Backwoods Characters

[AlexanderHowl]

I was just thinking about making a group of traditional backwoods characters and wondering about the best way to represent them? They would likely have a normal range of attributes (8-12), relatively high Per and Will (12-16), Wealth ranging from Poor to Wealthy, and one skill at a phenomenal level (16+). While it is possible just to give them a single skill with a massive investment of points, there are better ways.

For example, let us look at the traditional backwoods mechanic. I was thinking that you could have Attribute Substitution (Mechanic; Per in place of IQ) and have a high Per. For example, an IQ 8 character could have Per 16, allowing them to easily purchase Mechanic/TL8 (Automotive) (A) Per+4 [16]-20 with the previously mentioned perk. While the backwoods mechanic is simple, she is a savant when it comes to cars.

What other backwoods characters would you want to see? Would you use such characters in your campaigns? Would they make good PCs in 150 CP campaign?

[Donny Brook]

I don't see why backwoods characters should be stereotyped in these terms.
I also think common skills among rural people would vary substantially by the setting TL.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

For example, let us look at the traditional backwoods mechanic. I was thinking that you could have Attribute Substitution (Mechanic; Per in place of IQ) and have a high Per. For example, an IQ 8 character could have Per 16, allowing them to easily purchase Mechanic/TL8 (Automotive) (A) Per+4 [16]-20 with the previously mentioned perk. While the backwoods mechanic is simple, she is a savant when it comes to cars.

I prefer to use Talents for these applications.

[Polydamas]

Rural people are as likely to have a wide range of skills as one very high one. Xenophon knew this: he talks about how in the country one person makes the whole shoe for all ages and conditions, and often farms on the side, while in Athens there are people who do nothing but cut out soles for women's shoes all day.

So urbanites are more likely to have narrow Talents, Optional Specializations, and the Hyper-Specialization perk, and rural people are more likely to have the whole design-repair-use tripod, and the "prepare the materials, build the tools, build the thing" tripod.

Also worth stating: GURPS' Intelligence attribute is only loosely associated with book learning or formal credentials, plenty of characters with lots of them should have a mediocre IQ in GURPS, and plenty of characters without them can have a high Intelligence in GURPS. Intelligence is the Talent for too many 'mind-y' skills to bother enumerating.

[Flyndaran]

I agree that Gurps IQ could be argued to apply more to rural Jacks of all trades than to urban single skill masters.

[AlexanderHowl]

High Per would be better than high IQ for most rural characters (and it would be more thematic of people who hunt and fish).

[Stormcrow]

Just give them whatever skills and traits they have. There need be no special rules for backwoods characters.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

High Per would be better than high IQ for most rural characters (and it would be more thematic of people who hunt and fish).

GURPS characters may be built to suit their environment. Actual people are born from genetic stock irrespective of where they domicile.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

GURPS characters may be built to suit their environment. Actual people are born from genetic stock irrespective of where they domicile.

Yes, but the human genetic legacy supports a great deal of plastic adaptation. Abilities tend to develop as they are exercised.