# Robert E. Howard's Conan AMA With Jason Durall & Chris Lites



## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 11, 2016)

I'm Chris Lites, associate line manager for Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures In An Age Undreamed Of....

Starting on March 11, 2016, Jason Durall, our for-real line manager, and I will answer any and all questions about the new Conan RPG. We will also prophesy and give I Ching fortunes.

Jason Durall worked on BRP, Call of Cthulhu, Achtung! Cthulhu….

I've worked on Dust Adventures, Shadowrun, Mutant Chronicles 3E….

Together, we travel around America solving crimes.

Fire away.


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## Deuce Traveler (Mar 11, 2016)

I never played any of the Conan pen and paper RPGs, but I read each and every one of REH's Conan stories and have the complete collection in my library and have also collected many of Marvel's old Savage Sword of Conan large comics.  The Conan stories are very physical and brutal, though tinged with a bit of the alien science fantasy, mysticism, ritual magic, strange and unique monsters, local political strife, conflicts of cultures, and the generally weird.

Recent Dungeons and Dragons editions are in many ways different.  There are numerous ways to win challenges outside of the physical, older modules shy away from science fiction, magic has very strict rules, monsters are statted and usually work in groups, politics and culture are usually simple background flavor, and the Far Realm is as weird as it gets.

How do you take a group of roleplayers used to such systems as Dungeons and Dragons, and ease them into a ruleset that can emulate REH's Hyboria?  What sacrifices had to be made to accommodate such players?  Is the ruleset more enjoyable with a group of players and a single GM, or would it be better with a single player vs single GM?  What is your favorite REH story?  Which tales had the most influence on how you designed your RPG?

I also want my promised prophecy and I Ching fortune.


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## Kai Kaganishu (Mar 11, 2016)

Is the RPG set at a certain time? Is there a timeline, metaplot or whatnot? Is Conan King?

And you seem to have interpreted the Conan world much more medieval than pre-BC. Aquilonia is considered medieval france, not Rome (as was depicted in Age of Conan, the game, for example. And the movies have a decidedly antique look to them). How did you come to that idea? Is it to be closer to traditional fantasy fare, which is probably more accessable to people?

thank you !


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 11, 2016)

Deuce Traveler said:


> How do you take a group of roleplayers used to such systems as Dungeons and Dragons, and ease them into a ruleset that can emulate REH's Hyboria?  What sacrifices had to be made to accommodate such players?  Is the ruleset more enjoyable with a group of players and a single GM, or would it be better with a single player vs single GM?  What is your favorite REH story?  Which tales had the most influence on how you designed your RPG?
> 
> I also want my promised prophecy and I Ching fortune.




One of the things I like to remember is that many of the tropes of D&D started with Robert E. Howard. Heroic swordplay against weird horrors, seen prominently in AD&D 1E, is very Howardian. So, I think the answer to your question is sort of akin to the sculptor who, when asked how he sculpts a piece, says something like, “I take a block of marble and chip away everything that isn't the sculpture.”

That is to say, you take you basic, D&D style fantasy, and chip away everything that isn't Conan. Sword and sorcery is grittier, deadlier and dirtier. It's the cyberpunk of fantasy. You emphasize the mettle of mortal men above magic and so-called deities. All monsters are rare. Magic items all have names and few of them exist. It's a matter of pairing back the high fantasy bonsai tree to find the S&S tree within.

Conan can work fine with a small group and a GM or one player and one GM. it is not "party" focused, though. You don't fulfill specific niches. You don't all hang out at the inn waiting to get hired for a job. We aren't sacrificing Robert E. Howard's vision for D&D players. That was an early decision. If someone wants to play high fantasy dungeon crawling, there are already great games out there. This is a third option, hopefully.

I probably gravitate most toward Tower of the Elephant or Red Nails, but all of REH's stories and fragments have more or less equal weight in the game's design.

Your I Ching fortune says you will be the Kickstarter pledge that puts us over 500,000 dollars.


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 11, 2016)

Kai Kaganishu said:


> Is the RPG set at a certain time? Is there a timeline, metaplot or whatnot? Is Conan King?
> 
> And you seem to have interpreted the Conan world much more medieval than pre-BC. Aquilonia is considered medieval france, not Rome (as was depicted in Age of Conan, the game, for example. And the movies have a decidedly antique look to them). How did you come to that idea? Is it to be closer to traditional fantasy fare, which is probably more accessable to people?
> 
> thank you !




The Medieval interpretation is that of Robert E. Howard scholars such as our own Jeffrey Shanks. It applies to the Hyborian Kingdoms—Aquilonia, Koth, Nemedia, Corinthia, and Ophir. Howard always intended them to read as Medieval European-esque. Aquilonia is Medieval France, not Rome. The Rome idea gained popularity for various reasons but is not accurate to Howard's vision.

Our game is not set in a specific time in Conan's career. You could play when he is king, before he is king, or even before he was born. There is no metaplot. Metaplots are pretty antithetical to the episodic nature of Howard's pulp, so we aren't going there. There will be campaigns that have plots, of course, but they won't be world-shaking upheavals like The Sundering, for example. Conan goes from one adventure to the next. His “metaplot” is the arc of his character over time rather than a series of plot points. The game aims for the same.

While the Hyborian Kingdoms are a Medieval analog, many other countries are less "advanced." Stygia, for example, is like Ancient Egypt while others are closer to an Iron Age level of technology than a Medieval one.

As for accessibility? Honestly, we decided very early on to stick to REH exclusively. There's no attempt to make the game appeal to D&D style play or D&D style cultures. There are already games that do that very well. We're trying to capture the essence of Sword & Sorcery as portrayed by Robert E. Howard.

There will be a timeline of Conan's life and the history of Howard's version of our Earth. In fact, our REH expert, Jeffrey Shanks, expects to spend the rest of his life defending the timeline as several competing chronologies have been debated over the years. In our own way, we hope the game contributes to Conan scholarship in addition to being a great RPG.


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## Hand of Evil (Mar 12, 2016)

Saw were the beast book has been unlocked, what can we expect from those pages?


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## Zak S (Mar 12, 2016)

How does the game address the idea that:

-Magic in Conan books shows up in a wild variety and it's implied there are thousands of spells and ways to use magic

but

-The books themselves don't portray wizards as protagonists?

Will the magic system have more stuff in it than other popular fantasy games or less or what??


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## Zak S (Mar 12, 2016)

Also, follow-up:

What is best in life?


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## Polyhedral_Columbia (Mar 12, 2016)

Does Modiphius have the right to mention or portray the various alternate chronologies and adaptations of the Hyborian Age?

If so, besides crafting its own take on the Hyborian Age, will Modiphius at least address these in passing?

