GURPS Matrix

[HeroPenguin]

I think the answer after Powers will probably be "GURPS: Ultra Tech". It's just about the only thing left, magic and supernatural abilities will all be answered. Except for the mundane stuff, the only questions left will be technological based, and Ultra Tech will take care of the rest of it. Hurray!

[Libertine]

Modular abilities can be a way to have downloaded skills, give it a cosmic enhancement only in cyberspace. And i would have a lot of slots for it too, probably at least 10. The Matrix resistance fighters are around 250 pts and i would say standard agents are at 500 pts with agent smith being in the 1,500-2000 range.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Libertine

Modular abilities can be a way to have downloaded skills, give it a cosmic enhancement only in cyberspace. And i would have a lot of slots for it too, probably at least 10. The Matrix resistance fighters are around 250 pts and i would say standard agents are at 500 pts with agent smith being in the 1,500-2000 range.

Dude, that's some pretty strong necromancy.

[DangerousThing]

Higher Purpose (Thread necromancy)

[zoncxs]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

Higher Purpose (Thread necromancy)

Destiny (necromancy)

[The Benj]

Odious Personal Habit? :P

[Dwarf99]

Originally Posted by Tech13

But that is the answer to a different question. 42 is the answer to THE question, "GURPS: Powers" is the universal answer, but it has an expiration date.
Yes, you may use "GURPS: Powers" for the answer to THE question, but only till it is available

which happens to be on a Thursday.

[Kalzazz]

Ritual Mastery: Raise Thread

[Libertine]

Mwah, haha!

[davidtmoore]

Since it's been revived, though:

You can approach this two ways, depending on the intended structure of the game.

If the campaign's going to take place entirely (or almost entirely) in the matrix (a la the first film), then the premise is essentially just flavour and the characters' matrix personae are the characters; make them pay for their superhero characters with high stats, Enhanced Move, Super Jump, ATR, ETS and all the rest. Uploading skills is a fairly pricey Modular Ability, with the Operator as stage dressing for how the ability is accessed.

But if the campaign intends to move between worlds (a la the second and third films), then I'd give the characters a gadet-based Jumper (Matrix) advantage, modelled on Jumper (Spirit). Per Powers, "You can
interact normally with the spirits there and use any ability that’s 'standard' for spirits in that world." In this case, the ability to "bend the rules" is a standard for anyone in the Matrix; it just takes an intuitive understanding of that fact, and the knowledge of how to do it.

In that case, "waking up" - understanding the lie that is the Matrix and how to bend or break the rules - becomes Trained By A Master/Weapon Master/Sharpshooter/Heroic Archer/Imbue, with the limitation "Only in the Matrix, -50%." Power Blow, Flying Leap, etc. actually covers a lot of what our heroes can do, and you can add some more skills to pad out the more generally amazing feats they're capable of.

Neo and Smith have a further advantage, priced to taste, that gives access to skills like "Flight" and "Bullet Shield" in the Matrix, which you can perhaps model on spells. You can then add the ability to see digital reality while in the real world, and to manipulate machines, as separate advantages.

The ability to upload skills is trickier, but actually I don't think it applies in the real world. In the third film, Neo and Smith have a fight in the real world, and it's pretty much just undignified flailing with improvise weapons. That said, it can just be a standard ability of entities in the Matrix, which means it doesn't need to be modelled or cost points, making the question of number of slots irrelevant. If you allow an Operator to make a skill roll to upload a temporary skill (with a duration in minutes, or for one "task"), then allow players to spend unspent points to keep an uploaded skill, you can cover that mechanic without needing to model an advantage for it.