Temple Warder from Hyboria's Finest

[René]

This Scholar / Soldier concept is detailed on pp.106-108.

A problem I have with this concept is that the use of armour, which will be essential as how I understand this role, doesn't fit with the spellcasting he is supposed to do also. Even wearing Light Armour + Helmet makes it almost impossible to cast spells. And the recommended styles (Counterspells and Curses for example) are not done in a secluded and locked room where you need no protection through armour, but most probably in combat situations.

Setting this more game mechanical problem aside, I still feel this concept is not so Hyborian, it reminds me of the good old A(D&D)-Cleric. But if I look through my recent posts, I sense everywhere D&Dism, so this is maybe more MY problem and not inherent in the concept.

 

[Maximo]

Good catch!
But I don't think it is troublesome. Such a character can go without armour whenever he expects to use spells in combat, or resort to armour when he expects more mundane (but not less dangerous) menaces.

He can use the Curses only outside battle, to scare those who break the commandments of his religion, and even Counterspells can be used this way (to remove curses or other magical ailments from his fellow worshippers). Remember he can have his Wis doubled for withstanding magic from his religion's foes, what allows him to use armour in combat while making all magic against him useless (unless it is uber powerful, of course) :twisted: .

He won't be Gandalf, but, hell, Gandalf didn't use armour either :lol:

 

[Voltumna]

Armour only hamper spells with somatic components. The Ill Fortune chain of spells don't use somatic components. The combined penalties of both Greater Ill Fortune and Righteous Fury could leave opponents at a -6 for almost every check they have to make.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Well, anytime you mix a warrior class with a spell-casting class, you will have a less than optimal mix. However, Voltuma is right - and that is one reason I recommended the Curses. It really wasn't DnD inspired since none of my old cleric players played anything resembling that option, although looking back I can see the resemblance.

I had already done a soldier-scholar combo for Conan: The Free Companies (the adjutant), and had to do another one for the soldier chapter of Finest (the contemplative) and I had to come with a third one! So I thought about it and thought about it, envisioning Hyborian temples, with smoking censors and blackened corridors, and scholarly roles and the need for soldiers and... that is what I came up with.

I didn't want to just cut and paste what I wrote for Conan: The Free Companies into the soldier chapter for Finest, so that meant for all the soldier concepts I had to come up with three concepts instead of just two like I did for the other class combos. (You'll notice none of the soldier multi-class concepts are the same as the ones that appear in Free Companies - so you have A LOT of options for soldiers now.)

I guess it is up to the GM and the players to make it "Hyborian" in feel - and I think it can be done. He still is not going to be the walking, armoured hospital that a DnD cleric is, though.

 

[René]

Well, anytime you mix a warrior class with a spell-casting class, you will have a less than optimal mix. However, Voltuma is right - and that is one reason I recommended the Curses. It really wasn't DnD inspired since none of my old cleric players played anything resembling that option, although looking back I can see the resemblance.

I had already done a soldier-scholar combo for Conan: The Free Companies (the adjutant), and had to do another one for the soldier chapter of Finest (the contemplative) and I had to come with a third one! So I thought about it and thought about it, envisioning Hyborian temples, with smoking censors and blackened corridors, and scholarly roles and the need for soldiers and... that is what I came up with.

I didn't want to just cut and paste what I wrote for Conan: The Free Companies into the soldier chapter for Finest, so that meant for all the soldier concepts I had to come up with three concepts instead of just two like I did for the other class combos. (You'll notice none of the soldier multi-class concepts are the same as the ones that appear in Free Companies - so you have A LOT of options for soldiers now.)

I guess it is up to the GM and the players to make it "Hyborian" in feel - and I think it can be done. He still is not going to be the walking, armoured hospital that a DnD cleric is, though.

1st I'd have to say again that it is really cool to have the author on this forum answering our questions so willingly, detailed and promptly.

Since I haven't known about the rule Voltumna mentioned (never played D&D 3rd, just own a copy of the core rule books) , the game mechanical problem is solved. About the "Hyborian problem" it probably comes to a question of taste.

On the other hand I indeed appreciate your take on the various combos and even if I do not like every single of them (some seem a little bit forced, but this is something difficult to avoid, if you have to create so many out of the same material), most were good and some made me real happy, e.g. the Brawler, mostly because he is a concept transferred from REH's non-CONAN stories into Hyboria - a method I have already found as very cool when you did it with the spells in AtTR.
It not only honours REH, but also gives the CONAN rpg consistency, since almost all the REH stories I read so far seem to take place in one universe at different points of the time line.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

I guess it is up to the GM and the players to make it "Hyborian" in feel - and I think it can be done. He still is not going to be the walking, armoured hospital that a DnD cleric is, though.

All but the smallest temples have always had a martial aspect- people sworn to defend the faith- or project it by violent means. A few of thoise would be of the mystical variety, providing supernatural as well as martial force. Yes, compared to a dedicated [pure Scholar] Priest, they'll lack the raw mystical knowledge that such a one can have but the mere possession of enough Counterspells [Blessings and Protections] to neutralize the foul power of demons and sorceres, they can use their martial skill to tear apart these creatures. One might also be a mundane healer, better ti treat his wounds or the wound of the faithful. I'd imagine the Mitrian religion would be full of them and the great temples of Ishtar and Set would likely have them as well. After all in the intercine wars between faith the more swords to your cause, the better and men will follow a fighting man ere a Priest many times. So you need those holy killers to lead the pack. 8)

 

[VincentDarlage]

...some made me real happy, e.g. the Brawler, mostly because he is a concept transferred from REH's non-CONAN stories into Hyboria - a method I have already found as very cool when you did it with the spells in AtTR.

I am very glad someone noticed that! I re-read a ton of Howard's boxing stories before writing the Brawler class-combo.