Conan RPG

[J. Richardson]

Hello fellow gamers,

I want to get into the Conan RPG published by Mongoose.

What books do I need to get a campaign up and running?

[C.W.Richeson]

Just the Atlantean edition core book. That's all I used when I played, and I consider it to be 100% complete. Maybe a region book if you want to confine the game to a specific area and aren't well versed in the Conan lore.

[Jimmy Invictus]

Good on you-OGL Conan rocks on toast. My group has had an absolute blast playing that system-and for me (I'm a little 'meh' on D20) OGL Conan fixed a lot of issues that I had with D20. And the magic system is superlative, and does a good job modeling Howardian magic.

The corebook is a great resource in and of itself (you want the "Atlantean Edition" cause the editing on the first print runs were not so pretty...). i would also recommend "Scrolls of Skelos" for your PC/NPC sorcerers, and The Road of Kings for a broader look at Hyboria. Other than that, focus on where you want your campaign to be set: the Messantia box set is awesome and chock full of campaign ideas; the regional sourcebooks for Stygia and Shem are also standouts in an excellent line. I would start with any of these and then run with it....but really, all you need to get started is the corebook.

[J. Richardson]

Thanks guys - however, I just learned that a new edition in one the way. I should prpbably wait for that.

[RPG_Wombat]

The Conan OGL game is one of the few versions of d20/OGL that I actually like. The Atlantean Edition core has pretty much all you need to start off with, I used it alone to start off with. Other than that, you'll want Road of Kings (general setting sourcebooks, one of the better of it's kind), and Scrolls of Skelos (sorcery sourcebook). With those three, you'll have all you need. The other books in the line are all pretty decent - except for the arms/equipment book, which just doesn't offer enough to be worth the price - but really, Core, Road of Kings, and Scroll of Skelos cover enough ground that nothing else is necessary for loads of S&S fun.

[C.W.Richeson]

Thanks guys - however, I just learned that a new edition in one the way. I should prpbably wait for that.

Of the d20 game? I don't think that's true, but I could be wrong. I remember there was a Runequest version being worked on by Mongoose, but I don't know the status of that.

[J. Richardson]

Here is a quote from the thread that announces the second edition:

Nope, the Atlantean Edition was a much needed rewrite of the first core rulebook.

Second Edition is an actual re-envisionment of the Core Rules, or at least how they stand at the moment.

Matthew will probably come on here and say more when he can.

Cheers,
Bry

Here's the link: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/forum.php

[C.W.Richeson]

Thanks, J.!

Huh, Vincent isn't writing it. That's too bad, because I attribute the good writing and consistency of the Conan line largely to him.

I just want to point out that since the book is still in the writing stage you may have a lengthy wait ahead before its released.

[MonsterMash]

I think that the Atlantean edition is well worth picking up anyway. I suspect that a new edition might have less in the corebook to improve splatbook sales (being a dreadful cynic)

[BluSponge]

From the look of things, the new edition is going to be more of a repolishing to make the game more accessible to newbies. It doesn't sound like much is going to change in regards to the rulesbase.

Tom

[Mytholder]

I'm working on the 2nd Edition. It's very much a polishing effort - fixing problematic stuff like Defensive Blast, adding the better stuff from the supplements, making some classes a bit more useful. (And while the book's my project, Vincent's very much in the loop.)

[Jimmy Invictus]

I'm working on the 2nd Edition. It's very much a polishing effort - fixing problematic stuff like Defensive Blast, adding the better stuff from the supplements, making some classes a bit more useful. (And while the book's my project, Vincent's very much in the loop.)

Good luck on that-I eagerly look forward to seeing what gets polished up...can you give us a little more info? (please excuse the threadjack!) And why does everyone jump all over defensive blast? its never been an issue with my group! :mad:

[Jerrythehun]

I'm working on the 2nd Edition. It's very much a polishing effort - fixing problematic stuff like Defensive Blast, adding the better stuff from the supplements, making some classes a bit more useful. (And while the book's my project, Vincent's very much in the loop.)

Excellent! Count me in as another REH grognard\purist who loves what you folks have done with it. We've been playing for years now!

To the OP: Let me second RPG_Wombat - those three books are all you need. I also highly recommend* the mini-modules.

*Really, I recommend the whole line. The boxed sets are very fun, but not critical to play. Ditto the other splats.

