Hyborian Adventures for RuneQuest?

[AKAmra]

Hello and good gaming to my fellow Conan fans, I'm a long time lurker of these forums and have been collecting Conan RPG books that seemed heavier on game world information rather than OGL rules.

I'm posting this here rather than the RuneQuest forum because is seems Vincent Darlage lurks here more often.

I've read rumors recently that Vincent is writing a RuneQuest book to convert and use the d20 Conan RPG over to RuneQuest rules. Based on these rumors I've ramped up my Conan RPG purchases. I'm looking for any information on when this book is scheduled to appear. No disrespect to d20 gamers (I proudly started with basic D&D myself) but I've long since moved to BRP as my system of choice, and I'm thrilled at a RQ version of Conan.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Hervé]

Rumors are going wild about it. There's a very long topic on this forum about a Conan RPG using the RQ system.

Like you, the BRP remains one of my favorite game system and after a few tries with OGL, I moved to the BRP for my Conan Campaign. There's a french Conan BRP to be found at www.basicrps.com.

I personally use a revamped version of the ELric/Stormbringer 5th ed. system. I kept some stuff from the OGL version (fate points, STR bonus, weapons tables, Corruption), made some changes to the BRP system:

Character and major villain HPs are doubled, allowing a more combat oriented gameplay that fit more in the Hyborian world. Goons-minor NPCs- have only CON HPs to reflect the heroic nature of the PCs.

I dropped all of the Social Skills, replacing them with a Stat vs. Stat struggle on the Resistance Table.
Same for Terror checks. Monsters have a Terror Factor checked against the PC POW on the Resitance Table. The Cthulhu Sanity system seemed to me unapropriate for the Hyborian World.

I kept a few Feats to make the PCs stand above the lot:
Kithan Scholar: Knowledge is Power
Cimmerian Barbarian: Crimson Mist
Zamoran Thief: Sneak Attack
Black Kingdoms Pirate: Ferocity
Hyrkanian Nomad: Rapid Shot
Aquilonian Soldier: Whirlwind Attack

Weapons break more often in my game world. I don't want my PCs to get too much dependent of their equipment and I want combat to be savage and deadly to reflect the nature of REH stories ( and I'm really bored with the "this my father's sword" stuff ).

I tried to limit the skill list to a minimum, keeping the most used ones and replacing the rest with Stat Checks.
Weapon Skills are splitted into broad categories (Hand to Hand, Light Weapons, 1Hd Weapons, 2Hd Weapons, Long Weapons, Bows, Thrown Weapons and Shields).

For Sorcery, I'm currently using a homebrew version of the Conan rules.

You'll find below my conversion notes. These are still playtested and may go through major changes before I'm satisfied with them (wich is not the case yet). I think the main problem with the BRP is that Stats and Skills are generally too much unrelated if you don't use the RQ skill bonus system (that I find a bit clumsy).

CONAN D100

HP : CON+SIZ for PCs & Major NPCs, CON for Goons.
Major Wound: CON dmg in one round (1/2 CON for Goons).
CON*3 to stay conscious. Instant death in case of Fumble.
Bonus Dmg : OGL.
Armor : Dice Roll.
Fate: 3 pts for PCs, 1 for Major NPCs.


Terror: Terror Factor vs. POW
Social Challenge : Stat. Vs. Stat.
Init.: DEX + D10 + WP Mod.

Weapons Table : OGL

Criticals:
10% (RD) of Basic Chance
(Wp Dmg*2)+Str Bonus
Breaks Opposing Wp/Shield
Critical Parries allow a free counterattack (wich may be defended normally).

Weapons Init./Resistance
Light Wps +1 / 6
1Hd Wps 0 / 10
2Hd Wps -1 / 15
Long Weapons +1 / 10
Small Shield 0 / 15
Medium Shield -1 / 20
Large Shield -2 / 25

Dmg From Parries:
Dmg above Wp Resistance is taken by Defender. Parrying Wp/Shield lose x Res.

Multiple Defensive Actions:
Each additional Dodge/Parry beyond the first gets –30%.

Multiple Attacks:
Attacker may split Basic % between different attacks.

And if you find my english strange, surely it must be because I'm french.

 

[Hervé]

Rumors are going wild about it. There's a very long topic on this forum about a Conan RPG using the RQ system.

Like you, the BRP remains one of my favorite game system and after a few tries with OGL, I moved to the BRP for my Conan Campaign. There's a french Conan BRP to be found at www.basicrps.com.

I personally use a revamped version of the ELric/Stormbringer 5th ed. system. I kept some stuff from the OGL version (fate points, STR bonus, weapons tables, Corruption), made some changes to the BRP system:

Character and major villain HPs are doubled, allowing a more combat oriented gameplay that fit more in the Hyborian world. Goons-minor NPCs- have only CON HPs to reflect the heroic nature of the PCs.

