d20 Conan!

[Kevin Wilson]

Things I'd like to see done:

1. Speed up the combat round. (Lose them bad old AoOs)
2. Keep HPs. (one of the few occasions they really, truly work, I think)
3. Look into sanity rules for spellcasting (Howard's Conan setting shares elements with Lovecraft's Cthulhu, particularly in this instance)
4. Rework the classes. (The core classes make several assumptions that would be fairly ridiculous in the Hyborean Age, such as two-fisted rangers)
5. Address some of Howard's themes mechanically, including:
Savagery vs. Civilization (You can't be both, according to Howard. Although Conan became a civilized king, at heart he was always a rough barbarian)
Magic is rare and dangerous (+1 swords would seem pretty weird here)
The glory of the old days is fading (Though man is now free of the serpent men, the golden age of Atlantis is over, and a slow descent into barbarism has begun)

Good luck, fellas.
Kevin Wilson
Fantasy Flight Games

 

[bolen]

Looking forward to this one.

 

[Corinth]

Give me the rules in all their glory. AoO are some of the best bits in the d20 engine; removing them serious screws with gameplay, and not to its benefit.

 

[Kirowan]

Give me the rules in all their glory. AoO are some of the best bits in the d20 engine; removing them serious screws with gameplay, and not to its benefit.

How does removing AoO seriously screw gameplay? There are some D20/OGL games out there that don't use them and the gameplay doesn't suffer for it.

I think they add a tedious step to combat that is a lot of work for very little return. They are also entirely unheroic. It amazes me that in a combat system as abstract as the one in D&D the designers put them in.

Nick

 

[Kirowan]

I agree with Kevin on those changes. More specifically...

1. Keep HPs, but don't have them inflate. Seperate characters from common people by giving them "hero points" or somesuch to reduce/avoid damage (and do other things). Keeping HPs low makes the math easier and keeps combat sufficiently deadly even at high levels. Also, it keeps hazards realistically deadly.

2. The magic system from Call of Cthulhu does indeed fit. I love the idea of magic use draining ability score points. Also, more powerful magic should have a corrupting effect. This fits the source material nicely.

3. Where you are from should be a big deal. Characters should receive cultural bonuses and penalties based on the land they were born in.

4. Revise the classes so they are looser than the ones in the PH. I'd probably end up with only 4 or 5 classes. Eliminate restricted skills.

Nick

 

[Razuur]

I think this is great news. I hope you go D20 or OGL (preffered) myself. My group is getting tired of multiple systesm and are beginning to only use D20. I might not make the purchase if it is not. We just find that with busy schedules, we want to get right down to the story, and it takes so much time to relearn rules and then teach them to all of the players. So we pretty much only play D20/OGL stuff nowadays. It is easy, intuitive, etc. Right up there with what Conan should be. I am with the consensus on making it a lighter version as well. Dropping the AoO would be a welcome cut. We don't use it anyways, and I suspect a lot of people don't.

Anyways, congrats, and here is one vote for D20/OGL! Please?

Razuur

 

[Fenes 2]

I say keep the AoOs. They add a great deal to gameplay. Looking at your barbarian, who, with his combat reflexes, reach weapon and great cleave, can really mop the floor with low-level foes, I think a Conan unable to take advantage of a foe running past him, or a wizard fumbling for his spell components would be a sorry sight.

In our game, the opponents are more likely to suffer AoOs than the Pcs, due to less feats and often less ability to tumble past opponents. I am guessing that in other games this is not the case.

 

[Alzrius]

3. Look into sanity rules for spellcasting (Howard's Conan setting shares elements with Lovecraft's Cthulhu, particularly in this instance)

I just want to cast a very big second to this idea. Strictly speaking, Conan and the Cthulhu mythos happen in the same universe. It's all plotted out and given entries in Chaosium's Encyclopedia Cthuliana 2nd edition. That said, although I know you guys can't legally touch the WotC Call of Cthulhu, I personally would be overjoyed if the rules for CoC mixed perfectly with Conan, since they naturally blend anyway.

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

Hmm, about even for going D20 heavy and D20 Lite with Conan. Looks like it will be up to the playtesters!

 

[Neo]

Hmm, about even for going D20 heavy and D20 Lite with Conan. Looks like it will be up to the playtesters!

Music to my Ears Matt heh