Topic: Barbarians in RMSS/RMFRP

[EltonJ]

Yes, I know about the School of Hard Knocks book. I'm not planning on getting it soon (maybe next month).  But I do have a question about creating a character like Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian.  I'm reading the Coming of Conan on my kindle (yes, I have a hard copy) and I was wondering how to create a like character without the said book.

I have the martial arts companion as well.

[jdale]

I think the big question is, how do you feel about armor? If your concept is little or no armor, you could even start with a warrior monk. The Self Control skill category is full of skills for pushing yourself in heroic ways: frenzy, adrenal strength, etc. Don't let yourself get stuck thinking of those as meditative discipline, it could be coming out of rage or determination, that's a character choice that's really irrelevant for the game mechanics.

If you want light to medium armor, rogues aren't bad for the outdoors. And of course fighter.

SoHK has the barbarian which is obviously what you are looking for. It also has the outrider which is like a thief with less of the social/urban and more outdoors skills. Less Conan but could be a perfect fit for some other members of the tribe.

[EltonJ]

Ah, thanks for your insight.  I'll have to wait until next month to get SoHK, though.  That's when I get paid.

[Cory Magel]

I think a base Fighter using the Martial Arts Companion and Talent Law should do the trick with maybe a little tweaking of the allowed weapons rules for Fighting styles.  There may be a process that lets you use a Bastard or 2H-Sword in there already though.

[MisterK]

I would use a Rogue template. Conan uses armor (and shield) whenever it suits him, and wields weapons of all kinds, but he is not renowned for his advanced unarmed techniques. He is also proficient in many non-combat skills, especially... roguish ones. The mechanisms are probably not his cup of tea (disarm traps and pick locks), but sneaking, perception, survival, and so on are right up his alley.

I would say Rogue fits him best of the standard classes. Talents and an appropriate human race should round up the template.

[Wynther]

If you check any Conan-RPG like TSR's or Mongoose's Conan for D&D3 you will notice that Conan usually has levels as fighter, thief and (when we are talking about King Conan) noble. "Barbarian" is rather a mindset or a description of a certain culture and/or tech level.
Even the actual D&D Barbarian from 3.0 upwards and the Pathfinder Barbarian is rather a berserker. Considering this I couldn't see any use for the RM barbarian profession.

[EltonJ]

If you check any Conan-RPG like TSR's or Mongoose's Conan for D&D3 you will notice that Conan usually has levels as fighter, thief and (when we are talking about King Conan) noble. "Barbarian" is rather a mindset or a description of a certain culture and/or tech level.
Even the actual D&D Barbarian from 3.0 upwards and the Pathfinder Barbarian is rather a berserker. Considering this I couldn't see any use for the RM barbarian profession.

That is certainly true.  A barbarian (which used to mean foreigner in Greek), has come to mean warrior.

[katastrophe]

I think the big question is, how do you feel about armor? If your concept is little or no armor, you could even start with a warrior monk. The Self Control skill category is full of skills for pushing yourself in heroic ways: frenzy, adrenal strength, etc. Don't let yourself get stuck thinking of those as meditative discipline, it could be coming out of rage or determination, that's a character choice that's really irrelevant for the game mechanics.

If you want light to medium armor, rogues aren't bad for the outdoors. And of course fighter.

SoHK has the barbarian which is obviously what you are looking for. It also has the outrider which is like a thief with less of the social/urban and more outdoors skills. Less Conan but could be a perfect fit for some other members of the tribe.

Both the Rogue and Fighter points breaks are good if you are going for a conan like fighter thief. I would likely go Fighter since there is not a lot of mastery of different thief skills you will be seeking. If you are using the talent law book to choose backgrounds rather than randomly generating them, there are a few talents which will further increase the effectiveness of the thief side and fighter side.

[katastrophe]

I think the big question is, how do you feel about armor? If your concept is little or no armor, you could even start with a warrior monk. The Self Control skill category is full of skills for pushing yourself in heroic ways: frenzy, adrenal strength, etc. Don't let yourself get stuck thinking of those as meditative discipline, it could be coming out of rage or determination, that's a character choice that's really irrelevant for the game mechanics.

If you want light to medium armor, rogues aren't bad for the outdoors. And of course fighter.

SoHK has the barbarian which is obviously what you are looking for. It also has the outrider which is like a thief with less of the social/urban and more outdoors skills. Less Conan but could be a perfect fit for some other members of the tribe.