Feng Shui Style

[The Warlord]

So, the Feng Shui game has a combat mechanic to simulate Asian cinema films with large gangs of mooks dropping. Basically, if a PC rolls 5+ more than he needs to hit, the mook 'drops' (dies, knocked out, whatever, he's out of play). This only works on nameless thugs. Named characters have full stats and must be fought to the bitter end. Great way to cut though a slew of npcs with style.

I was curious if anyone has attempted something like this in Conan. It seems to be a good fit. Conan dispatches waves of guards, soldiers, etc with relative ease, and the climatic struggle is with the main adversary (usually in the form of some super natural creature).

Do ya'll think this would work in the Conan RPG? Should the PCs be able to slice through waves of Picts to battle the tribal strong man, or a Chakan? Or should each pict be a struggle between life and death?

(also, what's the pronunciation of 'Cimmeria'? )

 

[Mythos]

I have a stock of "mooks" that only exist to keep the action moving, since I don't want to get bogged down in prolonged combat till the main NPCs show up. As long as the players make their rolls I have the mooks dropping like flys. So far the players like the diversion slaughters because they know that the bosses will require real planning and team work to defeat.

I pronounce it "Ki-mear-ee-auh"

 

[The Warlord]

As long as the players make their rolls

What, exactly, do you mean by this?

Like I said in Feng Shui if you roll 5 or more than what is needed to hit, you take them out. However, if you roll the to hit number or only four over, you didn't hit them hard enough to remove them from play. It's quick, and takes A LOT of bookkeeping out.

Have you found that this style of play negatively affects any of the skills or feats of OGL Conan? What about the lethality of it? Are your PCs using up Fate points as much as they should?

Curious, 'cause I really like the FS style and hope to pull it off in my Conan game.

 

[Anonymous]

Since I'm not an active DM oder Player, no answer to feng shui from me, but to your spelling question:

Cimmeria comes from the ancient Greek language, where it was spelled Kimmeria; this would mean the first two letters sound like the first two in the English word "King".
But names from the Greek / Roman antiquity often sound in modern English differently. The Roman orator Cicero for example is not "Kikero" like the Romans said, but "Sisero" like in "cigar".
This not original pronunciation is in use even in the academical world of Classical Philology.
Hope I was helpful.

 

[Mythos]

As long as the players make their rolls

What, exactly, do you mean by this?

Sorry about that. I work up a rough average of the score needed to hit. This may be based on the conditions of landscape, dodge and parry levels of the NPCs, and how generous I feel toward the players. There are no absolute guidelines that I use. It all depends on how dramatic I can make the encounter while keeping the adventure moving. In alot of ways it's like making a straight unopposed skill check. If the players make, or exceed, the number that I set the mook goes down. If they exceed it by a 5 or more I throw in some good descriptive text about armour shearing, chain links popping, blood and body parts flying.

Dam it, spelled armor with a "u" again. :lol:

 

[The Warlord]

Since I'm not an active DM oder Player, no answer to feng shui from me, but to your spelling question:

Cimmeria comes from the ancient Greek language, where it was spelled Kimmeria; this would mean the first two letters sound like the first two in the English word "King".
But names from the Greek / Roman antiquity often sound in modern English differently. The Roman orator Cicero for example is not "Kikero" like the Romans said, but "Sisero" like in "cigar".
This not original pronunciation is in use even in the academical world of Classical Philology.
Hope I was helpful.

lol, so it's 'Simmeria' and no 'Kimmeria'?
Thanks!

 

[The Warlord]

Sorry about that. I work up a rough average of the score needed to hit. This may be based on the conditions of landscape, dodge and parry levels of the NPCs, and how generous I feel toward the players. There are no absolute guidelines that I use. It all depends on how dramatic I can make the encounter while keeping the adventure moving. In alot of ways it's like making a straight unopposed skill check. If the players make, or exceed, the number that I set the mook goes down. If they exceed it by a 5 or more I throw in some good descriptive text about armour shearing, chain links popping, blood and body parts flying.

