Question about gaining levels

[BriantheButcher]

Hey all, I've been reading here for about a week, trying to decide whether to buy the Conan RPG or not. I really like what I hear, but I have just one question: how is level gaining handled? I've read a couple places that enemies dont have CRs. So do they just have a flat XP value? Please please PLEASE tell me that it is not one of those lame, arbitrary "well, you just won a tough battle, here's another level" deals.

Thanks!

 

[Yogah of Yag]

Welcome to the Mongoose CONAN RPG boards! I myself have been a visitor here for only a few weeks, but already feel very much at home. Many of the posters here have very extensive experience in Conan RPG as well as other RPGs. Some here are even writers of the fine Conan RPG books provided by Mongoose, e.g. the walking encyclopedia of all things Conan, il Maestro Vincent Darlage.

Regarding your question, I handle the matter very simply. If the players survive my difficult ordeals and trials of combat, I up them a level as a reward. Conan RPG is, as you may already know, very gritty, so I think this method gives them incentive to survive and keep playing the game.
If they live, it is usually by the skin of their teeth. I don't think it's a good idea to be bogging down in a massive table or chart converting monster encounters, CRs, traps and the like. Monsters and other beasties don't have CR's in Conan, IIRC. If it looks big, mean and nasty and you don't think you can drop it...run! Watch where you step, don't anger the natives, and above all: sleep with one eye open when you visit Hyboria! Gold pieces (gp) are not that common in this system, so rewarding them a mound of gold is not normally going to happen, and monsters tend to be rare. Most challenges are human antagonists (lechers, sleezy cut-throats, vile sorcerors, etc.). If an NPC or group thereof is significantly higher in HD or class LV than the PC or party level, then I think this simple plan is fine. If the antagonists are all below their aforementioned level, then the next adventure should be turbo-charged to give them a hard time. In other words, make 'em work for it, or they don't come home in one piece.
Skill and brawn are prime here, not glittery magicks, fluffy hobbit-feet, and elves that look like Liv Tyler (mmmmm...Liv Tyler). Sorry.
If you require something more complicated, I'm sure some of the other members would be willing to throw their two bits into the hat.

 

[thulsa]

Hey all, I've been reading here for about a week, trying to decide whether to buy the Conan RPG or not. I really like what I hear, but I have just one question: how is level gaining handled? I've read a couple places that enemies dont have CRs. So do they just have a flat XP value? Please please PLEASE tell me that it is not one of those lame, arbitrary "well, you just won a tough battle, here's another level" deals.

Thanks!

I usually award 1000 or 2000 XP per gaming session. Give progressively more XP to high-level characters if you want a steady progression; otherwise the progression will obviously slow down towards higher levels (however, you may want that).

Since XP is not directly related to how many opponents you kill, PCs will actually avoid combat when they can, which is a good thing and more realistic, too.

Oh, and by the way, you should buy the Conan RPG!

- thulsa

 

[René]

Hey all, I've been reading here for about a week, trying to decide whether to buy the Conan RPG or not. I really like what I hear, but I have just one question: how is level gaining handled? I've read a couple places that enemies dont have CRs. So do they just have a flat XP value? Please please PLEASE tell me that it is not one of those lame, arbitrary "well, you just won a tough battle, here's another level" deals.

Thanks!

Look at the thread "CONAN without levels". There should be some of the information you're looking for.

And, yes: welcome!

 

[Trodax]

Please please PLEASE tell me that it is not one of those lame, arbitrary "well, you just won a tough battle, here's another level" deals.

Well, it sort of is arbitrary... although I don't think thats lame at all!
There are some guidelines in the rulebook for how much XP should be handed out (basically what thulsa said above), but it's pretty much left for the GM to decide. In some of the published adventures there are also some guidelines, like for example: "For this adventure, each PC should receive 2000 XP. If they manage to rescue the girl, that's another 250 per PC, etc. etc."

Personally, I've never used XP at all in Conan; I just hand out a new level when appropriate. Its worked great; it lets me have control on the progression of the PCs, and my players haven't complained.

 

[Sutek]

You decide, as the GM, how much the party's actions are worth in XP and then dole it out as you see fit.

