Hyboria's Fiercest??
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RabidAntiShemite
Mongoose
I picked mine up yesterday.
So far it looks really good.
So far it looks really good.
red_herring
Mongoose
I posted this yesterday. I'm eagerly awaiting delivery from FRPgames.com.
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:57 pm Post subject: Hyborea's Fiercest Details
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Got this from gamingreport.com... can't wait til it comes to my local game store.
-RH
RPG News: Conan: Hyboria's Fiercest
Posted 2005-04-24 22:29:55 by damonwhite
Damon White Reports: The latest supplement for the Conan RPG hits your local games stores and book shops this week. Up to now, Games Masters have been spoilt for choice in the Hyborian Kingdoms with city box sets and tomes covering areas of Conan's world. Now players have their turn as we release the first book covering their characters.
Hyboria's Fiercest concentrates on the toughest characters available in the game - Barbarians, Borderers and Nomads. The first chapters, the Fierce of the Land, goes through each of the Hyborian Kingdoms to look at the various roles these character classes perform in each land (culture being very important to characters in Conan). There are new weapons such as the Gunderland Pike, for example, and variants for classes such as the Borderers of Argos, who tend to be woodsmen and have the skill set to match.
Secrets of the Fierce gives players new 'tricks' for players to use. Pushing an Ability allows characters to try truly heroic feats - far beyond the human norm, as Conan was apt to do from time to time. There are new rules for survival in the wilderness, advanced tracking and new ways to use skills that are particularly fitting for these classes.
Abroad in Hyboria gives players the chance to master perilous terrain, using it against their enemies and avoiding the most dangerous hazards. Rules are given for everything from avalanches in the moutains to sandstorms in the desert. This leads in to Fierce Feats which present a range of new abilities for these classes - including the Brutal Charge, Out of Thin Air and Wounded Fury.
Joining the Fray explores specialised combat manoeuvres, ensuring that combat will never be a straight set of to hit and damage rolls. There are now specific manoeuvres for Archery, Melee and Mounted combat - so characters can now try a Warning Shot, Punishing Strike and Straddling Two Horses. Just what you need for a lively combat round! If you are still looking for a bit more depth in combat, there are now alternate Borderer combat styles from the Bossonian Sniper style to the Zingaran Whip. By the time you have finished with this book, no two characters of the same class and race will be even remotely the same.
The last section of the book comprises multiclassing options for these three classes, providing new character types without the need to resort to prestige classes (which are always a bit special in the Conan RPG). For example, you can now choose, at first level, to be a Savage Scout by multiclassing as a Barbarian/Borderer and taking on the variant rules listed for this combination. An Outrider is a Nomad/Borderer, for eample, while a Mystic is a Nomad/Scholar
Hyboria's Fiercest is priced at $24.95 and will be appearing in your local stores this week.
Matthew Sprange
Mongoose Publishing
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:57 pm Post subject: Hyborea's Fiercest Details
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Got this from gamingreport.com... can't wait til it comes to my local game store.
-RH
RPG News: Conan: Hyboria's Fiercest
Posted 2005-04-24 22:29:55 by damonwhite
Damon White Reports: The latest supplement for the Conan RPG hits your local games stores and book shops this week. Up to now, Games Masters have been spoilt for choice in the Hyborian Kingdoms with city box sets and tomes covering areas of Conan's world. Now players have their turn as we release the first book covering their characters.
Hyboria's Fiercest concentrates on the toughest characters available in the game - Barbarians, Borderers and Nomads. The first chapters, the Fierce of the Land, goes through each of the Hyborian Kingdoms to look at the various roles these character classes perform in each land (culture being very important to characters in Conan). There are new weapons such as the Gunderland Pike, for example, and variants for classes such as the Borderers of Argos, who tend to be woodsmen and have the skill set to match.
Secrets of the Fierce gives players new 'tricks' for players to use. Pushing an Ability allows characters to try truly heroic feats - far beyond the human norm, as Conan was apt to do from time to time. There are new rules for survival in the wilderness, advanced tracking and new ways to use skills that are particularly fitting for these classes.