For example:

The various chronologies offered for the canonical REH stories:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_chronologies

The various media adaptations (such as the films), each of which is essentially a distinct depiction of the Hyborian Age:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_the_Barbarian#Media

And the parallel Hyborian Ages in the Marvel Universe:

Conan in the Mainstream Marvel Universe (Earth-616)
The Hyborian Age is Marvel Earth's past, circa 10,000 BC

Conan (Earth-9997)
Earth X

Conan (Earth-79213)
Conan traveled to modern era

Conan (Earth-83600)
Thor vs. Conan

Conan (Earth-84243)
Conan joined the Avengers

Conan (Earth-84999)
Conan refused to join the Avengers

Conan (Earth-90816)
Wolverine sent back to Conan's time

Conan (Earth-33⅓)
The world of the Marvel UK humorous comic strips

Conan the Librarian (Earth-9047)
Home to Cookies & Milk


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

Deuce Traveler said:


> How do you take a group of roleplayers used to such systems as Dungeons and Dragons, and ease them into a ruleset that can emulate REH's Hyboria?




I have found that one of the best approaches to any game is to assume that it's the first contact with a new game, and ease players into the system and setting as if they're experiencing gaming for the first time. This doesn't mean copious "this is how you roll a dice" explanations, but a simple re-enforcement of the setting as you introduce the rules, and a continual demonstration throughout play examples. 



Deuce Traveler said:


> What sacrifices had to be made to accommodate such players?




We are not thinking in those terms. 



Deuce Traveler said:


> Is the ruleset more enjoyable with a group of players and a single GM, or would it be better with a single player vs single GM?




The Momentum rules make things definitely easier for groups, but the one-on-one game experience will also be supported. Ultimately, though, gaming is a social activity, and not every character can do all things. If we had to identify one place where the rules system and game diverge from the source material, it's that we're emphasizing group play vs. a sole protagonist. 



Deuce Traveler said:


> What is your favorite REH story?




"The Shadow Kingdom"



Deuce Traveler said:


> Which tales had the most influence on how you designed your RPG?




I'm the line developer, not the "designer" per se, but the tales I keep referring to are "The Phoenix on the Sword", "People of the Black Circle", and "The Hyborian Age." Probably the latter the most. 



Deuce Traveler said:


> I also want my promised prophecy and I Ching fortune.




In the town of the south, a terrible messenger will be forgotten. The dark duke will rise. The empress of evil will seduce the count of the day.

and 

62 - Sixty-Two
Hsiao Kuo / Lying Low

Thunder high on the Mountain, active passivity:
The Superior Person is unsurpassed in his ability to remain small.
In a time for humility, he is supremely modest.
In a time of mourning, he uplifts with somber reverence.
In a time of want, he is resourcefully frugal.

When a bird flies too high, its song is lost.
Rather than push upward now, it is best to remain below.
This will bring surprising good fortune, if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

There is no profit to striving here.
To be content with oneself is the greatest success imaginable.
The enlightened person has nothing to prove to himself or others, and thus may always operate from a position of sincerity, with no pretense or posturing.
His humility is guileless simplicity.
His mourning is selfless compassion.
His frugality is an unshakeable faith that he is but a conduit, letting what is needed flow through him to others, with no loss to himself.


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

Kai Kaganishu said:


> Is the RPG set at a certain time?




The core book defaults to the beginning of Conan's career, but provides an overview of his saga and what his influence is upon the setting. 

Followup books will develop different campaign styles based on phases of his career, almost as if he's an ambassador or herald to those modes of play. The books we're talking about are: 

Conan the Thief 
Conan the Barbarian 
Conan the Mercenary
Conan the Pirate 
Conan the Wanderer
Conan the Adventurer
Conan the Brigand 
Conan the Scout
Conan the King 



Kai Kaganishu said:


> Is there a timeline, metaplot or whatnot?




The timeline of Conan's adventures will be discussed, but there is no enforced "this needs to happen" metaplot. GMs can use or ignore the events in Conan's life at their discretion. 



Kai Kaganishu said:


> Is Conan King?




Eventually he will be, if you follow the release order of the sourcebooks. Or the GM can simply decide that their campaign begins with Conan as king. 



Kai Kaganishu said:


> And you seem to have interpreted the Conan world much more medieval than pre-BC. Aquilonia is considered medieval france, not Rome (as was depicted in Age of Conan, the game, for example. And the movies have a decidedly antique look to them). How did you come to that idea?




This is an issue where the pastiche material (going all the way back to the publication in Weird Tales) is inaccurate or misleading, standardizing that "ancient world" look that's at odds with the actual text. Parts of the Hyborian Age kingdoms are more primitive and less civilized, but others are fairly medieval. One of the biggest clues as to how REH actually imagined the setting is to look at the descriptions of costumes and gear. 

For example, in "The Phoenix in the Sword", Prospero is described as wearing silvered mail with a silken surcoat, and Gromel a casque, both of which indicate a higher level of civilization than the furry loincloth Conan's often depicted wearing. Similarly, look to the description of the armor and weaponry Conan's wearing in tales like "Black Colossus" and "The Black Stranger" - these all indicate a much later period than is traditionally depicted in comics, fantasy art, and the film. 

As for why our artwork is often leaning that way... it's one of those delicate balances between popular conception and the text. We've got an all-star lineup of artists, and we're giving them a bit of leeway in their depictions of Conan and his world. 



Kai Kaganishu said:


> Is it to be closer to traditional fantasy fare, which is probably more accessable to people?




The decision was made entirely based on the game being a truer and more accurate depiction of the Hyborian Age than ever seen before. 



Kai Kaganishu said:


> thank you !




You are welcome!


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## Psikerlord# (Mar 12, 2016)

How are you going to do magic? Will there by at will spells, daily spells, spell points, or some other system?


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> Saw were the beast book has been unlocked, what can we expect from those pages?




_Beasts of the Hyborian Age_ expands on the core book's bestiary, with an expanded roster of creatures, natural animals, and horrors, including additional such beings suggested by the inter-relation between the Hyborian Age and the Cthulhu Mythos. 

A good guideline about what to expect would be _Terrors of the Secret War_, from Modiphius for _Achtung! Cthulhu_. Rather than just being a straightforward bestiary, it presents creatures in context, with story seeds and variations based on region and relative power level, and includes a "monster creation system" that allows GMs to customize existing creatures and to create them anew.


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

Zak S said:


> How does the game address the idea that:
> 
> -Magic in Conan books shows up in a wild variety and it's implied there are thousands of spells and ways to use magic
> 
> ...




So, the core book deals with the most common magic paths and effects portrayed in the stories. 