Say the party is trying to track down some kidnappers whyo have taken a local child. Now, there could be a street fight where the players rough up some thugs for information. This might not gain them XP for the fight at all, but the information leads them to an encampment on the outskirts of the city where they have to fight some lackies for the main kidnappers. This might gain them a little XP, but it also might simply increase thier reputation in the city area for clashing with this crime syndicate. As a result, they get approached by the local sherrif and given a proposal to work in the area, but also under greater scrutiny from this sherrif and his men. The players negotiate him down, completely of thier own actions, to where the sherrif feels more at ease with them in his jurisdiction and gives them a chance to become recognized "deputies" if they recover the kidnapped child and return him safely. This negotiation scene, role played out and garnering them priveleges that you the GM hadn't anticipated, might warrant even more XP than the fights.

In Conan it's about deeds rather than winning battles. You as the GM can award XP as you see fit and even use those awards to direct the campaign. In other words, once the players catch on as to what gets them XP they will see that the XP creates a path to the adventure's completion, whereas actions that don't get them XP are dead ends. That's one way to run it. You can refrain from awarding XP until key moments in the adventure, such as when they defeat certain bosses or complete certain tasks. You could even create an XP award that increases or diminishes (like if the PCs are on a time table to complete a task in the shortest time possible). There's all kinds of ways to handle it - you aren't locked into Hit Die or CR equivelent awards like in D&D.

 

[Ltlconf]

Hello Folks,


Here's how our GM handles it: a little of both. "Level as a reward" and "point for real tough fights and cunning accomplishments." Frankly, since half of us are former military, we can usually out-fight the regular oppostion (our GM is a martial artist and can kick my but in a straight up fight, but he's not a trained group tactician), so we get the points for good roleplaying and smarts. If we do something really epic and Conan-ish (is that a word?) like discovering a long lost and very legendary oracle of Ishtar, and figuring out how to use it, then we MAY go up a level. The GM likes to be a little mysterious about all this. It keeps us reaching for the brass ring. Without being stupid. :wink: After all this time, we are now just hitting 6th level, and with a decent if not nasty attrition rate amongst the characters. A few of us are also getting pretty good reputations (another facet he prefers to control), though this is not always, well, a good thing :twisted: . It seems to work out.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

In my games I have a set number of accomplishments the players can do in the course of the 'chapter' and for each thay accomplish, they gain that much XP. Thus some people can get different levels of XP for the same game. Of course there are penalties for doing dumb things and small rewards for humor and good roleplaying. Overheard at my table after a particular bonehead maneuvar by a PC- "You cost me 1000 XP!" 8)

 

[Bushido]

Skill and brawn are prime here, not glittery magicks, fluffy hobbit-feet, and elves that look like Liv Tyler (mmmmm...Liv Tyler). Sorry.

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[urdinaran]

I use a mixture of XP based on kills (watered-down CR from the DMG) and story based (saving the little girl from being sacrificed to the whatever). Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay was the first RPG that I played that used a story based reward system. I also include some for roleplaying and some other discretionary XP rewards for using Combat M aeuvers, exceptional skill use, etc.

 

[Bregales]

Well my Saturday group guys started out with me telling them when they'd go up a level, until the scholar said "I dont' think that's right?" or "I think you're being too easy" in which case I'd dig out the old D&D Dungeon Master's Guide with the CR tables and show him why they were awarded a level. Then when he pointed out he needed to use XP to cast certain spells, I Photocopied that table and started using it.

I prefer the more secretive approach others have posted. I hope to start another group soon and will be less number-crunchingly specific when it comes to leveling up. Anyways, I award XP for *good roleplaying, *achieving goals of the adventure (or setting about amazing consequences even if they didn't successfully achieve a goal or more), *slaying opponents, and sometimes if they make me laugh so hard that soda I was drinking snorts out my nostrils.

I'm sure the reason they didn't include a table of XP necessary to achieve each level, and CR tables for character levels vs. opponents slain, is twofold. One, that particular element is not part of the OGL and is the exclusive right of WotC. Second is that I'd believe the Conan game creators want role-playing and problem solving to be as important as killing things, so they left it to each GM. That can be hard on new GMs, but should be better in the end (unless the group all get into what our Saturday group calls a "GM pissing contest" referring to each of us GMing one or more rpgs, and each trying to get his opinion to win out or out-rules-lawyer the other. Geez, I never paid attention to the rules before joining this group. I've lost some role-playing practice, but have learned to read a game book finally!!!)