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A Crunchy Take On Conan From Modiphius Entertainment
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<blockquote data-quote="Caliburn101" data-source="post: 7740576" data-attributes="member: 6802178"><p>I was one of the playtesters (accredited in the main Kickstarter rulebook) and ran a game at the last UK Dragonmeet. I will also be running games at Games Expo this year in the UK.</p><p></p><p>Some of this review is factually wrong, but not too far off generally. The system is indeed a little crunchy, but this is combined with a very simple core mechanic. My groups (I run two currently) got the rules completely down after around 2-3 typical 4 hour sessions. After that happens it runs fast and smooth. Most of the crunch is in the form of Talents (which modify dice rolls or results) and the choice you make to use Momentum and Doom, or Fortune Points. However, a quick look-up sheet or two on the table and this is also easy. Essentially, unlike many magic-ridden rpgs, the martial characters (that is to say, nearly all if not all the characters) get to have a coolaid choice of actions in combat like users of magic do in other systems.</p><p></p><p>Oh yes, and Displays (intimidate rules on steroids) make for great situations... want to clear a room of enemies? - chop of their leader's head and hold it up to them! Want that rabid wolf to back off and not got your sword handy? - pick up a flaming brand and wave it in it's face. Did you just cast a spell and the heart of the enemy leader erupted from his chest and flew into your outstretched hand (yes, that <em>is </em>a spell effect found in the core rules...) - just smile at the rest of them like they are next...</p><p></p><p>... and on a good roll they will run for the hills...</p><p></p><p>Much of the crunch isn't at the table however as there are hundreds of Talents and not that many on each character sheet at the start, and each player only needs to have written down what their PC's talents do. Pretty straightforward.</p><p></p><p>There is more for the GM to do of course... but isn't their always?</p><p></p><p>Combat is both gritty and savage without making PCs very vulnerable to being insta-killed, which is a clever innovation.</p><p></p><p>The rules on Sorcery are brutal and very dark. Completely mastering sorcery is nigh-on impossible without unwholesome sacrifices of sanity and humanity... just like the novels. However, a Sorcerer in the party is great fun if the player is well briefed on the many pitfalls and firmly pointed at creating a character that can fight as well as cast.</p><p></p><p>It's great fun for the GM too as the rules require you to tempt the sorcerer PC with additional sources of dark powers (like the Force, but there isn't a light side to it...) which they either resist or fall to. Falling of course means trouble for the Sorcerer and everyone around them, so it creates real tension.</p><p></p><p>Min-maxers beware... making a one-trick pony character can get you killed or imprisoned or dying of thirst in a desert REALLY fast. If you aren't well rounded at the start, you will suffer, as the challenges of the Hyborian Age do not restrict themselves to 'dungeons', social encounters or hack 'n' slash.</p><p></p><p>I am not going to go on about the meta-game tokens - Doom, Momentum and Fortune points. They have been greatly discussed. However, I will say that the detractors on the net almost universally either hate any kind of meta-mechanic and/or haven't played the game and try to explain how they work incorrectly as a result. Most times I read a serious critical statement about these parts of the game it is as clear as day that they haven't played. I have a policy now not to get drawn into such discussions advising them to simply play the game and <em>then</em> post opinions.</p><p></p><p>How does it play compared to how it reads? Significantly better - the book is a little wordy, and this was not entirely dealt with during the playtest and development cycle. However, to underline my comment above, please understand, you simply <em>cannot</em> fully understand it until you try it. It isn't adversarial or counterintuitive as is said frequently and the crunchiness does not detract from smooth and swift gameplay once everyone is accustomed to it.</p><p></p><p>Let's put it this way. Of the five players I ran for at Dragonmeet, none had played before, and after a nearly 5 hour session "Red Moon Over Shadizar" (my own scenario) they all said they were going to go to the Modiphius stand and buy it. They all loved the game and wanted more Swords and Sorcery in their roleplay lives. We actually exceeded our play slot because they had been having so much fun with the skill interactions etc. in the non-combat scenes that we overshot our 4 hour allocation but then kept playing anyway due to unanimous demand. We only finally packed up after a steward forced us to clear the table as we were in the final combat scene on Dagoth Hill!</p><p></p><p>One player was gutted that their Hyrkanian Archer never got to use their 'Shoot for the Horizon' talent...</p><p></p><p>But anyway, they all loved it, without reservation, so you can't say fairer than that I would suggest...</p><p></p><p>... if you don't believe me, come along to Games Expo 2018 and sign up for my "Shadows of Sabatea" game once I have arranged it (I'll probably do so over my Easter break).