We're in some cases positing that different traditions address the same spells with different window-dressing, so we're including "variations" for spells to reflect that a summoning might work differently if used by a Pict shaman, a Shemitish astrologer, or a Stygian necromancer.

Player characters can use sorcery (it's even an identified skill on the quickstart character sheet) but the relevant talents are what distinguish a non-spell-user from a spell-user. An example from the text is how Conan often recognizes sorcery, and in one tale, even utters a magic charm he read on a wall in a forgotten cave at the edge of Pictland. 

There are also "friendly" magic users in the source material, particularly the witch Zelata and the priest Hadrathus, both from _ Hour of the Dragon_, who aid Conan by using the Heart of Ahriman against the sorcerer Xaltotun. 



Zak S said:


> What is best in life?




Varies by day, but lately I'd have to say it's these pretzel croissants from the bakery around the corner from my apartment.


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

TraverseTravis said:


> Does Modiphius have the right to mention or portray the various alternate chronologies and adaptations of the Hyborian Age?




We have the rights to use any and all Conan material as source material. 

Our decision very early on was to hew only the the REH stories as our base, and develop original content more in tone with that, rather than accommodating a vast amount of fairly contradictory and uneven pastiche material. In some cases this means we're looking at material outside the Conan stories, such as stories REH wrote that refer to the Hyborian Age or use similar themes and locations, or the tie-ins with the Cthulhu Mythos, but we're being very selective about what we add. 

There will more likely than not be nods to some notable bits of pastiche, but we would like to avoid creating a confusing sense of "this is canon, this is not" with our treatment of the Hyborian Age. 



TraverseTravis said:


> If so, besides crafting its own take on the Hyborian Age, will Modiphius at least address these in passing?




We will not be addressing any of those, nor do we have the rights to do anything relating to the Marvel universe. 

The closest we'll come to it is tie-ins with companies like Monolith and Funcom (both of which have been announced), but these will be optional expansions, unrelated to other projects in the game line.


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

Psikerlord# said:


> How are you going to do magic? Will there by at will spells, daily spells, spell points, or some other system?




Spells are learned by having certain magical talents. Certain talents simply allow a spell to be learned, and certain spells require certain talents. Spells are fueled (for the most part) by successful Sorcery rolls that generate Momentum. Momentum lets sorcerers do things above and beyond the basic spell's description.


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## pickin_grinnin (Mar 12, 2016)

jdurall said:


> Spells are learned by having certain magical talents. Certain talents simply allow a spell to be learned, and certain spells require certain talents. Spells are fueled (for the most part) by successful Sorcery rolls that generate Momentum. Momentum lets sorcerers do things above and beyond the basic spell's description.




Is there any built-in way for magic-using characters to design original spells, or are we still looking at spell lists?


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## jdurall (Mar 12, 2016)

pickin_grinnin said:


> Is there any built-in way for magic-using characters to design original spells, or are we still looking at spell lists?




The core book does not include rules for the creation of original spells, but _The Book of Skelos_ should have some guidance along those lines. I don't have the outline handy at the moment, though.


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 12, 2016)

Hand of Evil said:


> Saw were the beast book has been unlocked, what can we expect from those pages?




We'll cover all the monster's Howard featured as well as some Lovecraftian type horrors.


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 12, 2016)

Zak S said:


> Also, follow-up:
> 
> What is best in life?




The open steppe, fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the primordial ylem in your hair.

Stygian black lotus is a close second.


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 12, 2016)

TraverseTravis said:


> Does Modiphius have the right to mention or portray the various alternate chronologies and adaptations of the Hyborian Age?
> 
> If so, besides crafting its own take on the Hyborian Age, will Modiphius at least address these in passing?
> 
> ...




Which Earth featured Conan the Pimp from What if....?, 'cause I totally want to see the Cimmerian bumming around manhattan with a pet jaguar. (Makes notes for campaign)


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## Psikerlord# (Mar 12, 2016)

Will this game have something like lingering injuries? How do hit points or health work? Is natural healing slow (like OSR games) or fast (like 5e)?


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## fjw70 (Mar 12, 2016)

How does fighting with two weapon work in this game?


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## TarionzCousin (Mar 13, 2016)

Do Conan or any of the characters from the Howard stories appear in the game books?


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## pickin_grinnin (Mar 13, 2016)

I just can't justify the price at this point.  I'm getting a the core print book of 7th Sea and ALL the unlocked PDFs for a few dollars less ($40) than the lowest price to just get the core print book of Conan.  I would have to spend almost $90 to do the same with Conan.  It's no wonder the 7th Sea Kickstarter is over a million dollars right now.

Since the core Conan book doesn't appear to have much of the magic stuff, I wouldn't really have the option to just pledge for the core book without the Book of Skelos.  The only reason I would shift over to using their house mechanics is if magic worked very differently than it does elsewhere and wasn't all memorized-spell-based.  Since magic in Howard's stories is very different than what you find in a lot of fantasy, that's the part that would make the game special.  If I just wanted a sourcebook, I would just go back to the original stories and other sources of information and stick with Barbarians of Lemuria or Savage Worlds for the ruleset.

EDIT:  I meant to refer to the $60 level of 7th Sea, not the $40 level.  My bad.


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## Tush Hog (Mar 13, 2016)

Describe how characters can be generated with dice rolls. I've always loved random generation with a bit of wiggle room for choices.


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## trystero (Mar 13, 2016)

Tush Hog said:


> Describe how characters can be generated with dice rolls. I've always loved random generation with a bit of wiggle room for choices.




Oooh, I can answer this one! See update #11 on the Kickstarter campaign (visible to non-backers) for an overview of the rules and an example.

Short version: roll, then cheat if you want to.


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## jdurall (Mar 13, 2016)

Psikerlord# said:


> Will this game have something like lingering injuries? How do hit points or health work? Is natural healing slow (like OSR games) or fast (like 5e)?




There are two tracks for two types of injuries: Stresses and Harms. 

Stresses are the low-level injuries, scrapes, or even the equivalent of being shaken psychologically. They're divided into two categories:, Vigor (based on Brawn) and Resolve (based on Willpower).  When you lose all of the points in one of these categories, then further injuries of that type become Harms. 

Harms are divided into Wounds and Trauma, and most heroes have five apiece.

It looks like this: 

STRESS
Vigor [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] (based on a 10 Brawn) - when these are checked off, go to Wounds (below)
Resolve [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] (based on a 10 Willpower) - when these are checked off, go to Trauma (below) 

These are recovered relatively quickly. 

HARMS
Wounds [] [] [] [] [] (most heroes have 5) 
Trauma [] [] [] [] [] (most heroes have 5) 

These take longer to heal. If a hero takes 4 of these, they must spend a Fortune point to act. If they take all of these points in Harms, they either die or are driven permanently insane/traumatized/comatose.


