D&D General GM's Closet for the CONAN RPG

Water Bob · May 21, 2015

-- SHIELD DAMAGE / WEAPON DAMAGE --

Shields take damage in two ways under the Core 2E rules. The first is through a successful Sunder attack against the character's shield. The second occurs under the optional rule on page 174 (the Weapon Breakage Rule). When the character is using his Parry AC, and his foe's attack exactly equals the character's Parry AC, then, using the page 174 rule, a sunder attack is considered to be delivered equal to the amount of the damage. I always check the character's shield first (if he has one) before I check the weapon.

As an optional rule, why not allow a character's shield or weapon keep soak up some of the damage inflicted by a hit that does 20+ points of damage? This will sure keep a player's character alive longer in this gritty, dangerous game.

The rule would work like this:

1. Foe delivers 20+ points of damage to the character.

2. The character must be using his Parry AC. If using his Dodge AC, then use the Massive Damage rule and the Armor Damage rule as written in the Core rulebook.

3. If the attack throw is odd, then the character's Shield or Weapon will absorb some of the damage from the blow. If the attack throw is even, then use the Massive Damage rule and the Armor Damage rule normally.

4. If the character has a shield, and it was used to parry (it wasn't be used in a shield bash, and the character was using his Parry AC), then consider the shield first. If the character doesn't have a shield, consider that the character was defending using his weapon.

5. Consider that the total amount of damage was delivered to the shield or the weapon as a successful sunder attempt. Any left over damage is laid on the PC.

Example.

A Vanir warrior swings his double bladed axe at the character, hitting, doing 28 points of damage. The character is defending himself using his Parry AC, and he uses a targe.

As a successful sunder, the 28 points of damage are delivered to the target (which has Hardness 6 and 6 HP. Smash!, the shield caves in twain, but 6 points from the shield are removed from the damage. So, the character suffers 22 points of damage. That's still enough to trigger Massive Damage check.

The character makes the check, so the character does not die. But, he still takes the remaining 22 points of damage.

Trace_Coburn · May 21, 2015

Hi, there, Water Bob! I recently discovered the Conan RPG and I’ve been following this thread here, as well as its mirrors at the Mongoose and GITP fora, for your insights. Useful and inspiring stuff, all of it, and I’m brewing a lot of into my own approach to a Pathfinder-based campaign. But I noticed something in your latest post, and since I’m only a member here, this is the only place I can raise it.

Water Bob said:
Example.

A Vanir warrior swings his double bladed axe at the character, hitting, doing 28 points of damage. The character is defending himself using his Parry AC, and he uses a targe.

As a successful sunder, the 28 points of damage are delivered to the targe which has Hardness 6 and 6 HP. Smash!, the shield caves in twain, but 6 points from the shield are removed from the damage. So, the character suffers 22 points of damage. That's still enough to trigger Massive Damage check.

The character makes the check, so the character does not die. But, he still takes the remaining 22 points of damage.

Erm... per the Equipment chapter of Conan 2e, Hardness is like DR for items, absorbing damage from strikes, and Hardness doesn’t interact with an attack’s AP at all. Being that the shield has Hardness 6, and 6 hp, wouldn’t it absorb a total of 12 hp from the axe-blow, leaving only 16 to strike the character (and not trigger a Massive Damage save)?

Water Bob · May 21, 2015

Trace_Coburn said:
I recently discovered the Conan RPG and I’ve been following this thread here, as well as its mirrors at the Mongoose and GITP fora, for your insights. Useful and inspiring stuff, all of it, and I’m brewing a lot of into my own approach to a Pathfinder-based campaign.

Glad you find some of it useful. That's why I post it, for GMs like you.

But I noticed something in your latest post, and since I’m only a member here, this is the only place I can raise it.

Erm... per the Equipment chapter of Conan 2e, Hardness is like DR for items, absorbing damage from strikes, and Hardness doesn’t interact with an attack’s AP at all. Being that the shield has Hardness 6, and 6 hp, wouldn’t it absorb a total of 12 hp from the axe-blow, leaving only 16 to strike the character (and not trigger a Massive Damage save)?

First, let me say that I don't use all of these tweaks in my game. In fact, I only use a couple of them. The rest are really just food for thought. Different GMs can take what they want and mold the game to their tastes. That's the idea, anyway.