So, you give the PCs a base number to roll over to see if they take the foe down. I take it you disregard any DR or AP checks as well. Obviously this only works for 'run-of-the-mill' humans.

 

[The King]

Celts also pronounced the "C" as "K". And I think it resulted in a lot of problems between such pronounciation as King, Thing, sea, rose.
There was no administrative grammary until late and most people couldn't even write so they just heard the words. Hence all the difficulties to write them down at the beginning.

 

[Anonymous]

lol, so it's 'Simmeria' and no 'Kimmeria'?
Thanks!

It's your choice. Since REH was an American, I think he said Simmeria rather than Kimmeria (as a German would say).

 

[bradius]

I've had complaints from some in my group who find killing mooks unsatisfying. Nameless, faceless hordes. Just numbers.

 

[Hyborian]

Cimmeria comes from the ancient Greek language.

Actually, it comes from the Hittite word "kimmeryi", a word they use for a "northern, misty land". This people first lived near the Black Sea in southern Russia and waged war against Mesopotamia and Sumer, amongst others. When the Scythians moved forward toward the russian plains, some of the Cimmerians moved westward toward Germany, becoming the Cimbres and slowly melting with the Celts. Some other Cimmerians move eastward, where they war against the Meds and even the Egyptians. Then they are pushed by the Assyrians toward Asia Minor and invade Phrygia, Anatolia and some greek city-state, but their culture is finally swallowed by the Scythians.

 

[René]

Actually, it comes from the Hittite word "kimmeryi", a word they use for a "northern, misty land".

That's interesting. What is the Hittite source and from which period? My encyclopedia mentions Homer Odyssey 11, 11 as first mention of the tribe / nation.
Can you tell me an English (or German) book on this subject because I'd like to take a look at my college.
Did the Hittites use the word for a nation / tribe or just for a more or less defined region?

the guy formerly known as Guest from Germany

 

[Hyborian]

I'm afraid I cannot give you any english or german references (my books are in french), but those websites might help :

http://www.geocities.com/amuse_amenace/cimmerian.htm

http://www.ancientanatolia.com/historical/chronology.htm

http://www.ancientroute.com/cities/Hattusas.htm

A search for "Cimmerian" on Google might help, too.

 

[Sutek]

So, the Feng Shui game has a combat mechanic to simulate Asian cinema films with large gangs of mooks dropping. Basically, if a PC rolls 5+ more than he needs to hit, the mook 'drops' (dies, knocked out, whatever, he's out of play). This only works on nameless thugs. Named characters have full stats and must be fought to the bitter end. Great way to cut though a slew of npcs with style.

I was curious if anyone has attempted something like this in Conan. It seems to be a good fit. Conan dispatches waves of guards, soldiers, etc with relative ease, and the climatic struggle is with the main adversary (usually in the form of some super natural creature).

Do ya'll think this would work in the Conan RPG? Should the PCs be able to slice through waves of Picts to battle the tribal strong man, or a Chakan? Or should each pict be a struggle between life and death?

First off, I'm not gonna touch the Cimmeria thing. Do what ya wanna.

I can say that the mook slaying is pretty easily done in Conan by simply not giving the punks any sort of armor to speak of. 20pts of damage and they're toast due to the Massive Damage rule. With Great Cleave, a character of around 3rd level can drop all adjacent level 1 mooks (that 9 for those playing at home) pretty easily.

 

[Strom]

Sutek
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:53 am    Post subject: Re: Feng Shui Style
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I can say that the mook slaying is pretty easily done in Conan by simply not giving the punks any sort of armor to speak of. 20pts of damage and they're toast due to the Massive Damage rule. With Great Cleave, a character of around 3rd level can drop all adjacent level 1 mooks (that 9 for those playing at home) pretty easily.

I agree. In my last adventure I sent unarmored 1st level cultists against the PC's and the result was (for the most part) like a Conan tale - dead cultists cut down left and right. However, it does go both ways as one PC was wounded almost to death! This changed the course of the adventure and added to the fun. That's why I like this game, as 'levels' don't always pre-determine the outcome. I'm finding this makes the GM's job easier in my opinion. 8)