[Mytholder]

Good luck on that-I eagerly look forward to seeing what gets polished up...can you give us a little more info? (please excuse the threadjack!) And why does everyone jump all over defensive blast? its never been an issue with my group! :mad:

Current plans - and this is all still first-draft, pre-playtest, don't-quote-me-on-this:
* Temptress (from Hyboria's Fallen) gets moved to the main book, and overhauled a bit
* Soldiers get the ability to co-ordinate small groups and give formations to them, meaning the soldier class becomes much more useful in parties
* More low-power spells and low-power combat moves
* Reputation might get overhauled
* Generally tidying and poking

As for Defensive Blast, there've been a lot of people complaining about sorcerers being used as holy hand grenades - the sorcerer runs up to the bad guys, then fires off a Blast when they attack back. That'll be fixed in 2nd ed.

[MonsterMash]

Glad to hear my more cynical fears might not be realised. I'd still not wait for the 2e unless it was really imminent.

Road of Kings is a nice book and I will finish my review and get it posted soon. Promise.

[Ben Robbins]

As for Defensive Blast, there've been a lot of people complaining about sorcerers being used as holy hand grenades - the sorcerer runs up to the bad guys, then fires off a Blast when they attack back. That'll be fixed in 2nd ed.
Combined with Opportunistic Sacrifice it becomes a perpetual motion machine -- not good.

Conan d20 is indeed a very nice flavor of d20. I'm enjoying it a lot more than regular D&D. My only complaint is that neither the core rulebook PDF nor the pocket guide PDF are bookmarked, which is just wrong.

[Ashigaru]

"Ruins of Hyboria" is one of the best of the recent sourcebooks.

Thanks for the update, Mytholder. Looking forward to the new version!

[Mytholder]

Glad to hear my more cynical fears might not be realised. I'd still not wait for the 2e unless it was really imminent.


It'll be some time this year, but it's several months away from now.

[Juriel]

d20 Conan's awesome (despite some flaws carried on right from default D&D, like too many skills, rolled hitdice and the awful grappling rules).

Good to hear a new edition's coming out.

[J. Richardson]

Wow, I'm glad I started this thread.

I've decided to wait for the new edition and spent my gift card money on Warhammer 2nd Ed. stuff - and I'm glad I did.

I will definetly be buying the new Conan stuff too.

cheers,

jason

[Absinthe_Minded]

I third (or is it 4th) recommending the Conan main book, Road of Kings, and Scrolls as all you really need.

Also, I agree, Conan rocks (And I'm not a big fan of D20) I have run two campaigns - both were great.

/Wonders if the Temptress will get to keep the Whip proficiency :)

[dpetroc]

The release for 2nd edition is slated for August (which in Mongoose language probably means November. Example the "April 4th" release of Starship troopers, which finally came out in July). It promises to be a repolishing as has been stated previously -- melding some of the combat options into shorter versions, and incorporating the core Temptress class into the main book (it was introduced in Hyboria's Fallen). That Vincent Darlage is not writing it is worrisome at the very least -- considering how they've mangled so many of the books he has written, and their skills at editing, I see a 2nd Edition Atlantean version by early 2008. :cool:

[C.W.Richeson]

Presumably it's not being rewritten from the ground up, but most of the original text is retained. Right? I suspect it will retain the Atlantean edition's level of quality.

[Mongoose_Matt]

The release for 2nd edition is slated for August (which in Mongoose language probably means November.

No, it will be August. Date slippages are the exception, no way near the rule.


That Vincent Darlage is not writing it is worrisome at the very least

I believe you will find very, very few people complaining about any of Gareth Hanrahan's work. For my money (and it is :)), Gareth is one of the best writers in the industry.

[dpetroc]

No, it will be August. Date slippages are the exception, no way near the rule.

The SST line must have been the bulk of those slippages. I'll give you that.


Ibelieve you will find very, very few people complaining about any of Gareth Hanrahan's work. For my money (and it is :)), Gareth is one of the best writers in the industry.

If it is just a tidying up of the rules-- then perhaps. Gareth's written other Conan RPG books?

PS Listen to requests of the players over at your own forums. Do something about the editing and the maps please.

[The Grey Elf]

Current plans - and this is all still first-draft, pre-playtest, don't-quote-me-on-this:
* Temptress (from Hyboria's Fallen) gets moved to the main book, and overhauled a bit
* Soldiers get the ability to co-ordinate small groups and give formations to them, meaning the soldier class becomes much more useful in parties
* More low-power spells and low-power combat moves
* Reputation might get overhauled
* Generally tidying and poking

As for Defensive Blast, there've been a lot of people complaining about sorcerers being used as holy hand grenades - the sorcerer runs up to the bad guys, then fires off a Blast when they attack back. That'll be fixed in 2nd ed.

So they're not changing over to Runequest, then?

Thank God...I can burn my suicide note, now. My greatest fear has not yet been realized.

