New DM here... a few questions

[Clovenhoof]

Alright, sorry about being so easily lured into threadjacking; I will make no further comments on Barb-vs-Nomad or similar questions in this thread. (I'll just edit in a bit WTF??? at kintire.)

General hints for playing / DMing Conan:

Be aware of the rule changes from D&D 3.X. (This is assuming that you know D&D). Also be aware that some Conan mechanisms are simply broken and should be houseruled.
The "Two-handed Power Attack for Massive Damage" certainly being one of the biggest problems, because it makes triggering Massive Damage so easy that every other combat style than two-handed weapons becomes unviable. A common nerf is very simple: just remove the double damage bonus. Any PA should simply give a damage bonus equal to the attack penalty, end of story. This has not only to do with game balance but also with creating a Conanesque atmosphere - in Conan we don't often see any character wielding a 2HW.

Also note that there are certain other changes, which aren't broken at all but can make combat more interesting:
* Two Weapon Combat: many classes start out with the Two Weapon Fighting feat for free. Moreover, a TWF character does not suffer _any_ penalty to his attack rolls as long as at least one of his weapons is Light. Fighting with two One-handed weapons only carries a -2 penalty to each.
* Attack while moving: in Conan, you may move both before and after an attack. However, you draw Attacks of Opportunity normally. Note that the Spring Attack feat has been removed, but there are three classes that become pretty much immune to AoOs on higher levels.
* Defense: there are no magic items, but each class has inherent Defense progressions. However, most classes (save 2) are very vulnerable while flat-footed.
* Initiative: Ini rolls are essentially Reflex saves. Initiative is also much more important than in D&D, due to the Massive Damage rules and the way Defense works. So all in all, classes with good Ref save are at an advantage.
* Armour: armour gives DR, which is very helpful in combat, but the system doesn't force you to always wear the heaviest armour possible. (Depending on the playing style, I hear wearing heavier than Light Armour can be suicidal.) In my games we've never had a character who wore or wanted to wear heavier than light armour.

So much for now, gotta run.

 

[kintire]

I'll just edit in a bit WTF??? at kintire

Allow me to clarify:

I can't help it if the Nomad class is underpowered in itself

That depends on the setup of the encounter. If the Nomad is mounted and starts a good distance away, then he'll win against a Barbarian on foot most of the time.

A Nomad worth his salt will certainly have Mounted Combat, Ride By Attack, Spirited Charge. A Hyrkanian is also likely to have Mounted Archery and Far Shot. That's 3-5 feats that will easily decide the combat in a scenario where he can make a mounted charge

Your second and thrid comment are entirrly true: and negate your first completely.

 

[Clovenhoof]

Actually, I read for the first time in this thread that the Nomad is considered "the weakest class of all", and so I wanted to evaluate if this is true and why.

IMO the Nomad is awesome at what he is made to do, i.e. mounted combat. The problem in a typical Conan game is that he probably gets to play his strengths rather rarely. Adventures usually takes place in a city, in a temple, in ancient ruins, in forests, wherever; and only very rarely on wide open plains. They are a powerful class, yes, but maybe not so much for the typical party of Player Characters, and rather as very fearsome opposition for the same.

 

[Demetrio]

I agree. In most published adventures the nomad is going to be able to use his horsey in combat only rarely. Whereas the barbarian will be right at home.

 

[treeplanter]

why you guy are so stuck on the horsies? You can make a nomad without mounted combat and all the blablabla. You just trade Uncanny dodge for 2 extra feat, that basicly it. Nomad can take power attack, cleave, improved initiative and all the same crap!?!!? You have the same HD the same base attack and you'll do the same amount of damage, where is the problem?

And you want my personnal opinion Uncanny dodge is situational as Mounted combat for PC. a maximized spot/listen or a high initiative, or reflexive parry (tough pretty high level for a nomad) will do the same job.

And if you want your Nomad to have uncanny dodge that badly,then just take 4 level of pirate?

 

[Violetsaber]

A common nerf is very simple: just remove the double damage bonus. Any PA should simply give a damage bonus equal to the attack penalty, end of story.

* Attack while moving: in Conan, you may move both before and after an attack. However, you draw Attacks of Opportunity normally. Note that the Spring Attack feat has been removed, but there are three classes that become pretty much immune to AoOs on higher levels.

Excellant points, as always. I just had a question and wanted to point one thing out:

First, I thought Power Attack increased damage by X where X = a penalty to the attack roll? I don't recall any double damage rules besides the normal critical hit rate. I realize I'm probably wrong (and I'll check it out when I get home), but does the feat provide additional bonuses I'm not aware of?

Secondly, I'd just like to make a tiny refinement to the statement about three classes becoming immune to AOO... I believe you're referring to the Mobility line of abilities, which eventually makes a character immune to attacks of opprotunity from movement? The only reason I point out this distinction is because there are other ways to cause attacks of opprotunity, and I don't think Mobility nullifies those.

Lastly, a small GM'ing tip from myself...