Abroad in Hyboria gives players the chance to master perilous terrain, using it against their enemies and avoiding the most dangerous hazards. Rules are given for everything from avalanches in the moutains to sandstorms in the desert. This leads in to Fierce Feats which present a range of new abilities for these classes - including the Brutal Charge, Out of Thin Air and Wounded Fury.
Joining the Fray explores specialised combat manoeuvres, ensuring that combat will never be a straight set of to hit and damage rolls. There are now specific manoeuvres for Archery, Melee and Mounted combat - so characters can now try a Warning Shot, Punishing Strike and Straddling Two Horses. Just what you need for a lively combat round! If you are still looking for a bit more depth in combat, there are now alternate Borderer combat styles from the Bossonian Sniper style to the Zingaran Whip. By the time you have finished with this book, no two characters of the same class and race will be even remotely the same.
The last section of the book comprises multiclassing options for these three classes, providing new character types without the need to resort to prestige classes (which are always a bit special in the Conan RPG). For example, you can now choose, at first level, to be a Savage Scout by multiclassing as a Barbarian/Borderer and taking on the variant rules listed for this combination. An Outrider is a Nomad/Borderer, for eample, while a Mystic is a Nomad/Scholar
Hyboria's Fiercest is priced at $24.95 and will be appearing in your local stores this week.
Matthew Sprange
Mongoose Publishing
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com
Odovacar's Ghost
Mongoose
I guess this will be my next purchase. Sounds very good!
VincentDarlage
Mongoose
I am not entirely sure how to answer that. There are several ways the question can be interpreted. Also, a lot of the information is intertwined. It is a book for players, with guidelines on how a Tauran borderer is different than a Turanian borderer, for example. How is a Cimmerian barbarian different than a Nordheimir barbarian? Although I wrote Across the Thunder River and Aquilonia- Flower of the West as much as a player guide as a GM guide, it seems there is a perception that these are GM-only books. If a player wants to play a Pict, I would love for him to read Across the Thunder River. However, this book (Hyboria's Fiercest) should also help, although it does not (and could not) go into the detail possible in the other.
A lot of it is culturally driven. How much? I don't know. I tried to keep all of that in mind when I wrote it all. Some character concepts, while cool ideas, do not fit in with the Hyborian Age, so I tried to leave stuff like that out.
I wrote only a small handful of feats and I did not write any prestige classes (that is not to say there isn't any in the book - there may be contributing authors that I am unaware of, which is fine. I haven't seen the finished product yet). I am actually more in favour of combat manoeuvres than in feats, so there are just as many or more of those than feats. I put in borderer combat styles for just about every culture to make borderers more culturally unique. Does that classify as new rules or as Hyborian age content? I don't know.
I also put in cultural variant rules. Does that classify as Hyborian age content or just racial tweaking?
The Hyborian Age is there (I hope), but I really cannot give a percentage. I guess I can stretch my arms out and say, "There is THIS much Hyborian age content!" in much the same manner as my little son does when he tells me how much he loves me.
A lot of it is culturally driven. How much? I don't know. I tried to keep all of that in mind when I wrote it all. Some character concepts, while cool ideas, do not fit in with the Hyborian Age, so I tried to leave stuff like that out.
I wrote only a small handful of feats and I did not write any prestige classes (that is not to say there isn't any in the book - there may be contributing authors that I am unaware of, which is fine. I haven't seen the finished product yet). I am actually more in favour of combat manoeuvres than in feats, so there are just as many or more of those than feats. I put in borderer combat styles for just about every culture to make borderers more culturally unique. Does that classify as new rules or as Hyborian age content? I don't know.
I also put in cultural variant rules. Does that classify as Hyborian age content or just racial tweaking?
The Hyborian Age is there (I hope), but I really cannot give a percentage. I guess I can stretch my arms out and say, "There is THIS much Hyborian age content!" in much the same manner as my little son does when he tells me how much he loves me.
InfinityDoctor
Mongoose
I just got mine today.
This isn't a comment on the content, which I'm sure will be excellent (haven't read it yet) but I was VERY disappointed to find that despite being fifteen quid, it was printed in black and white on fairly flimsy paper with a non-glossy cover.
Pirate Isles, for example, is the same size and price, but full colour. Are all the Conan supplements going to be like this now? If the books are going to have cheaper production standards, shouldn't we see a lowering of the cover price?
