[Basic Set {3 to 4}] CONAN

[jacobmuller]

Idle {Idol?} Curiosity - as I'm putting converting Conan on a backburner - has anyone already converted Conan from 3rd to 4th?

Did/Would you keep the stats as written and recalculate cp or alter the stats to match cp* or alter the stats to get 4th equivalence and not worry about cp...

*eg ST19 3rd = 150cp = ST25 4th... Or ST19 3rd = ST14 4th for BL...

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

Did/Would you keep the stats as written and recalculate cp or alter the stats to match cp* or alter the stats to get 4th equivalence and not worry about cp...

Keep the stats, ignore the points. The book doesn't even list CP totals; if the author couldn't be bothered, I don't see why I should.

That said, that would only be a first pass. I'd also want to look at traits introduced after GURPS Conan was published. Weapon Master, for example.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

Idle {Idol?} Curiosity - as I'm putting converting Conan on a backburner - has anyone already converted Conan from 3rd to 4th?

Did/Would you keep the stats as written and recalculate cp or alter the stats to match cp* or alter the stats to get 4th equivalence and not worry about cp...

*eg ST19 3rd = 150cp = ST25 4th... Or ST19 3rd = ST14 4th for BL...

Actually, I'd just largely keep the stats as written. ST 19 = ST 19. Simpler, faster, and I really don't think it actually matters much :) I'd recalculate secondary stats (ST 19 - base 19 HP) though - largely because when I look at a bare stat block with no split ST or HT, I reflexively read it in a 4e way ANYWAYS. So not much in the way of "converting" going on ;)

I do average HT with 10 when converting from 3e because I felt many things got more extreme HT stats in 3e than was really any fun to play out, but that's a personal quirk.

[jacobmuller]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

I'd also want to look at traits introduced after GURPS Conan was published. Weapon Master, for example.

Ooh, hadn't thought about it from that perspective - just noticed the stat block was about 50cp cheaper in 4e as written... Free points for extras:)
I must see if I can find a handy list of 4e traits that 3e didn't have...

Originally Posted by Bruno

I do average HT with 10 when converting from 3e because I felt many things got more extreme HT stats in 3e than was really any fun to play out, but that's a personal quirk.

That sounds like a very good quirk. I was thinking the HT stats were Really high (of course, that'll've been for the hit points).
"Quirk" Added: Average 3e HT with 10 on conversion, buy up/down HP to match 3e.

Thank you both - feel like I rolled a natural 4.

[Bruno]

Yeah, it really only took one encounter with the "immortal" HT 14 mind-controlled wolves to convince me that things needed a little bit of toning down.

[cbower]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Yeah, it really only took one encounter with the "immortal" HT 14 mind-controlled wolves to convince me that things needed a little bit of toning down.

It took me years of running GURPS before I figured out that high HTs on foes tend to make fights a long, boring slog. I try to keep HT checks at 11 or below for all but the most significant foes nowadays.

[Bruno]

It was 20 wolves in our case; my group of particularly game-design-savvy players put their collective finger on why the fight was going on so long pretty quickly (well, once it had dragged on long enough folks were getting annoyed). The last adventure involved fighting quite a lot of dark elves, who aren't really high HT folks, so the contrast was really dramatic.

[fschiff]

CONAN used the regular magic system with some special setting appropriate spells. Its been bandied about on this forum that something like the Path/Book system might be more appropriate for the Sword & Sorcery genre.

[Mr Frost]

Originally Posted by Bruno

It was 20 wolves in our case; my group of particularly game-design-savvy players put their collective finger on why the fight was going on so long pretty quickly (well, once it had dragged on long enough folks were getting annoyed). The last adventure involved fighting quite a lot of dark elves, who aren't really high HT folks, so the contrast was really dramatic.

In that vein however , Conan™ Himself having a high HT actually makes sense .

One thing I house ruled in 3e was multiple Vs. death rolls got trunked into one roll with each death roll over one being a -1 penalty which sped things up a bit and with high damage {relative to the targets' hit points} attacks made high HT a bit less potent .

[jacobmuller]

Originally Posted by fschiff

CONAN used the regular magic system with some special setting appropriate spells. Its been bandied about on this forum that something like the Path/Book system might be more appropriate for the Sword & Sorcery genre.

I'm going with the Secret Magic option, less than two-dozen spells. There are four pages of new spells and magic items (I think the spells are in 4e Magic but I haven't checked them yet) but only if you're going all out magical.

PS just read The Hyborian Age for the first time. OMG Conan was proto-English; I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Howard must have rolled in his grave at Arnie playing Conan - he would have been happier with John Wayne:) Imagine Burt Lancaster or Kirk Douglas as Conan. And the Nordlanders weren't even human - descended from yeti's...