GUIDE TO CREATE NEW CONAN THE BOARDGAME SCENARIOS

By Remys Carvajal

Introduction:

Below are some recommendations for designing new scenarios for the Conan board game,
published by Monolith. The recommendations below are suggestions that will help make the
scenarios more balanced. The data presented here are not unbreakable rules, as the variants
depend too much on the objectives of each scenario, therefore adjustments must be made
according to these variants.

The data presented were established from a statistics table created by me with the help
of the official scenarios designed by Monolith, mainly those included in the CoreBox and
King Pledge manual. It is worth mentioning that the Monolith scenarios that were designed
very different than those closer to this table of statistics are those that tend to be less balanced
and favor one side or another. Thanks to this, we can ensure that the table present here will be
of great help.

In this guide the table that appears will serve as a guide to create the scenarios quickly,
and to be able to focus on the secondary rules, the rules of the events, and final objectives of
the adventure, without having to worry about details such as the amount of gems, enemies,
heroes, tiles, etc.

At the moment, the information in the table has not been corroborated with the new
scenarios that will appear in the new expansion of Conan the Conqueror, nor with the
scenarios that were designed in the solo/cooperative mode. However, statistics have been
used to create new scenarios for this new mode and the rules work well with this table.
Therefore I can say that the statistics table is compatible with the new solo/cooperative
gameplay.

The scenarios should be designed starting by selecting the elements from left to right of
the table, following the options present. When more than two numbers appear in any column,
the numbers in ​red ​are the recommended average number. Selecting a larger or smaller
number will slightly increase or decrease the difficulty of the scenario. The gray rows of the
table represent the standard number to choose according to the number of heroes.

Specifications of the elements of a scenario:

Below is an explanation for each of the columns. It is important to read them, at least the first
time, to understand how the table was created and to better understand the reason for some
recommendations.
 Heroes:
The main element in the design of a scenario is the amount of heroes that will be used.
Most of the Monolith scenarios were designed for 3 heroes and 7 tiles, and 3-4 heroes and 8
tiles, therefore the data presented in the table that correspond to these characteristics are the
most reliable of all. The heroes used in the scenarios should not represent a great dilemma, as
long as the weapons they have, or magic, are balanced in relation to the enemy's tiles.

Recovery Value:
It is recommended to fully respect this table regarding recovery value of the Overlord.
Increasing or decreasing the amount can completely unbalance a scenario. This aspect has
been the easiest to determine, since it is directly connected to the number of heroes that are
used on the stage and, except for the scenarios with two heroes, there were no variants.

Tiles:
During the creation of this table it could be seen that the second most important aspect
when designing a scenario is the amount of tiles that will be used, since the rest of the values
​depend directly on it.
The type of tiles selected for a scenario does not really determine the difficulty of the
scenario. It is recommended to select tiles freely. To balance the difficulty the appropriate
equipment should be assigned to the heroes. To understand how this works, you should
consult the section on the relationship between equipment and enemy units that appears
below.

Gems:
It is recommended to respect the table regarding the amount of gems. Decreasing it or
increasing it by one or two points will generate an advantage or disadvantage for the
Overlord only during the first turns, therefore it is not one of the main factors that give the
stage more variables. More important than the available amount of gems, is its recovery
value.

Events:
It’s recommended to respect the table in terms of the number of events used in a
scenario (Always one event per scenario, included in the maximum number of tiles per
scenario). Increasing the number of events decreases the number of tiles of units that can be
used, and this means that the existing tiles will allow to mobilize a large number of units,
which represents a great danger to the heroes. If you wish to have more than one effect on the
stage, it is recommended that the Overlord be able to select between two options freely, when
activating the existing event.
If the event gives the effect of reinforcement, it is recommended that the amount of
reinforcement be 2 for one hero, 4 for two or three players, and 6 for three or four players. If
you wish to give the Overlord more possibilities to reinforce units, it is recommended that
you given the option of acquiring reinforcement points when activating the boss's tile, instead
of taking action.

Boss:
It is recommended to respect the table regarding the number of bosses. If you want to
increase the amount of bosses in a scenario, it is recommended to take into account the
danger column to determine the amount of enemy units that will be on the stage, because the
danger must be reduced by one point, for each life point that be given to the new boss. Once
you have selected the bosses that will appear on the stage, it is recommended to consult the
section on the relationship between equipment and enemy units.

Wounds:
The value of wounds of a boss is a determining factor in a scenario, therefore it is
recommended to respect the figure present in the scenario. If you wish to strengthen one, you
should consult the Danger column. In case of using more than one boss in a scenario, the total
number of wounds can be distributed freely among the bosses. According to statistics, the
number of wounds of a boss should be around 6.5 wounds. Increasing the level of wounds of
one boss over the other will turn one of the two into a formidable opponent, and the other into
an extremely weak one. However, as long as the recommended number of wounds is not
exceeded, the scenario will not be unbalanced.

