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Old 03-06-2018, 04:27 PM   #1
Cowrie
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Default Troll Template Help

I'm working on a setting where trolls are one of the main races. While all one species, they are incredibly variable. Trolls have a high degree of size polymorphism, and can be born with a variety of different Exotic advantages.

Because of this, I'm tentatively making it so their racial template provides the sort of flexibility typically only seen in character templates. Some of the advantages could theoretically be represented by a Racial Gifts perk, but I want any optional "racial" advantages to have to be bought at character creation rather than being able to be acquired later in play.

The other main issue is that their variability in size. Trolls in this setting can be anywhere from SM-2 to SM+1 without requiring Dwarfism or Gigantism. Because of this, I want them to have different sets of modifiers to ST, DX and/or Basic Move for different sizes. (Actually, SM+1 trolls have two options due to different possible body types.) However, most of these "size packages" have different point costs, and I'm worried this might be problematic. I've written up the "core" template of traits that all trolls share, as well as the different size packages, but the list of possible optional Advantages isn't finalized, and I don't want to earmark a specific number of points to put into those advantages until I figure out if it's possible to get the different size packages to all cost the same, or if I'll have to include them as part of the point allowance.

For reference, here's the core template, without any mention of the extra advantages or any included size package.

Attribute Modifiers: HT+2 [20]
Secondary Characteristics: Per+2 [10]
Advantages: Discriminatory Smell [15]; Extended Lifespan 1 [2]; Night Vision 4 [4]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Universal Digestion (Matter Eater, +300%) [20]; Very Rapid Healing [15].
Disadvantages: Bloodlust (12) [-10]; Gluttony (9) [-7]; Increased Consumption 1 [-10]
Features: Early Maturation 1; Night-Adapted Vision (-3).

Note that I know all books other than Dungeon Fantasy just call Night-Adapted Vision feature-level Night Vision, but since this template has some as a feature and some as an advantage, I find the different names useful.

And, here are the different size packages, with flavor text.

Small: Only about 30” tall, “small” trolls represent the lower extreme of troll size. Though less than half the height of an average human, they are very squat in build, having shoulders over one and a half times as wide as they would be for a human scaled down to the same height. Similarly, their legs make up significantly smaller proportion of their height. ST-4 [-40]; DX+3 [60]; SM-2; Move-1 [-5]. 15 points

Short: At more or less 4’ tall, “short” trolls are often a bit stockier than most humans, but not to the extent of “small” trolls, and some have normal human proportions, just scaled down. ST-2 [-20]; DX+2 [40]; SM-1. 20 points


Average: Typically similar in height and proportions to a human. Note that the name “average” does not mean they are the most common size of troll, just middle-of-the-line. DX+1 [20]; SM+0. 20 points

Tall: Averaging 8’ 6” in height, but slender and gangly enough that they only weigh a bit more than twice what a typical human does, “tall” trolls tend towards long arms even by trollish standards. ST+3 (Size, -10%) [27]; SM+1; Move+1 [5]. 32 points

Big: Standing around 7’ tall, “big” trolls are a bit shorter than “tall” trolls, but considerably more massive, with a broad frame and shorter legs. In fact, though taller than most humans, their proportions most strongly resemble those of a “small” troll. ST+6 (Size, -10%) [54]; DX-1 [-20]; SM+1. 34 points

I'd like some suggestions for stuff that could be added to these packages to get them to all have the same point cost. Alternately, do you even think it's reasonable to make the template of a highly mutable race flexible like a character template in this way, or should I separate them out into different racial template?

Finally, here's a list of the advantages I've so far decided trolls can take at character creation.

Amphibious, Arm ST 1-3, Breath-Holding 1-3, Burrower, Claws (Blunt, Sharp or Talons), Compartmentalized Mind 1-2*, DR 1-3 (Tough Skin), Extra Arm 1 (Extra-Flexible Prehensile Tail), Extra Head 1-2*, Fur, Long Arms (+1 SM), Parabolic Hearing 1-2, Recovery, Spines, and Striker (Impaling or Cutting Tusks)

*These two advantages MUST be taken together, at the same level, and with the disadvantage Split Personality (6), to represent the fact that a multi-headed troll is more like two or three individuals sharing a body than one individual with two or three heads. In fact, I'd like some input as to whether the fact such heads can argue might also merit another required disadvantage, possibly Indecisive or an OPH.
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Old 03-06-2018, 04:44 PM   #2
Refplace
 
