Advice for GURPS campaigns not using Character Points

[lachimba]

Anyone have any particular advice for not using Character Points in a GURPS campaign? Or can point me to a Pyramid article or existing post?

In particular I am thinking about it in relation to a present day secret powers campaign.

The PCs would be built on ordinary professional templates (cops, soldiers etc) more or less using point based options.

Their powers would be themed in levels with a branching system, but each level bought `blind' so not just buying another level of innate attack or tk, but rather eg telepathy power level 2... ok now I can use my telepathy better (which in game stats might mean skill, range, new power eg mind probe)

Im after this because I want the actual powers and power levels in play to be strictly GM controlled, not based on mix maxing, encourage less useful/ more atypical traits and explicity not be point based (I dont want for example recovery to not be taken because the player thinks very fit is a better advantage)

In regards to mundane traits I was thinking of automatically adding and subtracting traits aquired or lost in play. So wealth would go up or down based on their success.

In regard to skill development I dont want the players to just buy a point of climbing skill

If a player trains for example as a mountain climber well sure they will probably get a point in climbing, but maybe also lifting ST or a perk, or even survival based on the conditions.

I expect the final character sheets to be point inefficient (lots of techniques, skills and perks where attributes would be more efficient), but the players not to care because they dont use points for this. Their actual character point totals will possibly be quite different from each other.

In regards to points earned in play I want to keep these in a pool for them to use on buying successes etc

I know Kromm used 'blind' profession packages in his current campaign, and I think he doesnt directly give CP rewards.

Im wondering about advice on going a bit further with this.

[GodBeastX]

You'd go a lot longer distance trusting in players to reach what you're looking to achieve than building a whole system to stifle creativity. This is the very reason I use GURPS and not templated games myself.

If you don't want people to take things like recovery and such, just dissuade them as GM and encourage other things to be taken. I've had no struggle as this myself.

Also, Recovery and Very Fit don't do the same thing, not to mention, recovery is supernatural.

[lachimba]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

You'd go a lot longer distance trusting in players to reach what you're looking to achieve than building a whole system to stifle creativity. This is the very reason I use GURPS and not templated games myself.

If you don't want people to take things like recovery and such, just dissuade them as GM and encourage other things to be taken. I've had no struggle as this myself.

Also, Recovery and Very Fit don't do the same thing, not to mention, recovery is supernatural.

I know they dont do the same thing. Probably IMHO very fit (or something combat reflexes (let alone another 15 points in a skill)) is more often going to be seen as a more crucial advantage. Also very fit can be supernatural if I grant it a power modifier.

Thematically though I want the game on three levels. The powers are granted (understanding their origin and accumulating them is a focus), advantages/disadvantages earnt through play (read as giving these as rewards rather than the cp or as result of study RAW) and points awarded as currency for player influence (as per the Powerups Book).

Also GURPS ala DF or MH is a templated game. Allowing characters to choose to train their gun skill or work on building their social skills allows them to go off that as much as they like.

[Nereidalbel]

In that case, build the powers you want to allow, and separate them into tiers based on whatever criteria you deem fit. Since they're being granted by some deity or something, this means you can build them with game balance in mind, instead of extreme munchkinism. Then all you have to do is decide whether your players should pick a power, or roll for it.

[Stormcrow]

For powers, create a set of power templates or lenses for each level. So a telekinesis power would have templates called Telekinesis Level 1, Telekinesis Level 2, and so on, and each increases or adds to the previous templates. When you decide the character has earned a new level, just let the player add the template to his character sheet.

For skills, use the the guidelines from Improvement Through Study (p. B292), which includes several different forms of study, and the general rule of 200 hours of training per character point. You won't need to keep track of points over the long term, just long enough to determine when a skill goes up a level. Consider using Time Use Sheets (p. B499). The book gives an example of every waking moment on a trek through the Amazon counting as time spent training even when you're focusing on something else.

Advantages and Disadvantages are mostly gained as in-game rewards or penalties, given by you, the GM, as befits the situation. There are exceptions, such as languages, which are treated much like skills. Don't base Wealth solely on how much cash a character has; Wealth measures the social influence a character has based on his money. You can win a huge lottery and still live in poor conditions, unless you invest that money in a better lifestyle.

In general, advantages tied to skill training will be up to you. The possibilities are too numerous to outline. You can treat these as any other in-game reward: if the player learned Survival (Jungle) on a trek through the Amazon and asks for Fit, you can decide whether that makes sense.