[RPM] Starting Character Points

[Ah_Ftagn]

I picked up GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic a while back, and am wondering how many character points it would take to make a mage who is competent (At least 12 Effective Skill Level in Thaumatology (or an Alternate Core Skill), Path of Magic, and any one other Path Skill), yet still well rounded enough to have two weapon skills and a few noncombat skills at decent levels, as well as a few non-mage advantages.

A few rules:
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1: Ritual Adept is considered necessary, as is Magery 0+

2: The result must be achievable with the Rules as Written

3: The lowest possible number should be given as the Character Point Maximum

4: Disadvantage Limit is 1/3rd the points maximum given.

5: Disadvantages should be used as little as possible. This is ranked by their point values.

5: If using an Alternate Core Skill with prerequisites, list how many points would be required do the same thing using a Core Skill with no prerequisites instead. Any of the Core Skills already listed in RPM pp. 13 can be used this way.

[Nereidalbel]

250 points should be workable.

[dfinlay]

Oh, a lot less than [250] should work. This is a not very optimized but more than playable paranormal investigator on [150]. If you dropped Ritual Adept, which really I think the character would be more interesting to play without, you could get him under [100]. IDHMBWM, so the point values maybe slightly off:

All stats 10 but IQ! and Per 13 [45]
Magery 0 [5]
Ritual Adept [45?]
Thaumatology 12 [4]
Path of Magic 12 [4]
Path of Spirit 12 [4]

A few IQ/Per skills, esp investigative [20]

Knife 13 [8]
Guns (Pistol) 13 [8]

Eidetic Memory [5]
Absolute Direction [2?]
Contacts [10 worth]
Some disadvantage [-10]

Total 150 points, -25 disadvantages

[lachimba]

Surely you just need a RPM lens and then just cut and paste it into templates as you need.

Many of the templates for PSIs and Wizards will work as is if you just remove their spells or powers and sub in the lens.

If you want Ritual Adept I guess the lens is going to be 51 to 100.

Otherwise 50 seems like a start.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by dfinlay

All stats 10 but IQ 12 and Per 13 [45]

FIFY


Unless 'IQ!' has some meaning I'm not intuiting?

[EDIT]
Nevermind, IQ!, HT!, DX!, and ST! are formulaic shorthands.
[/EDIT]

[sonic232]

From the context, I'd guess he meant IQ 12 since he spent 45 points and Per is 13.

Edit: Sorry about that, I read the text but not the corrected quote ^^;

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by dfinlay

ll stats 10 but IQ! and Per 13 [45]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Unless 'IQ!' has some meaning I'm not intuiting?

Originally Posted by sonic232

From the context, I'd guess he meant IQ 12 since he spent 45 points and Per is 13.

Edit: Sorry about that, I read the text but not the corrected quote ^^;

"IQ!" is a shorthand by some on this forum for "buy up IQ but buy Will and Per back down to 10."

So what he's doing is buying IQ 13 [60], Will 10 [-15], and Per 13 [0], for a total of 45 points.

Personally, in these type games, I wouldn't adjust Will lower than IQ, but that's me.

[dfinlay]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

"IQ!" is a shorthand by some on this forum for "buy up IQ but buy Will and Per back down to 10."

So what he's doing is buying IQ 13 [60], Will 10 [-15], and Per 13 [0], for a total of 45 points.

Personally, in these type games, I wouldn't adjust Will lower than IQ, but that's me.

This was what I meant. Sorry it wasn't clear.

[Kalzazz]

You definitely won't want to lower Will if you play around a lot with say Assisting Spirits

However, disads have to come from somewhere, and all disads are going to hurt as much as any other point per point (more or less, I think the absolute biggest most effected character disad I have ever taken was -5 'Intolerance Evil Religions')

'Competent' is kind of fuzzy. Skill 12 in some areas is not super competent, but with Ritual Adept as a requirement can be semi competent quickly!

Heres an example of a 150pt Non Adept who is competent in a narrow field\

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...9Yw/edit#gid=0


Note! I personally consider Luck to be _vital_ to a Competent RPMist. An RPMist without luck is a grave menace to society. An RPMist with luck is just a menace to society!

[ericthered]

If you let me use pyramid 66, I can give you this guy on a real budget (except for the whooping full adept advantage)

101 points:
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IQ! 11 [10]

Advantages:
Full Adept [40] (grumble grumble)
Magery 0 [5]
RPM Mystic Talent 4 [20]
Higher purpose (summoner tradition 2) [6]

Magic Skills:
Thaumology 10 [4] (14 for paths of spirit and crossroads)
Path of Spirit 14 [4] *+4 from talent
Path of Crossroads 14 [4] * +4 from talent

Other skills
Law (demonic) 11 [4]
Hidden lore (demons) 10 [2]
Hidden lore (free spirits) 10 [2]

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This is just the base of the character, but I will point out when banishing or summoning various spirits her RPM base skill hovers around 16. a few additions can greatly increase her capabilities: signature gear for a few grimoires, ritual mastery, improving supplemental skills, and so forth. You may notice she has no math of magic. If will point out she doesn't actually have an energy reserve to use.

The ritual adept portion is a little silly on her. it eats up about half of her points -- you really don't want it on a low powered RPMist. Without it she's in the 60's -- and I only really have -10 is disadvantages. I recommend buying a gizmo if you want reasonable flexible casting.

This is not a horribly versatile caster, but she certainly has her uses, and she shines against spirits. She can summon beings for specific tasks, banish out of control ones, and move around gates.