How to play in Hyboria?

[KjetilKverndokken]

So What tweaks would you use to make BRP good for the Universe of Conan, regardless if its based on the original books or the 60s Sword and Sorcery comics from then to day.

How to portray a Conan like character, but also be able to play a normal person.
How to make Combat feel conan like.
How to portray the magic in Conan.

[samwise7]

Barbarians of Lemuria is an excellent free & $10 rules-lite Sword & Sorcery RPG. Perhaps that game can give you some ideas.

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Barbarians of Lemuria - 1KM1KT

[Vile]

As far as magic goes, I would probably limit it to specialist practicioners (shamans, priests and sorcerers) - other than that, the sorcery rules would seem to fit reasonably well. One thing to keep in mind is to make each use of magic unique. It's rare, deadly, and usually extracts a heavy price.

I don't really see the average, or even above-average, adventurer having access to any kind of spells, although the occasional magic item might turn up from time to time. Hyboria was never a "magic-happy" world like Glorantha.

[Barliman]

I'd agree with using sorcery. It's been a while since I read the Conan corpus, but the world has a feel of "the magic is going away," so it should be uncommon and horrific.

For sword-wielding heroes and villains, I'd use the "full hit points" optional rule in BRP and allow skills to exceed 100%

[KjetilKverndokken]

As far as magic goes, I would probably limit it to specialist practicioners (shamans, priests and sorcerers) - other than that, the sorcery rules would seem to fit reasonably well. One thing to keep in mind is to make each use of magic unique. It's rare, deadly, and usually extracts a heavy price.

I don't really see the average, or even above-average, adventurer having access to any kind of spells, although the occasional magic item might turn up from time to time. Hyboria was never a "magic-happy" world like Glorantha.

Magic in Conan is summoning demons, necromancy and gifts from alien Gods. The option to play the """evil""" side should really be there.

Would it be any reason to use racial "gifts" for the different races, like Cimmerians, Aquilonians, Hyarkans, Stygians etc.

[Merak Gren]

Any version of Stormbringer is a good start but I prefer the earlier ones.

Things I would change.

Full HP (CON + SIZ)

Skills over 100%.

Attribute Skill modifiers.

Starting skill percentages: not a BRP option, but I would allow players to start new skills at 40 - 50% at lowest. Conan was forever picking up new skills and mastering them fairly easily.

Additionally I'd be fairly generous with skill improvement rolls. The curve flattens out, so its good to get them up to a level were they can split attacks and do ripostes.

BTW Ripostes are one of the BRP options that never made it to the BRP book.

Magic will be evil and dangerous and will probably invole lots of blood sacrifice in order to generate Magic points.

I would also add Hero Points as used in HeroQuest / MRQ in order to turn a failure to a success or success to critical.

Finally, I would also add a Pendragon Passion or two. One would be the Characters main driving ambition. List it as a % based on a relevant attribute X 3. When in a situation where the PCs main ambition is at stake, make them roll. On a success they get +50% to any skill they use. On a critical give them. +100% to anyskill used during the time the passion is active.

A second passion may be a GM derived cultural or professional one. Between these two, it will help drive the story and allow for moments of character glory.

[KjetilKverndokken]

BTW Ripostes are one of the BRP options that never made it to the BRP book.

Counter attacks?

How would that mechanic work?

Finally, I would also add a Pendragon Passion or two. One would be the Characters main driving ambition. List it as a % based on a relevant attribute X 3. When in a situation where the PCs main ambition is at stake, make them roll. On a success they get +50% to any skill they use. On a critical give them. +100% to anyskill used during the time the passion is active.

A second passion may be a GM derived cultural or professional one. Between these two, it will help drive the story and allow for moments of character glory.

Something akin to Beliefs (BITs) in Burning Wheel?

[Merak Gren]

Ripostes: Yes Couter attacks. From early Stormbringer. A master with a weapon (91% or higher) can make a riposte after every successful parry. This is normally at-20% from their previous attack. There is a culumative -20% penalty for each attack after the first in a round.

Additionally, I house rule that a critical parry allows a riposte.

These allow a skilled swordsman to fight against 2-4 lesser skilled opponents and do some serious damage to them.

Stormbringer 5th / Elric! Is slightly different.

Beliefs: Yes. It can be done that way too. The Pendragon mechanic is easier to port to BRP, but the idea is used in many games.

I'm all for freeform skills and abilities in BRP as in HeroQuest etc.

Certainly, I now try to inject social / psychological 'skills' to my games.

Another way, is to use the personality Traits.

[TrippyHippy]

Seriously, how difficult could it be to convert Conan D20 to BRP? The systems aren't that dissimilar - indeed I always thought that 3rd edition D&D was as much influenced by RuneQuest as it was by older editions of D&D. We are seeing a 'Classic Fantasy' version of BRP being written on this very site - so all it requires is to take the various classes, feats and skills and develop them into the BRP language.

I don't think the source material of the Conan D20 game is in anyway lacking, through the multitude of supplements it has got. On a related note, I would like to see Mongoose put out a RuneQuest version of Conan at some stage. Imagine the possibilities of mixing the pulp worlds of Howard and Lovecraft together...

[KjetilKverndokken]

Seriously, how difficult could it be to convert Conan D20 to BRP? The systems aren't that dissimilar - indeed I always thought that 3rd edition D&D was as much influenced by RuneQuest as it was by older editions of D&D. We are seeing a 'Classic Fantasy' version of BRP being written on this very site - so all it requires is to take the various classes, feats and skills and develop them into the BRP language.

I don't think the source material of the Conan D20 game is in anyway lacking, through the multitude of supplements it has got. On a related note, I would like to see Mongoose put out a RuneQuest version of Conan at some stage. Imagine the possibilities of mixing the pulp worlds of Howard and Lovecraft together...

First of, I dont buy D20 products - So its really not an issue or a problem. Though just hearing classes and Conan in one line makes my heart weep...

The mods given here seems sufficient, maybe taking a look on RQ.