Help with Conan d20

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am totally new to the d20 system (as some of you may have noticed on JD & Slaine boards). I have been reading d20 system books for some time (I own PHB, DMB, JD, Slaine, SW and now Conan) and I have played the original D&D and 1st edition AD&D for some time years ago.

I suppose I can run Conan quite easily as a setting, I even have a storyline thought out but I am a bit worried about handling the NPCs through the campaign. Fortunately there are not many spell users in Conan so I don't have to keep track of their spells but I am conserned about the amount of feats etc. that I have to keep track of especially when PCs encounter progressively more powerful NPCs.

So this question is actually more about running games using d20 system than actually Conan but as you seem very competent to answer it I ask you.

Thanks in advance,

SnowDog

 

[Arkobla Conn]

NPC's in any d20 gam are either gimped, or one of your favorite villians who will be decked out.

I say they are gimped not because they don't have the feats, but many GM's don't let the NPC's really use them much. In most cases, they are cannon fodder. They might have a certain set of feats - feats that can be factored into their scores for example - rather than having those you have to remember in certain situations.

On the other hand, your villians will be decked out, and you'll do the natural thing of using his feats to the max. This naturally lets your players know who their arch enemy is, and they'll only moan a little if he manages to get away for another day.

As you play, you'll find that there are certain feats that are taken alot (Power Attack, Improved Initiative, Cleave, Point Blank Shot) and others that are not taken at all. You'll become more familiar with these and look up the others when you need to.

As an aside, someone here on the boards develeped modules for Conan which comes with each NPC on it's own index card sized paper. (I'm mounting them on index cards). I don't remember his name at the moment - but they are excellent. Try looking for adventures and see how the NPC's were developed.

Hope this helps...

 

[DrSkull]

NPC's in any d20 gam are either gimped, or one of your favorite villians who will be decked out.

I
As an aside, someone here on the boards develeped modules for Conan which comes with each NPC on it's own index card sized paper. (I'm mounting them on index cards). I don't remember his name at the moment - but they are excellent. Try looking for adventures and see how the NPC's were developed.

Hope this helps...

That would be me. Go to the site in my "signature", follow the "modules" link and you'll see several downloads, each is a Conan adventure, with the aforementions NPC cards. I'm absolutely hooked on stating out my NPC's on 4x6 cards, and then keeping them in a handy file box, for reuse at any moment.

 

[Arkobla Conn]

Yep - go there - The NPC's and the adventures are grade A

Thanks Dr. skull

 

[Anonymous]

Skull: Great idea. Great site.

 

[SnowDog]

Thanks for the help! I'll go and see the site.

Thanks again,

SnowDog