Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-12-2020, 02:01 PM   #1
midnight77
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Default increasing attributes after character creation

One of my players wants to increase strength. How is this done after character creation?
midnight77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2020, 02:10 PM   #2
edk926
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

Award character points for various deeds. He can save them up until he earns enough points to increase Strength by one. If you want justification for the increased Strength, he could do some bodybuilding training during off time.
edk926 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2020, 02:25 PM   #3
Alden Loveshade
 
Alden Loveshade's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Hmm, looks like Earth, circa CE 2020+
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

This is a major change from Third Edition to Fourth Edition. In Third Edition, raising an attribute after character creation costs double points. So if you want a 10-point increase, you have to spend 20 points to get it. I rather like that, but if I insisted on that for my Fourth Edition players, they'd probably throw fireballs at me.

Some GMs may well insist that PCs can't raise attributes from what they were originally. In real life, after reaching full maturity, most people do not get smarter as they get older.

If post-creation Attribute increase is allowed, I'd make sure they have a really good in-game justification.
  • ST: ST is probably the easiest to justify, because people really do increase that. "OK, you've told me the past four sessions that your PC's spending time lifting weights at the gym. You can spend those points to raise ST one level now."
  • HT: Joining a health club, exercising more and watching your eating, or getting some medical treatment might justify a HT increase.
  • DX: A PC who has spent earned points in dance, gymnastics, and a melee weapon skill might have justification for spending points to raise DX.
  • IQ: One who studies at college, spends off duty time reading, or doing similar intellectual activities might justify raising IQ. This is harder to justify realistically, partially because it involves an increase in Will and Per as well.
__________________
Kerry Thornley: Dwarf Planet Eris, Discordianism, and The John F. Kennedy Assassination Without Thornley, there would never have been the Steve Jackson Games edition of Principia Discordia
Top 12 Clues You're a Role-Playing Old-Timer My humorous (I hope) article that also promotes SJGames/GURPS
GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves My first GURPS supplement
Alden Loveshade is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2020, 03:08 PM   #4
Stormcrow
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

For full details of character development in general, see Chapter 9 of the Basic Set. It is often overlooked.
Stormcrow is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2020, 03:19 PM   #5
seycyrus
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

Quote:
Originally Posted by midnight77 View Post
One of my players wants to increase strength. How is this done after character creation?
I let them do it, but have to buy things in stages that can sort of be justified as a progression. Lifting ST, Striking St, and then finally 1 HP gets traded in for an increase in ST.
seycyrus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2020, 04:41 AM   #6
dcarson
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

IQ can be justified by raising IQ skills and then trading in a level in skills for a level in IQ since IQ is breadth of experience partially. But you need enough so that no skill goes down in effective level.
dcarson is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2020, 05:03 AM   #7
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

For a fuller discussion of this, see Chapter 1 of GURPS Social Engineering:Back to School.
__________________
Bill Stoddard

I don't think we're in Oz any more.
whswhs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2020, 06:36 AM   #8
Anaraxes
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alden Loveshade View Post
In real life, after reaching full maturity, most people do not get smarter as they get older.
And GURPS IQ isn't raw abstract mental processing power, but also includes knowledge, as well as learned strategies and tactics for employing their fundamental brainpower -- which people can and do acquire after maturity. It's a very broad measure, so why not be able to increase it after maturity?

After all, "most people" don't get stronger or faster after maturity, either. But that's not because they _can't_, by physical law. They're just doing other things.
Anaraxes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2020, 07:24 AM   #9
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

Quote:
Originally Posted by seycyrus View Post
I let them do it, but have to buy things in stages that can sort of be justified as a progression. Lifting ST, Striking St, and then finally 1 HP gets traded in for an increase in ST.
For ST, by RAW you can't buy either Lifting ST or Striking ST without a UB or Perk. They are Exotic Traits.

On the other hand the RAW has no problem with just buying st in whole pts.

The GM can do whatever he wants but if somebody asks for the Rules as Written this is what they are.
__________________
Fred Brackin
Fred Brackin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2020, 07:39 AM   #10
RyanW
 
RyanW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
Default Re: increasing attributes after character creation

Quote:
Originally Posted by dcarson View Post
IQ can be justified by raising IQ skills and then trading in a level in skills for a level in IQ since IQ is breadth of experience partially. But you need enough so that no skill goes down in effective level.
While a very common houserule, I don't think the official rules actually allow such trade ins (though it might have been added as an option somewhere I'm not remembering at the moment).

It can also lead to some minor oddities - skills floating to other attributes and things unlocked at specific relative levels (e.g. DX+1), mostly. Doesn't prevent me from allowing it, just something to keep in mind.
__________________
RyanW
- Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.
RyanW is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:03 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.