TSR’s Stand-alone Conan RPG (1985) Box Set

TSR dabbled with its Conan license back in 1984 (publishing two Conan adventures for AD&D). Then in 1985 released this stand-alone RPG box set, plus three modules in support.

The CONAN roleplaying game does not use the familiar Dungeons & Dragons rules. Instead David “Zeb” Cook modeled the core resolution after the Marvel Super Heroes RPG’s Percentile-die-based “Universal Table”.

The rules are relatively simple, designed for quick, pulpy gameplay. It’s not the high-magic D&D that gamers are accustomed to; sorcery is more true to Robert E. Howard’s stories.

Conan Role-Playing Game [BOX SET]

1985 … David Cook … TSR 7014 … ISBN 0880383542

YOU ARE CONAN, THE MIGHTY BARBARIAN. SLASH YOUR WAY ACROSS THE EVIL AND DANGEROUS LANDS OF HYBORIA IN THE CONAN ROLE-PLAYING GAME!!

The CONAN ROLE-PLAYING Game provides hours of exciting adventure in the lands of Hyboria. Create and play your own adventures with:
* A full-color map of Hyboria — its countries, cities, rivers, lakes and islands.
* A 32-page rule book with special rules for creating your own adventures for Conan and companions.
* A 16-page reference guide.
* A 48-page notebook of compiled notes and information about the lands of Hyboria.
* Two (x2) Character Folios.

All things Conan in the shop

Noble Knight

Conan RPGs detailed at our RPG reference site

This Conan RPG, due to rights issues, will never have a legal PDF available. However, there is a retroclone called ZeFRS (link) that makes the original rules available for your table.

DSCN3933 — Conan Rule Book. Cover art by Jeff Butler

DSCN3934 — Conan Rule Book – table of contents

DSCN3937 — *The World of Hyboria* – *A Collection of the Hyborian Studies of Professor Ervin H. Roberts*

The World of Hyboria background book provides capsule comments on kingdoms and cultures as well as notes and stats on specific creatures, gods, ruins, legends, personalities, cults, and magical items. Interestingly, it is presented in the form of a notebook, with additional data scribbled in the margins, coffee rings in the corners, and handcorrected typos. It purports to be the recently discovered work of the mythical Professor Ervin Howard Roberts, long-time scholar of the Hyborian age.
Edwin King (Different Worlds magazine 45 – March/April 1987)

I get the impression that there were quite a few bugs in the systems as well because there is a 4 page ‘Reference Sheet’ included which makes several significant changes to the rules. ‘Last minute errata sheet’ might have been more appropriate.
Paul Mason (White Dwarf magazine 69 – September 1985)