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Old 10-06-2016, 05:26 PM   #1
Gef
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Default Understanding RPM

I’ve never gamed RPM, but I’m thinking about adding it to my fantasy campaign and want to make sure that I understand its world-building implications. Just had a laptop crash and lost this post, so the re-write may be a little terse. Actual questions are numbered with superscripts.

Playing around with points, I get a master wizard (Guild Rank 2, Wealthy, derived Status 2, and some relevant advantages with discount for familiar or magic item) clocking in at 150pt with skill 14 in path skills, and he can have a few Ritual Mastery perks and accompanying grimoires for his favorite effects. Skill 14, plus 3 for Higher Purpose, +2 for Ritual Mastery, +2 for fine kit, +1 for equipment bond with that kit, +6 for grimoire, +1 for appropriate auxiliary skill, +2 for sacred space (church wizards have access to old cathedrals). I assume you never get the +4 bonus for routine circumstances with magic, but is that true?¹ That’s net 31 for the energy accumulation roll, for 175 safe energy threshold, discounted from 205 with traditional trappings (I’ll probably abstract this with Symbol-Drawing). Drop to 110 energy outside of his specialty (no grimoire or perk). I can think of a few things he can do with that to make a buck.

GETTING AROUND: The best way to teleport is a two-step process, to avoid the multiple for greater effects. Create a tiny short-range gate as a lesser effect, base cost 6 leaves enough energy for it to last a couple centuries if it has no significant value. A megabuck (TL8) drops the duration to 37 years. Now transform it with another lesser effect, base 8, plus 58 for the life of the gate, plus 44 for range to go anywhere an on earth-sized planet, and do I need another 44 to get there fast?² Even so, I have plenty left to make it wide enough for an army. And since it lasts for the life of the gate, can I make this a conditional ritual so I can transform it with verbal commands whenever I want?³

STAYIN’ ALIVE: Strengthen Body for base 3, plus 15 for Unaging, plus 31 for a decade, plus 8 for Less Sleep 4 so I can get more done in that decade. For Less Sleep, do I need a second instance of Strengthen for 3 more? If so, that adds up to 60, which I triple because of the Greater Effect. And I triple the contribution for Less Sleep even though it’s a lesser effect, right?⁴ If I didn’t have my perk and grimoire, my lesser potions of longevity would only last a few months and wouldn’t alleviate sleep requirements.

HEALING: To alleviate a congenital defect, like a missing leg (say from Thalidomide), do I need Strengthen or Restore? I assume the former, because it was always missing, or do I need Transform? Worst case, Transform, base 8, remove Lame for 20, decade duration for 31, and triple it all. Do I actually need the duration, or does this count as healing and hence permanent?⁵ Do I understand that my potions of Unaging and Un-laming don’t count as stacking?⁶ I wonder about Quadriplegic: Removing an 80pt disad as a greater effect isn’t safe for a 150pt wizard, but if I try to restore each missining limb separately, does that count as stacking making one disappear when the next one grows?⁷

SUPERSOLDIER SERUM: I can do a lot with Lesser Strengthen Body, ST +3, DX +3, HT +3. Does this count Altered Traits or Bestows a Bonus?⁸ While I might have social reasons to aim for a short duration, in theory I could gather enough energy to make this last through a soldier’s career. What does that do to the recipient’s point total?⁹ My guess is, it might require a Patron but costs no points directly, because if he paid to raise his stats, he’d be eligible for a further +30% increase from magic. But hey, if he doesn’t have to pay for higher stats, does the lame kid who only needs a potion every decade to keep his leg have to buy off the disad?¹⁰ It seems like once I get to be a 150pt wizard, I can walk around with a lot of buffs, but then any wealthy and connected person can do the same because wizards like me exist. The price for a soldier is basically a day’s labor for a wizard, plus overhead, so it scales with whatever I set as the default Wealth level for a working wizard.

TELEKINISIS: Suppose I can’t give all four limbs to that quadriplegic kid, so maybe I give him legs for walking and Telekinesis for manipulation. That’s Greater Control Matter, base cost 5, but does a living or formerly living thing count as Matter if you just wanna pick it up?¹¹ Now I see two ways to calculate the rest, Altered Trait for TK 11 say is 55, but the weight it can move (between 100# and 300#) only costs 3 and speed 11 only costs 5, net 8, so which do I have to use here?¹² Assuming the latter, the cost for a decade is 102 energy, and I can do this without the perk and grimoire. Otherwise I can’t manage a decade; the cost is 204 for a mere 3 days. Okay, drop back to telekinetic ST 9, and I can make it work with two treatments per year.