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## jdurall (Mar 13, 2016)

fjw70 said:


> How does fighting with two weapon work in this game?




You can always take additional actions by spending Momentum during a round, so if you were holding two weapons, you'd just spend Momentum to take a 2nd attack, though it would be at a penalty. 

That said, there are talents that will mitigate the penalties. 

To the best of my knowledge, there are no penalties for things like "off" handedness or the like.


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## jdurall (Mar 13, 2016)

TarionzCousin said:


> Do Conan or any of the characters from the Howard stories appear in the game books?




Yes, Conan will be in the core book and "advancement" versions of him will be in the core "Conan the..." sourcebooks, and the books will be full of other characters from the stories. 

We've released a preview of Thog as part of the Kickstarter, and have another minor character due to appear today or tomorrow.


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## jdurall (Mar 13, 2016)

pickin_grinnin said:


> I just can't justify the price at this point.  I'm getting a the core print book of 7th Sea and ALL the unlocked PDFs for a few dollars less ($40) than the lowest price to just get the core print book of Conan.  I would have to spend almost $90 to do the same with Conan.  It's no wonder the 7th Sea Kickstarter is over a million dollars right now.




First off, I wish John Wick all the best, and am truly happy to see _7th Sea_ doing so well. I don't know him that well, but we've exchanged emails now and again, chatted about a few things, and he's even doing a smallish supplement in support of a game I created, _Lords of Gossamer & Shadow_. 

As for our own game, I can't speak to the Kickstarter pricing, as it wasn't set by me and I had no influence on how it was established. I do think, given the "forward" unlocking for .pdfs, etc. that the value is quite high. 



pickin_grinnin said:


> Since the core Conan book doesn't appear to have much of the magic stuff, I wouldn't really have the option to just pledge for the core book without the Book of Skelos.  The only reason I would shift over to using their house mechanics is if magic worked very differently than it does elsewhere and wasn't all memorized-spell-based.  Since magic in Howard's stories is very different than what you find in a lot of fantasy, that's the part that would make the game special.  If I just wanted a sourcebook, I would just go back to the original stories and other sources of information and stick with Barbarians of Lemuria or Savage Worlds for the ruleset.




The core rulebook contains a chapter on sorcery, with rules for patronage, alchemy, petty enchantments, talismans, lotus use, sorcery talents, and a wide range of spells of various potencies and uses. 

It is not, as you say above, "memorized-spell-based."


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## Psikerlord# (Mar 13, 2016)

jdurall said:


> There are two tracks for two types of injuries: Stresses and Harms.
> 
> Stresses are the low-level injuries, scrapes, or even the equivalent of being shaken psychologically. They're divided into two categories:, Vigor (based on Brawn) and Resolve (based on Willpower).  When you lose all of the points in one of these categories, then further injuries of that type become Harms.
> 
> ...



That sounds excellent, thank you for the mechanics insight!


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## Psikerlord# (Mar 13, 2016)

Hmm, how have you differentiated your weapons  - do they use different damage dice, or have special qualities, that sort of thing? Do you have a mechanic for "improvised" or "stunt" like combat actions, aside from the usual push, trip and disarm?


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## jdurall (Mar 13, 2016)

Psikerlord# said:


> Hmm, how have you differentiated your weapons  - do they use different damage dice, or have special qualities, that sort of thing?




As we've laid out in the quickstart, weapons are defined by different qualities, as well as different damage [combat dice] totals. 

Weapons might have qualities like Unbalanced (if your strength isn't high enough to use it, you are thrown off-balance when using it), Reach (able to strike at people outside of melee range), Improvised (earns fewer combat Effects), Parrying, Piercing (ignores armor), Stun (can stagger a foe), Unforgiving (if the target has had an exploit action done to them, the weapon does additional damage), and Vicious (does additional damage per Effect rolled). There are more, but those are the ones in the quickstart. 



Psikerlord# said:


> Do you have a mechanic for "improvised" or "stunt" like combat actions, aside from the usual push, trip and disarm?




Combat actions described in the quickstart include Clear (getting rid of an unwelcome condition like "bleeding", "on fire", or "staggered"), Exploit (a catch-all for feints, called shots, etc.), Ready (waiting until someone else acts and then moving quickly beforehand), and Retaliate (striking at someone who is doing something other than fighting within melee range). There are more in the quickstart, and the core rules contain more.


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## Psikerlord# (Mar 13, 2016)

OK I'm off to check out the quickstart rules!


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## trystero (Mar 13, 2016)

fjw70 said:


> How does fighting with two weapon work in this game?






jdurall said:


> You can always take additional actions by spending Momentum during a round, so if you were holding two weapons, you'd just spend Momentum to take a 2nd attack, though it would be at a penalty.



Specifically, you can always spend 2 Momentum to take an additional standard action, adding +1 to the difficulty of all tests you make as part of that action. One of the developers has mentioned in online discussion -- though of course I can't now find the link -- that it only costs 1 Momentum (instead of the usual 2) to do this if you use the additional action to make a second attack with a different weapon. So there's a slight incentive to carry two one-handed weapons, though sword-and-shield-bash is rewarded just as much as sword-and-dagger or similar offensive-weapon pairings.


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## Falstaff (Mar 14, 2016)

Hello Jason. I have downloaded the quickstart rules and I'm reading it in preparation to run it for my group, and I have a question. This may be something I don't need to worry about until the full rule book releases, but I'm a little confused when I look at the pregen character sheets regarding Skills and Focuses. The rules say you add Expertise to Attribute to get the Target Number. But the character sheets appear to be adding Attribute and Focus together to get the TN. What am I missing?

And BIG thanks to you and the rest of your team for making this game. Long, long overdue!


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## jdurall (Mar 14, 2016)

Falstaff said:


> Hello Jason. I have downloaded the quickstart rules and I'm reading it in preparation to run it for my group, and I have a question. This may be something I don't need to worry about until the full rule book releases, but I'm a little confused when I look at the pregen character sheets regarding Skills and Focuses. The rules say you add Expertise to Attribute to get the Target Number. But the character sheets appear to be adding Attribute and Focus together to get the TN. What am I missing?
> 
> And BIG thanks to you and the rest of your team for making this game. Long, long overdue!




Hi Falstaff! 

Loved you in _Merry Wives of Windsor_! (Sorry, I could not resist. Best forum handle ever.) 

There was some clarification back-and-forth on the pregen character sheets. 

Yes, you are reading it correctly. You add Expertise to Attribute for the Target Number. 

However, for starting characters, those values are the same. 

Later, players can spend experience on one or both of them to increase them separately.