Enemy units:
The number of enemy units that appear in the table are quite accurate. Increasing the
number or decreasing it by one point, facilitates or hinders a scenario. However, if the
amount of Danger in the table is respected, there is no danger of unbalancing the scenario. In
the event that the heroes use allied units on stage, it is recommended to increase the amount
of enemy units by one, for each ally used. If this ally has more than one wounds point, it is
recommended to increase the amount of enemy units by one for each extra wounds point
awarded to the ally.

Danger:
The danger value presented in our table is determined by the total wounds of the
bosses, plus the value of enemy units. It is recommended to respect the danger value
presented in the table for normal difficulty scenarios. The lower value should be used for easy
scenarios, and the larger value for difficult scenarios.
The danger value is one of the most important values ​of a scenario, since it determines
the resistance of a boss or the amount of enemy units present on the stage, therefore it must
be respected.
For example, in a scenario for 3 heroes, of 7 tiles, the recommended danger level is 21.
This means that you can use a boss with 10 wounds, and 11 enemy units; a boss of 5 wounds
points and 16 enemy units; two bosses of 6 wounds each and 9 enemy units; 3 bosses of 5
wounds each and 6 enemy units; or any other combination that is desired, as long as the
recommended danger number is not exceeded.
The danger level of a scenario should not be increased to increase the amount of heroes
used, since this difficulty is leveled with the amount of gems and the recovery value of the
Overlord. In relation to this, there are scenarios of 8 tiles, with 31 of Danger, which is easier
to overcome with three heroes than with four, depending on the objectives of the scenario. By
giving the Overlord the possibility of recovering 7 gems per turn, allows him to activate the
units that are at the end of the River and thanks to this he can attack with them more often.

Turns:
Although it seems limiting to point out a number of turns, this is a mechanic that is
always recommended to be implemented in a scenario. Not doing so allows heroes to give
themselves the opportunity to waste turns resting instead of acting, and this interrupts the
dynamic of the scenarios. If you do not want to work with a pre-established turn limit, it is
recommended to implement some other mechanics that force players to act.
The recommended number of turns is 8, when the game starts with the heroes, and 9
when it starts with the Overlord. It is recommended to increase the level of danger by 2 for
each extra turn given to the heroes, or to reduce the level of danger by 2 for each turn less
granted. For example, if a short 5-turn scenario is designed, for three heroes and 7 tiles, the
danger level would be 15. Instead, if this same scenario was designed to last 10 turns, the
danger level would be 25.
This turn rule is recommended to be followed when the active role falls to the heroes.
That is, when they are the ones who must fulfill a certain objective, such as acquiring a
particular object, or defeating an enemy. On the contrary, when the active role falls on the
Overlord, to make the game difficult, it is recommended to increase the number of turns, thus
allowing him more time to reach his goals, such as eliminating a specific character, seizing an
area, etc.

Start of the game and quantity of gems:

It is recommended that if the game starts with the heroes, each one starts with 4 gems in
the fatigue zone and the Overlord has the same amount of gems in its fatigue zone as its
recovery value.
On the other hand, if the game starts with the Overlord's turn, it must start with two
more gems than its recovery value in the fatigue zone, and the heroes will start with 2 gems
in their fatigue zone when the Overlord has the opportunity to damage them in his first turn.
HEROE RECOVER TILES GEMS EVENTS REINFO BOSS WOUNDS ENEMY DANGER
S Y VALUE RCEME UNITS
NTS

1 3 4 8 1 2 1 5-​6 4​-5 9-​10​-​11​-12

2 3 5 10 1 4 1 5-​6 12 17-​18​-19

2 3​-5 6 10-​11 1 4 1 6 14 19-​20​-21

3 5 6 11 1 4 1 6 14 19-​20​-21

3 5 7 11​-12 1 6 1 6 15 20-​21​-22

3 5 8 12 1 6 1​-​2 6​-13 18 23-​24​-25

28-​31​-34

4 7 8 14 1 6 2 13 18 28-​31​-34

Balancing equipment of heroes and enemies:

So far we have talked about how to level all the elements in a scenario, except for two of the
most important: the equipment and the enemy tiles that will be included in a scenario. These
two elements are going to be explained appart, since they are independent of the rest of the
elements, and both are directly related. The tiles determine the damage potential that the
Overlord can cause, and its ​defense potential​. In the same way, the equipment with which
the heroes start the game determines their damage potential and their defense potential.

Before I begin, I will give some small basic tips that will help balance the fighting a bit.
It is recommended that at least one of the heroes carry some kind of shield if there are
enemies with ranged attacks on the stage, or that one of them possesses some ability that
allows them to protect themselves from these attacks, such as Shevatas. It is recommended
that the weight of equipment with which a unit begins does not exceed the encumbrance that
cancels the first of its skills indicated on its hero's sheet. And finally, it is recommended that
the one who is intended to be the main hero of the stage, excels in some of the aspects at the
expense of his companions, either with better equipment or weaponry.