I just wrote that optional rule last night, and this morn, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Usually I put more thought into the rules, but this one just came to me real quick. So, I jotted it down.

As far as your comment...

Erm... per the Equipment chapter of Conan 2e, Hardness is like DR for items, absorbing damage from strikes, and Hardness doesn’t interact with an attack’s AP at all. Being that the shield has Hardness 6, and 6 hp, wouldn’t it absorb a total of 12 hp from the axe-blow, leaving only 16 to strike the character (and not trigger a Massive Damage save)?

I did consider Hardness. But, I don't think that Hardness would absorb damage. So, my thoughts were more like this....

The Shield has Hardness 6 and 6 HP, hit by 28 points of damage. 28 - 6 Hardness = 22 points of damage. The weapon soaks up 6 points of damage, but Hardness does not. Hardness is just a resistance. It takes 12 points of damage to do 6 HP on the shield.

Given that thinking, 22 points is delivered to the character.

Maybe that approach is too finicky. I think this rule needs some more work, or thought, anyway. I like the idea, and I may use it in my game. But, it's not ready yet.

Weapons shouldn't shatter that often, so I don't want them shattering all the time because of this rule. There's that to consider.

Also, I don't want to lessen the impact of the Massive Damage rule and make the overall game less gritty. My thought was that sometimes a weapon could step in and take some of the damage that a character would take from a Massive Damage blow.

I dunno. This one needs to go back into the oven for a bit.

If you hadn't commented, I probably would have deleted the post this morn.

Water Bob · May 21, 2015

-- FROM THE CONAN STORIES --

Belit, the Shemite pirate of the Tigress, from Queen of the Black Coast.

N'Gora, of Belit's fanatical crew, also from Queen of the Black Coast.

Zaporavo, the Zingaran freebooter, Captain of the Wastrel. Some call him the "Hawk". From the story, The Pool of the Black One.

Trace_Coburn · May 21, 2015

Water Bob said:
Weapons shouldn't shatter that often, so I don't want them shattering all the time because of this rule. There's that to consider.

A good point. My erstwhile campaign is heavily Hellenic-flavoured, so to me the image of spears being broken mid-fight is a feature, not a bug, but doing the same thing to someone’s +2 keen xiphos or Conan’s Atlantean-made war-sword would certainly be... less well-received. :erm:

Water Bob said:
Also, I don't want to lessen the impact of the Massive Damage rule and make the overall game less gritty. My thought was that sometimes a weapon could step in and take some of the damage that a character would take from a Massive Damage blow.

I dunno. This one needs to go back into the oven for a bit.

Well, for my purposes I’m planning on using a rule from a supplement called Grim ’n’ Gritty that adds the Margin of Success from a to-hit roll to a character’s damage, rather than flat damage modifiers from STR, fiddling with Power Attack, etc. A character with high attack-bonuses and a really good attack-roll, a target with a low Parry Defence... I’m not sure my campaign would need to deal with many 20-hp Massive Damage Saves to feel gritty and deadly. Especially since my working assumptions are an E10-style progression and stringent limits on healing and resurrection magic.

Water Bob said:
If you hadn't commented, I probably would have deleted the post this morn.

Just as well I spoke up, then.

Water Bob · May 22, 2015

Trace_Coburn said:
Just as well I spoke up, then.

After more thought, I think the frequency of weapon breakage is just fine in the game the way I have it, and I'm shying away from the idea of a weapon protecting a character from Massive Damage.

Right now, a weapon can be broken in these ways:

1. A foe is successful with a Sunder attempt.

2. A foe rolls your Parry AC exactly (while you are parrying). This is the optional Weapon Breakage rule from the game.

3. You roll a natural one on your attack dice, triggering GUSTUD, resulting in your foe getting a free Sunder attempt.

Click to expand...

That seems about right where weapons don't break too often, but characters do need to take care, and sometimes repair, their equipment.

Another idea I've had that I haven't fully worked out is a Combat Maneuver where, if using a weapon with a point, the player can attempt an attack that does reduced damage (maybe half damage) to receive increased penetration with the weapon (I'm thinking +1 or +2 Armor Piercing).

I haven't thought that all through, though.

