GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Races - 25 point templates

[pnewman]

GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Racial Template - Dark Elves

Dark Elf [+25 points]

DX +1 [20], PER +1 [5], Attractive Appearance [+4], Magery 0 [5], Unaging [5]*, Dark Vision [25], Racially Learned Skill - Savoir-Faire-Dark Elf [IQ] [1], Racial Skill Bonus to Crossbow [1], Bad Temper [-10] OR Bloodlust [-10] OR Bully [-10] OR Meglomania [-10] OR any combination of these totalling -10, Callous [-5], Intolerance - Species (Total) [-10], Quirk - Especially intolerant of surface elves [-1], Reputation -3 from almost everyone, always recognized, as 'evil' [-15], Reputation +3 from 'evil' people (small group) always recognized [+5] [this stacks with the overall reputation penalty giving Dark Elves a base +0 Reputation from evil people], Selfish [-5].

This Dark Elf is not intended to be a Banestorm type 'cultural' Dark Elf, this is a 'lives deep underground and is visually distinguishable' Drow like Dark Elf. Even if you think that some of the other templates should have Night Vision, and not Dark Vision, this template should have Dark Vision. I am assuming that the Dark Elven Skill bonus to Crossbow should cost less than the Elven bonus to Bow, because Crossbow in an Easy skill. The template includes Savoir-Faire because I am assuming that, given their temperments, Dark Elves have to have learned their manners, or they'd have been killed by another Dark Elf already. If a specific dark Elf is especially skilled at the Disguise skill or illusion Magic they might be able to, or required to, buy down the frequency of recognition on their Reputation.

To reflect a 'good' Dark Elf change some or all of the racial psychological disadvantages to something more heroic, and buy an individual reputation as a 'good guy' to help cancel out the negative racial reputation.

* I am deliberately reducing the cost of all aging related advantages and disadvantages for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, on the assumption that most Dungeon Fantasy campaigns won't last long enough, in game time, for them to matter as much.

[jbalsle]

Originally Posted by OldSam

I wouldn't do it this way:

1) If we imagine all humans in your world would have luck - what would this be? With a view only on humans competing against each other no one would have luck because they 'neutralize' each other on the other hand all other races would probably be social underdogs if they are all "unlucky" in comparison to the human race...

2) Racial Skills? I don't think there is good explanation for this, you could rather think of regional or society-specific skills if you want this kind of things...

Honestly, I'd say let the human template remain at 0, and let the humans spend their extra 25 points on whatever they wish. One of the hallmarks of humankind is their ability to be flexible. Having their template 0cp means they will be that much more flexible. One might buy +1DX, 4 points in Bow, and 1 point in fastdraw arrow. Another might have +1 IQ, and a further +1 will or perception. Another might have luck, and another might have wealth. Let the human player have the advantage that comes with being a human with the flexibility.

3) The GURPS-System is built on the axiom that humans are 0 points changing this could have unforeseen consequences...

4) As for "balance reasons" I don't think there is a need for racial templates to have the same point cost: IMHO a 'template' is not the final character but a kind of framework for the character: So if we had e.g. 150 cp overall and all 'templates' would cost 125 cp the player can decide what to do with the last 25 cp: he/she could take a racial-template for 25cp or maybe one for 20cp and the last 5 cp are spent for skills or maybe no one but a 25cp advantage etc. ... (but all chars would have the same cp - balanced)



Your template looks nice so far but in my opinion you should also think about a disadvantage-limit or maybe even better a static negative point-cost for disads for the racial templates if you want them to be balanced...

Nope, disagree here. One of the greatest strengths of templates is ignoring the disad limit for a campaign. However, the disadvantages are that it's an all or none thing. You get all the traits in the package, which means it's powerful but inflexible. Again, leans to humankind's benefit as humans don't have a disadvantage in the template that may not fit the character archetype. I do agree with the idea about the template being variable point cost, up to the campaign limit. A powerful template would make taking disads required to customize the character at all. Here's the only place I'd consider the template's disads in the design of the character, and it'd be on a Player by Player basis, making sure someone didn't try to take a powreful template then load disads on it to go over the board. Freshly hatched Hatchling Dragon, for instance, might cost 150cp, with 300 points in advantages and -150 points in disadvantages. In a template like that, I might limit the player to at most 10 points in disads to buy up to 10 points in skills only. (Note, Hatchling Dragon is based on the Palladium concept, where they come out of the egg with some skills already)

[jbalsle]

Originally Posted by pnewman

GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Racial Template - Dark Elves

Dark Elf [+25 points]

DX +1 [20], PER +1 [5], Attractive Appearance [+4], Magery 0 [5], Unaging [5]*, Dark Vision [25], Racially Learned Skill - Savoir-Faire-Dark Elf [IQ] [1], Racial Skill Bonus to Crossbow [1], Bad Temper [-10] OR Bloodlust [-10] OR Bully [-10] OR Meglomania [-10] OR any combination of these totalling -10, Callous [-5], Intolerance - Species (Total) [-10], Quirk - Especially intolerant of surface elves [-1], Reputation -3 from almost everyone, always recognized, as 'evil' [-15], Reputation +3 from 'evil' people (small group) always recognized [+5] [this stacks with the overall reputation penalty giving Dark Elves a base +0 Reputation from evil people], Selfish [-5].