This isn't a comment on the content, which I'm sure will be excellent (haven't read it yet) but I was VERY disappointed to find that despite being fifteen quid, it was printed in black and white on fairly flimsy paper with a non-glossy cover.
Pirate Isles, for example, is the same size and price, but full colour. Are all the Conan supplements going to be like this now? If the books are going to have cheaper production standards, shouldn't we see a lowering of the cover price?
InfinityDoctor said:I just got mine today.
This isn't a comment on the content, which I'm sure will be excellent (haven't read it yet) but I was VERY disappointed to find that despite being fifteen quid, it was printed in black and white on fairly flimsy paper with a non-glossy cover.
Pirate Isles, for example, is the same size and price, but full colour. Are all the Conan supplements going to be like this now? If the books are going to have cheaper production standards, shouldn't we see a lowering of the cover price?
Good I read this before ordering! Black & white is disappointing if I have to pay 20 Euro. Will wait till some reviews pop up on the forum...
InfinityDoctor
Mongoose
To be fair to Mongoose, they haven't skimped on the content, there is some very useful stuff in there which is apparent even on a quick skim through, especially if your PCs are going to be spending any significant time in the wilds.
I still bought it after all, regardless of the lack of colour, but I was just surprised by it.
I still bought it after all, regardless of the lack of colour, but I was just surprised by it.
I actually liked the artwork and the quality, the cover is made of some kind of material that seems to be more durable then glossy carboard.
And the content, oh, man, definitely worth it
I was hoping to see the Kezankian Hillman…..could they be considered the same as the Afghuli/ Himelian Tribesman?
And the content, oh, man, definitely worth it
I was hoping to see the Kezankian Hillman…..could they be considered the same as the Afghuli/ Himelian Tribesman?
VincentDarlage
Mongoose
The Kezankian hillman appears in the Shadizar boxed set.
VincentDarlage said:
Yes, since I saw them I decided on them as one of my favorite race/class to play, they can be very versatile since they don’t have any modifiers to abilities, hide and move silently as background skills and the toghness feat is very nice :twisted:
I noticed they are almost identical as the himalian tribes man that’s why I was asking, and well you know how we are, we always want something special,
The book is great!
Thanks again
InfinityDoctor
Mongoose
Faraer said:
Assuming you mean how much of the book is background and setting material, as opposed to pure rules additions and character class options:
The first chapter, Fierce of the Land, is pretty rules light, and as Vincent mentioned above, takes a look at the Barbarian, Borderer and Nomad classes within the context of each Hyborian Age Culture.
This runs to around 36 pages of pretty dense text, with only a few illustrations to break things up, so a lot of ground gets covered. Obviously, more space is given to those cultures suited to the three featured classes - Cimmeria and the Border Kingdoms get a lot more detail than Zingara for example.
The cultural write-up for the Iranistani is in here as well.
The rest of the book could arguably be seen as mostly extra rules, but they are rules centred around the lifestyle and skills of the three character classes, so there are little snippets of Hyborian Age info scattered throughout.
Fyrestryke
Mongoose
I haven't seen the final book yet. But, let me say (as a playtester seeing some of the original material) that Hyboria's Fiercest is one of the best (if not the best) role-playing supplements I have ever seen. Perhaps I'm a little biased being a big fan of rangers, but the content is really awesome no matter what form it takes.
ahzad
Mongoose
Picked this up today and read through it. I must say I hope all the class books are like this. I'll admit I was a bit leary about the class books I didn't think they were needed or would be full of prestige classes (something that I really am begining to hate, they serve a purpose but they are being entirely overdone).
I've never done a review before but I'll give you a quick rundown of the book.
Conan: Hyboria's Fiercest Barbarians, Borderers & Nomads.
