Quote from: daniel_ream;932104In so, so many ways.

You and my wife have clearly been talking.

Quote from: Spinachcat;932069Here's the Kotaku moron on parade at her best:

QuoteTo me, she looks like his prize, a reward for his violence with which he can do whatever he wishes - including grab her by the crotch and rape her before she's regained consciousness." She described the scene as "the scene of or before a rape. And you, my friend, are going to take on the role of the rapist."

IKR What the fuck!

Quote from: Spinachcat;932069But as I've said before, we are going to see MUCH MORE crazy out of SJWs as they die out.

Let's hope hope they are indeed death throes and there will be an end to this level of ridiculousness. I can't believe there's actually people who take this shit seriously.

Quote from: Spinachcat;932069It's A cup side boob. There's more nudity on network TV and most museums.

Here's the Kotaku moron on parade at her best:



Of course, its idiot bullshit and her article is full of lies (How shocking! Game journalism full of shit?). Belit isn't the only playable female. There are several in the KS. Belit isn't some weakling designed to serve the male characters. She's a badass pirate queen and a great choice for players who like tactical characters. Wanna play a female hack & slasher? Great, pick the Red Sonja character instead.

But as I've said before, we are going to see MUCH MORE crazy out of SJWs as they die out.

And that's all good because their tears are delicious.

The Sit Down and Shut Up review pretty much destroys this argument. The whole 24 min review is useful and positive, but Monolith's double-standards are called out very effectively around the 12.50 mark.

Meh, the double standards aren't so strong, as the reviewers are little confused about Khitai wizards being dark skinned in the canon.

I'm more concerned about Conan's wizard friend being a D&D wizard instead of a Hyborian wizard in the board game...the guy gets 3 spells, Dimension Door, Fireball, and Mage Armor (different names, but that's what they are). I don't think any of these were cast in any R E Howard novel, much less as trivially as they are in the board game.

The magic in the boardgame has been a concern from the beginning. At best, its more Marvel Conan, but I definitely see the D&D aspects.

Quote from: Motorskills;932583The Sit Down and Shut Up review pretty much destroys this argument.

Those two morons couldn't destroy a quiche, let alone an argument.
 
Apparently, even the Brits need fainting couches now.

Quote from: Doom;932599I don't think any of these were cast in any R E Howard novel, much less as trivially as they are in the board game.

I don't recall any human magic being remotely trivial in REH's works.

Quote from: Tod13;932620I don't recall any human magic being remotely trivial in REH's works.

All the magic I can recall in Conan stories (at least the originals) were of the long protracted ritual variety or the magic talisman type.

So, a legitimate question (that is, not rhetorical or snide): a) could you design a Conan boardgame with a source authentic wizard that was playable; b) if not, could you omit all playable wizard types and have it still sell?

Broadly I'm wondering if the D&D tropes are so ingrained in the target market that a truly authentic pre-D&D game is unsellable.

Quote from: daniel_ream;932680So, a legitimate question (that is, not rhetorical or snide): a) could you design a Conan boardgame with a source authentic wizard that was playable; b) if not, could you omit all playable wizard types and have it still sell?

Broadly I'm wondering if the D&D tropes are so ingrained in the target market that a truly authentic pre-D&D game is unsellable.

Absolutely. In the second scenario, the evil wizard has two spells, both of which are Conan-enough for me. One drains a bit of energy (so if cast in REH worlds, the effect could all be attributed to imagination), the other is a weaker magic armor (unlike the good wizard's spell which outright negates the attacks of weaker creatures, the evil version doesn't make the mage invulnerable to anything, just resistant). The evil wizard can also sacrifice himself to summon a demon...not exactly REH, but close enough, and certainly way closer to Hyborian magic than "fireball every round."

Quote from: daniel_ream;932680So, a legitimate question (that is, not rhetorical or snide): a) could you design a Conan boardgame with a source authentic wizard that was playable; b) if not, could you omit all playable wizard types and have it still sell?

