version of Conan 2nd ed? I believe the current one is for 1st ed, correct?

the pocket ed is indeed the first edition. As far as I know, there no pocket 2nd ed planned. Eventhough the hardback book will cost you a bit more, it 's far more valuable than the pocket ed, wich lacks much of the background information. If you want to stick to the Pocket Ed, know that the changes between the two editions are only minor (different Defensive Blasts for each Sorcery Style, new rules for poison and some rules added from the SRD...)

Anyways, the best source you could ever find is reading the novels (from Robert Howard rather than any pastiche author, of course).

 

[DigitalMage]

Thanks for the responses, I will check those sites out. Re the pocket version, I unfortunately feel compelled to read books cover to cover and I was trying to cut down on my task, however if it is mostly system I will probably give it a miss. Ta!

 

[Clovenhoof]

I'm sure you'll be just happy with the Pocket Version, I still use mine. ^^

 

[Yogah of Yag]

Greetings!

My very first 'Goose publ. purchase a coupla years ago was the PB 1st edition rulebook and was seriously put off by the grievously bad editing, repeated text, missing text, etc. It's okay-ish if you want a sampling, but the full HC Atlantean rulebook is recommended for the Hyborian Age essay and Bestiary and small Gazetteer, IIRC. Well worth the investment, IMHO.

Of late, I've been leaning more towards a simpler form of RPG gaming than the cumbersome d20 system (a nostalgic return to First Edition B/AD&D, frex), but the books are good if only for the flavour text. The mechanics can be altered to suit your taste.

From the listings on frpgames.com it looks like some goodies are coming in '08, and honestly I may buy some of them, although they are 2E.

 

[DigitalMage]

Well my mate seems to have ordered a load of Conan stuff now, despite not having run it yet!

As a player I am thinking of buying the hardcopy 2nd ed book as a reference (if I don't buy the PDF I won't feel obliged to read it all as I can sell it later).

In terms of setting I did think about getting one of these so that I could maybe run a Savage Worlds Conan game, is there a book that is most useful? Return to the Road of Kings? Is that mostly fluff?

 

[DigitalMage]

Does anyone own this book?? Is it more a guide to Conan's life or is it also a guide to the world of Hyperborea? How would it do in providing setting details for a game?