Water Bob · May 23, 2015

-- CARAVANS --

There is a nice bit of information in the Shem - Gateway To The South book on caravans. Check out pages 10-15. These aren't rules, per se, but there is enough there for the GM to use the information in different ways in a game. For example, if the players are playing kozaki bandits raiding a caravan, not only can the GM use this section to figure what type of goods is, specifically, being carried by the caravan. But, also, the information can be used if the players decide to run their own caravan.

I don't give my players a lot of money. The Conan universe isn't like the D&D universe where a character can explore a ruin and come out richer than the local king. Most of the foes fought in my games are as poor as the player characters. Typically, business is the way to go for coin. Open up a smithy, or something like that.

I think it would be a pretty interesting adventure if the PCs decide to pool their wealth and buy up a cargo, then caravan it someplace where the goods would be considered exotic and the PCs can make some fair coin doing it.

Of course, the PCs would have to pay for extra NPC guards, and the GM can throw bandits, desert creatures, dried up oasis, sandstorms, and all sorts of trouble at the PCs and their caravan along the way.

EDIT: See page 16 for quick-n-easy rules for PCs playing caravan merchants long-term in a campaign.

Water Bob · May 23, 2015

-- BARGAINING --

If you ever have need to dice bargaining in your games, instead of roleplaying it, there are some simple, loose rules on page 14 of Shem - Gateway To The South. Those meant for use in Shem, you can easily use these rules anyplace where haggling takes place during the Hyborian Age. The rules are generic and use the character's interpersonal skills like Bluff, Intimidate, Diplomacy, Sense Motive and Profession skills. And, if you want, you can easily customize the rules for a particular region.

Water Bob · May 23, 2015

-- FREE CONAN RPG SUPPLEMENTS --

I've mentioned before in these threads that Mongoose, the publisher of the d20 Conan RPG, also published a gaming magazine called Signs & Portents to support their games. Originally, this was a magazine that you paid to have, but after several issues, Mongoose continued to publish the mag but made it a free download.

Today, Mongoose no longer publishes the mag at all, but there is an archive of some of the issues. Most of them, in fact, are archived. The archive, though, is not easy to find.

Click HERE to see Mongoose's S&P Archive.

I highly suggest that you spend time downloading all (or everything that interests you) of this archive because there is no guarantee as to how long this archive will remain available. And, folks, there is a TON of good Conan stuff here. In fact, there are a total of 491 pages of free Conan material here just waiting for you to use it in your game, and much of it is written by the same people who wrote the game. Take a look at your thick Second Edition Core Rulebook. That heavy thing is only 424 pages. You're getting the equivalent of that, plus 15% more, for free. Adventures. Weapons. Races. Locations. Maps. Tons of stuff to compliment your Conan game.

To help you navigate the archive, here is a Table of Contents of all Conan material published in S&P.

RULES/RACES

S&P Issue

6---------------------Of Chariots and Acheronians------5 pages
7---------------------Solo and Duo Play------------------4 pages
9---------------------The White Hand of Hyperborea ---6 pages
10--------------------Return of the [Real] King----------2 pages
12--------------------The Bandit-------------------------- 3 pages
13--------------------Three Sides of the Coin------------4 pages
14--------------------Sons of Anshan---------------------2 pages
16--------------------The Kordavian Way-----------------3 pages
18--------------------Riders of Tombalku----------------- 1 page
19--------------------The Wilds of Hyboria------------------6 pages
20--------------------Darkarra: The Spirit Eaters of Darfar--5 pages
22--------------------Red Nails----------------------------- 1 page
30--------------------The Martial Disciple--------------------5 pages
34--------------------Stygian Spells--------------------------1 page
41--------------------The Saami------------------------------5 pages
44--------------------Noble Followers-------------------------7 pages
50--------------------Healers & Gladiators ------------------7 pages
53--------------------Monsters of Legend-------------------5 pages
56--------------------Alternative Borderer Combat Styles ---4 pages
61--------------------Pygmies of the Hyborian Age------------5 pages
65--------------------Hyborian Age Monsters-------------------27 pages
67--------------------Manly Games & Festivals-------------------5 pages
68--------------------Man's Best Friend----------------------------6 pages
76--------------------Piercing Magic--------------------------------3 pages
77--------------------The Bloodling--------------------------------3 pages
78--------------------The Underhanded Side of Sorcery---------3 pages
81--------------------The Dagger - Every Thief's Best Ally---------3 pages
83--------------------New Armour------------------------------------2 pages
85--------------------Gambling - Turning Coppers to Silvers-------4 pages
86--------------------Sneak Attack Styles-----------------------------2 pages