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Default Re: Troll Template Help

I see no problem with differing point costs. Different races have different costs so why should it be a problem for one?
I would write it up as individual orset items, possibly call some Lenses, especially if they are more common or tend to cluster together.
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Old 03-07-2018, 04:36 PM   #3
Cowrie
 
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Default Re: Troll Template Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
I see no problem with differing point costs. Different races have different costs so why should it be a problem for one?
I would write it up as individual orset items, possibly call some Lenses, especially if they are more common or tend to cluster together.
So, are you suggesting that, for example, I make the base template reflect, say an "average" size troll, and make the other sizes lenses? That could work. In general, the majority of trolls are "average" sized or smaller, with "tall" and "big" individuals being a minority. Some isolated populations may end up all one or two sizes, but in general trolls of different sizes intermingle and interbreed a great deal.

Or are you suggesting that I make the optional advantages into "individual or set packages"? That wouldn't work so well, because outside of Compartmentalized Mind and Extra Head having to be taken together and with the Split Personality disadvantage, just about any combination of racial advantages is possible. As I see it, all trolls have at least so many points in applicable traits, but at character creation, any number of additional points can be put into them as well. While certain advantages are slightly more common in conjunction with other advantages, or in certain sizes of trolls, these aren't universal pairings. I might write up some common combos of troll traits for the purpose of quick-and-dirty NPC creation, but PCs should have a lot of flexibility.

One additional issue that I forgot to bring up in my original post is that of Appearance. Using the rules for racial versus individual Appearance in Social Engineering, the racial Appearance of trolls is another point of variability. A troll can have a "racial" Appearance of anywhere from Hideous to Very Beautiful, but unless they also take in individual Appearance separately, they have an Appearance of Average to other trolls, due to trolls looking for completely different things in a person's physical features from humans. Conversely, the individual Appearance of a human wouldn't affect the reaction from a troll if I'm interpreting the RAW correctly. However, I want it to be that some humans do look above or below average to trolls, but not necessarily the same appearance they have to humans. Since trolls and humans are pretty much the only sapient races in the setting, would it be fair to make it so that rather than racial and individual appearance, there's simply "trollish" and "human" appearance and either or both can be bought by either race? (There may or may not end up being intelligent extra-planar beings, I'm undecided, plus there are some animals that have a low degree of sapience like RL non-human great apes.)
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Old 03-07-2018, 04:56 PM   #4
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Default Re: Troll Template Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowrie View Post
So, are you suggesting that, for example, I make the base template reflect, say an "average" size troll, and make the other sizes lenses?
Pretty much yes.
A standard Troll template with a set of optional lenses such as Big Troll, Small Troll, Amphibious Troll, etc.
With just two races in the game I would probably go for Appearance with a
"Trollish Looks" modifier.
Assuming humans are the most common and default race, adjust the modifier based on Focused, -50% or Accessibility.
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Old 03-07-2018, 08:48 PM   #5
Cowrie
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Default Re: Troll Template Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
Pretty much yes.
A standard Troll template with a set of optional lenses such as Big Troll, Small Troll, Amphibious Troll, etc.
With just two races in the game I would probably go for Appearance with a
"Trollish Looks" modifier.
Assuming humans are the most common and default race, adjust the modifier based on Focused, -50% or Accessibility.
As I said, that works for the sizes, and probably should also be used for the multi-headed situation, come to think of it, but I want the other traits to have a lot more flexibility. Taking your example of Amphibious Troll, you're probably thinking something that would include the advantages Amphibious and Breath-Holding, but some trolls might have both, but others might just have one of those two advantages. And making each trait a lens of it's own just seems a bit clunky, especially regarding the leveled traits.


Humans are somewhat more common than trolls, but not overwhelmingly so. In most regions, I'd peg the relative population at 2-3 humans for every troll. I do think your idea just using appearance+modifier based on Accessibility is probably a good way to go, though.
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Old 03-07-2018, 08:59 PM   #6
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Default Re: Troll Template Help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowrie View Post
As I said, that works for the sizes, and probably should also be used for the multi-headed situation, come to think of it, but I want the other traits to have a lot more flexibility.

Humans are somewhat more common than trolls, but not overwhelmingly so. In most regions, I'd peg the relative population at 2-3 humans for every troll. I do think your idea just using appearance+modifier based on Accessibility is probably a good way to go, though.
All you have to do is create a list of possible advantages, some as sets and some alone that can be picked from.
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My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
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