Ravens N' Pennies - GURPS Content Posts

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

GURPS101: More Human Than the Humans

A couple of thoughts on GURPS Monster Hunters Experiments. Basically, they're cool...how can I make them cooler?

I like the analysis. I've privately done similar for other aspects of Monster Hunters, despite what you've noted as the lighter tone of the series. I've also observed that MH tends to fall on the "urban fantasy" side of a "urban fantasy-horror" spectrum, so anything (like your analysis) that brings it toward the horror end (though not fully; MH is about butt-kicking protagonists after all) is welcome to me.

The options really expand the horizons for the Experiment template. I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read the article yet, so I'll hold off on discussing particulars. I am personally reminded, though, that I need to purchase MH5 for more on the tech angle of MH.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Randyman

I like the analysis. I've privately done similar for other aspects of Monster Hunters, despite what you've noted as the lighter tone of the series. I've also observed that MH tends to fall on the "urban fantasy" side of a "urban fantasy-horror" spectrum, so anything (like your analysis) that brings it toward the horror end (though not fully; MH is about butt-kicking protagonists after all) is welcome to me.

The options really expand the horizons for the Experiment template. I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read the article yet, so I'll hold off on discussing particulars. I am personally reminded, though, that I need to purchase MH5 for more on the tech angle of MH.

Thanks. :-) Glad you enjoyed it. MH5 is worth the money. It's an amazing book.

[Kalzazz]

You could even have straight out Fantasy Experiments, like Zelgadis from Slayers

I love the concept of Experiments at times, there is something extremely awesome and resonant at the idea of a Champion of Justice that represents the cumulative might of tens of thousands of man hours and millions of dollars of budget focused toward the one man, razor edged Point of the Spear

You see Captain America, and he may just be one Man, but he represents the full weight of America's Industry, Genius, Willpower and its 300 million Citizens all behind his back! Given the mighty focus of an entire Nation you can create an Epic Hero as well as putting a Man on the Moon

Captain America is an Experiment after all!

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Thanks. :-) Glad you enjoyed it. MH5 is worth the money. It's an amazing book.

Bought it. Read it. Love it!

On your thematic analysis of the Experiment, a self-made Experiment is perhaps the ultimate embodiment of the trope. Imagine the MCU Tony Stark as a bioengineer. He'd enhance himself without a second thought.

And I still want to see the Experiment reimagined as an Inhuman racial template...

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

You could even have straight out Fantasy Experiments, like Zelgadis from Slayers

I love the concept of Experiments at times, there is something extremely awesome and resonant at the idea of a Champion of Justice that represents the cumulative might of tens of thousands of man hours and millions of dollars of budget focused toward the one man, razor edged Point of the Spear

You see Captain America, and he may just be one Man, but he represents the full weight of America's Industry, Genius, Willpower and its 300 million Citizens all behind his back! Given the mighty focus of an entire Nation you can create an Epic Hero as well as putting a Man on the Moon

Captain America is an Experiment after all!

Cap is at LEAST 1,000 points - maybe 1,500 points or so. He's the solider and he's "peak" human in just about all ways. That said, I could see a mash-up of Monster Hunters and Supers. You could even smush in MH5 and get a Morituri-type feel.

Originally Posted by Randyman

Bought it. Read it. Love it

Good!

Originally Posted by Randyman

On your thematic analysis of the Experiment, a self-made Experiment is perhaps the ultimate embodiment of the trope. Imagine the MCU Tony Stark as a bioengineer. He'd enhance himself without a second thought.

Funny you should say that, I've been toying around with a supers campaign and one of my players was considering doing something just like this.

Originally Posted by Randyman

And I still want to see the Experiment reimagined as an Inhuman racial template...

If the post is popular enough, I'll probably come back to it. My typical minimum revisit "threshold" is at least 100 views/+5's.