Vincent is credited as the author even though he's stated he had small part to do w/ the book.
chapter 1: cultures & classes 36 pgs
this chapter runs down the roles of Barbarians, Borderers & Nomads across the land from Aquilonia to Zingara. as mentioned some areas get a little more description than others, basically each country has a breakdown of each classes role in that society. also given are examples of skills that are more common for each class in that area and some suggested multi-class combinations. scattered throughout are little rules variant sidebars, for example one for the barbarian suggest dropping Track in favor of Power Attack and losing the skills survival, craft, hide and move silently for bluff, sense motive, and tumble to reflect a barbarian raised in pit fighting or gladiator stables.
great chapter lots of ideas for players on how to play a character from one of those areas, and gives you some thought on how to customize your character a bit to reflect his upbringing.
chapter 2: secrets of the fierce 21 pgs
this chapter is full of neat concepts like pushing an ability, think of an ability bump based on your force of will (it costs you xps to use) but it's got to be tied to a single task that lasts for a limited # of rounds or the task is complete which ever comes first, and it has to be used in the service of another you can't use it to get yourself out of the hot seat. Feats of might using which allow you to replicate some of Conan's heroic acts of strength, by taking ability damage to increase your strength score to apply to lifting, pushing, throwing, and breaking.
expanded skill uses for survival, climbing, hiding intimidation, and advanced tracking. some rules for finding food and water in the wilderness, by foraging, hunting, fishing, and trapping (w/ some sample traps). rules for herbs and herblore, rules for surviving the night in the wilderness w/o waking up fatigued, building temp. structures, walking and running, dealing w/ your mounts
another solid chapter.
chapter 3: Abroad in Hyborea 9 pgs
this chapter was great it dealt w/ surviving in all types of terrain forest, marshes, water, hill, mountains, plains w/ a paragraph about stealth and detection in each terrain type to go w/ the hazards and features of each entry.
as a gm i loved this chapter it doesn't beat you over the head w/ long boring classifications it's short and to the point.
chapter 4: Fierce Feats 4 pgs
introduces 22 new feats. i don't think this chapter needs any explaination.
chapter 5: Joining the Fray 11 pgs
a bunch of new combat manoeuvres we get 4 for Archery, 4 for melee, 11 for mounted i'm a big fan of these so i'm always tickled to see more of these than feats. the rest of the chapter give us 28 new borderer combat styles to choose from, again great stuff giving you a lot of flexiblilty when putting together your borderer.
chapter 5: By Mighty Thews 17 pgs
full of barbarian multiclassing options and variant rules for the options, strengths, weaknesses, recommended skill/feat options, and race suggestions. for example you get Clan Cheif by mixing barbarian/noble (13/7) and then it includes a table that runs out the progression for you like a base class.
chapter 6: by honed senses 15 pgs
as the previous chapter but full of borderer multiclassing options and variant rules for the options.
chapter 7: By beastly union 13 pgs
as the previous chapter but full of nomad multiclassing options and variant rules for the options.
these 3 chapters i really liked a lot b/c this is what i want from a class book i don't need any prestige classes (thankfully there are none in here) take the base classes and with variant rules and multiclassing and show me what can be done. Prestige classes serve a purpose but they shouldn't be so prevalent in the game they should be reserved for a specific concept you want to highlight, anything else should be handled by the base classes, IMO.
overall a very solid book and i hope the others follow this format.
i tried to find something i didn't like about this book, and i really couldn't.
I've never done a review before but I'll give you a quick rundown of the book.
Conan: Hyboria's Fiercest Barbarians, Borderers & Nomads.
Vincent is credited as the author even though he's stated he had small part to do w/ the book.
chapter 1: cultures & classes 36 pgs
this chapter runs down the roles of Barbarians, Borderers & Nomads across the land from Aquilonia to Zingara. as mentioned some areas get a little more description than others, basically each country has a breakdown of each classes role in that society. also given are examples of skills that are more common for each class in that area and some suggested multi-class combinations. scattered throughout are little rules variant sidebars, for example one for the barbarian suggest dropping Track in favor of Power Attack and losing the skills survival, craft, hide and move silently for bluff, sense motive, and tumble to reflect a barbarian raised in pit fighting or gladiator stables.
great chapter lots of ideas for players on how to play a character from one of those areas, and gives you some thought on how to customize your character a bit to reflect his upbringing.
