So Ive read the powers book, and I just dont get it...

[Evenglare]

Can someone explain the point of the powers book? I dont see any need for it at all. It just seems extremely redundant. Am I missing something or what?

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Evenglare

Can someone explain the point of the powers book? I dont see any need for it at all. It just seems extremely redundant. Am I missing something or what?

IMO its most valuable because it adds several new Advantages that couldn't be done with things in Basic Set and fills in several holes left in Advantages that were in Basic Set.

[Langy]

It also introduces a number of extremely useful options. The Psionic Powers book is probably the best (current) example of what you can do with it that you couldn't with the Basic Set. The Chinese Elemental Powers book will probably be a similarly good example, but we won't know until it's released.

[Evenglare]

I understand that it does add those things, but why not make some sort of new advantage book or something. I just dont get the point of the Powers themselves.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Evenglare

I understand that it does add those things, but why not make some sort of new advantage book or something. I just dont get the point of the Powers themselves.

To help people construct coherent Advantage based systems for a variety of superpowers. Some people find that easy enough that they don't need a book to help, other do.

[ham2anv]

The power structure in GURPS Powers (which is an extrapolation of the Psionics rules in Basic Set) serves as a way of saying, "These advantages bought in this way use this set of rules tweaks, different from the set of rules for advantages (even the same advantages) bought in this other way as well as those bought a la carte."

Powers are a way for GMs to define how extraordinary or supernatural abilities work in their campaigns, which ones are available, and how characters can access them. The differences can be very small (as in the Psionic powers presented in Basic Set or the chi powers in Martial Arts) or immense (see Divine Favor and Psionic Powers for two wide-ranging examples).

That said, the whole framework is entirely optional. If the level of detail and differentiation doesn't appeal to you or your group, don't use it. Many others find it very useful.

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by lexington

To help people construct coherent Advantage based systems for a variety of superpowers. Some people find that easy enough that they don't need a book to help, other do.

Yes. In its essence, Powers is a how-to book -- how to take the Advantages given in the Basic Set and modify them to recreate particular super powers, whether from fiction or the player's own imagination. It does include five new Advantages and a lot of new Enhancements and Limitations, but the main purpose is to cut through the mist of "What do I do with all this stuff?" It's also good for "How does this advantage work again?" in the case of the more involved abilities.

I love it because it gives a lot of food for thought. Worked examples are a wonderful thing. But if you're asking whether it's possible to play without it, my answer is "Of Course." That's kind of the guiding principle of 4E, that the only truly essential books are the two volumes in the Basic Set.

(I should add that one reason I bought Powers was because it included the Illusion advantage, an ability I considered a glaring omission from the GURPS Basic Set. But the GBS didn't leave too many other holes, in my view.)

[tg_ambro]

Originally Posted by Evenglare

I understand that it does add those things, but why not make some sort of new advantage book or something. I just dont get the point of the Powers themselves.

A couple of questions: What is your RPG resume? And what exactly seems redundant?

I ask because if you're used to WOTC, or other companies, who sell new and ever-stronger abilities, I could see how a book that illustrates what you can do with the advantages in the Basic Set as being a little redundant.

Another reason for the existence of Powers is that it allows GMs, and to a lesser extent players, to focus a group of advantages in Basic Set into a power, which may often be the only way the GM allows certain advantages in his campaign. It also allows players to claim benefits from having that power, like having an easier time using those abilities because they have a talent for it.

Another equally important aspect is that it allows the GM to craft a world from those abilities. For instance, in the Monster Hunters line there are several powers. Some of these are Bioenhancement, Psi, and Holy powers. By having these powers available, it shows that Super-Soldiers, Psis, and Holy men exist in that type of universe.

[Refplace]

I consider it kind of like the first of the Power Ups series.
It takes most of the advantages and goes over options for how to tweak them for different effects. Adds some enhancements and limitations and a few new advantages.
Also sets up some power framework ideas.

[the_matrix_walker]

That's basically what it is. New Advantages, and new enhancements, as well as treatments and details on power sources (which is actually first set forth in the BS under Advantage Origins p. B33)

It does have some lovely crunch, I use a third of the Powers book frequently. It does fall short in a number of areas in my opinion. I think Supers is in the same boat, but with much less useful material (useful to me that is).

I would personally throw out more than enough material to make room to fit them into a single volume of awesome-crunch, but SJGames is a business, and this way they got me to buy two books instead of one. Also, I may not be the part of the majority! There are likely allot of things I would have cut/abridged that are great selling points for different players.

And that's just the way it works. There are many kinds of GURPS Players, and they have to have something for everyone to sell books! My perfect Powers book would probably not be yours, and neither of ours would be the next guy's.