[Kalzazz]

I never claimed he was a starting level character, just that he pretty well fit the Experiment concept

I remember discussing Selene with PK back when MH was new . . . iconic movie characters do not always starting level characters make

The idea of a self making Experiment is pretty cool . . . though I admit I mostly play in 300pt games where 'having cool powers needed to enchant/gadgeteer/whatever create experimental stuff' and 'having cool powers of an experiment' are fairly mutually exclusive on a points alone basis

I do like that idea though, as one of the problematic parts about Experiment type characters in some ways is either 'you dismiss their origins and dont worry about it so much' or 'their origin story risks becoming more about the person that made them than it does about them'

The idea of whacky character class/race combos like an Experiment Gadgeteer is pretty wild though . . . . . one of my more amusing characters I have fond memories of playing was a Dragon Gadgeteer from our old White Wolf Dragons campaign we once were in

I'm not sure about whether or not this fits the topic, but I think it may be related . . . . . one of my favorite Pre GURPS ideas was a Gadgeteer Pokemaster (not literally Pokemaster, but 'uses Pet to fight'), this idea worked really really well because we were playing D6 Space Opera back then, and could use the quite robust 'how to make droids' rules to convert loot and found goodies into shinier, better pet robot (as well as just experience)

Not really sure how this concept in GURPS would work, I mean, you buy the pet robot as an Ally and then, uhm, it gains XP and thus power in lockstep with you?

That was a fun character, and fits the Experiment theme as the character in question was the creator of the Experiment, happilly trying to upgrade and improve their creation to even more leave them in the dust

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

I never claimed he was a starting level character, just that he pretty well fit the Experiment concept

I can match each of the MCU Avengers to an MH template in concept.

Captain America - Experiment
Tony Stark - Techie
Hawkeye - Warrior (Archer variant discussed elsewhere on these boards*)
Black Widow - Sleuth (Only a Sleuth could pull the headgame on Loki...)
Hulk - Ethomorph (Pyramid #3/31)
Thor - Angel (tweaked - drop the wings)


*I'm lazy tonight - mea culpa.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

I never claimed he was a starting level character, just that he pretty well fit the Experiment concept

I remember discussing Selene with PK back when MH was new . . . iconic movie characters do not always starting level characters make

The idea of a self making Experiment is pretty cool . . . though I admit I mostly play in 300pt games where 'having cool powers needed to enchant/gadgeteer/whatever create experimental stuff' and 'having cool powers of an experiment' are fairly mutually exclusive on a points alone basis

I do like that idea though, as one of the problematic parts about Experiment type characters in some ways is either 'you dismiss their origins and dont worry about it so much' or 'their origin story risks becoming more about the person that made them than it does about them'

The idea of whacky character class/race combos like an Experiment Gadgeteer is pretty wild though . . . . . one of my more amusing characters I have fond memories of playing was a Dragon Gadgeteer from our old White Wolf Dragons campaign we once were in

I'm not sure about whether or not this fits the topic, but I think it may be related . . . . . one of my favorite Pre GURPS ideas was a Gadgeteer Pokemaster (not literally Pokemaster, but 'uses Pet to fight'), this idea worked really really well because we were playing D6 Space Opera back then, and could use the quite robust 'how to make droids' rules to convert loot and found goodies into shinier, better pet robot (as well as just experience)

Not really sure how this concept in GURPS would work, I mean, you buy the pet robot as an Ally and then, uhm, it gains XP and thus power in lockstep with you?

That was a fun character, and fits the Experiment theme as the character in question was the creator of the Experiment, happilly trying to upgrade and improve their creation to even more leave them in the dust

I actually just finished up an article that will cover robots. It's kind of massive and a follow-up to Metatronic Generators. It covers just about everything I could think of for gear. Along with the original it's essentially a grand unified equipment creation system.

Originally Posted by Randyman

I can match each of the MCU Avengers to an MH template in concept.

Captain America - Experiment
Tony Stark - Techie
Hawkeye - Warrior (Archer variant discussed elsewhere on these boards*)
Black Widow - Sleuth (Only a Sleuth could pull the headgame on Loki...)
Hulk - Ethomorph (Pyramid #3/31)
Thor - Angel (tweaked - drop the wings)


*I'm lazy tonight - mea culpa.

That's about right, yeah.

[Tinman]

I have also used the idea of Psi as an Experiment. For the power modifiers I combined both for -20%. What are your thoughts?

As for MH5:AX, I love what I have been able to digest so far. The new monsters, ect.... A lot of the rest I'm still prossesing. Ofcourse, I'm a major fan of the entire MH line.

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Tinman

As for MH5:AX, I love what I have been able to digest so far. The new monsters, ect.... A lot of the rest I'm still prossesing. Ofcourse, I'm a major fan of the entire MH line.

I feel that the Techie got shafted. MH5 could have been the Techie's showcase; instead, the RPM casters were the ones who got spotlighted, with Technomagic. It appears that the best supplemental material for the Techie will need to be borrowed/adapted from GURPS Mars Attacks. Here's hoping it comes out in PDF...