I noticed someone mentioning that players often have to take a few days and heal after a fight. This is why I often give players thier HP back at the beginning of gameplay sessions... especially if they ended one gameplay session after a massive battle - while stranded in the Stygian desert - with another massive fight ahead of them.

It just doesn't make sense to tell the players to have thier characters sit and do nothing for a week so they can heal up, and in my humble opinion it removes from the tension. Even "fast-forwarding" ("Okay, it is now three days later...") doesn't help. After all, if your characters have the luxory of being able to snooze and booze for three days, they must not be in any real danger.

Just my two cents worth.

P.S. My apologies to the OP for suggesting he read some REH - I completely glossed over his first paragraph or two where he mentioned being a huge fan. D'oh!

 

[Apple]

Excellant points, as always. I just had a question and wanted to point one thing out:

First, I thought Power Attack increased damage by X where X = a penalty to the attack roll? I don't recall any double damage rules besides the normal critical hit rate. I realize I'm probably wrong (and I'll check it out when I get home), but does the feat provide additional bonuses I'm not aware of?

The damage is doubled with 2h weapons. For 2h weapons you also get 1.5x str bonus as well (regardless of power attack). This may have been to compensate for 2 weapon fighters being able to get it twice, but it works very very poorly in conjunction with criticals and massive damage.

As a house rule I'd recommend a few things. Criticals doing max damage instead of doubling. Drop mass damage and armour damage or make them trigger at 20+level or whatever makes you feel happy instead of a flat 20. Ban reckless attack. Cap power attack at +5 like expertise and don't double for 2h weapons. Only allow sneak attack damage once per round.

It just doesn't make sense to tell the players to have thier characters sit and do nothing for a week so they can heal up, and in my humble opinion it removes from the tension. Even "fast-forwarding" ("Okay, it is now three days later...") doesn't help. After all, if your characters have the luxory of being able to snooze and booze for three days, they must not be in any real danger.

Well a few things. They don't have to be at full HPs to enter combat, if the players insist on sitting on their hands while they get to max HPs there should be a cost for it. Second there is often travel time and the like and recovering HPs isn't too odious. Third the heal skill after a fight and a long term care for a night will get you back 3x level + 3x con + 6, which is a pretty decent chunk of HPs. If you have heal skill a party should never need more then a day and 2 nights rest. If you don't have heal skill, again, the party pays the price, it's a tradeoff. Maybe the next party won't be all cimmerian soldiers with 6 INT.

 

[Violetsaber]

The damage is doubled with 2h weapons. For 2h weapons you also get 1.5x str bonus as well (regardless of power attack). This may have been to compensate for 2 weapon fighters being able to get it twice, but it works very very poorly in conjunction with criticals and massive damage.

Thanks...I'm sure I would have found that when I got to my books, but now I don't have to wonder for the rest of the day.

Well a few things. They don't have to be at full HPs to enter combat, if the players insist on sitting on their hands while they get to max HPs there should be a cost for it. Second there is often travel time and the like and recovering HPs isn't too odious. Third the heal skill after a fight and a long term care for a night will get you back 3x level + 3x con + 6, which is a pretty decent chunk of HPs. If you have heal skill a party should never need more then a day and 2 nights rest. If you don't have heal skill, again, the party pays the price, it's a tradeoff. Maybe the next party won't be all cimmerian soldiers with 6 INT.

These are all good points, and I will agree that there are many instances where making players earn thier HP back is good, especially to promote the Conan feel. I'm just pointing out that if the situation seems to warrant it, I'll bend the rules a little.

 

[rabindranath72]

And if you want your Nomad to have uncanny dodge that badly,then just take 4 level of pirate?

IF there is the possibility of doing it (unless the GM allows picking a class without any justification). From the deserts to the high seas is quite a long way.

 

[kintire]

This is why I often give players thier HP back at the beginning of gameplay sessions

I give players HPs back after every fight, provided they have not fallen to negative.

I have never had any time for "realistic" healing in d20 games. If you are making any pretense at realism you have to accept that HPs do not represent actual physical damage, but rather luck, skill, magic or the Force depending on your background. As such, recovery rates are completely arbitrary, so why mess about?

IF there is the possibility of doing it (unless the GM allows picking a class without any justification). From the deserts to the high seas is quite a long way.

But from the deserts of Hyrkania to the Vilayet is no distance at all, and the Red Brotherhood of the Vilayet have close contacts with the nomads around its shores, especially the Kozaki.

 

[Sutek]

If you aren't taking the heal rates into account, then I can see where PA and doubling 2handed weapon damage becouse of it can seem like a broken rule.

I still say the bast fix is Piazo's in their Pathfinder game:

1) Add STR mod to damage roll for 1 round in addition to noral add for high STR
2) Subtract STR mod from attack roll for 1 round
3) with two-handed weapons, this value is doubled (3XSTR mod total to damage, 2xSTR mod subtracted from attack)
4) all that is governed by the clause "or your BAB, whichever is lower*

* This clause means that if you have a BAB +2 fighter with a +4 STR mod, he's stuck at risking only +2 for PA until his STR mod is lower than his BAB.