Conan The Barbarian vs Tarzan

[Postmania]

Original novel/pulp fiction versions

1) In the Arena
2) In a Jungle
3) In a mysterious temple setting where there are random Lovecraftian horror cultists who want to kill any intruders
4) In a modern city complete with people

[Powerboy]

Original novel/pulp fiction versions

1) In the Arena
2) In a Jungle
3) In a mysterious temple setting where there are random Lovecraftian horror cultists who want to kill any intruders
4) In a modern city complete with people

Probably Tarzan in a jungle. In fairness, I suppose there should also be a desert setting.

Other than that, I don't know. But I am realizing that none of us have to work today and we're bored.

[The MunchKING]

I haven't read Conan... Did he pack ranged weaponry? Because in the first book, Tarzan's go-to weapon was a bow with extremely poisonous arrows.

[Sharpandpointies]

I haven't read Conan... Did he pack ranged weaponry? Because in the first book, Tarzan's go-to weapon was a bow with extremely poisonous arrows.

Conan really doesn't, and outside of the arena I feel isn't even going to get a chance to dodge. Tarzan is pretty sneaky.

Inside the arena, I'm sure he has feats for dodging/catching/parrying arrows, but I'm unsure he ever pulled that kind of thing off against an archer of Tarzan's ability.

Now, he may have feats for RESISTING poison, and probably does...but I'm willing to bet that it at the least debilitates him.

[Jcogginsa]

Conan really doesn't, and outside of the arena I feel isn't even going to get a chance to dodge. Tarzan is pretty sneaky.

Inside the arena, I'm sure he has feats for dodging/catching/parrying arrows, but I'm unsure he ever pulled that kind of thing off against an archer of Tarzan's ability.

Now, he may have feats for RESISTING poison, and probably does...but I'm willing to bet that it at the least debilitates him.

How powerful is Tarzan's bow?

Contrary to popular belief, Conan does tend to wear armor when apropriate. Would the arrow be able to punch through it?

[Thane of Fife]

Conan really doesn't, and outside of the arena I feel isn't even going to get a chance to dodge. Tarzan is pretty sneaky.

Conan's pretty good for avoiding attacks from ambush. In Tower of the Elephant, his "savage instinct" alerts him to an attack by a lion that comes from behind and "made no sound." In Beyond the Black River, he avoids arrows from ambushing Picts when he hears a bow being drawn. In Iron Shadows in the Moon, he dodges (while rescuing a girl) a boulder hurled by an ape from out of sight. All of these are attacks from creatures or people called out as being pretty stealthy. I'm not sure Tarzan could reliably avoid alerting Conan.

Now, he may have feats for RESISTING poison, and probably does...but I'm willing to bet that it at the least debilitates him.

I'm not sure that Conan ever really gets poisoned.


Ignoring the bow, I feel like they should be pretty closely matched in hand-to-hand. Tarzan's fight with Kerchak and Conan's fight with the man-ape in Iron Shadows in the Moon are both described extremely similarly, for example, so it's hard for me to say that one would have the edge if they were armed the same.