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Old 07-26-2015, 04:30 PM   #1
Themoopanator
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Default [3E] GURPS mages

Hi, this is my second post here.

Although I love playing GURPS with my friends I don't have enough time to go through and learn the full rules. So, I play with only the 3rd edition GURPS lite rules along with the full spell, skills, advantage and disadvantages lists just to add more variation to character creation.

Now, from what I have seen of 3rd edition GURPS lite mages is that a decent spell to use in combat such as 'ignite fire' or something to ignite an enemies clothes or the lining of their Armour will cost (I think) 4 strength. A friend of mine is (I am the GM) is currently playing a mage in our world and as for his role in the group it seems that in combat (and out of combat) his role will basically be to quickly get the group out of a sticky situation and then basically not be able to do anything for the rest of the in-game day because a few useful combat spells like the above will sap his entire 12 ST. Because of this I have added enchanted robes to the game which grant mages extra strength, with very little weight on them (because they are robes) but at the cost of not actually armoring them. My question is: Is this correct ? Are we doing the 3rd edition GURPS lite magic system right or is there a way to make a mage more combat oriented so we can make his spells more efficient and long lasting in combat or is this the general role of a mage (not that I don't like it, seems like a cool role to have in group play) because I just want to offer him the option of going a more combat oriented way.

P.S.

At the moment he is going the way of mind control spells and earth spells along with a couple trusty fire spells. (I know these aren't the most combat oriented spells but I have looked at the others and they don't look much different).

Thanks for reading.
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Old 07-26-2015, 04:41 PM   #2
johndallman
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Default Re: GURPS mages

GURPS magicians do tend to go through their energy quickly, but they can regain it fast: ten minutes rest gets a point back.

If they know the Recover Strength spell at skill 15, they recover twice as fast, one point every five minutes. It's on p162 in the Third Edition Basic Set.

If they know their spells well, the energy cost is reduced: at skill 15, they get a discount of 1 on the cost, another 1 at skill 20, and so on.

Those are the basics of making a 3rd edition magician more capable.
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Old 07-26-2015, 05:01 PM   #3
Themoopanator
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Default Re: GURPS mages

Ooooh. Hey, thanks maaan. Now I actually know the use of leveling spells xD. Much appreciated.
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Old 07-26-2015, 07:38 PM   #4
DAT
 
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Default Re: GURPS mages

And a mage who knows Recover Energy at skill 20 or higher recovers 1 FP every 2 minutes.
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Old 07-26-2015, 10:56 PM   #5
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Default Re: GURPS mages

Also don't forget your tools. A staff with the 'Staff' enchantment on it lets you extend your reach for the purposes of touch or even some ranged spells. A Powerstone is also a handy backup for when you run out of fatigue points. It recharges much more slowly than your fatigue though, so only use it as a last resort.
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Old 07-27-2015, 12:50 AM   #6
PK
 
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Default Re: [3E] GURPS mages

It's reasonable to say that, for a GURPS Third Edition mage, your goal is to get all of your spells to 20 or 21 as quickly as possible. At 20, you reduce your cost by 2, which is the point at where many spells become free to maintain. And at 21, you divide casting time in half, which is crucial in a fight. An even better point break is 25: you pay 3 less energy and divide casting times by 4. Usually it's best to stop there for most spells, and only continue to raise those that cost 4+ energy to maintain and that you use frequently. (I've built wizards with a single spell at 35 just to take advantage of the energy discount . . . and being able to cast said spell from 20 yards away at no penalty was rather nice, too.)

(Also, I added a "[3E]" to your thread title to avoid any confusion. Otherwise, since the default assumption here is Fourth Edition, someone might read your post a little too quickly and miss that it's about Third.)
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Old 07-27-2015, 09:54 PM   #7
ArchonShiva
 
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Default Re: [3E] GURPS mages

For combat use, Invisibility is a lasting buff that's very powerful for the cost.

In terms of damage for FP, try Essential Flame. It's slow, but there's basically no stopping it. While you're in Fire spells, try Smoke - it's pretty easy to cast a small area at no cost.

Deathtouch, cast from behind your allies using your staff's Reach, works pretty well too.

Create Warrior is also a pretty neat investment.
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