Re: How to protect casters?
 

Experience has shown me that a few points dropped into even a mookish group of Allies isn't a bad bet for a wizard. Skeletons, for example, are worth negative points. They're a base 1-point Ally for just about any plausible mage. They have the +0% version of Minion (due to Slave Mentality) and no Special Abilities worth charging points for. So having one around constantly costs . . . 4 points. Having 10 around all the time costs 24 points. That's actually a pretty good investment: 10 screening fighters who can all be told to Wait every turn like a big bone shield, none of whom have to be fed. A really deluxe version might be Summonable, +100% on 15 or less instead, which costs 36 points -- handy if your necromancer has to be social and polite at times.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

Generally, you do things in GURPS the same way you do them in real life. If you were sparring with someone in a boxing ring, and actually trading punches instead of dancing around looking for an opening, and right at that moment someone ran past you, you're not gonna be able to punch the second guy too, no matter how "open" he is. You're way too busy handling the first guy.

If you wanted to protect somebody, probably what you'd do is stand in front of them and say, "okay, anyone gets near us and I'm gonna let 'em have it." And at that point you're waiting for someone to come within whacking distance. In GURPS, that's a Wait maneuver. (And probably an Intimidation roll, if you actually say that.) But even then, if there's a bunch of enemies, and they all decide to rush you at once, there's no way you can stop them all at the same time; you can hit one, or maybe two if you're quick, and the rest run past you. So it goes.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

Why a squishy magic user? This is GURPS. He can be fit, adventurous, armed and armoured.
If you use GURPS: Magic, the deal is cheap enough for him to afford a modicum of martial prowess.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

Sure but there are actualy people who like to make squishy magic users as there characters. Most of time they do not even borther to read combat system carefully, they like other parts of game...from social engeneering, to mystery solving. Having fighting/tactics types together with non-combat types of players is sometimes unavoidable...they are your friends. But on the other hand GM has to be creative not to put non-combat types into combat - or better said - leave them other choices how to solve things, and give the fighter/tactics types opportunity to shine.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

Noobs, take note of the 40-60 additional points for high DX implicit in the suggestion above. High DX will help you with your speed and your resistance to feints, but for comparable points you could have DX 10 and Staff 20 for a base Parry of 15 instead (and resist feints quite well), or drop 8 points on the same Staff 12 and blow the rest on better IQ and spells that make you hard to hit.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

This situation calls for a perk I invented: Interposing.

http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...&postcount=111

{EDIT: Note, this will also allow a person with a weapon of reach 2 to parry blows directed at a person standing directly in front of them, as a second line of pikemen can do for the first line.}

Re: How to protect casters?
 

I like that a lot.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

Maybe I trample on my players' fun too much, but I tend to discourage character builds that leave the player out of action in any substantial scene. This saves me from worrying too much if the flow of a session over- or under-represents a type of activity. It doesn't take much -- usually 4 points is enough to give a brick something useful he can do at a cocktail party, or a give a diplomat some option in a fight.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

There are other uses for raw DX, uses that adventurer type mages might need to use on occasion. Bumping DX to 11 or 12 is not unreasonable for many mage characters and shouldn't be discounted or described as being for "noobs." Certainly, most characters I've played have been better served by reducing points spent on skills during creation and bumping attributes when possible. YMMV but, for my CP I'd consider the attribute approach when possible.

Re: How to protect casters?
 

I think he was saying "Noobs, take note:" Not "Noobs! Take note..."

That is, he was just pointing out what's going on there to the noobs, not calling the ones who did it noobs.


I hadn't thought of that. I like it!