If you have to buy 3 books and have most of the biggies

[shouit]

Hey again all.

I have managed to get my hands on a significant portion of the Conan library from Mongoose. But, now I have the credit to buy three books, between the following titles,

any of the F series
either of the box sets
Argos
Conan Companion
Faith and Fervor
any adventures.

Normally I am not into adventures as I like to write my own. Was thinking about just getting the three F series, but have heard good things about Companion and Faith/Fervor.

I know I have asked what I needed in the beginning, but now I have most of the other books. Really like RoK, Stygmia and Ruins. Havent looked at the Scroll or the Aquil books yet. Trying to finish the RoK book.

 

[Strom]

If a gun was to my head and the bad guy said "Choose or Die!"

I would choose:

The F series of books. All three. They will help customize everyone's character so you can really make a character that is as unique and original as you want.

- caveat - Hyboria's Finest is on the way to me now but I'm sure it is as good as the other two.

My two coppers.

 

[Spectator]

My 2 cents:
I have the biggies; AE edition, RoK, Skrolls of Skelos (I think with these you could call it a day).

I don't have the F-series, I am not big on the concept of expanding the classes, and the Temptress concept is absurd to me, with its spell like qualities.

I will recommend:
Ruins of Hyboria

 

[Hervé]

If you're no D20 rule addict, you'll find no interest in the Hyboria's books.
My players and I don't make a great difference between a Barbarian/Nomad and a Nomad/Barbarian. If you do, the books might be for you.

The City Boxes are not so bad, although their price is a bit steep. I think Messantia is better (at least as gaming material) but Shadizar is OK if you manage to get the replacement map. The adventures included in each box are both rather enjoyable.

The adventure modules are quite cheap, if that matters. Tower of the Elephant is OK if your players don't know the original story, Heretics of Tarantia and Reavers of the Vilayet are nice and I wasn't really satisfied with Lurking Terror of Nahab. Tales of The Black Kingdoms is a three part mini campaign that can be quite interesting after some minor changes.

The Compendium could also be a nice addition if you didn't have access to the early issues of S&P.

Argos & Zingara can be useful if you plan to get Messantia.

Faith & Fervour expands the information given in other books. The usefulness of this book will depend of the "religious level" you and your players plan to give to your campaign.

You didn't mention Thunder River in your post, but I hope you already got this one. It's one of the best Conan books along with RoK and Ruins and I guess almost everybody on this forum will agree on this.

 

[shouit]

I have the Thunder book. Haven't had a chance to look at it though, reading the others. The one problem getting all the books at once!

I have heard the Messantia box set is the one to go with, if I had to choose between box sets.

I am leaning to going with 4 books, the F series and the Compendium, which I have heard is really good. [/code]

 

[librarycharlie]

I vote against Faith and Fervor.

It's much more of a flavor book and has virtually no rules applications that are not found elsewhere. In fact, the Stygia book has about twenty times the applicable rules regarding religions (which our campaign had to adapt to non-Set religions).

Even playing a priest, I found the Faith book disappointing. The problem is that there are simply too many religions in Howard's universe to flesh them all out.

I'd say go with Hyboria's F. Messantia is okay (but only while your characters want to be there), the pict book is loads of fun, but only for Pict PCs, and the other books are similarly limited in scope.

 

[MGBM]

Having all the books of the serie, I would say your best bet is the F books, all three of them.

Faith and Fervour is also very, very good. I recommend it.

 

[XcomSquaddie]

I have Hyboria's Fiercest & Fallen. I just got Finest, but it's en route. As far as the first two go, they're pretty good. No regrets about buying them at all.

As far as the Temptress class goes, I pictured that being an NPC oriented class. I don't think any of the people I play with would take it, but it could create some very interesting NPC's to bedevil the party with.

I would say if you wanted to pick three books, I'd say go with

Messantia
Tales of the Black Kingdoms
Argos

That gives you two coastal kingdoms, pirates & an exotic campaign to send them to.

Really like RoK, Stygmia and Ruins.

By Crom! We've been ambushed by Stygmies!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist....

 

[Jeffreywns]

Not having any other D20 (D&D, Modern) products to compare them with, and owning all of the Conan releases except for a few of the adventure modules, I can only tell you what I use the most out of your choices. #1 Hyborias Fiercist-contains alternative combat styles for borderers, expands the herbalism rules, gives you terrain rules and conditions and then gives you the most "culture" information on countries that have Nomad and Barbarian as the norm. You see how the Black kingdoms and Barbaric northern kingdoms differ. The same goes for the eastern horse cultures. After that the other "F" books, then the rest of your list are for flavour, since my group has only passed through Shadizar, the Black Kingdoms and Shem.

 

[Jeffreywns]

Forgot to mention Ruins of Hyboria would be #2 if you dont own it. Rules for traps, histories of fallen cultures, monsters and rules for making unique monsters. Not to mention several ruins to explore.

 

[Bjorn the Barbarian]

I actual liked the three "F" books. Loads of information in them. I'll second getting Ruins also if you don't already have it.

 

[Ichabod]

Argos and Zingara is less important for detailing the countries and more important for containing the Knowledge: Zingaran Fencing School rules and feats that benefit one-handed fighting.

Hyboria's Fallen has the Temptress class if you need that, but it also has most of the multiclass variants that should see play (i.e. variants that start with the thief class), not that the multiclass variants are hugely important.

I don't have a great idea which books have the most important feats as we have all of the books available to us and just run through them until you find what you are looking for. But, obviously, whichever ones have the most important feats are more useful because of it.

 

[Valgrim Bragisson]

I would go with the 3 "F" series books. The main reason is Feat selection. The 3 together give you about as many Feats as the Core Rulebook. The cultural info and new rules are also very useful.

mp

 

[Sir Hackalot]

I have found the F series to be really helpful if you need to make a higher level multiclass character on the quick. It has the chart that you can copy down rather quickly.

 

[Kyorou]

I bought the 3 F books and have found no use for them. Maybe if you are a rules addict...

 

[Da Boss]

I found both city boxed sets very disapointing given the price - especially the maps. I wouldn't buy more city boxes. They IMHO compare badly to the hardback books. The only thing I dony like about the various books is the pages of genric Lvl 1,3,5,9 NPCs which are no use to me - I would prefer sample NPCs but it is very D20...............

The Tales of the Black Kingdoms is bascially a long adventure - which is quite good - but has some some average and very below average interior artwork - epecially when compared to the usual fabulous and evocative cover art. I would have prefered a larger book (like the others) and more info on the Black Kingdoms. I have always been suprised when there are less than excellent artwork inside games these days given the amount of great artwork that is on the net for free! (not that I can draw )

There was enough info for me to set a Tarzan stylee game there using Totem warriors from Buffy (yeah i am mad).

have fun