05-13-2012, 09:02 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Novice GM running GURP fantasy odyssey
I'm ready to break free from class based systems. A group of enthusiastic and forgiving players are ready to follow me into GURPS 4e. The 2 core GURPS 4e, Mass Combat, Banestorm, Dungeon Fantasy 5: Allies, GURPS: Magic, and the Galarion campaign setting from Pathfinder are what I’ll use. I even got “GURPS for Dummies” as a gift. I’m not fond of the Banestorm setting and plan on making the d20 Galarion setting more grounded. A small group of adventurers won’t be taking on armies, dragons, or sieging castles on their own.
My goal is for the PC’s to role-play from young, strong but inexperienced characters to the experienced, dinged up leaders and legends we love to read about. Only a few disadvantages will be allowed early on. Disadvantages will occur during game play. Example
Riches will be measured in more ways than gold: land, titles, allies, rights to trade routes, access to libraries of spells, and fighting techniques that make one’s sword become aflame. Basically all the things a d20 system can’t give because players are always waiting for the next level, the next feat, or prestige class. Last edited by DwarvenHeart; 05-13-2012 at 09:08 PM. |
05-13-2012, 09:09 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Apr 2011
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What I’m looking for...
... is advice to make this happen. I don’t have a module so it’s all me.
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05-13-2012, 09:18 PM | #3 | |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: What I’m looking for...
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Depending on what kind of fantasy campaign you want, GURPS Fantasy might be useful to you; it's basically an entire book of advice on how to plan a fantasy campaign and build a world for it. If you want significant combat, I strongly recommend GURPS Martial Arts, which is filled with useful optional rules. You might then go on to get the Martial Arts supplement for Banestorm. Bill Stoddard |
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05-13-2012, 09:31 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: Novice GM running GURP fantasy odyssey
I also strongy, strongly, strongly recommend GURPS Orcslayer, Harkwood, and Fantasy Adventures (all out of print, but I'm pretty sure all of them have PDFs on e23). They are all previous-edition books, and the first two are set in Yrth, but they all contain some really good adventures that, at the very least, you can pick apart for ideas.
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05-13-2012, 09:31 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Midwest, USA
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Re: Novice GM running GURP fantasy odyssey
Awesome!
Your three core books for fantasy are Characters, Campaigns and Magic. I ran fantasy campaigns for several years with just those three. Low-Tech, Martial Arts, and Powers are three other core books for this genre, especially the first two, but I wouldn't get those for at least a year. GURPS is by far complex enough, and those heap on a lot more. Both of the first turn the realism knob up to 11, but note that GURPS combat is already far more realistic than any other system I've used, and I've used about a dozen. So, chill on books right now. Learn the Basic Set and Magic very well before moving onward. Tips:
As for other books, the Dungeon Fantasy line starting with 1, 2 and 3 are great, but not really for beginning GM's so much. Plus, you're trying to break free of the whole class-based system and allow your players more freedom, so now's not the time for DF. City Stats is a great book, but I would learn the core book and Magic really well before making any more purchases. It's probably a bit more complex than to what you're accustomed. You might pick up Low-Tech: Instant Armor and use it instead of the armor in the Basic Set, if you feel the need for more realism. But, it's a lot more complex, again, than just picking out the stuff in the Basic Set. If you'd like, I can run you through some mock combat over Yahoo Instant Messenger or MSN voice chat. Or, play-by-post.
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. "How the heck am I supposed to justify that whatever I feel like doing at any particular moment is 'in character' if I can't say 'I'm chaotic evil!'"? —Jeff Freeman |
05-13-2012, 09:57 PM | #6 | ||
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Novice GM running GURP fantasy odyssey
That's the way the rules work. See the box on B p 291 (in the seemingly habitually under read Chapter 9).
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05-13-2012, 11:15 PM | #7 | ||
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Re: Stripe
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One tip I've been given is that GURPS has many rules so that a GM can pick which he wants to use. |
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05-13-2012, 11:52 PM | #8 | |
On Notice
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Re: Stripe
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Basically, while Low-Tech and Fantasy are nice to have (and use!) you don't need them to run your game. Same goes with the advanced combat stuff. Just start off your players with the basic stuff, and they'll let you know if they want to go deeper than that.
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If you think an Apache can't tell right from wrong....wrong him, and see what happens. |
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05-14-2012, 06:20 AM | #9 |
☣
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
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Re: Novice GM running GURP fantasy odyssey
Since no one else has mentioned it, and it's not the most familiar supplement, I'd just like to say that this is exactly what Power-Ups 1: Imbuements was made for.
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RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats. |
05-14-2012, 06:39 AM | #10 | |
Aluminated
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: East of the moon, west of the stars, close to buses and shopping
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Re: Novice GM running GURP fantasy odyssey
You'll want to strongly consider the GURPS Low-Tech series, both the core book and the companions.
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That said, I'll agree with the others who suggest that you get comfortable with just the core rules before expanding into other books.
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I've been making pointlessly shiny things, and I've got some gaming-related stuff as well as 3d printing designs. Buy my Warehouse 23 stuff, dammit! |
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Tags |
fantasy, gritty, gurps, novice gm, odyseey |
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