GENIE: To have a friend from out of this world, once again I need multiple steps. The first is Greater Create Spirit for base 6, plus 61 for 40 years, tripled to 201 energy. Then I need Greater Control Spirit with the same calculation to make him my slave, or Lesser Transform Spirit to implant the idea that I’m his friend. Then I need Lesser Strengthen Spirit to raise its IQ to 10, which is the max without a greater effect that I couldn’t extend to a useful duration, whereas the same ritual that gives +2 IQ can also raise its other stats. Is it possible to shoot for better than +2 with some compensatory disads like Automaton?¹³ Do I understand correctly that the spirit metatrait is “free” with create spirit?¹⁴ So then it’s a matter of Strengthen Spirit to enable it to make Insubstantial Switchable?¹⁵

Thanks,

GEF

Last edited by Gef; 10-06-2016 at 05:56 PM.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:01 PM   #2
Gef
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Default Re: Understanding RPM

More questions about spirits: At the end of the duration, my genie goes back to oblivion? No way to summon back the same one? Adding Unaging doesn't help cause it'll be immortal in oblivion? Could the duration be extended with a crossroads effect?
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:22 PM   #3
Gef
 
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Default Re: Understanding RPM

Also, do I understand that wizards can't use rituals to get better at rituals? If a wizard gives himself IQ+3 it doesn't help path skills, and if he gives himself altered time rate it doesn't reduce the time needed for a ritual? But he could spend years making a magic item that'd imbue these traits, and they would benefit rituals?
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:34 PM   #4
Gef
 
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Default Re: Understanding RPM

Would an apprentice assisting the master wizard get the bonuses from the grimoire and fine kit? If so, he'd extend the effects by decades.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:37 PM   #5
Kalzazz
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Default Re: Understanding RPM

Hey! You asked one I actually know offhand

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...light=grimoire

You can share the workspace, but not share the grimoire, but each can have their own grimoire!
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:14 PM   #6
Gef
 
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Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Default Re: Understanding RPM

Thanks, Kalzazz. I guess it'd make sense for Guilds to have low-end grimoires for apprentices to use. With lower skill, no Ritual Mastery, and wimpier grimoire, an apprentice could still contribute enough energy for an extra decade of duration, with his master paying for everything else.

I thought RPM was a popular system and figured this thread would be humming with ideas from folks who've already been through this exercise. Gotta say that just the few things I've looked into above look like they'll have huge consequences for the game world, and I haven't even looked at agriculture or labor.
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:15 PM   #7
McAllister
 
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Default Re: Understanding RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
Also, do I understand that wizards can't use rituals to get better at rituals? If a wizard gives himself IQ+3 it doesn't help path skills, and if he gives himself altered time rate it doesn't reduce the time needed for a ritual? But he could spend years making a magic item that'd imbue these traits, and they would benefit rituals?
All correct. I'll take a look at the stuff in the main post and comment on what I feel I can, based on my own limited knowledge.
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:16 PM   #8
Kalzazz
 
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Default Re: Understanding RPM

Remember each helper adds -1 to all rolls, unless they take the correct perks
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:20 PM   #9
Gef
 
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Default Re: Understanding RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by McAllister View Post
All correct. I'll take a look at the stuff in the main post and comment on what I feel I can, based on my own limited knowledge.
Thanks, McAllister. Kinda makes sense, ixnae on the wishing for more wishes. Even so I'd do the ritual for IQ +3 to everything else every decade, don't need a grimoire for that.
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:22 PM   #10
sir_pudding
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Default Re: Understanding RPM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
I thought RPM was a popular system and figured this thread would be humming with ideas from folks who've already been through this exercise. Gotta say that just the few things I've looked into above look like they'll have huge consequences for the game world, and I haven't even looked at agriculture or labor.
Anything that has huge consequences for the world is nearly by definition a Greater Effect. Also remember the system was developed for games with, if not completely secret magic, at least some wainscot elements.
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