Please help me understand Conan RPG

[conan75]

Hi all,

I've been a dungeon master for ad&d 2nd edition for many years.

Then i stopped playing - it's been ages since i have played the last time.

I'm fond of ad&d 2nd edition rules, although i know that a 3rd editon and a 4th edition were published.

Now the point is: i'm going to buy a copy of Conan RPG 2nd editon (because i've always been a huge fan of Conan comics and the like), but i'm wondering if, in order to be able to play it, i should first read and learn ad&d 3rd edition and then read and learn Conan RPG as well.

I apologize in advance if my question may look silly, but as i said before, i'm out of the rpg business now and i know that many things have changed, that's why i'm asking. I heard that Conan is based on d20 (which i don't know what it means), so i assumed that it is based, in one way or another, upon ad&d 3rd edition core rules...am i right?

So, is it possible to play Conan RPG simply reading this?: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/detail.php?qsID=1449&qsSeries=7

or is it necessary to get used to ad&d 3rd edition first?

My second question is: do you think it is possible to play Conan RPG using ad&d 2nd edition rules?

Thanks in advance for your replies

cheers

 

[VincentDarlage]

You can play the game with the core book you referenced. You don't need 3e D&D books. It is based on D&D 3.5 rules (D20), but it makes certain modifications and reprints everything you need to play.

Many people on these boards play the game with different rule sets. Many of the sourcebooks are not rule heavy (such as Return to the Road of Kings, which describes the cultures).

If you want to use 2e rules, avoid books like the three books of the Hyboria's F series or the Warrior's Companion, which have a lot of Conan RPG rules. All the other books but those four could be used easily with 2e rules - and even those four have useful ideas if you want to convert them.

 

[conan75]

thanks for your quick reply: but do you even think that Ad&d 2nd edition rules are suited for playing the kind of game Conan is?

 

[VincentDarlage]

thanks for your quick reply: but do you even think that Ad&d 2nd edition rules are suited for playing the kind of game Conan is?

No. The magic system in 2e is completely wrong for the game, for starters. 2e was built with the idea that people would have magic weapons and access to magic healing... none of which are readily available in the Hyborian age. Also, the classes available in 2e really don't reflect the needs of a Conan game, as the Paladin doesn't exist, the Ranger is too magical in 2e, the priest... um, no. The bard is too magical. And there aren't enough types of warrior to make things interesting.

The classes in Conan the RPG are: Barbarian, Borderer, Nomad, Soldier, Noble, Scholar, Pirate, Temptress, Thief.

Lots of warrior options there (barbarian, borderer, nomad, soldier, pirate and noble) compared to the single Fighter class of 2e (given that Paladin and Ranger are too magical).

Plus it is easier to replicate the stories in that no one seems to be just one thing all the time. Multiclassing is easy in Conan. Come from a barbaric land? Start out in barbarian. Need to steal stuff to stay alive and decide to take that skill to a new level? Take some levels in thief. Uh oh, war is brewing and you find yourself in some army. Take some levels in soldier or borderer. Army/Navy destroyed, and now you are living the life of a wanted bandit? Take some levels in Nomad or Pirate...

I think you will lose a lot of the richness of the game by playing it in 2e, but it can be done if one really wants to do it.

I make the following recommendations:
Must Have
Conan the Roleplaying Game core rulebook.

Need more information on the setting?
Return to the Road of Kings; Player's Guide to the Hyborian Age.

Want some tools to help create adventures?
Ruins of Hyboria; Cities of Hyboria; Catacombs of Hyboria; Pirate Isles; Bestiary of the Hyborian Age.

Really interested in working magic, religion and cults?
Secrets of Skelos; Faith & Fervour; Hyboria's Finest

Need more information on a specific location?
Buy one of the regional sourcebooks (Aquilonia, Shadizar, Messantia, Across Thunder River, Argos, Zingara, Shem, Cimmeria, Khitai).

Need pre-made adventures?
Adventures in the Hyborian age; The Compendium; Tales of the Black Kingdoms; various modules; and download various issues of Signs & Portents from Mongoose's main page.

Want to tweak the rules and add variety to the classes?
Hyboria's Fiercest, Hyboria's Finest; Hyboria's Fallen, The Warrior's Companion, The Free Companies; Pirate Isles

Hope that helps.

(Mongoose should consider organizing their website in the above manner to help customers find just the book they need).

 

[Sourcerer]

I can only agree to everything Vincent said.