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## Falstaff (Mar 14, 2016)

Haha, another Falstaff fan; love the guy! And thanks for the clarification.


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## Stephen D. Patterson (Mar 14, 2016)

Conan doesn't lend itself well to conversion to AD&D.


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## jdurall (Mar 15, 2016)

We should have an interesting bit of news in the days to come...


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## Prickly (Mar 15, 2016)

One of the add-ons for the kickstarter is a hit location die. Does this version of the 2d20 use hit locations?


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## jdurall (Mar 16, 2016)

Prickly said:


> One of the add-ons for the kickstarter is a hit location die. Does this version of the 2d20 use hit locations?




Yes, it does, but for the quickstart we decided to keep things a bit simpler.


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## Prickly (Mar 16, 2016)

Will there be the option not to use hit locations?


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## Prickly (Mar 16, 2016)

Second questions: Any chance of a Day After Ragnarok book for Conan


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## jdurall (Mar 16, 2016)

Prickly said:


> Will there be the option not to use hit locations?




Right now it's the default, and it would require a complete rework of the armor system to ignore them. 

From one of our system engineers: 



> Armour works very differently without them. At the moment, in each fight if you take a hit to a location and take an injury you can burn the armour to avoid the injury. Take away hit locations and you'd lose all your armour in a one-roll.


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## jdurall (Mar 16, 2016)

Prickly said:


> Second questions: Any chance of a Day After Ragnarok book for Conan




No plans on this. That IP is owned by Atomic Overmind (IIRC) and while it is cool, it's not something we have any rights to do.


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 16, 2016)

Prickly said:


> Second questions: Any chance of a Day After Ragnarok book for Conan




Oh, I like this idea....


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## trystero (Mar 16, 2016)

Just a quick note to point out that the Hoard of Yezdigerd and Secrets of Mount Yishma _[sic]_ pledge levels now include _print_ subscriptions as well as PDF subscriptions... meaning that you'll get a print copy of every book released in the two years following the release of the core rulebook.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modiphius/robert-e-howards-conan-roleplaying-game/posts/1520991

Those pledge-level prices (which haven't changed) are looking better and better.


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 16, 2016)

trystero said:


> Just a quick note to point out that the Hoard of Yezdigerd and Secrets of Mount Yishma _[sic]_ pledge levels now include _print_ subscriptions as well as PDF subscriptions... meaning that you'll get a print copy of every book released in the two years following the release of the core rulebook.
> 
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modiphius/robert-e-howards-conan-roleplaying-game/posts/1520991
> 
> Those pledge-level prices (which haven't changed) are looking better and better.




We Await Silent Tristero's Empire (W.A.S.T.E.)?


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## trystero (Mar 16, 2016)

CoreyHaim8myDog said:


> We Await Silent Tristero's Empire (W.A.S.T.E.)?



Indeed. But that's the wrong book for this thread.


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## N01H3r3 (Mar 16, 2016)

jdurall said:


> Right now it's the default, and it would require a complete rework of the armor system to ignore them.
> 
> From one of our system engineers:



I'm going to contradict Jason on this point. I'm the lead rules developer for the 2D20 system, so I'm probably best-placed to answer rules questions,

You can ignore hit locations - essentially, treating all attacks as against the torso being the simplest way to do this - but you're better off dropping the armour damage rules if you do so (though you can still sacrifice your shield to avoid an injury, because splintered shields are a thing that should be in fantasy RPGs). This'll be covered in a sidebar in the rulebook, as I'm aware that hit locations aren't for everyone (I don't tend to use them in my home games either).


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 16, 2016)

trystero said:


> Indeed. But that's the wrong book for this thread.




How can you be sure?


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## Water Bob (Mar 17, 2016)

Looking around using Google, I see more and more gamers starting to post about their dislike for the 2d20 System.  And, I see you Modiphius guys engaging each one, on many different forums, trying to change their opinion.

The complaints usually center around the Doom Pool.  

*Have you thought of having a chapter, or maybe a free pdf download, where the rules are altered and the Doom Pool removed from the game?*





--  If you did that, you wouldn't have some players generating Doom and other players paying the price for that Doom generation later.  J_eff's Barbarian type generated a lot of Doom early in the adventure, and now Greg's Thief type wants to sneak into the Big Bad Guy's Keep.  As he does so, the Ref uses points from the Doom Pool and Greg's Thief is killed as a result.  And, now, Greg is a little irked at Jeff for generating so much Doom.  This isn't inspiring a happy gaming table._

---  If you did that, you wouldn't have players wondering if the Ref was picking on them: "Why did the Ref decide to use points from the Doom Pool now against me when it's my turn, and not against the other player who went before me?" _ It's not good for the players to think of the Ref as their enemy, either._

--  If you did that, you wouldn't have players making in-game decisions for their characters based on out-of-game information. _Making a decision based on the size of the Doom Pool (which players will do) is just as bad as player saying, "Hey, I got a look at the GM's notebook and saw what was in the next room. We don't want to go that way."_







*THOUGHTS ON HOW TO WRITE AN ALTERNATIVE RULE?*

What Modiphius needs to do is write a supplement or a chapter about using the game without the Doom Pool. You'd still have Momentum and Doom Points. Those points would just have to be spent immediately and not kept for later. 

It makes a lot of sense that a player, wanting to throw 5 d20 dice in order (3 more than the 2d20 normal amount) to make sure a task is successful is putting himself at risk of greater failure. Instead of buying Doom automatically and putting it in a pool, have Doom generated by rolling a high number. Therefore, rolling more dice means more chances at Doom (more chances to Fumble).

If Doom is generated, then the Ref applies the Doom (fumble) to the task. If the task is to open a locked chest, then the Ref can use Doom to trigger the trap. If the character is fighting another and generates Doom, then the Ref can apply the Doom to the NPC normally to give him an edge in combat--possibly getting another attack on the PC or increasing damage if a hit is scored.

A few rules would have to be re-thought or changed.  For example, initiative.  As it is, the players always go first, and the Ref must spend a Doom Point to allow an NPC to go first.  With what I am proposing, no characters will carry Doom Points or Momentum.  It will all be spent just after it is generated.  So, a new initiative rule is needed.



What I'm proposing is an alternate rule--a variant--that players, like me and many others, can use without using the Doom Pool in our games.

Is something like this possible?


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 17, 2016)

Water Bob said:


> Looking around using Google, I see more and more gamers starting to post about their dislike for the 2d20 System.  And, I see you Modiphius guys engaging each one, on many different forums, trying to change their opinion.
> 
> The complaints usually center around the Doom Pool.
> 
> ...




I sent you a PM with a request related to your request, H20. Jason may respond later tonight.