Total Rules Pages=140

GAMING TIPS

S&P Issue

8----------------------Roleplaying in the Hyborian Age-----------5 pages
11--------------------What's in a Name----------------------------2 pages
12--------------------What's in a Name----------------------------2 pages
18--------------------Refusal to Submit----------------------------3 pages
70--------------------Ten Reasons to Leave Cimmeria-----------3 pages

Total Gaming Tips Pages=15

SCENARIOS

S&P Issue

10---------------------Danger in the Westermark------------------6 pages
17---------------------Plunderers of the Dead----------------------12 pages
27---------------------Ghost of the Deep----------------------------9 pages
37---------------------The Staff of Ibis------------------------------15 pages
44---------------------Horror in Numalia----------------------------10 pages
47---------------------The Vault of Thedipides---------------------12 pages
49---------------------The Pit Where Mad Things Drum ---------12 pages
53---------------------Temple of Tears ----------------------------16 pages
58---------------------The Book of the Elephant (Part 1)---------8 pages
59---------------------The Book of the Elephant (Part 2)---------7 pages
60---------------------The Book of the Elephant (Part 3)---------9 pages
68---------------------The Palace of Cetriss------------------------6 pages
69---------------------Wine of the Gods-----------------------------9 pages
73---------------------Bitter Oranges--------------------------------7 pages
74---------------------Cimmerian Moons--------------------------------7 pages
75---------------------Hunting the Falcon-----------------------------13 pages
76---------------------Dead Eyes---------------------------------------6 pages
82---------------------Faith & Blood aka Heretics of Tarantia------19 pages
86---------------------To Save A Kingdom------------------------------31 pages
Total Scenario Pages= 214

SOURCE MATERIAL & SETTINGS

S&P Issue

21------Khemi: Ancient Spiritual Home to the Priesthood of Set---7 pages
24---------------------Tortage---------------------------------------------- 5 pages
26-----A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Part One)-11 page
27-----A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Part Two)- 8 page
29----------------------Xuthal------------------------------------------------12 page
32----------------------Aghrapur--------------------------------------------10 page
35----------------------Scenarios of Shadizar-------------------------------7 pages
38----------------------Gladiators of Messantia------------------------------9 pages
45----------------------The Scarlet Citadel-----------------------------------10 pages
46---------------------Mount Yimsha-----------------------------------------10 pages
52------------------The Ark of Delight -------------------------------------7 pages
54------The People of the Felt Walls: Hyrkanian Steppe Nomads ----------6 pages
62----------------------Wildlife and Monsters In Atlaia ---------------------------6 pages
75----------------------Praise the Serpent - The Houses of Set ---------------7 pages
81----------------------Barachan Isles ------------------------------------------7 pages
Total Source Material & Settings Pages=122

SUMMARY

Rules/Races Pages =140
Gaming Tips Pages=15
Scenarios Pages= 214
Source Material & Settings Pages=122

Grand Total of Signs & Portents Conan RPG Content =491 pages

Water Bob · May 24, 2015

-- CONAN THE OUTCAST --

CONAN THE OUTCAST is one of the many Tor novels featuring our favorite barbarian. CLICK HERE to view Leonard Carpenter's book on Amazon.

This story takes place in Shem, primarily in two city states, Qjara and Sark.

The Conan RPG supplement, SHEM - GATEWAY TO THE SOUTH, includes entries for both Qjara and Sark. Plus, it describes the Phantom Sword of Onothimantos, the Stone of Votantha, Narcinthe, a full monster entry on the Bestial Things of Yb, and a complete write-up on the demon, worshipped as a god, Votantha, the Tree of Mouths.

The Beastiary of the Hyborian Age also carries an entry for the Bestial Things of Yb.

The Faith and Fervour sourcebook mentions both Votantha and the goddess Saditha.

Ruins of Hyboria describes the City in the Waste, Tal 'Ib.