</p><p></p><p>"Crush your doubts about the system, drive them before you and hear the lamentation of the internet trolls..."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Caliburn101, post: 7740576, member: 6802178"] I was one of the playtesters (accredited in the main Kickstarter rulebook) and ran a game at the last UK Dragonmeet. I will also be running games at Games Expo this year in the UK. Some of this review is factually wrong, but not too far off generally. The system is indeed a little crunchy, but this is combined with a very simple core mechanic. My groups (I run two currently) got the rules completely down after around 2-3 typical 4 hour sessions. After that happens it runs fast and smooth. Most of the crunch is in the form of Talents (which modify dice rolls or results) and the choice you make to use Momentum and Doom, or Fortune Points. However, a quick look-up sheet or two on the table and this is also easy. Essentially, unlike many magic-ridden rpgs, the martial characters (that is to say, nearly all if not all the characters) get to have a coolaid choice of actions in combat like users of magic do in other systems. Oh yes, and Displays (intimidate rules on steroids) make for great situations... want to clear a room of enemies? - chop of their leader's head and hold it up to them! Want that rabid wolf to back off and not got your sword handy? - pick up a flaming brand and wave it in it's face. Did you just cast a spell and the heart of the enemy leader erupted from his chest and flew into your outstretched hand (yes, that [I]is [/I]a spell effect found in the core rules...) - just smile at the rest of them like they are next... ... and on a good roll they will run for the hills... Much of the crunch isn't at the table however as there are hundreds of Talents and not that many on each character sheet at the start, and each player only needs to have written down what their PC's talents do. Pretty straightforward. There is more for the GM to do of course... but isn't their always? Combat is both gritty and savage without making PCs very vulnerable to being insta-killed, which is a clever innovation. The rules on Sorcery are brutal and very dark. Completely mastering sorcery is nigh-on impossible without unwholesome sacrifices of sanity and humanity... just like the novels. However, a Sorcerer in the party is great fun if the player is well briefed on the many pitfalls and firmly pointed at creating a character that can fight as well as cast. It's great fun for the GM too as the rules require you to tempt the sorcerer PC with additional sources of dark powers (like the Force, but there isn't a light side to it...) which they either resist or fall to. Falling of course means trouble for the Sorcerer and everyone around them, so it creates real tension. Min-maxers beware... making a one-trick pony character can get you killed or imprisoned or dying of thirst in a desert REALLY fast. If you aren't well rounded at the start, you will suffer, as the challenges of the Hyborian Age do not restrict themselves to 'dungeons', social encounters or hack 'n' slash. I am not going to go on about the meta-game tokens - Doom, Momentum and Fortune points. They have been greatly discussed. However, I will say that the detractors on the net almost universally either hate any kind of meta-mechanic and/or haven't played the game and try to explain how they work incorrectly as a result. Most times I read a serious critical statement about these parts of the game it is as clear as day that they haven't played. I have a policy now not to get drawn into such discussions advising them to simply play the game and [I]then[/I] post opinions. How does it play compared to how it reads? Significantly better - the book is a little wordy, and this was not entirely dealt with during the playtest and development cycle. However, to underline my comment above, please understand, you simply [I]cannot[/I] fully understand it until you try it. It isn't adversarial or counterintuitive as is said frequently and the crunchiness does not detract from smooth and swift gameplay once everyone is accustomed to it. Let's put it this way. Of the five players I ran for at Dragonmeet, none had played before, and after a nearly 5 hour session "Red Moon Over Shadizar" (my own scenario) they all said they were going to go to the Modiphius stand and buy it. They all loved the game and wanted more Swords and Sorcery in their roleplay lives. We actually exceeded our play slot because they had been having so much fun with the skill interactions etc. in the non-combat scenes that we overshot our 4 hour allocation but then kept playing anyway due to unanimous demand. We only finally packed up after a steward forced us to clear the table as we were in the final combat scene on Dagoth Hill! One player was gutted that their Hyrkanian Archer never got to use their 'Shoot for the Horizon' talent... But anyway, they all loved it, without reservation, so you can't say fairer than that I would suggest... ... if you don't believe me, come along to Games Expo 2018 and sign up for my "Shadows of Sabatea" game once I have arranged it (I'll probably do so over my Easter break). "Crush your doubts about the system, drive them before you and hear the lamentation of the internet trolls..." [/QUOTE]
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