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## Prickly (Mar 17, 2016)

N01H3r3 said:


> I'm going to contradict Jason on this point. I'm the lead rules developer for the 2D20 system, so I'm probably best-placed to answer rules questions,
> 
> You can ignore hit locations - essentially, treating all attacks as against the torso being the simplest way to do this - but you're better off dropping the armour damage rules if you do so (though you can still sacrifice your shield to avoid an injury, because splintered shields are a thing that should be in fantasy RPGs). This'll be covered in a sidebar in the rulebook, as I'm aware that hit locations aren't for everyone (I don't tend to use them in my home games either).




Awesome

Good to know. I really Like the 2d20 for conan, but I know it would a hard sell to my players to try it if hit locations were unavoidable.


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## Prickly (Mar 17, 2016)

is there a snake arrow spell?


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## Falstaff (Mar 17, 2016)

Hit locations and armor damage! Yes!


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## trystero (Mar 17, 2016)

Falstaff said:


> Hit locations and armor damage! Yes!




Yeah, the armor- and shield-damage rule makes me absurdly happy.


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## moldyderp (Mar 17, 2016)

Water Bob said:


> *Have you thought of having a chapter, or maybe a free pdf download, where the rules are altered and the Doom Pool removed from the game?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Having watched multiple playthroughs, listened to multiple playthroughs, read multiple playthroughs, and engaged in two playthroughs with 8 different players I can say that what you suggest happens with 'players thinking they're being picked on' hasn't happened even a single time. It hasn't even been hinted at. Nor has there been any commentary on doom pool mechanics being a detriment to player decision making.

Even though you and I went through this step-by-step in the other thread, these negatives you insist are relevant drawbacks to the system are figments of your imagination and are representations of poor gameplay practices/styles that can and would affect any game using any system if you're playing with someone intentionally trying to abuse other players (i.e. if a GM wants to punish a player because they're an asshat GM, they don't need 2D20 to do it). For everyone else, they work great, and lend to narrative, not detract from it..

I would much rather Modiphius spent their time enhancing what is already a really solid system than making alt rules and PDF downloads to support Water Bob. 

This game is for everyone else, but it is clearly not for you. Please move on.


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## modiphius (Mar 17, 2016)

pickin_grinnin said:


> I just can't justify the price at this point.  I'm getting a the core print book of 7th Sea and ALL the unlocked PDFs for a few dollars less ($40) than the lowest price to just get the core print book of Conan.  I would have to spend almost $90 to do the same with Conan.  It's no wonder the 7th Sea Kickstarter is over a million dollars right now.
> 
> Since the core Conan book doesn't appear to have much of the magic stuff, I wouldn't really have the option to just pledge for the core book without the Book of Skelos.  The only reason I would shift over to using their house mechanics is if magic worked very differently than it does elsewhere and wasn't all memorized-spell-based.  Since magic in Howard's stories is very different than what you find in a lot of fantasy, that's the part that would make the game special.  If I just wanted a sourcebook, I would just go back to the original stories and other sources of information and stick with Barbarians of Lemuria or Savage Worlds for the ruleset.
> 
> EDIT:  I meant to refer to the $60 level of 7th Sea, not the $40 level.  My bad.




actually it includes a lot of magic  Answered above though I believe

And here's those two mental pledges that now get you all the books in print for 2 years. Basically as we unlock them now, they move in to the Kickstarter 3 waves of delivery. More info here. 








Something to inspire you! Here's the Tom Grindberg cover for Conan the Pirate (we're slowly getting in all the cover arts)


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## Psikerlord# (Mar 17, 2016)

moldyderp said:


> Having watched multiple playthroughs, listened to multiple playthroughs, read multiple playthroughs, and engaged in two playthroughs with 8 different players I can say that what you suggest happens with 'players thinking they're being picked on' hasn't happened even a single time. It hasn't even been hinted at. Nor has there been any commentary on doom pool mechanics being a detriment to player decision making.
> 
> Even though you and I went through this step-by-step in the other thread, these negatives you insist are relevant drawbacks to the system are figments of your imagination and are representations of poor gameplay practices/styles that can and would affect any game using any system if you're playing with someone intentionally trying to abuse other players (i.e. if a GM wants to punish a player because they're an asshat GM, they don't need 2D20 to do it). For everyone else, they work great, and lend to narrative, not detract from it..
> 
> ...




I have to say I am thankful for Water Bob's concern and raising it. I had not thought of it myself, but I can see how in some groups this could be an issue. An alternative rule that doesn't use accumulated Doom would be very useful for such a group. A good suggestion I think.


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## moldyderp (Mar 17, 2016)

Psikerlord# said:


> I have to say I am thankful for Water Bob's concern and raising it. I had not thought of it myself, but I can see how in some groups this could be an issue. An alternative rule that doesn't use accumulated Doom would be very useful for such a group. A good suggestion I think.




It's beyond having a concern and raising it. It's beating it into the ground to the point of getting threads closed and being banned from forums. The mechanics don't mesh with what he wants. He knows this. That's not going to change, and it shouldn't. At that point, it's time to move on.

Nevermind that the "problems" he lists have not reared their heads in *any* playthroughs with *any* groups. The playtest has been downloaded 5,000 times or so? Maybe more? If these issues were as overt as he claims them you would hear about it. Like you, I initially thought his "issues" had some ground to stand on, but they don't.

I won't say any more about it other than players don't play the way he says they do. GMs don't act/react the way he says they do. The game doesn't play the way he says it does. None of these things he presents as "problems" actually exist.


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## Water Bob (Mar 17, 2016)

modiphius said:


> Something to inspire you! Here's the Tom Grindberg cover for Conan the Pirate (we're slowly getting in all the cover arts)





Man, I will say that this game has A LOT of good looking art.  That piece is gorgeous!


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## Water Bob (Mar 18, 2016)

moldyderp said:


> Nevermind that the "problems" he lists have not reared their heads in *any* playthroughs with *any* groups. The playtest has been downloaded 5,000 times or so? Maybe more? If these issues were as overt as he claims them you would hear about it. Like you, I initially thought his "issues" had some ground to stand on, but they don't.
> 
> I won't say any more about it other than players don't play the way he says they do. GMs don't act/react the way he says they do. The game doesn't play the way he says it does. None of these things he presents as "problems" actually exist.




You write as if you are all knowing--know how every group plays and how everyone in the world thinks of the 2d20 System.  But, really, isn't your comments just based on your own biased (pro-2d20) opinion?

Just use a little google and start to look at the play reports coming out.

Here's one from two weeks ago:  Clicky, clicky.

There is a very fair write-up of the system.  The reviewer likes some aspects of the game and really dislikes others.  In the end, he rates the dislikes higher than the likes and decides to....