This Dark Elf is not intended to be a Banestorm type 'cultural' Dark Elf, this is a 'lives deep underground and is visually distinguishable' Drow like Dark Elf. Even if you think that some of the other templates should have Night Vision, and not Dark Vision, this template should have Dark Vision. I am assuming that the Dark Elven Skill bonus to Crossbow should cost less than the Elven bonus to Bow, because Crossbow in an Easy skill. The template includes Savoir-Faire because I am assuming that, given their temperments, Dark Elves have to have learned their manners, or they'd have been killed by another Dark Elf already. If a specific dark Elf is especially skilled at the Disguise skill or illusion Magic they might be able to, or required to, buy down the frequency of recognition on their Reputation.

To reflect a 'good' Dark Elf change some or all of the racial psychological disadvantages to something more heroic, and buy an individual reputation as a 'good guy' to help cancel out the negative racial reputation.

* I am deliberately reducing the cost of all aging related advantages and disadvantages for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, on the assumption that most Dungeon Fantasy campaigns won't last long enough, in game time, for them to matter as much.

To divorce your concept from D&D, one thing you might consider is going the opposite with the Dark Elves. Instead of black skin, make them pale skinned with dark hair. Under-ground creatures tend to have light skin colors, not dark.

A way to break the Drow mold, if you will.

[Extrarius]

Originally Posted by jbalsle

To divorce your concept from D&D, one thing you might consider is going the opposite with the Dark Elves. Instead of black skin, make them pale skinned with dark hair. Under-ground creatures tend to have light skin colors, not dark.

A way to break the Drow mold, if you will.

Of course, even if they have white skin, they'll look black in their natural habitat since they don't really have a need for light =-P

[younglorax]

Originally Posted by pnewman

am assuming that the Dark Elven Skill bonus to Crossbow should cost less than the Elven bonus to Bow, because Crossbow in an Easy skill.

Canonically, that's not so, and I agree with the RAW.

A bonus to a very hard skill is just as point-useful as a bonus to an easy skill, since it costs the same to increase your chance of success by 1 when buying the skill. Regardless of whether 8 points brings a skill to IQ+0 or IQ+3, it'll take another 4 points to increase it one more step.

[Avanesov]

I would just create a "racial talent" that gives a bonus to the skills in question....then worry about balancing the talents across templates....if you feel the need to.

[carllarson]

Two ways I see in GCA, which can assist;

Racial Skill Bonus, with 2pts per level up to 3, giving level bonuses.

Racial Skill Point Bonus, giving a set number of points to the skill.

I know templates in GCA are going with the second for many templates. The main difference is in skill level. The first way, if you have 4 points in a skill, and Racial Skill Bonus, its only costing half as much for the levels. And, if you have only a point in the skill, its costing 2x for one level, 1 more for 2 levels, and 2 more for 3 levels. This is much like a Racial Talent in one skill.

The second way, the points count as if spent, so leave extra points if the combination of bonus and spent points isn't enough to raise the level.

[Collective_Restraint]

Originally Posted by jbalsle

To divorce your concept from D&D, one thing you might consider is going the opposite with the Dark Elves. Instead of black skin, make them pale skinned with dark hair. Under-ground creatures tend to have light skin colors, not dark.

A way to break the Drow mold, if you will.

Pale skin and black hair is the Warhammer and Allansia (Fighting Fantasy) look of the dark elves. I prefer that look too as it makes more sense to have dark elves pale skinned because of the lack of exposure to the sun (since they live underground).

[Pmandrekar]

Originally Posted by jbalsle

To divorce your concept from D&D, one thing you might consider is going the opposite with the Dark Elves. Instead of black skin, make them pale skinned with dark hair. Under-ground creatures tend to have light skin colors, not dark.

A way to break the Drow mold, if you will.

In my game worlds, I tend to make the differences between Elves and Dark Elves primarily Cultural. In my Megacity in the desert campaign, Dark elves were the ones that lived in tribes, wore tattoos and shot human encroachers from behind rocks, but looked just like all the other elves.

This removes skin color as a way to detect evil (which always bothered me about how D&D handles "good" and "evil" versions of the same races) and simultaneously allows Dark Elves to permeate regular society, by wearing clothes that cover their tattoos and taking jobs in the City.

But, if you're trying to emulate D&D, then Dark Elves have a lot of 'background' written for them, and part of that assumption is the skin color, I'm afraid.

-P.

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Pmandrekar

But, if you're trying to emulate D&D, then Dark Elves have a lot of 'background' written for them, and part of that assumption is the skin color, I'm afraid.

-P.

I agree with that.

Besides, I think "symbolic" reasons for a colour (evil, darkness = black) are suited in Fantasy, equating these dark elves (in a straitghforward way, ok) with the most apparent "meaning" of that colour.

If we were regarding them as an Sci-Fi "race", then the biologic viewpoint could have some weight, however.

Edit: of course, dark elves with black skin and its most apparent meaning, has no relation with real world black people.