Broadly I'm wondering if the D&D tropes are so ingrained in the target market that a truly authentic pre-D&D game is unsellable.

Absolutely. In the second scenario, the evil wizard has two spells, both of which are Conan-enough for me. One drains a bit of energy (so if cast in REH worlds, the effect could all be attributed to imagination), the other is a weaker magic armor (unlike the good wizard's spell which outright negates the attacks of weaker creatures, the evil version doesn't make the mage invulnerable to anything, just resistant). The evil wizard can also sacrifice himself to summon a demon...not exactly REH, but close enough, and certainly way closer to Hyborian magic than "fireball every round."

Ugh, I dashed that off too quickly to be clear: by playable I meant "as a player option", not an NPC or villain.

Quote from: daniel_ream;932680So, a legitimate question (that is, not rhetorical or snide): a) could you design a Conan boardgame with a source authentic wizard that was playable; b) if not, could you omit all playable wizard types and have it still sell?

Broadly I'm wondering if the D&D tropes are so ingrained in the target market that a truly authentic pre-D&D game is unsellable.

Wizards have more hit points and more normal combat skills than D&D magic users.
Slow spell casting for things like sleep.
Prepared transformation spells for "normalish" creatures.
Most combat spells involve pre-summoning and binding demons or other creatures, which are often immune to non-magical weapons.
A very few combat spells like the exploding-on-metal-contact bubbles, which can only be cast 1-3 times and/or require multiple casters.
Dependence on magical items for other, more powerful, skills or for stuff like lightning staves.
Wizardry rots your mind--over dependence can destroy the user's mind.

I think that would work.

Quote from: daniel_ream;932789Ugh, I dashed that off too quickly to be clear: by playable I meant "as a player option", not an NPC or villain.

Well, that I don't know--D&D players are pretty used to magic being very predictable and supremely powerful...the idea of barbarian being able to defeat a wizard is pure laughable in D&D terms.

That said, they could have tried a bit harder. Instead of Mitra's Shield being a 100% guarantee against 2 damage a round (making the wizard invulnerable to most attacks), it should have been a free yellow die (much as Conan gets a free yellow die for defense because of his armor). Instead of blasting out a fireball every round, there could have been a "zone of rage" where everyone rolls an extra attack die, or a "zone of calm" where everyone rolls one less attack die. Instead of teleport, there could have been clairvoyance, to let the mage look into huts (the main use for teleport in the first scenario is to look for the princess). Toss in an "Animal Control" spell that lets the friendly wizard move the snake or wolves a bit, and it could have been a bit more like a Conan battle, instead of fireball, fireball, fireball, teleport, fireball.

Has someone somewhere on the web done a list of all the spells cast in Conan's stories?

That would be a good starting point.

Quote from: Spinachcat;932998Has someone somewhere on the web done a list of all the spells cast in Conan's stories?

That would be a good starting point.

As far as spells cast D&D style, where the wizard just ups and casts something magic, you probably could count them on one hand. About the only time I recall is a hypnosis spell (worked on a soldier, but no dice with Conan's will, of course). Most wizards do their stuff ritual-style. You've got a few demon summons, but it's not something done in a matter of seconds, a few man-apes being controlled to some extent (arguably not magic, but you sure don't see non-sorcerers doing it). Thoth Amon uses a magic ring to cast Animate Object...but that's not quite the same as casting the spell himself. Similarly, a magic crown bestows considerable power to control others. These things were only usable by wizards; it's clear Gygax used R E Howard (along with 8k or so other sources) as influences on how magic should work in D&D.

I've read all the "main" R E Howard (and De Camp) Conan stories three times through at least, and wracking my brain. It's been a few years. A lich cast an Earthquake like spell in a major battle...but it's possible that was set up beforehand (and lich also summoned some sort of minor demon the night before too--two spells in two days, making him a major magical badass). I think there was a druid who was good for counter-magic...many any real experts here?