Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

This problem tends to be more common when you're dealing with very experienced players who are married to another game system, rather than utterly inexperienced players who are married to you.

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

Yes, full charge und wearing armor is certainly a good point! :)
The normal known cases where men where hit by boars IRL (usually without chance) were unarmed and not with a counter charge :)

Anyway, one thing is still not sufficient, the boar is too slow with move 8, maybe you forgot something like enhanced land move or so? Or the stats are just too low...? A wild boar can run up to 30 mph, thus I'd say move 11 or 12 would be appropriate for that encounter.

Are you sure the slam calculation is made the way you did it? The part with relative velocity looks strange somehow. That way, if it counts equally for both sides, it actually does not help me if I am much faster than my opponent.

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

GURPS Basic gives Wild Boars a Move 7-8, with no mention of Enhanced Move. Based on the little I could find in a quick Googling, they could have Enhanced Move 0.5 or 1, probably with Costs FP or Maximum Duration.

That's pretty much how Slams work in GURPS. If you've got any bonuses to damage (such as making an All-Out Attack or using a Shield) you're better off slamming as slowly as possible - damage to both parties is reduced, but chance to knock down the target is increased.

I'd prefer combining elements from the Slam and Knockback rules, actually. You normally knock the target back one yard per ST-2 damage inflicted (though it should reasonably be per 80% of ST). In a slam, each party should roll to avoid falling down at a penalty based on the damage they received relative to their ST, probably with a bonus to stay standing for the "initiator" (though it would be equal if both are charging each other).

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

A slam situation like that never happened in my own games so far, but it seems to me that the calculation needs a fix for those cases... I'll think about it. IMHO a good starting place for better slam rules is the page of RPK: Using the simplified table listed there is faster anyway in most games ( http://www.mygurps.com/index.php?p=i&a=1h&v=0 ).
Probably it makes sense to first compare the 'basic' slam damage of each side (quickly done with the simplified table) to see who get's knocked back. Afterwards one can regularly check the occuring damage for both opponents including the relative velocity.

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

Our focus has changed. We now know that we want to do whatever it takes to get started playing Dungeon Fantasy. A new thread on this topic has been started here. Thank you all so very much for your feedback. Your time and advice is greatly appreciated!

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

It can be, but it's more appropriate for experienced players looking to polish off some rust. It's fun when it's a gladiator-type mini game before the campaign starts and it gives players an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their characters and tweak them if need be. It's how I start most of mine.

To the contrary, for a first-time player, it's quite the opposite situation; I'm telling you, it will seem like a tedious rules exercise. Don't!

Have your first combat be very simple, quick and easy. Not so easy it makes it seem like it was meant to be won, but easy enough that it won't get drug out.

For example, a ST 9, IQ 9, DX 12, HT 10 goblin with a spear and no armor. Brawling and Spear skills at 12. Or, have a strong (ST 12) yet drunk mercenary with Knife and Brawling at an effective 8 pull a large knife and start attacking.

Those should be easy wins, but dangerous and very likely to cause serious injury. Since it's fantasy, a healing potion or trip to the cleric and your PC will be fixed right up.


As opposed to a first-time player, a first-time GM, on the other hand, needs to practice considerably beforehand. You'll be teaching the rules to someone else, after all.

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

Quoted for truth.

Listen to this guy. Run yourself through the game as if you were a player. Then when you run it with a friend... keep the game moving at all costs. When they do something unexpected, just make up a ruling without looking anything up. Between sessions... study the rules to see if following them would have made it more fun. If the same thing comes up again... don't explain it too much unless the player calls you out for changing the rules. If they say something that indicates they are expecting the rule to be the same as you did last time... that is the time to explain what you've learned... but only in about ten seconds or so.

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

^Very good advice right there. It's all too easy to get your nose stuck in the book, your brain locked in infinite loop. This is excruciating for players.

Keep it fun. Keep it simple. Keep it fun. Keep it rolling. Keep it fun. Keep it quick. Keep it fun. Keep it interesting. Keep it fun.

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

I'm starting to feel like I'm making a mistake going with GURPS. There is so much warning and precaution I feel like the wind is draining from my sails. I'm starting to regret leaving BattleTech a couple of years ago. We had a blast playing that at least. It was super complex and rule lawyering around every corner. I guess that is what drew me to GURPS in the first place. The complexity and chance of endless possibilities. I've never had trouble digesting wargaming rules, why should GURPS be any different?

Re: [GURPS Lite] First Time, Need Suggestions
 

The advice in this thread is mostly generic game mastering advice. It is not reflective of GURPS's inherent complexity, but rather of the depth of the challenge of collaborative storytelling. I'd give you pretty much the same counsel if you were going with Labyrinth Lord.