Conan: The Hyborian Age vs OpenQuest
Compare Conan: The Hyborian Age and OpenQuest side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Conan: The Hyborian Age | OpenQuest | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Classless, Combat-Heavy, Cinematic, Licensed IP, Low-Prep, Resource Management, Skill-Based, Strong GM Support, Sword & Sorcery, Tactical | Skill-Based, Classless, Beginner-Friendly, Deadly, Sword & Sorcery, Mana Points, Roll to Cast, Theater of the Mind, CC-Licensed Rules, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | Roll the relevant Stat die (d6 initially for heroes) and add its Stat value and modifiers. A total that meets or exceeds the difficulty succeeds. A Stat die result of 1 fails unless Stamina or a Flex result rescues it. Player characters also roll a separate Flex die on most rolls. Its maximum result grants a choice of boons such as rescuing a failed roll. | Roll d100 equal to or under a skill percentage to succeed. Doubles on a success (11, 22, 33) are critical successes; doubles on a failure are fumbles. Modifiers apply in meaningful increments of ±20% or ±50% only. Opposed tests have both sides roll, with the highest successful roll winning. Fortune points allow rerolls and can prevent character death. |
| Dice | d4–d12 | d100 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Availability | Free quickstart | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | All Rights Reserved | CC BY 4.0 (SRD) |
| Third-Party Publishing | No verified route found | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Monolith Board Games SARL | D101 Games |
| Year | 2025 | 2021 |
| Languages | English, French | English |
| Best For | Groups who want heroic Conan adventures built around tactical battles and treasure hunting in ancient ruins. | Groups wanting a streamlined D100 fantasy system that retains the feel of classic BRP (deadly combat, three distinct magic systems, and percentile skills) without hit locations or fiddly modifiers. |
| Highlights | A maximum Flex result gives players a choice of immediate benefits. Stamina lets heroes boost a roll after seeing its result. Minions die after a decisive blow or two damaging hits, reducing enemy bookkeeping. | Three magic systems (Personal Magic, Divine Magic, and Sorcery) each with distinct mechanics and progression. Simplified modifiers (±20% or ±50% only) reduce bookkeeping without sacrificing impact. Social combat subsystem handles fast talk, oratory, and intimidation with mechanical structure. Full SRD released under CC BY 4.0, which has spawned commercial derivatives like Jackals (Osprey Games). |
| Considerations | Sorcery disciplines are restricted by character Origin. Casting spells can consume the same Life Points that keep a character alive. Wealth is abstract rather than governed by equipment prices. | No hit location system: groups wanting granular wound tracking should look to Mythras or RuneQuest. Low hit point totals make combat swingy from single lucky or unlucky rolls. Non-human character options (Ducks, Elves, Dwarves) are optional rules only. |