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Old 11-02-2019, 08:41 PM   #1
awesomenessofme1
 
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Default What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

Inspired by a conversation that I just had with a player where I finally understood Improving Skills from Default after over 2 years of actively playing GURPS. I have a lot of character sheets to revise for my setting.

A few months ago, I also found out that death checks aren't modified by -1 per death check threshold passed, only consciousness. I had been entirely convinced it worked that way ever since I started playing.
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Old 11-02-2019, 08:48 PM   #2
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

Power Stunts, I kind of understood them but did not really appreciate them until PK made them the centerpiece of GURPS Psionic Powers.

I tend to forget rules and modifiers, especially combat ones but I think I understood them pretty quickly. Its just a lot to remember, especially if you dont use them all the time. I dont think I have ever been in a game that used all the rules and options.
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Old 11-02-2019, 09:00 PM   #3
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

I forget rules all the time, there are so many of them after all...
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Old 11-02-2019, 10:37 PM   #4
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

It took me several campaigns to figure out the use of range modifiers for missile weapons.
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Old 11-03-2019, 04:29 AM   #5
johndallman
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

I took a long time to understand that you don't have to buy skills in complete levels. An example makes this easier to explain:

You have a lot of points in Skill A. Skill B's default from A is high enough that your defaulted skill level in it would cost 4 or more points to buy stand-alone. Skill C's default from B would be at a useful level, but you don't have a default in C, because of the no-default-from-default rule.

If you put 1 point into B, your level in it does not rise, but you now know that skill, and you have a default in skill C.

Thanks to Kromm for making this clear, a few years ago.
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Old 11-03-2019, 04:45 AM   #6
awesomenessofme1
 
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

Quote:
Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
I took a long time to understand that you don't have to buy skills in complete levels. An example makes this easier to explain:

You have a lot of points in Skill A. Skill B's default from A is high enough that your defaulted skill level in it would cost 4 or more points to buy stand-alone. Skill C's default from B would be at a useful level, but you don't have a default in C, because of the no-default-from-default rule.

If you put 1 point into B, your level in it does not rise, but you now know that skill, and you have a default in skill C.

Thanks to Kromm for making this clear, a few years ago.
I think that's actually exactly what I was talking about in my first post.
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Old 11-03-2019, 06:49 AM   #7
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

I still don't know the rule about converting IA range into money.
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Old 11-03-2019, 07:14 AM   #8
Anaraxes
 
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Donny Brook View Post
I still don't know the rule about converting IA range into money.
  1. Buy Increased Range for your Innate Attack
  2. Research local adventuring parties to find a group that didn't invest so wisely
  3. Snipe those murder hoboes on their way back from the dungeon
  4. Profit!
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Old 11-03-2019, 07:42 AM   #9
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

One of the biggies for me was confirmation that Size Modifier applies to both Ranged and Melee attacks.
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Old 11-03-2019, 08:42 AM   #10
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Default Re: What are some GURPS rules you didn't know or understand for a long time?

Grappling. That's oddly true in many RPG rule sets, perhaps because it doesn't get used to much as the others, or perhaps just that it usually has a different purpose and mechanical model.

But some of the Basic details just weren't clear to me. It actually helped me to go through to the more complicated rules in MA and then TG, as that somehow cleared up what Basic was saying.
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