Conan RPG Point Buy Stat Generation in 1st edition

[Stef]

I know that 2nd edition offers a Point buy method for generating Abilites during character creation.

I was wondering if there was 1st edition supplement/article that mentioned a similar rule?

 

[slaughterj]

I don't recall ever seeing or hearing of one, so I used my own.

 

[Bjorn the Barbarian]

Stef,

No, the 1st Edition of Conan has only the Standard roll 4 and keep 3 for abilities, or the Heroic start each ability at 8 and roll a bonus of 1d10.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[librarycharlie]

Custom rules for this are pretty easy to generate.

We use 4d6 dropping the lowest, rerolling all 1s and rerolling 2s once (if it comes up 2 again, you're stuck with it). Very big numbers.

Alternately, you can drop 4d6 dropping the lowest, AND roll a d20, and take the higher of the two values. Also fun.


Or just say, you get 68 points to put in over the 6 traits. Nothing above 20, nothing below 8.

 

[Stubacca]

I just used the methode that is described in the the D&D Dungeon Master's guide. I haven't seen this from an official Conan source though.

 

[slaughterj]

Or just say, you get 68 points to put in over the 6 traits. Nothing above 20, nothing below 8.

That would be pretty poor for "heroes", just an 11.33 per stat on average. In comparison, the heroic method from Conan 1e was an 8 in each score plus 1d10, for a 13.5 per stat average. In my "home" version, I based the points on the heroic method, and said a base 8 in each score, plus 33 points to put in each attribute (18 max, though a racial modifier could put you to 20), then adjust with racial modifiers. The 33 points were based on the average for the 6d10 you would roll otherwise.

 

[librarycharlie]

Yes, but the beautiful thing about a system is that the GM can arbitrarily pick the number. 50, 100 points, whatever.

All of these, except the DMG, are homebrew anyhow.

 

[slaughterj]

Yes, but the beautiful thing about a system is that the GM can arbitrarily pick the number. 50, 100 points, whatever.

All of these, except the DMG, are homebrew anyhow.

Sure, you can pick whatever number you want, but if you pick too low, the characters will be relatively weaker than expected.

And the DMG isn't applicable to Conan, as Conan includes its own stat generation systems, so the DMG's as much "homebrew" as anything else with regard to Conan.

 

[Stubacca]

Yes, but the beautiful thing about a system is that the GM can arbitrarily pick the number. 50, 100 points, whatever.

All of these, except the DMG, are homebrew anyhow.

Sure, you can pick whatever number you want, but if you pick too low, the characters will be relatively weaker than expected.

And the DMG isn't applicable to Conan, as Conan includes its own stat generation systems, so the DMG's as much "homebrew" as anything else with regard to Conan.

D&D uses the same way to generate the original stat scores (4W6, use the best dice) as Conan, so the system in the DMG guide is pretty balanced for Conan as well, if you ask me. I'm very curious about the stat point buy system in Conan 2nd edition.

 

[Axerules]

D&D uses the same way to generate the original stat scores (4W6, use the best dice) as Conan, so the system in the DMG guide is pretty balanced for Conan as well, if you ask me. I'm very curious about the stat point buy system in Conan 2nd edition.

Conan uses the same way to generate stats as D&D for Standard Abilities. But a lot of players and GM's use the Heroic ones ( 1D10+8 ).
The stats point buy system in Conan 2nd ED is also slightly different than in D&D for the costs. All abilities start at 8. You buy abilities up to 14 on a one for one basis and two points for one ability increase above 14.

 

[Stubacca]

Conan uses the same way to generate stats as D&D for Standard Abilities. But a lot of players and GM's use the Heroic ones ( 1D10+8 ).
The stats point buy system in Conan 2nd ED is also slightly different than in D&D for the costs. All abilities start at 8. You buy abilities up to 14 on a one for one basis and two points for one ability increase above 14.

You're right. I didn't consider the heroic creation system, since I don't use it in my game (well I do for some NPCs, but I roll the stats for them). Who wants their players to be heroes instead of low-lifes that hold on to their dear live when they are going out adventuring anyway? :twisted:

I believe there are one or two more stages in the Dungeon Master's guide that give out more points to your player characters. I suppose you could use them if you want your player characters to be stronger.

I guess I'll be dissapointed with the point-buy-system in Conan 2nd Edition then. I prefer the cost for stats scaling with higher values like in D&D DMG. It is a lot more fair that way, if you ask me.

 

[Trodax]

I guess I'll be dissapointed with the point-buy-system in Conan 2nd Edition then. I prefer the cost for stats scaling with higher values like in D&D DMG. It is a lot more fair that way, if you ask me.

I kind of like scaling as well, but I think it's important to find a balance. Without any scaling you might get characters that tend to the extreme (18, 18, 18, 8, 8, 8 ). But, on the other hand, if the scaling is too steep, the generalist might be a little bit too tasty (14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14).
For me, the scaling in the DMG is a little bit too steep as you are punished quite severly for making a character with any ability above 16. The point-buy in 2nd edition sounds just about right for me (although I think I'll probably keep rolling 1d10+8 as I've been doing in the past).

Who wants their players to be heroes instead of low-lifes that hold on to their dear live when they are going out adventuring anyway? :twisted:

Remember, it's a quite possible to be a low-life even with Str 18, Con 18 and Dex 18 (using the low-life definition of "would sell his mother and betray his friends for a bottle of wine"). Believe me, I have seen it.

More seriously, I do definitely like my characters in Conan to be better than the norm (I play WFRP for the peg-leg and lung-infection experience :wink: ).

 

[Clovenhoof]

I've also adopted the DMG point-buy method, granting my players a pretty generous amount, 39 iirc.
The ability cost is calculated just as in DMG, i.e. 1 extra buy point for every 2 score points beyond 13. Ah, you know what I mean.

 

[Axerules]

I've also adopted the DMG point-buy method, granting my players a pretty generous amount, 39 iirc.
The ability cost is calculated just as in DMG, i.e. 1 extra buy point for every 2 score points beyond 13. Ah, you know what I mean.

In Conan 2nd ED it is 28 points for standard abilities and 32 for heroic abilities, but it is a one for one basis for abilities under or equal 14. Only scores above 14 cost 2 points for one increase.

BTW, my players just made new characters this week-end.
They rolled ONCE 1d10+8. If they were not satisfied with the result, they could use the point-buy system (with 32 points).

 

[Prof.Dogg]

I really like random attributes for this style of game. It really gives you some grit when you roll low and have to accept a handicap. I compensate for those unlucky rollers however.

I do d10+8 x3 and 4d6 (minus lowest roll) x3. Assign as you will but no re-rolls allowed (so there's a good chance to have a couple of reasonable scores but still a chance to get stuck with a handicap).

Then I also allow traits and flaws selction from Unearthed Arcana. That gives a decent depth to any character if they select even one option.

I figure some poor sap may get stuck with a gimp but fate always seems to hand that to a decent role-player who can pull it off. Besides, having a real character flaw (like being mentally challenged or having chronic asthma) really builds character. And since there's a decent mortality rate in this game system, it's not like you have to play him long anyhow...

 

[slaughterj]

And since there's a decent mortality rate in this game system, it's not like you have to play him long anyhow...

My PCs have tended to manage their Fate Points to avoid death, though they have been taken out from time to time (awaking captured, etc.).