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Robert E. Howard's Conan AMA With Jason Durall & Chris Lites
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<blockquote data-quote="trystero" data-source="post: 6852155" data-attributes="member: 67247"><p>I'm not sure there's ever a single optimal strategy; there's a lot of interplay. But some things that we noticed:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">In the first test session, I had to remind the players that they could add Doom to the pool to use Momentum effects marked as "Immediate" (adding extra d20s for their own skill tests, or adding to the Difficulty of enemies' skill tests) in the first round of an action scene, when they hadn't yet built up any Momentum.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Defending against an opponent's attack adds Doom to the pool, and you may burn Momentum and/or add <em>more</em> Doom to buy extra dice for that defensive Reaction. If you've got a good TN and Focus, that may be worthwhile, because you can generate Momentum from the Reaction; if you're less sure of your odds, though, it's often a better bet to bump up the Difficulty of the enemy's attack instead, because that always eats one of their successes and there's no chance of you failing or generating a Complication.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The "Swift Action" Momentum effect lets you take a second Standard Action on your turn for 2 Momentum; one of the designers has clarified that if this action is a second attack with a different weapon it only costs 1 Momentum. (And you can spend Fortune to take additional actions on your turn, too.)<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">As players, don't be afraid to put Doom in the pool for rolls that are important.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">As GM, don't let Doom pile up while you wait for a <em>perfect</em> opportunity to use it; keep a few points in reserve, by all means, but spend much of it as soon as you can, to amp up the fight and to not be caught short when the PCs make mincemeat of your NPCs. This has happened to me twice now, so this tip is aimed primarily at myself. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For characters who aren't combat specialists, use another skill that you're better at to gain an advantage (like Acrobatics to jump up on a table and get high ground) and then use Momentum from that action for the "Swift Action" effect. This also makes combat a lot more fun, as you don't just stand toe-to-toe.<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">As GM, take 2 Doom for a Complication if you're short on it, but otherwise try to make fun Complications that shake up the scene. In our second session, the player running Amala (one of the pregenerated PCs) was up on a rooftop, shooting at foes that the players had ambushed; for her first shot, he got two successes from one d20 (rolled under her Ranged Weapons skill Focus) but got a Complication (20) on the other die. I ruled that her quiver of arrows came loose and fell off the roof, forcing the player to get out of the comfortable ambush zone if he wanted her to keep shooting, and that ended up making the whole fight much more dynamic and entertaining.</li> </ul><p>Again, these are top-of-the-head thoughts and almost certainly not perfect advice for every group or situation. But they are the kind of thing that emerges from play.</p><p></p><p>One last thing. My group mostly plays <em>D&D</em> (and <em>RuneQuest</em>), so we're used to "what action do I take this turn?" being the big decision to make in an action scene. The thing I'm really loving about <em>Conan</em> 2d20 -- and that appeals to me in games like REIGN and <em>Monsters & Magic</em> as well -- is that "what action do I take this turn?" is the first and less-important decision you make; the more significant decision is often "how do I use the results my action generated?"</p><p></p><p>Have fun!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="trystero, post: 6852155, member: 67247"] I'm not sure there's ever a single optimal strategy; there's a lot of interplay. But some things that we noticed: [LIST] [*]In the first test session, I had to remind the players that they could add Doom to the pool to use Momentum effects marked as "Immediate" (adding extra d20s for their own skill tests, or adding to the Difficulty of enemies' skill tests) in the first round of an action scene, when they hadn't yet built up any Momentum. [*]Defending against an opponent's attack adds Doom to the pool, and you may burn Momentum and/or add [I]more[/I] Doom to buy extra dice for that defensive Reaction. If you've got a good TN and Focus, that may be worthwhile, because you can generate Momentum from the Reaction; if you're less sure of your odds, though, it's often a better bet to bump up the Difficulty of the enemy's attack instead, because that always eats one of their successes and there's no chance of you failing or generating a Complication. [*]The "Swift Action" Momentum effect lets you take a second Standard Action on your turn for 2 Momentum; one of the designers has clarified that if this action is a second attack with a different weapon it only costs 1 Momentum. (And you can spend Fortune to take additional actions on your turn, too.) [*]As players, don't be afraid to put Doom in the pool for rolls that are important. [*]As GM, don't let Doom pile up while you wait for a [I]perfect[/I] opportunity to use it; keep a few points in reserve, by all means, but spend much of it as soon as you can, to amp up the fight and to not be caught short when the PCs make mincemeat of your NPCs. This has happened to me twice now, so this tip is aimed primarily at myself. :-) [*]For characters who aren't combat specialists, use another skill that you're better at to gain an advantage (like Acrobatics to jump up on a table and get high ground) and then use Momentum from that action for the "Swift Action" effect. This also makes combat a lot more fun, as you don't just stand toe-to-toe. [*]As GM, take 2 Doom for a Complication if you're short on it, but otherwise try to make fun Complications that shake up the scene. In our second session, the player running Amala (one of the pregenerated PCs) was up on a rooftop, shooting at foes that the players had ambushed; for her first shot, he got two successes from one d20 (rolled under her Ranged Weapons skill Focus) but got a Complication (20) on the other die. I ruled that her quiver of arrows came loose and fell off the roof, forcing the player to get out of the comfortable ambush zone if he wanted her to keep shooting, and that ended up making the whole fight much more dynamic and entertaining. [/LIST] Again, these are top-of-the-head thoughts and almost certainly not perfect advice for every group or situation. But they are the kind of thing that emerges from play. One last thing. My group mostly plays [I]D&D[/I] (and [I]RuneQuest[/I]), so we're used to "what action do I take this turn?" being the big decision to make in an action scene. The thing I'm really loving about [I]Conan[/I] 2d20 -- and that appeals to me in games like REIGN and [I]Monsters & Magic[/I] as well -- is that "what action do I take this turn?" is the first and less-important decision you make; the more significant decision is often "how do I use the results my action generated?" Have fun! [/QUOTE]
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