Additionally I would suggest (if you only want to play Conan and not standard fantasy) not to look at the D&D3/3.5 stuff and only at the Conan RPG core book (the one you linked).

The Conan rules are based on those of D&D, but some of the differences are very significant and might only cause confusion.

Especially when you are only used to AD&D. The rules got quiet a lot complexer since then. You will have to learn enough anyway

 

[VincentDarlage]

thanks for your quick reply: but do you even think that Ad&d 2nd edition rules are suited for playing the kind of game Conan is?

One other point in favour of Conan the RPG rules over 2e AD&D:

Allowable AD&D 2e race: Human.

Allowable Conan RPG "races": Cimmerian, Himelian Tribesman (with Wazuli subrace), Hyborian (with Argossean, Barachan, Bossonian, Gunderman, Hyperborean, Tauran subraces available), Hyrkanian/Turanian, Khitan, Kushite/Northern Black Kingdom Tribesman (with Chaga and Ghanata subraces), Nordheimer, Pict, Shemite (with Meadow Shemite and Pelishtim subraces), Southern Islander or Southern Black Kingdom Tribesmen (with Darfari subrace), Stygian, Vendhyan, Zamoran and Zingaran.

Again, a lot more richness and rules variety can be found with the Conan rules.

 

[AGNKim]

I hate 3.x with a red hot passion, but enjoy Conan RPG. Go figure...

 

[Troll66]

really nice summary of need of the various Conan books. As you say this would be a great way for Mongoose topresent their growing catalogue of books...(if only they were for the RQ system!).

 

[Rex]

Remember there has been Conan material for AdnD2ed, as well as it's own kinda weird rules back in the TSR days.

Just didn't work well at all really.

So go with the what I've told folks. Read some of the REAL Conan books, THEN, grab Conan 2nd, and rock out. You don't need to waste coin on the other 3.x material.

~Rex

 

[conan75]

The Conan rules are based on those of D&D, but some of the differences are very significant and might only cause confusion.

so, in any case, anyone coming from 3rd edition (or 3.5) AD&D has an advantage - because he is going to learn Conan rules more quickly than someone like me, for example?-

i mean, if i had already read 3rd edition: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Dnd_v3_5_rulesbooks.png

then i would learn Conan core rules with more ease?

 

[VincentDarlage]

so, in any case, anyone coming from 3rd edition (or 3.5) AD&D has an advantage - because he is going to learn Conan rules more quickly than someone like me, for example?

No. I would argue that you would be at an advantage because you would only know the Conan rules. Someone who knows d20 already may make assumptions about the Conan rules which are not true.

Don't worry about 3E D&D. You don't need to know it.

 

[zozotroll]

I played a lot of DnD 3.5, and am constantly having to stop and look up things because I cant remeber the differences. I much preffer Conan 2.0

 

[VincentDarlage]

My experience is the same as zozotroll's. I often wish I didn't know 3.5 D&D so well.

 

[Hervé]

D20 rules are not that easy, so I would advice to pick up a minimum number of books at first.

Get the Conan 2nd Edition for the rules, Return to the Road of Kings for the setting and forget about the rest until you're familiar with these two books.

You might want to pick some pre written adventures to help you (NPC creation can be quite painful in D20, especially when you're not familiar with the system). Adventures in the Hyborian Age could be a good choice.

As Vincent mentioned, you'll find free stuff in the monthly Signs & Portents e-magazine from our beloved Mongoose :

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/series.php?qsSeries=13

Strom's index will help you browse throgh the different issues:

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20177

 

[conan75]

thanks for your answers.

I'm happy to learn i don't have to read 3rd edition AD&D because honestly (although i haven't picked up the books) i can't stand it.

I remember the feeling at that time - shared by many players - a 3rd edition of ad&d wasn't simply necessary, there was nothing wrong with the 2nd, and we all wondered why a new edition was published (apart from economic reasons, of course).

Now i would like to ask a pair of fresh new questions:

I read that many persons here play Conan RPG using different rule systems. Now i'm curios to know which ones.
Rolemaster? (i quite don't think so)
AD&D 1st edition?
HARN?
HARP? (Iron crown enterprise)

And, most importantly, why? Does some of these alternative set of rules is able to convey a greater "Conanesque" feeling to your campaigns?

