Anyone playing in the CONAN world?

[Teflon Billy]

Thanks for the comments. We've not had any difficulty getting a Hyborian feel using the D&D/SRD rules at all (including magic). As our D&D house rules exist, a couple very simple changes can make the change apparent...

Man, I find that startling.

Every effort I made for D&D to play like a Conan nonvel involved disallowing any spellcasters and all Races other than human.

How do you get the "feel" of a Hyborian game with Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Fireballs, Healing magic and and endless slew of Magic Items that don't drive you insane?

And I'm not being snide here, I really want to know...because I've tried, and brother; I can't make it work

 

[GlassJaw]

Isn't that how D&D was created?

Well it wasn't really based on a core "fluff" background but it certainly had a style of play in mind, especially 3ed.

And when you play core 3ed, there is an default style of play. In general, the rules dictate how the campaign will play out. Just look at the Adventure Paths. You can't get the same style of play with the Conan ruleset, nor can you get the same style of Conan with the 3ed ruleset.

The rules dictate style, mood, and feel of the game.

 

[Karl Green]

I used to play and run a fairly long (9 or 10 month) round-table GM Conan game using Mongoose’s system and we had a blast. Unfortunately it ended when two of the four players moved away

I played Ibin, the Stygian Sorcerer and had a blast… oh I was the weakest member of the party BUT I used my magic (or poisons and other brews) in crazy ways to surprise the GM and other players and was a pretty deciding factor in a number of places (like when I used some explosive powder to blow the sea serpents head off, with predestination to toss it into the creatures roaming mouth). Games I ran where they faced the man-apes in the Hollowing Forest of Nemedia or the jackal-weres in the Pictish Wilderness, etc.

Anyway I really think that the OGL Conan rules are pretty cool and we thought it had a very Conan-feel. Magic is not easy (and is very corrupting... I burned more Fate Points to keep my corruption low hehhe ) and combat can be very short and brutal.

 

[Emirikol]

How do you get the "feel" of a Hyborian game with Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Fireballs, Healing magic and and endless slew of Magic Items that don't drive you insane? [/i]

Excellent questions. Take a look at the house rules. No elves. No fireballs. No magic missiles. OK, moving on Hyborian D&D House Rulebook: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=3148297&postcount=6

Philosophical points here:
Our goal was not to create a new campaign sourcebook or we could just as well have used the CONAN RPG..except that my players didn't like it after having playtested it..so we stuck with D&D/SRD rules anywayswith 3 simple house rules.

1) 2 levels of non-spellcaster to all PC's

2) Certain spells disincentivized (just because REH didn't write it doesn't mean we can't use it)

3) We do not use the D&D races (including humans).


As most of the "feel" of Hyboria comes out in the adventures, they certainly must reflect that. As a DM, I just read a story and steal the elements that I feel would still work.

All of my comments may sound wierd, but that's been my experience over the past years.

How many of you have gamed in Hyboria using GURPS (i.e. the FIRST role playing system dedicated to Hyboria)?

jh


..

 

[Emirikol]

And when you play core 3ed, there is an default style of play. In general, the rules dictate how the campaign will play out. Just look at the Adventure Paths. You can't get the same style of play with the Conan ruleset, nor can you get the same style of Conan with the 3ed ruleset. The rules dictate style, mood, and feel of the game.

Actually we're playing AGE OF WORMS. It's set in the Red Wastes of Shem. It's playing out the beautifully using a Conan-style game..granted superficial changes ARE necessary. Names of gods (Tiamat, Mardu, Pazuzu, etc. instead) as well as you need lots of babes, slaves, sand and some darfari cannibals instead of Lizard Men (I just change the appearance..not the actual stats..that doesn't really matter anyways).

WHere's your campaign set again and how's the Conan rule set worked out for you?

jh

 

[Emirikol]

you'll find plenty of folks playing Conan over at the Mongoose fora.
I don't run Conan OGL because I don't want to now, .

Yea, this question's been asked there. I'm interested in the masses of people here. I'm always keen on seeing if anyone is willing to break the rules

When a person posts that they're playing Mutants & Masterminds in Hyboria, then I'll be peaked!

jh

 

[Teflon Billy]

How many of you have gamed in Hyboria using GURPS (i.e. the FIRST role playing system dedicated to Hyboria)?

Right here

GURPS Conan was, for years, my favorite gaming product. I thought GURPS was a great system for it, even if their reworking of the magic system was on passable.

As a setting bible, GURPS Conan was phenomenal.

I think that Mongoose's Road of Kings has suprassed GURPS Conan as a setting bible in every way mond you.

 

[Azgulor]

Not playing in Hyboria (although I may for my next campaign), but rather using Conan OGL as the core rules for my Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign. Finally, swords-n-sorcery instead of over-the-top D&D in a great setting.

Azgulor

 

[Crust]

I only just discovered the original Howard stories last month, and I was totally blown away. I read The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, and I'm now halfway through the second volume's "Hour of the Dragon." Howard was amazing. What a horrible tragedy that he shot himself at age 30.

I am VERY interested in running my next campaign in Hyborea. The overall flavor of Howard's world is unlike anything I've ever experienced. After playing in Faerun for almost ten years, Hyborea will be like a breath of fresh air. I'd LOVE to step away from the renaissance style, heavy magic flavor of FR.

I also agree that the PHB magic system is non-existent in Howard's world. I'm definitely going to pick up the d20 Hyborean rulebook to see the world's take on magic, which is clearly of less power than Faerun's Weave.

Lastly, I'm very interested in hearing how folks run Age of Worms in Hyborea, as I'm currently running it in Faerun. Certainly Kyuss' worm angle would work wonderfully, and Kyuss himself has a Lovecraftian Cthulhu style which is found in several original Howard stories. I would expect several major changes to setting and characters.

 

[Emirikol]

As a setting bible, GURPS Conan was phenomenal.I think that Mongoose's Road of Kings has suprassed GURPS Conan as a setting bible in every way mond you.

I agree. There is a TON of info and tidbits in this book. I use it nearly every game for ideas.

jh