> Like my players, I think the nuts and bolts of the weapons, armor, effects are cool, but again, I agree they don't beat RQ6/Mythras.
> 
> So, in the end, I think I probably will do the all-PDF option for this thing, simply for the adventures, and the setting info. I don't know if after more rules come out, the combat will be cool enough to get over the annoying aspects, but it could be a casual game every once in a while, but I don't see it filling the niche of our regular roleplaying sessions, it's not that type of game.







One of the things he says I mention above (and you say "will never happen"), and that is what he calls adversarial aspect to the Doom Pool....



> Adversarial Aspect - Yeah, I admit, this really wasn’t one of my criticisms, but it was pretty adversarial, but, my players are the type that actually took that as a challenge. They trust me not to cheat them. As I said in another thread. Pull no Punches is how I roll, so they’re used to Evil NPCs being Evil, and Brutal threats being Brutal.




Taking this a step further, there are groups out there where players will think that the Ref is playing against them because of the choices he makes in his use of the Doom Pool.  

If  a player's character is killed or somehow effected otherwise through the use of the Doom Pool, it's natural to think, "Why did the Ref choose NOW to play those points?  Why not when player X did this, or player Y did that?  Why me?"





About the Doom Pool and Momentum points specifically, he says....



> Doom, Momentum and Fortune - This didn’t bother them as much as they would have expected, but they did admit they were thinking about the metagame, the “should I buy dice or not, knowing it’s going to be used against me later”. Since the metagame thinking is kind of the point of the system, I would say working as intended. They just didn’t like that aspect as much, they thought it made them more actors in a Conan movie then as actual people in the Hyborian World. Again, probably working as intended. One of my players hates with a passion any form of quantified roleplaying award. "I'm not a ing puppy, I don't need a biscuit." He's not typical though.







Specifically, to the meta-game aspect of the system (again, the Doom Pool), another poster in reply to the reviewer says...



> I would be fine if you were describing a boardgame or a minis skirmish game, but as a RPG, the system sounds horrifying to me.




The Doom Pool does feel like a board game mechanic--not something that should be used in a Conan RPG.

Where something like the Doom Pool is acceptable is a game where the effects of the pool can be tied to an element of the game's universe, like "The Force" in FFG's Star Wars gaime, or "Dark Symmetry", from Mutant Chronicles (for which the 2d20 System was originally designed). 

The Doom Pool doesn't work well as a straight meta-game mechanic where there is no reason for it in a game universe, and Conan's world certainly does not have a _Yin and Yang--The Force--Dark Symmetry--Kharma--Chaos vs Law--Good vs Evil_ type aspect to it.  In fact, Conan's universe is exactly opposite of that:  The Hyborian Age is a place where a lone warrior can stand alone against the world, without need for either gods or demons.  One man.  One sword.  And the will to face one's enemies.  There is no overall, overreaching power or force that governs the world and/or otherwise influences it.

The Doom Pool flies in the face of one of the major aspects of Conan's stories.




I find this ironic for a game that purports to be the closest reflection of Howard's Hyborian Age ever put to print in a roleplaying game.

I recognize that some people like and accept the Doom Pool and the 2d20 System as it is.

*All I'm suggesting is that a Variant Rule be written that can be used plug-n-play with the official rules so that those of us who don't like the Doom Pool will have a a viable alternative game system to use.  I'm not suggesting that the Doom Pool be torn out for everyone.  I'm advocating a choice of rules--an alternative.*


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## moldyderp (Mar 18, 2016)

Not going to argue with you Bob until you bring to the table a credible argument. Certainly not going to lend any legitimacy to the thread you linked to from a GM asking blatantly biased and leading questions to his players (e.g. 'did these metagamey aspects seem metagamey to you?', 'doesn't this feel like a board game?'). The thread doesn't even come to the conclusions you think it does, and it does not support your points.

The variant you're looking for is the d20 system from Mongoose. Go play it.


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## Water Bob (Mar 18, 2016)

moldyderp said:


> Not going to argue with you Bob until you bring to the table a credible argument.




That's not surprising at all.  First you say that what I suggest about the game system doesn't exist.  I provide a link of a game test where players shared some of the aspects I'm suggesting.  And, you deny that it is credible.

I would guess that no matter what I post about the game, you'll remain unable to admit that some players take issue with the system.







> The variant you're looking for is the d20 system from Mongoose. Go play it.




While the Mongoose d20 rule set is a masterful game system (and Mongoose did an exceptional job mating the Hyborian Age with the d20 rules), I was not expecting Modiphius to use the d20 system at all.  In fact, I was in favor of an entirely new game system.  I just think that the 2d20 System is a failure.  It's a miss that doesn't fit the Hyborian Age well.

Take the Doom Pool out, and make perks and fumbles immediate, and the system will be a much better fit for the Hyborian Age.


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## BrockBallingdark (Mar 18, 2016)

Hell no, the Doom Pool is masterful for the Hyborian Age and though the art is amazing, the system is why I'm all in for this kickstarter.  No one is going to convince you Water Bob but that's cool.  Just a fyi, if you don't have all the Mongoose pdfs, you can get them on this KS.


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## Water Bob (Mar 18, 2016)

BrockBallingdark said:


> Hell no, the Doom Pool is masterful for the Hyborian Age and though the art is amazing, the system is why I'm all in for this kickstarter.  No one is going to convince you Water Bob but that's cool.  Just a fyi, if you don't have all the Mongoose pdfs, you can get them on this KS.




Again, I suggested a variant rule be published.  I recognize that some like the Doom Pool.  I'm so strongly against it that I won't buy the game because of it.  But, I most likely would buy the game if I had an alternative that allows me to play the game without the meta-game mechanic.

You would still have the game that you want.  And, I'd have an alternative choice so that I can play the way I want.  It would be like having a point-buy character generation system as an alternative to a game's official random generation rules.

Win.  Win.  Giving the players, like me, who see a lot of problems associated with the Doom Pool, an official way to play the game without it.


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## Ulorian - Agent of Chaos (Mar 18, 2016)

moldyderp said:


> Not going to argue with you Bob until you bring to the table a credible argument. Certainly not going to lend any legitimacy to the thread you linked to from a GM asking blatantly biased and leading questions to his players (e.g. 'did these metagamey aspects seem metagamey to you?', 'doesn't this feel like a board game?'). The thread doesn't even come to the conclusions you think it does, and it does not support your points.
> 
> The variant you're looking for is the d20 system from Mongoose. Go play it.






moldyderp said:


> Not going to argue with you Bob until you bring to the table a credible argument. Certainly not going to lend any legitimacy to the thread you linked to from a GM asking blatantly biased and leading questions to his players (e.g. 'did these metagamey aspects seem metagamey to you?', 'doesn't this feel like a board game?'). The thread doesn't even come to the conclusions you think it does, and it does not support your points.
> 
> The variant you're looking for is the d20 system from Mongoose. Go play it.





