Ravens N' Pennies - GURPS Content Posts

[Kalzazz]

What's your experience with 'high' point total advancement?

To an extent, to me it seems that a character who goes from 300 to 950 has 'advanced' less than a character who goes from say 112 to 350

Admittedly 300 isn't that 'high', I just don't have experience with higher point characters advancing

I know back when I used to run D6 Star Wars and related I used to give out more CP as characters got higher powered due to the scaling cost of raising stuff

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

What's your experience with 'high' point total advancement?

That's a little tricky because this is really two questions: "How quick should high point total characters advance" and "How much should I give them." And, arguably if you use something like Impulse Buys "How many points extra should I put out given genre expectation and game style."

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

To an extent, to me it seems that a character who goes from 300 to 950 has 'advanced' less than a character who goes from say 112 to 350

Not really. Points just buy traits. It's the traits that represent the advancement.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

I know back when I used to run D6 Star Wars and related I used to give out more CP as characters got higher powered due to the scaling cost of raising stuff

Not really needed for GURPS, but yeah, sort of like that.

So my general rules for advancement - regardless of campaign, genre, or point total (though I rigorously enforce #2 in games with points over 1,000):

1. Character points gained are between 3% and 10% of points for average or beginning point total, with a variance of about 50%. If you want slow advancement using the lower range, faster, use the upper. About 5%-6% usually suits just about any game.
2. No character may upgrade until say so is given. Period. I do this because it's weird as hell to suddenly be better at Guns/TL8 (Pistol) and the time elapsed in the campaign is less than 10 minutes between sessions.
3. Character points gained can only increase skill, attribute, or advantage by a level at a time. In some campaigns, skills can be bought up to attribute instead of a level at a time.
4. Disadvantages can only be bought off one trait at a time.

Obviously some of these change depending on the campaign and style, but this is how I keep my campaigns going.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Carpe Blogiem: Where's My Gorram Patreon Specials?!

Read this is you are one of my patrons on Patreon.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Boil and Bubble: Power Reserve Magic

So I had an interesting idea about how I might approach dynamically opposed magical energies. Here it is. Enjoy.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Gamemaster's Guidepost: Decomplicating Combat

GURPS combat can get complicated quickly if you're not careful. I talked a bit about how you can simplify it more - even if you complicate it first.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Gamemaster's Guidepost: Decomplicating Combat

GURPS combat can get complicated quickly if you're not careful. I talked a bit about how you can simplify it more - even if you complicate it first.

Were you inspired by One Man Armies (GURPS Supers, pp. 118-119)?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by PK

Were you inspired by One Man Armies (GURPS Supers, pp. 118-119)?

Didn't even look at it, honestly.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Boil and Bubble: Bless as a Sorcery Spell

I weigh in on "How do I build a trait that gives me +1 to everything?" In short: You can, but it's expensive and probably best built as a variation of the Blessed advantage.

[Kalzazz]

How did you get 65? I admit, I see 50 and 5 as the two components, so would think 55

Also Sorcery spells usually tend to have 'No Signature' on them I think

Sorry, I admit I am far from a Sorcery expert, but am trying to understand it


Edit - Also, do you think it would be reasonable to allow as a Sorcery spell in a Genericesque High Fantasy campaign if Magic Magic and the Magic Magic Bless spell are allowed?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

How did you get 65? I admit, I see 50 and 5 as the two components, so would think 55

That's actually an artifact of the first mock-up. I've since fixed it.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Also Sorcery spells usually tend to have 'No Signature' on them I think

Sometimes.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Sorry, I admit I am far from a Sorcery expert, but am trying to understand it

No biggie.

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Edit - Also, do you think it would be reasonable to allow as a Sorcery spell in a Genericesque High Fantasy campaign if Magic Magic and the Magic Magic Bless spell are allowed?

Absolutely. It's mostly 3rd edition legacy garbage that stops it from being used as a general magic spell.