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Old 12-11-2009, 06:40 AM   #1
Mostlyjoe
 
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Default Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

I'm going to have a little spending money this Christmas and while I've bought up the print GURPS books like candy...I've been very reserved about picking up the pdfs. But I'm looking to make a change.

I'm looking at maybe 3~ pdfs to add to my collection and I'd like some advice.

Which pdfs do you think would add to an Urban Fantasy game I'm developing.

Gun Fu is already on my list because I tend to play very action oriented games. But I'm debating the Pyramid Urban Fantasy and the Thaum: Urban Magics. But what about the Power-Ups. Useful?

The other thing I'm looking at is good source material. I've read the Harry Dresden series, but it's not quite to taste. I enjoy more action oriented high-cinematic stuff. Is there any books/movies that would be good background?

Think Underworld...but the game I'd want to run wouldn't be focused on Vamp/Were but Mages and their retainers. (Think GURPS: Cabal with more guns.)

Just putting together my toolkit for this project. Thanks in advance and I'll swing by latter with updates.
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:22 AM   #2
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

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Originally Posted by Mostlyjoe View Post
...Pyramid Urban Fantasy and the Thaum: Urban Magics...
I give two thumbs up to Thaumatology: Urban Magics. Did a good job of fueling my imagination for life in a fantasy city.
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:22 AM   #3
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

This is assuming that you own the dead tree versions of Martial Arts, Magic and Thaumatology.

Gun Fu is very good. If you like cinematic gun action, then it's what you'll need.

GURPS Thaumatology: Magical Styles will be very useful to give some more options to your mages.

GURPS Power-ups 1: Imbuements is great, and can complement/substitute Gun Fu. it has options for making your bullets ricochet/arch, explode, dispel magic,...

GURPS Power-ups 2: Perks is always nice, but it's 50-60% old perks that appeared in previous supplements (re-edited, and put together so you don't have to go to Fantasy to get weapon bond for your 9 mm)

GURPS Thaumatology: Urban Magics is very good discussion on the interactions between magic and cities, but more focused on the low-TL aspects. It's standard Stoddard quality, meaning that you can't go wrong with it.

Pyramid #3/7: Urban Magics is composed of shorter articles, and has some material for more modern games. It can be mined for ideas (and there are very good ideas in it).

First things first: what kind of magic do you wish to use in your campaign? I personally feel that red diabolism from Pyramid #3/13: Thaumatology is an excellent fit for urban magic campaigns (in fact, it's a perfect fit for the Dresdenverse)
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Last edited by Kuroshima; 12-11-2009 at 07:28 AM.
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Old 12-11-2009, 08:10 AM   #4
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

I have to say that if "urban fantasy" means, as it often seems to in literary discussion, fantasy set in present-day cities where magic is not publicly acknowledged, but exists in a fashion invisible to the legal authorities, to scientists, and to most of the public, as a kind of underground . . . then Urban Magics is not primarily focused on that sort of thing. It's more about cities where magic is openly recognized, and indeed about cities that run partly by relying on magic. Its primary focus is big dramatic spells rather than probability-nudging rituals. So, though I hate to discourage a potential buyer, it may not be the highest priority book for what you may want to run.

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Old 12-11-2009, 08:21 AM   #5
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

I agree with Bill. Pyramid 7 and 13 are probably better resources for what you're looking for.
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Old 12-11-2009, 08:28 AM   #6
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mostlyjoe View Post
Think Underworld...but the game I'd want to run wouldn't be focused on Vamp/Were but Mages and their retainers. (Think GURPS: Cabal with more guns.)

Just putting together my toolkit for this project. Thanks in advance and I'll swing by latter with updates.
Funny, I was thinking of starting pretty much exactly the same campaign setting - a cross between the Underworld movies and GURPS: Cabal.

I think that's a really cool combination there - keep us (or just me in the odd case that nobody else cares) up to date on how it's going!

On resources: I'm not really up to speed on that, but I guess you could pull it off with what you have right now - but I know the urge to spend money so don't let me stop you :)
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Old 12-11-2009, 09:02 AM   #7
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

Hmm. Looks like I might go Gun Fu, Power-Ups 1, and Pyramid 13 to start. Dispell magic bullets are a must.
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Old 12-11-2009, 09:15 AM   #8
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

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Originally Posted by Mostlyjoe View Post
Hmm. Looks like I might go Gun Fu, Power-Ups 1, and Pyramid 13 to start. Dispell magic bullets are a must.
There's significant overlap between gun fu and Power ups 1 in what they can do, though not in how they do it. The efects generated by Imbuement Skills ARE supernatural, while those generated by Gun Fu could be attributed to cinematic reality. Both can have a bullet curving around a corner.

Now, if you're really interested in Imbuements, you should consider Pyramid #3/4, for the Perfect Defense article, where it adds defensive Imbuements, so you can imbue your sunglasses to protect your whole face, your trench coat to make it hardened and more resistant against bullets,...

Now, after reading your thread on RPG.net, I think that the fact that Imbuements are supernatural, and cost energy, but give more spectacular effects, while Gun Fu could be considered simply impressive skill, isn't a downside for you...
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Old 12-11-2009, 12:33 PM   #9
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

Is the mix. I want to give the Martial Artist characters a way to hurt a fully speced Mage character. Dispelling Magic bullets and some offensive options that they can buy and use is what I'm looking for.
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Old 12-11-2009, 01:09 PM   #10
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Default Re: Urban Fantasy recommendations...pdf/resources.

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Is the mix. I want to give the Martial Artist characters a way to hurt a fully speced Mage character. Dispelling Magic bullets and some offensive options that they can buy and use is what I'm looking for.
There are ways, though you need to catch the mage unprepared. No mage can be prepared against everything though. You might wish to import Depleted Necronium bullets from Technomancer (or their 4th ed equivalent, Meteoric Iron Arrows) to deal with missile shield.

Paraphrasing Vlad Taltos from the Jhereg novels "No matter how subtle a wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style."
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