I believe you will find very, very few people complaining about any of Gareth Hanrahan's work. For my money (and it is ), Gareth is one of the best writers in the industry.
...which doesn't mean NEARLY as much as, how much of a real, hardcore Conan fan is he? You could have Stephen King writing for you, and if he doesn't really, strongly care for the source material, what you get won't be that good. When I hear that Gareth has practically memorized all of Howard's work, I'll feel better about him taking over. What happened to Darlage? His work was fantastic!

[Mytholder]

So they're not changing over to Runequest, then?
...which doesn't mean NEARLY as much as, how much of a real, hardcore Conan fan is he? You could have Stephen King writing for you, and if he doesn't really, strongly care for the source material, what you get won't be that good. When I hear that Gareth has practically memorized all of Howard's work, I'll feel better about him taking over. What happened to Darlage? His work was fantastic!

I'm not "taking over". I'm doing the 2nd Edition Corebook and some adventures - Vincent's still doing regional books, and I'll defer to his vast, implacable knowledge on Conan lore.

[Erik Sieurin]

Conan d20 is indeed a very nice flavor of d20. I'm enjoying it a lot more than regular D&D. My only complaint is that neither the core rulebook PDF nor the pocket guide PDF are bookmarked, which is just wrong.

To misquote an ancient rpgnet wisdom: There are PDFs of the Conan rulebooks?! Why am I here when I could be naked and reading them!

A nice PDF seller for this where?

Erik

[The Grey Elf]

I'm not "taking over". I'm doing the 2nd Edition Corebook and some adventures - Vincent's still doing regional books, and I'll defer to his vast, implacable knowledge on Conan lore.

Ah, well, there we have it. Also, please don't misinterpret my response as a shot at you personally. It's just that I know Vincent has really taken good care of the license and I don't know how much of a hardcore Conan fan you are. I am, for what it's worth, looking forward to seeing what you do with the core book (though I do have to say the idea of "more lower-powered spells" worries me, as magic should always be huge and mysterious in Conan as part of the setting).

[To misquote an ancient rpgnet wisdom: There are PDFs of the Conan rulebooks?! Why am I here when I could be naked and reading them!

A nice PDF seller for this where?

Erik

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=161_211

[Mytholder]

Ah, well, there we have it. Also, please don't misinterpret my response as a shot at you personally. It's just that I know Vincent has really taken good care of the license and I don't know how much of a hardcore Conan fan you are. I am, for what it's worth, looking forward to seeing what you do with the core book (though I do have to say the idea of "more lower-powered spells" worries me, as magic should always be huge and mysterious in Conan as part of the setting).

I'm very aware of what Vincent's done for the line - I passed on each chapter of the corebook for his comments, and he was a great help during the development process.

[dpetroc]

I'm very aware of what Vincent's done for the line - I passed on each chapter of the corebook for his comments, and he was a great help during the development process.
Can you comment a bit on what conversion from AE to 2e will be like? Looking at the thread here and at mongoose, it *seems* like it should be easy. Any challenges AE players should be ready for in terms of conversion?

[Mytholder]

Conversion (at this point, before playtesting/editing/rewriting) should be painless for most characters. There haven't been any significant changes to the skills or feats or class abilities. Sorcerers will need a bit of reworking, as will soldiers and nobles. Most of the changes, though, are just tightening up rules and rebalancing elements.

[Teluriel]

I just read that you are doing some adventures; is there perhaps a chance of doing an epic sized campaign..?

Please, please, pretty please?

[bloodshadows]

I'm just glad the Conan RPG isn't going the way of the dodo. I love the character and the game just has the feel of Howard's stories. You flip through the core book and you find yourself already conjuring up characters and adventures. Long live Conan!!

[crazytrpr]

I hate to ask but will there be a conversion PDF because I have the atlean book book wich costs$50. I don't get a chance to play often enough to justify a new book

[Mongoose_Matt]

I just read that you are doing some adventures; is there perhaps a chance of doing an epic sized campaign..?

Please, please, pretty please?

We'll be doing one a year :)

[randomgamer8466]

Hey, as long as you're thinking about reworking the noble, might you consider changing the class's title or shtick just slightly? I think it's a great class, very inventive abilities, but why do you have to be of aristocratic blood to be a social monster? A different class name would allow that class to include an influential merchant, a diplomat or spy, or a D&D style bard.

Perhaps the wrong forum to suggest this, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

[dpetroc]

No, it will be August. Date slippages are the exception, no way near the rule.



...and both Return to the Road of Kings and the 2e sourcebook are now listed for September. And Hyborian Bestiary is completely off the future releases list.