I dropped all of the Social Skills, replacing them with a Stat vs. Stat struggle on the Resistance Table.
Same for Terror checks. Monsters have a Terror Factor checked against the PC POW on the Resitance Table. The Cthulhu Sanity system seemed to me unapropriate for the Hyborian World.

I kept a few Feats to make the PCs stand above the lot:
Kithan Scholar: Knowledge is Power
Cimmerian Barbarian: Crimson Mist
Zamoran Thief: Sneak Attack
Black Kingdoms Pirate: Ferocity
Hyrkanian Nomad: Rapid Shot
Aquilonian Soldier: Whirlwind Attack

Weapons break more often in my game world. I don't want my PCs to get too much dependent of their equipment and I want combat to be savage and deadly to reflect the nature of REH stories ( and I'm really bored with the "this my father's sword" stuff ).

I tried to limit the skill list to a minimum, keeping the most used ones and replacing the rest with Stat Checks.
Weapon Skills are splitted into broad categories (Hand to Hand, Light Weapons, 1Hd Weapons, 2Hd Weapons, Long Weapons, Bows, Thrown Weapons and Shields).

For Sorcery, I'm currently using a homebrew version of the Conan rules.

You'll find below my conversion notes. These are still playtested and may go through major changes before I'm satisfied with them (wich is not the case yet). I think the main problem with the BRP is that Stats and Skills are generally too much unrelated if you don't use the RQ skill bonus system (that I find a bit clumsy).

CONAN D100

HP : CON+SIZ for PCs & Major NPCs, CON for Goons.
Major Wound: CON dmg in one round (1/2 CON for Goons).
CON*3 to stay conscious. Instant death in case of Fumble.
Bonus Dmg : OGL.
Armor : Dice Roll.
Fate: 3 pts for PCs, 1 for Major NPCs.


Terror: Terror Factor vs. POW
Social Challenge : Stat. Vs. Stat.
Init.: DEX + D10 + WP Mod.

Weapons Table : OGL

Criticals:
10% (RD) of Basic Chance
(Wp Dmg*2)+Str Bonus
Breaks Opposing Wp/Shield
Critical Parries allow a free counterattack (wich may be defended normally).

Weapons Init./Resistance
Light Wps +1 / 6
1Hd Wps 0 / 10
2Hd Wps -1 / 15
Long Weapons +1 / 10
Small Shield 0 / 15
Medium Shield -1 / 20
Large Shield -2 / 25

Dmg From Parries:
Dmg above Wp Resistance is taken by Defender. Parrying Wp/Shield lose x Res.

Multiple Defensive Actions:
Each additional Dodge/Parry beyond the first gets –30%.

Multiple Attacks:
Attacker may split Basic % between different attacks.

And if you find my english strange, surely it must be because I'm french.

 

[Hervé]

Hey my post is appearing twice! Surely I must have made some mistake. I trust the moderator will coorect this in no time.

 

[VincentDarlage]

I've read rumors recently that Vincent is writing a RuneQuest book to convert and use the d20 Conan RPG over to RuneQuest rules. Based on these rumors I've ramped up my Conan RPG purchases. I'm looking for any information on when this book is scheduled to appear. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, I am writing a RuneQuest version of Conan (no, it does not mean the OGL version is dead; it is a supplement to RQ, not a replacement for OGL, so far as I have been told).

Unfortunately, I don't know when the book will be published. I would imagine early 2007 (as in the first half), but your guess is as good as mine, really.

 

[Hervé]

Vincent wrote:

Yes, I am writing a RuneQuest version of Conan (no, it does not mean the OGL version is dead; it is a supplement to RQ, not a replacement for OGL, so far as I have been told).

That's really good news. Knowing your quality standards, the book is going to be great for sure. But tell me the truth, how can you manage to produce so much? You aren't really human, are you?
It has been told many times I know, but the Conan line wouldn't have been the same without you. I hope the people at Mongoose know it.
Thanks for all Vincent.

 

[mthomason]

But tell me the truth, how can you manage to produce so much? You aren't really human, are you?

I heard he has eight arms and four heads, so he can sit in the middle of a four-sided table and type on four PCs at once...

Either that or Matthew Sprange finally managed to get the Mongoose Spartii cylinder working.

 

[AKAmra]

Daubet Herve:
Thanks for the house rules, they look very close to what I was thinking of doing, except I haven't worked in any of the Conan RPG rules because I didn't buy the RPG, I thought it would be too d20 rules heavy to be useful to me in a BRP game. I've been buying everything else except the class books.