In this world,  people will sometimes disagree with you, and that's okay. If someone disagrees with you and presents their argument in a polite and also cogent manner, it's a good idea to stop and at least consider their point-of-view. You'll be a lot happier if you learn to deal with differences of opinion in a more constructive way, and you'll find that others will be more likely persuaded to your viewpoint if you do.


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## moldyderp (Mar 18, 2016)

Ulorian said:


> If someone disagrees with you and presents their argument in a polite and also cogent manner, it's a good idea to stop and at least consider their point-of-view.




LOL!


...yeah. Nothing says polite and cogent like mods needing to ban you and/or warn you from further contribution in threads.


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## Ulorian - Agent of Chaos (Mar 18, 2016)

I've looked through the quick starter rules and I like what I see! I'm a little concerned that some of the mechanics are more complicated than they need to be, but it's hard to tell without seeing them in action. I"m pretty sure I'll be picking this up.


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## trystero (Mar 18, 2016)

Ulorian said:


> I've looked through the quick starter rules and I like what I see! I'm a little concerned that some of the mechanics are more complicated than they need to be, but it's hard to tell without seeing them in action. I"m pretty sure I'll be picking this up.




Obviously I can't tell you what you will or won't like, but my group's experience -- and that of the great majority of other folks I've heard from who tried the Quickstart -- was that once you get going, the game flows well; it's a common remark that the system plays more smoothly than it reads on the page. I hope you enjoy it.


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## Ulorian - Agent of Chaos (Mar 18, 2016)

trystero said:


> Obviously I can't tell you what you will or won't like, but my group's experience -- and that of the great majority of other folks I've heard from who tried the Quickstart -- was that once you get going, the game flows well; it's a common remark that the system plays more smoothly than it reads on the page. I hope you enjoy it.




Good to hear! Despite your group having an overall good experience, were there any pain points?


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## Ulorian - Agent of Chaos (Mar 18, 2016)

trystero said:


> Obviously I can't tell you what you will or won't like, but my group's experience -- and that of the great majority of other folks I've heard from who tried the Quickstart -- was that once you get going, the game flows well; it's a common remark that the system plays more smoothly than it reads on the page. I hope you enjoy it.




Another question: was there anything that surprised you in play I.e. something that didn't jump out at you while reading the rules? Also, compliments on using the semicolon correctly!


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## trystero (Mar 18, 2016)

Ulorian said:


> Another question: was there anything that surprised you in play I.e. something that didn't jump out at you while reading the rules?




We originally struggled with a few points that weren't clearly worded, but those were all addressed in forums by the Modiphius folks, and the Quickstart was updated to clarify those issues.

In our test with the revised QS rules, I think the main thing was just getting our heads around the ways that the three resources (Momentum, Fortune, and Doom) interlock; when it was better to spend Fortune or add Doom to the pool, what effects to choose from the suggested Momentum and Doom examples, _etc._ My advice is to walk very slowly through the first round of an action scene, just to get the interactions down, and then "rewind" and start the scene again at full speed once folks are comfortable with the basic mechanics.

The only other thing that's tricky is learning to read regular six-sided dice as Combat Dice (1 = 1 pt.; 2 = 2 pts.; 3-4 = nothing; 5-6 = 1 pt. plus an Effect). Again, we found that this is hard for about two rolls, and then you get it, and from then on it's trivial.

I've boiled the Quickstart Rules (plus addenda mentioned in various fora by the Modiphius designers) into a 7-page summary PDF, which you can check out at https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0ck1une_YLJdmYwbmh1VlFQQUU. It doesn't replace the Quickstart rules; it wouldn't be as good for learning the concepts, but I've found it to be a nice fast reference for use in play. Comments welcomed.


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## Ulorian - Agent of Chaos (Mar 18, 2016)

trystero said:


> We originally struggled with a few points that weren't clearly worded, but those were all addressed in forums by the Modiphius folks, and the Quickstart was updated to clarify those issues.
> 
> In our test with the revised QS rules, I think the main thing was just getting our heads around the ways that the three resources (Momentum, Fortune, and Doom) interlock; when it was better to spend Fortune or add Doom to the pool, what effects to choose from the suggested Momentum and Doom examples, _etc._ My advice is to walk very slowly through the first round of an action scene, just to get the interactions down, and then "rewind" and start the scene again at full speed once folks are comfortable with the basic mechanics.
> 
> ...




Reading now.  Re: "getting our heads around"... the same thing jumped out at me. What were your group's opinions on the optimal/suboptimal expenditures for those resources?


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## trystero (Mar 18, 2016)

Ulorian said:


> Reading now....What were your group's opinions on the optimal/suboptimal expenditures for [Momentum, Fortune, and Doom]?




I'm not sure there's ever a single optimal strategy; there's a lot of interplay. But some things that we noticed:


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 _more_ 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 _perfect_ 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.
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 _D&D_ (and _RuneQuest_), 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 _Conan_ 2d20 -- and that appeals to me in games like REIGN and _Monsters & Magic_ 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!


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## jdurall (Mar 20, 2016)

As a note, we're in the final hours of the Kickstarter campaign. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/modiphius/robert-e-howards-conan-roleplaying-game

As of this post, it's the 4th-highest RPG campaign ever on Kickstarter, and is the most successful Kickstarter campaign Modiphius has launched.


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## Faraer (Mar 20, 2016)

I put in my pledge.

What kinds of PC groups do you envisage? Although Conan worked with others at various times, Howard focused on single protagonists, so this is one of the things you'll have to 'pastiche' somewhat.


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## jdurall (Mar 21, 2016)

Faraer said:


> I put in my pledge.
> 
> What kinds of PC groups do you envisage? Although Conan worked with others at various times, Howard focused on single protagonists, so this is one of the things you'll have to 'pastiche' somewhat.




We have a few ideas...

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d7e5f2fc9374186a150859de6809438d.jpg


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## trystero (Mar 21, 2016)

jdurall said:


> http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d7e5f2fc9374186a150859de6809438d.jpg



"403 Forbidden". So the group will be exploring some sort of forbidden city?


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## CoreyHaim8myDog (Mar 25, 2016)

trystero said:


> Obviously I can't tell you what you will or won't like, but my group's experience -- and that of the great majority of other folks I've heard from who tried the Quickstart -- was that once you get going, the game flows well; it's a common remark that the system plays more smoothly than it reads on the page. I hope you enjoy it.




We are working on the plays etter than read part!


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