05-24-2019, 10:43 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
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[New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
We've got spirit, yes we do! And with GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits, so will you! But only if you're prepared to treat the realm of spirit with respect . . .
With this supplement, you'll discover the power wielded by shamans, medicine men, and other spirit-workers, with 28 sample totems and 17 archetypal roles. Your journey to the spirit world is just a download away, thanks to Warehouse 23! |
05-24-2019, 07:07 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
Very nice work, and it offer a new power-based power set, neatly filling an hole next to divine power, chinese elemental, psionics and others.
A few thought after a first read : Quite short but complete. Perhaps too short ? one page with a fully worked exemple character and an exemple of partial manifestations at various power level would have been nice, and there is a couple "see Gurps power p xxx" that could have been expended instead. On the other hand, it is very cheap ! Cheap in price, not in quality : there is a lot of solid work here, and it show ! Lots of crunch, but easy to read, and with some nice levity added. 3e Lensman Sense of perception is back ! One nitpick : the extended enhancement for Nictitating Membrane feel off to me ... I will have to think about it. Congratulations against to Refplace for his first Gurps book. |
05-24-2019, 08:02 PM | #3 | |||
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
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The power set is based on existing work from GURPS Thaumatology (Spirit Vessel) and of course from GURPS Voodoo in Third Edition but I was hoping enough was added and clarified to make it a full set usable on its own. And not just for shamans. Quote:
I tried to break up the how to use this so it became apparent as you read through it rather than by a fully complete example. Sort of a show your work rather than show the results approach. In a larger book I would have done both, but as you say this is short and cheap. And I really wanted as many examples as I could fit in! The original draft had many more totems but it was a more complicated "Connect the pieces" approach and tester feedback made me opt for fewer totems but each worked out in more detail. I am happy with that change and thank the playtesters for it. Quote:
Yes I missed Sense of Perception not being in Fourth Edition and was thrilled Kromm let me add it. One thing that came up for some was understanding how it works. I think the quote on p. 15 helps explain it and why its in the book in the first place. Fair point on the enhancement for Nictitating Membrane. It was a close call in my opinion and questioned in the review but I think it works, primarily for the same precedent Extended was created for other abilities. After the first sense (usually the primary one) the value for other senses sharply drops off. Still to be safe I specifically called it out in my final draft notes so it would not be overlooked and get looked at by the editor.* Really glad you liked it and thank you again for the feedback. *Note: Unlike it would have been overlooked but I figure anything that might be a change or controversial deserves calling out by the author so nothing just slips through.
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My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries Last edited by Refplace; 05-24-2019 at 08:11 PM. |
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05-26-2019, 04:54 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Aug 2008
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
For anyone interested in an alternative approach to Totem Spirits based on Spirit Vessels from Thaumatology and ties in Divine Favor, Powers, and spirit-related Pyramid articles, I wrote this back in 2015 as part of Pyramid Write Club. It includes a variety of totems that include animals, demons, elementals, and a ghost in the machine. Check out Totem Spirits for an alternative, if that sounds interesting.
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Buy My Stuff! Free Stuff: Dungeon Action! Totem Spirits My Blog: Above the Flatline. |
05-26-2019, 06:19 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
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My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries |
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05-26-2019, 11:22 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Aug 2008
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
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Anyway, congrats on the publication, Rory!
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Buy My Stuff! Free Stuff: Dungeon Action! Totem Spirits My Blog: Above the Flatline. |
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05-26-2019, 11:33 PM | #7 | |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
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And Thank you!
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My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries |
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06-06-2019, 11:09 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: a flyover state
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
The supplement I didn't know I needed. I like it.
Totems are like ancient tropes. Even when I don't use these rules specifically for an animal totem, I think the idea of the roles the spirits fill will be helpful in designing characters for just about any genre. Thanks! |
06-06-2019, 12:47 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
Quote:
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My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries |
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06-11-2019, 11:51 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Re: [New Release] GURPS Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits
I like this book. The Vancian style magic gets all the love, but for most of the world and history, animism is the magic they know. Between this book and the Assisting Spirits section of Thaumatology, you have a really good system for representing a lot of magic in more "primitive" settings.
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