Damage and defense potencial:

The damage potential of a unit is determined by the dice used by the enemy unit or the
weapons of the heroes, according to the following table:

Dice Value
 Yellow 1

Orange 2

Red 3

Rerroll +1

This means that the damage potential of a pirate will be 2, (orange dice) while that of
an bossonian archer will be 4 (one for each yellow dice he can use, plus two extra points for
the two rerrolls).

The defense potential of an enemy unit is determined according to its armor value:

Armor value Valor

0 0

1 1

2 2

3 3

The defense potential of the heroes cannot be determined as easily as that of the
Overlord, since the armor value of the heroes is not fixed. However, this is determined from
the sum of the defense dice used by a hero's equipment.

Dice Value

Yellow 1

Orange 2

Red 3

Rerroll +1

Armor value +1

Thus, the buckler has a defense potential of 1, the parrying dagger has a defense
potential of 2 (one for its yellow dice and the other for the reroll), and the leather armor has a
defense potential of 2, (one for its yellow dice and the other for providing protection as an
armor value instead of guarding, as weapons and shields do)
 In the case of heroes, the tables work as long as the base die of a unit in his hero's sheet
is orange, or yellow with rerroll. When the base die is yellow, as in the case of Belith and his
defense, a point must be subtracted from his defense potential, and when the base die is red,
like Conan, a point must be increased to his potential Of damage.

Battle skills such as ambidextrous, precision strike and precision shoot modify the
damage potential of a unit. Precision shoot and precision strike increase the damage potential
of a unit by 1 point. And for the ambidextrous skill, the damage potential of the second
weapon must be taken into account. Following this example, Ikhmet armed with assassin's
dagger x2 would have a damage potential of 7. (2 points for his yellow + reroll dice, 4 points
for the two weapons using yellow + reroll dice, and one extra point for the precision strike
ability).

Taking into account the previous, to balance a scenario it is recommended that the
weapons carried by the heroes exceed in a point or two with their damage potential the
defense potential of the overlord units, and vice versa. That is, if most Overlord normal units
do not have a damage potential greater than 2, it is not recommended that heroes have a
defense potential greater than 1, since Overlord units will not be able to cause real damage to
the heroes. In the same way, if the equipment of the heroes has a damage potential far
superior to the defence potencial of the enemies, they will not represent a real danger. Thanks
to these adjustments in the equipment, characters that are not very useful in battle, such as
Bélith, can be very competent if they are assigned the right equipment from the beginning,
and very powerful characters such as Ikhmet, for their ambidextrous skills and precision
strike, can be used as long as the power of the weapons with which they start is limited.

As long as the wounds of the bosses respect the value represented in the table, any boss
can be used, even those who are really powerful, like the Dark Demon. Obviously, the
stronger the boss is, the harder the scenario will be. In those cases, is recommended to give
the heroes the chance to find better equipment. But feel free to choose any boss you want to
include.

In the case of magic, the damage potential is calculated the same way as that of
weapons. Spells that attack the area should be considered as more dangerous than those that
attack a single target, but their damage potential is not calculated differently, therefore it is
not necessarily a determining factor. However, it is recommended to only use them in
scenarios where the reinforcement value is 6 or higher, or if the wizard character is meant to
be the main hero in the scenario.
Protection spells are calculated according to the defense value they grant. 1 if they
increase 1, 2 if they increase 2, etc.
The magic that alter movement, cause effects etc, are not a determining factor for the
battle, so it is recommended to assign them according to the objectives that must be achieved
during the adventure. On the other hand, healing magic must be used at discretion, since, by
its effect, they are far much powerful than any magic that causes damage.

Conclusion​:

The information presented in the statistics table is based on mathematics. Mathematics is an

exact science. They are hardly mistaken, however, Conan The Board Game is not a science, it
is a board game, and therefore its main objective is to have fun. This guide will help build
scenarios for those who wish to make balanced scenarios and have difficulty designing them,
but I would like to emphasize that a balanced scenario is not necessarily the most fun to play.
The funniest thing on a stage is the action that triggers players decisions. These rules are only
meant to be a tool that helps direct these actions. If you already have a scenario designed and
it works well, try to balance it according to what is proposed in this document, you may
improve it. But if you feel that it is not as fun, then leave it as you had it. Maybe there are
better ways to improve it.

I have tried the statistics table too many times to remember, with all official maps and
even fan made maps, and I can say it's really helpful to have exciting adventures were
sometimes the heroes lose, and sometimes they lose. And I have never felt the scenario was
unbalanced.
With the help of the table it has been too easy to create random scenarios and I would
like to share this with everyone, so they can have as much fun as I have. Hopefully, this guide
will be easy to understand, easy to use, and everyone will have fun creating scenarios and
sharing them with the community.

May Crom guide your blades!