Secondly, i decided to play Conan RPG using Conan 2nd edition rules, without relying on ad&d 2nd edition core rules.
Nonetheless, i would like to introduce, from time to time, some additional rules (created for ad&d 2nd edition) that you find in "Dragon magazine" issues. i think you all know too well about this journal.

It contains a lot of very interesting additional rules for AD&D 2nd edition
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Magazine-Archive-Pc/dp/B00002EIWS

Do you think it is easily possible, or should i tweak Conan rules a little before being able to adapt some of those additional rules?

 

[Hervé]

I read that many persons here play Conan RPG using different rule systems. Now i'm curios to know which ones.

Basic Role Playing, Mongoose Runequest, Savage Worlds, old school D&D and Barbarians of Lemuria seem to rank among the favourites.

I remember the feeling at that time - shared by many players - a 3rd edition of ad&d wasn't simply necessary, there was nothing wrong with the 2nd, and we all wondered why a new edition was published (apart from economic reasons, of course).

Though I can't stand the 3rd edition either, i don't agree with this at all. AD&D had very clumsy mechanics. Everything was handled using a different rule. Attack? roll a D20 and roll high. Ability roll? roll a D20 and roll low. Use Thieving skills? roll a D100. Smash a door? roll a D6 (or D20 depending on editions), bend bars? roll a D100... and so on...
The game had the flaw of being the first RPG, with every rule stacking on the other as it was invented. There was absolutely no logic in the system. The 3rd Edition streamlined all this stuff, giving a more modern aspect to the game. On the bad side, the game got more complicated and 'crunchy', more combo based and less intuitive, taking the 'video game approach' that was even hardened in 4th edition..

 

[VincentDarlage]

And, most importantly, why? Does some of these alternative set of rules is able to convey a greater "Conanesque" feeling to your campaigns?

I have played the Conan game under four different rules. The Conan RPG RAW (d20) and Savage Worlds gave the best feeling of being in a Robert E. Howard story for me.

The Runequest rules led people to be too cautious about fighting, although we liked the classless approach; I also thought the hit-locations and everything made combat take too long, but characters are easier to create and make unique. The old TSR Conan rules were too clunky and weird for us. The d20 rules led to the right amount of heroism, caution, escapism, etc. Savage Worlds rules equaled the d20 rules in these things.

Why? Because I like to try things.

 

[LucaCherstich]

And, most importantly, why? Does some of these alternative set of rules is able to convey a greater "Conanesque" feeling to your campaigns?

I have played the Conan game under four different rules. The Conan RPG RAW (d20) and Savage Worlds gave the best feeling of being in a Robert E. Howard story for me.

The Runequest rules led people to be too cautious about fighting. The old TSR Conan rules were too clunky and weird for us. The d20 rules led to the right amount of heroism, caution, escapism, etc. Savage Worlds rules equaled the d20 rules in these things.

Why? Because I like to try things.

Thank you Vincent, as a "Conan authority", your help to us pro-d20ers against the Runequesters is very welcome!

 

[warzen]

Thank you Vincent, as a "Conan authority", your help to us pro-d20ers against the Runequesters is very welcome!

And thanks for restarting the system flame war.
Knowing that the best car designers are not the best car drivers, and with all due respect, Vincent is nowhere a "Conan system authority" but an Hyborian Age authority.

But thank you for your feedback.

I read that many persons here play Conan RPG using different rule systems. Now i'm curios to know which ones.
Rolemaster? (i quite don't think so)
AD&D 1st edition?
HARN?
HARP? (Iron crown enterprise)

I think there's a consensus on Harn being far too gritty to be a good Conan system.
Besides that, it depends mostly of your vision of the Conan era and how do you want to transcribe it in the system.

A lot of people found Conan d20 the right choice, others where usually divided in two trends:
- more gritty :RQ or Reign for example
- system with less mechanics: BoL, SW

Try some of them and stick to the one that is fiting your play style.

As for the AD&D vs DD3 debate, I personnaly think that DD3 was an huge improvement of AD&D. It went out of hand with too many books from too many publishers but any DM can reduce that to what he's thinking is enough.

W.

 

[zozotroll]

Play 2nd ed Conan first. There is a huge difference between that and ADD2 that you may have a bit of trouble adapting. You might wind up just makeing a rule that does the same thing only for Conan.

Myself, I never liked ADD@. I stayed with ADD, and RQ and RM. Then picked up DnD 3.5 when I could no longer find people to play the other games. Conan is the best of the DnD edituions in my opinion.