Vincent:
Thanks for the reply and good news. A RQ version of the Conan RPG main book, maybe with conversion notes to help with the other OGL books, is what I was hoping for.

 

[Hervé]

Constantine st. Amour wrote:

Thanks for the house rules, they look very close to what I was thinking of doing, except I haven't worked in any of the Conan RPG rules because I didn't buy the RPG, I thought it would be too d20 rules heavy to be useful to me in a BRP game. I've been buying everything else except the class books.

The main book is really a worthwhile addition to any GM wishing to play in the Hyborian world. Even if don't use D20 anymore, it remains one of the book I use the most. If you're no rule addict, you might find the 1st Edition for a reasonable price. Atlantean changes won't be of great use for what you seek.
I agree that the 3 class books aren't also of any use for one using D20.

 

[slaughterj]

I've read rumors recently that Vincent is writing a RuneQuest book to convert and use the d20 Conan RPG over to RuneQuest rules. Based on these rumors I've ramped up my Conan RPG purchases. I'm looking for any information on when this book is scheduled to appear. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, I am writing a RuneQuest version of Conan (no, it does not mean the OGL version is dead; it is a supplement to RQ, not a replacement for OGL, so far as I have been told).

Unfortunately, I don't know when the book will be published. I would imagine early 2007 (as in the first half), but your guess is as good as mine, really.

Wow, that's big news!

 

[MGBM]

Yes, I am writing a RuneQuest version of Conan (no, it does not mean the OGL version is dead; it is a supplement to RQ, not a replacement for OGL, so far as I have been told).

Unfortunately, I don't know when the book will be published. I would imagine early 2007 (as in the first half), but your guess is as good as mine, really.

Although I'm happy with the Conan RPG as it is, I'll still buy this if it will have rules for converting from one system to another.

 

[AKAmra]

Constantine st. Amour wrote:

Thanks for the house rules, they look very close to what I was thinking of doing, except I haven't worked in any of the Conan RPG rules because I didn't buy the RPG, I thought it would be too d20 rules heavy to be useful to me in a BRP game. I've been buying everything else except the class books.

The main book is really a worthwhile addition to any GM wishing to play in the Hyborian world. Even if don't use D20 anymore, it remains one of the book I use the most. If you're no rule addict, you might find the 1st Edition for a reasonable price. Atlantean changes won't be of great use for what you seek.
I agree that the 3 class books aren't also of any use for one using D20.

I'll snag a 1st ed. copy of the rules if I can find one at a good price, otherwise I'll just wait impatiently for the RQ version. I've got other source material and GURPS Conan to use till then. I am interested in seeing the OGL Fate Points and Corruption rules you've mentioned. I agree with you that CoC Sanity points aren't the best choice for Conan, but magic should be dangerous to use.

 

[NeoDog]

Yes, I am writing a RuneQuest version of Conan (no, it does not mean the OGL version is dead; it is a supplement to RQ, not a replacement for OGL, so far as I have been told).

Any updates on this? I'm very interested!

 

[AKAmra]

Sadly, from what I gather RQ Conan is dead or stalled due to licensing issues. Seems MG can't put out two versions of Conan. Someone more in the know can correct me if I'm wrong.

I hope something can be done in the future, it drives me nuts that Vincent has at least a partial manuscript for this that might never see the light of day. I was especially interested in a BRP version of Conan magic, which is something Vincent posted he was working on.

 

[Se Chris]

I can confirm with total certainty that the new version of Conan is OGL and not RuneQuest. There won't be a RuneQuest Conan for the forseeable future.

What this means is that if Vincent wants to make his work on RQ Conan available then it needs to be a one-to-one arrangement between you and him. Mongoose cannot endorse or support it and it mustn't appear on these forums.

To be honest it's something of a murky area between homebrew (fine) and official (not fine) material, and since I like having the Conan license I'm inclined to give it a wide berth.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Before I get deluged with a lot of emailed requests - I have no intention of releasing my RQ Conan work to anyone other than Mongoose. I am hoping for the unforseen future where it might be something they want.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

I can confirm with total certainty that the new version of Conan is OGL and not RuneQuest.

Hurrah!



*whew!!!*
(sigh of relief)

 

[Hervé]

Too bad.
I guess I'll have to stick to silly tables, lousy feats and ridiculous prestige classes...

 

[NeoDog]

That's disappointing. Unfortunately for Mongoose, it means I won't be buying anything from their RQ line or Conan line.

 

[AKAmra]

I'm very disappointed in this turn of events as well. I'll continue to buy Conan books that are more background/fluff to use in my BRP games (so far just 2nd ed. RoK), but a professional BRP Conan book would have been great.