Conan RPG Info and ideas

[Ero Gaki]

I'm getting ready to start a Conan game, and was wondering if anybody knows much about the setting. I have the book, but haven't read any of the stories (I've seen Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer, though) so I'm not exactly sure about the feel of the setting just yet.

Plus, I haven't any idea on adventures in the setting. I understand that it is different than a traditional D&D game, so I'm not sure what goes on....

I'd appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

[scourger]

Reh

I recommend any of the original stories by Robert E. Howard. There is a new trade paperback collection of some of them titled The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian. You should be able to get at your local bookstore or online. They are great to read and will help you set the tone for your game.

 

[exile]

The follow-up collection, titled something like "The Bloody Crown of Conan" just hit stores a short while ago. You might also look at some of Robert E Howard's other works. I'm particularly enjoying "The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane".
Chad

 

[Maester Luwin]

You could also go to Mongoose's web site/ forums for ideas! They also list some adventures that can be ordered thru RPG Now which would be good to read. But I also recommend reading a few of Howard's stories as they are a good - fast read & will go a long way in setting the tone in any Conan game! Thanks Maester Luwin

 

[scourger]

Mesopotamia

The module Mesopotamia is a great Conan-like setting & module in one. You could save yourself some steps and just run that, which is what I plan to do for a Howard-esque game. I think you could even use the flavor text from the core Conan book or The Road of Kings to make it more like the Conan d20 OGL RPG if you want.

Otherwise, check out an old module for the 1986 Conan RPG. It is Conan Triumphant CN3. It is based on a Robert Joran book of the same title. If I ever run a Conan D&D game (I'm not using the Conan OGL rules), it will be a conversion of that module.

 

[argo]

The first thing you should do is check out Mongoose's forum. http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/forum.php There are a lot of dedicated Conan fans over there and they are all very eager to help.

The second thing you should do is find one of the recently released collections of the origional Robert E Howard Conan stories, nothing will give you a better feel for the world than reading the soruce material and they are all prety quick reads.

But to help answer your question here; yes Conan is very different than regular DnD. Magic in the Hyborian age is both common and powerful but is costly to use and more often than not will screw you over in the end. A character is more important than his equipment; there are no magic items to buy and little to do with your loot other than blow it all on ale and whores. Get your players out of the aquiring and hoarding mentality of DnD and get them used to starting adventures on the run from the law with nothing but a stick and a loincloth. On the other hand good strong armor and a powerfull weapon can make a warior twice the man he was under the right circumstances. The Hyborian age is a harsh world, forget all about the idea of a "balanced encounter". With the variant rules introduced in the Conan RPG even low level mooks can be a threat in sufficent numbers (I once brought a party of five eighth level characters to a near standstill with waves of well equiped third level mooks) and many supernatural creatures may simply be beyond the capability of the players no matter what they do. Players should know when to flee even if it means leaving behind the loot to escape with their lives but at the same time if pressed into a fight they should join the battle gladly. Conan is a bloody game where death comes quickly and with a little luck and strategy it is possible for PC's to fight their way past even seemingly overwhelming odds. Don't be afraid to hurl absurd challenges at your players, the game gives them Fate Points exactly so they can survive otherwise impossible scenarios. Characters in Conan are much more self sufficent than they are in DnD. Expect you players to have all sorts of resources on hand even if they have no magic and no equipment. Look for creative ways to use skills and character abilities. Get used to the idea of PC's attempting over the top stunts. Everybody can move attack and move in a full-round, everybody can TWF, everybody has a high initative score and heals quikly, everybody can potentially drop a foe in one hit if they beat the massive damage threshold. Gameplay should be fast and furious. Characters should embrace their steryotypes and play them to the hilt. Thieves are shifty, foreigners are not to be trusted, wizards are corrupt and dangerous, women are devious and steely-thewed warriors shall teach them all a lesson at the tip of their blades and carve a path to fame and fortune by Crom!

Hope that helps.

 

[deltadave]

I recommend reading anything that you can get your hands on by Robert E Howard - that is your best source for flavor material. Good secondary sources are the modern Conan tales and Conan the Barbarian movie. IMHO magic as written in the game is much too common as compared to the books.