chapter 2: secrets of the fierce 21 pgs
this chapter is full of neat concepts like pushing an ability, think of an ability bump based on your force of will (it costs you xps to use) but it's got to be tied to a single task that lasts for a limited # of rounds or the task is complete which ever comes first, and it has to be used in the service of another you can't use it to get yourself out of the hot seat. Feats of might using which allow you to replicate some of Conan's heroic acts of strength, by taking ability damage to increase your strength score to apply to lifting, pushing, throwing, and breaking.
expanded skill uses for survival, climbing, hiding intimidation, and advanced tracking. some rules for finding food and water in the wilderness, by foraging, hunting, fishing, and trapping (w/ some sample traps). rules for herbs and herblore, rules for surviving the night in the wilderness w/o waking up fatigued, building temp. structures, walking and running, dealing w/ your mounts
another solid chapter.
chapter 3: Abroad in Hyborea 9 pgs
this chapter was great it dealt w/ surviving in all types of terrain forest, marshes, water, hill, mountains, plains w/ a paragraph about stealth and detection in each terrain type to go w/ the hazards and features of each entry.
as a gm i loved this chapter it doesn't beat you over the head w/ long boring classifications it's short and to the point.
chapter 4: Fierce Feats 4 pgs
introduces 22 new feats. i don't think this chapter needs any explaination.
chapter 5: Joining the Fray 11 pgs
a bunch of new combat manoeuvres we get 4 for Archery, 4 for melee, 11 for mounted i'm a big fan of these so i'm always tickled to see more of these than feats. the rest of the chapter give us 28 new borderer combat styles to choose from, again great stuff giving you a lot of flexiblilty when putting together your borderer.
chapter 5: By Mighty Thews 17 pgs
full of barbarian multiclassing options and variant rules for the options, strengths, weaknesses, recommended skill/feat options, and race suggestions. for example you get Clan Cheif by mixing barbarian/noble (13/7) and then it includes a table that runs out the progression for you like a base class.
chapter 6: by honed senses 15 pgs
as the previous chapter but full of borderer multiclassing options and variant rules for the options.
chapter 7: By beastly union 13 pgs
as the previous chapter but full of nomad multiclassing options and variant rules for the options.
these 3 chapters i really liked a lot b/c this is what i want from a class book i don't need any prestige classes (thankfully there are none in here) take the base classes and with variant rules and multiclassing and show me what can be done. Prestige classes serve a purpose but they shouldn't be so prevalent in the game they should be reserved for a specific concept you want to highlight, anything else should be handled by the base classes, IMO.
overall a very solid book and i hope the others follow this format.
i tried to find something i didn't like about this book, and i really couldn't.
Got my copy today and read for ca. 1 hour: it is wonderful! Mongoose reaches imho the level of the early releases (corebook, SoS, AtTR) again!
Where WotC would give his customers in such a book the 1.000th PrC, the 2.000th spell and the 10.000th magic item, which all nobody over 12 years old would miss, there Mongoose provides real background and variants, not just silly rules, but rules imbedded in thick Hyborian atmosphere.
The only content flaw I discovered so far is with the River Rat (Nomad / Pirate), where Track and Born in the saddle are labeled as "wasted feats": why not giving a substitute instead?
Some non content flaws are: it's only black / white (but costs 25$, which IS expensive), the border graphics on the odd pages (51, 53, 55 etc.) is badly rendered (I hope these are the correct English words), and last: the cover doesn't feature Conan anymore; I think it was a nice tradition to see THE hero on every publication of a game named for him...
And even if I pay money for this, I'm tempted to say Thanks a lot! to the authors! :wink:
Where WotC would give his customers in such a book the 1.000th PrC, the 2.000th spell and the 10.000th magic item, which all nobody over 12 years old would miss, there Mongoose provides real background and variants, not just silly rules, but rules imbedded in thick Hyborian atmosphere.
The only content flaw I discovered so far is with the River Rat (Nomad / Pirate), where Track and Born in the saddle are labeled as "wasted feats": why not giving a substitute instead?
Some non content flaws are: it's only black / white (but costs 25$, which IS expensive), the border graphics on the odd pages (51, 53, 55 etc.) is badly rendered (I hope these are the correct English words), and last: the cover doesn't feature Conan anymore; I think it was a nice tradition to see THE hero on every publication of a game named for him...
And even if I pay money for this, I'm tempted to say Thanks a lot! to the authors! :wink:
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