There are a few causes other than being hit by a weapon with the Stun Quality, that make a character Staggered: poisons (all of them!, in addition to their other effects), sorcery (like the Enslave spell), creature abilities and Doom spends.
It is a distinct Condition and worth treating it as such - else you need to introduce the same mechanical effect under a few different terms for those other causes, which seems to be not the best way to handle it.
Stun is a weapon Quality, Staggered is a Condition. The quality causes the condition. It’s not super intuitive, for sure.
Well here we are three weeks later and my players still haven’t made it through the QuickStart guide. So Conan 2D20 seems like an on the job training type game.
The only problem with what you suggest (and it’s a fine suggestion don’t get me wrong) is getting them from start to any given section. In order to do that, they’ll need to have read and understood the basics of the game, which none of them seem to want to do.
And I don’t really blame them. It’s a thick read and not altogether fun. So they like the idea of having a guide that starts with “Roll 2D20” and takes them through a process that is specific to their character and weapon, right down to their weapon qualities and effects.
Once they click through it enough times they’ll get the hang of it.
Have you tried showing them some of the Youtube videos where the 2d20 system is explained?
There are quite a few, those two just came up as the first search results:
Yeah they’ve watched a few and do get the core mechanics pretty well. It’s the more nuanced stuff (remembering to check talents for example and momentum spends, immediate momentum spends, difference between vigor v wounds v resolve v trauma v fatigue v despair) but I think most of that will come with time.
For my part I’m getting a lot more comfortable with everything just having run a couple of episodes. For their part they’re willing to give it a few more episodes before expecting it to move faster. So far everyone is still pretty excited about the game and optimistic.
By the way I really like Logician Tim. He’s got a great personality and is easy for newer gamers to identify with
That seems much more like a player issue than a game issue. Is there a similar issue with other games?
No. They’re new players, not gamers.
If they’re new players and they don’t want to read the basics then I’d treat it like a convention game. Strip it down to the barest essentials and introduce things over time. Rather than a huge info dump of all the things, start small and work in things. For talents, make Talent cards, make a quick cheat sheet of Momentum spends, be aware of what you need to do as the GM to avoid overwhelming them.
Sample Talent Card
Yeah that’s basically what I’m doing, and they’re getting it. And they’re having fun with it.
As an aside, last night they didn’t roll as well as last week so things didn’t go as well for them. One of them pointed out that having rolls go poorly actually helped him learn the mechanics more deeply, which I thought was an interesting thing.
Edit - I’m still messing up silly things, like forgetting to return everyone’s vigor at the end of a scene, things like that.
Well after all the debate, the point’s moot. After 5 sessions we’ve decided to pass on Conan 2D20 and move on to something else. Thanks for the input everyone.
@William_O_Braidislee This bickering is annoying to read. The OP didn’t ask if s/he should (other’s opinions) use a list; s/he asked if you have any suggestions to help him/her with the list. If you don’t have any, no reason for a response, especially a not-needed critical one.
Did you notice that @William_O_Braidislee actually was the opening poster who asked about the list?
And after the lengthy discussion the very same opening poster came to the conclusion:
So, apparently, the approach using the list, any kind of helpful advice in this thread, didn’t help, so that the group decided not to play Conan 2d20 any longer.
Sad, but nothing anyone could do about it.
I really did read like the OP was making it way, way, way more complicated than it actually is but that could simply be my perception after running the game (including introducing new people to it) for about the last three years or so.
Not every game is for every person so hopefully they find enjoyment in whatever the switched to.
That is my impression, too. - This approach was bound to fail, it seems.
No it’s all good! Much of the advice in this thread (and the others) was helpful.
I never even got my checklist done lol. Was probably 2/3 the way through it.
Consensus was the setting is great but maybe just too heavy on the mechanics side for players of our level - too much time spent discussing momentum, soak, trauma, effects etc. Just couldn’t get comfortable with them.
I think we’re probably in the mood for something simpler for now. Like someone said above not every game is for everybody. There’s nothing wrong with that. We’re new gamers and this game was probably just a little on the ambitious side.
If you’re looking for a simple game to fill the sword and sorcery niche there’s Barbarians of Lemuria. If the group is more comfortable with D&D 5E there’s the Primeval Thule setting. Happy gaming in any case 
I can really recommend Barbarians of Lemuria for a rules light Sword&Sorcery game.
oh, i read the whole thread, @FrankF , including his table’s conclusions on the system. That’s why i wrote what i wrote and i stand by it. I also agree with you that he made it more complicated with his lists, but that was his method of madness.
Those talent cards are cool.
I have all the other decks, which are great, but I’m surprised there aren’t official Talent decks and after reading this thread, Condition decks.
I guess I’ll check the website written on that card for these?
EDIT: It’s a Magic the gathering site and searching conan just brings up random stuff … can you point me to where I might find those talent cards?
