Bringing GURPS into the 41st millennium

[mortenolsen]

I've started to make a conversion of the Warhammer 40.000 (Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader) universe to GURPS rules.
There are some threads that already deal with this subject

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=67296

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=76795

They have been a great source for inspiration.

But there are some areas that I wish to integrate into my campaign.

Starships

Does anyone have good ideas for using the 40K specific stuff - warp drive, lack of computers etc. with GURPS rules?

Psy

I've emulated psy by using a variant of the GURPS magic system. Not quite done yet but comming well of.

Corruption

Any ideas on what to do with corruption?

Character Generation

I've made some homeworld templates that can be used in character generation to get the feel of the world

Tech Priests & tech

I've always loved the concept in W40K that tech priests was making sure that technological equipment didn't fail, by apeasing the tech spirits. I want to make tech priests a kind of ... well .. priests... With some kind of magic (lacking a better word at the moment) that allow them to do just that. But I'm not quite sure right now how I'll proceed with that.

One thing I don't want to touch is Space Marines at this point.


This project is just in the preliminary phase. And I'll be very happy about input of any kind.

[Purple Haze]

Just so long as you do it for The Greater Good, Gue'vesa.

[vicky_molokh]

For some reason, spaceships look the most interesting for me right now. I suspect ships will have to get Unkillable I for the right feel, though.

Off-topic: calling in an airstrike, an artillery barrage, and a Leman Russ drop in the middle of a space hulk corridor was hillarious.

[PPoS]

I got no real ideas to give you, only pointers. So here it goes:

Originally Posted by mortenolsen

Starships
Does anyone have good ideas for using the 40K specific stuff - warp drive, lack of computers etc. with GURPS rules?

Most of this can be done with GURPS: Spaceships and GURPS: Space. I've toyed around a bit with the Spaceships rules to build one of the ridiculously big (but oh so awesome) 40K battleships. It can be done, though the table for starship HP and other statistics has to be extended.

Psy
I've emulated psy by using a variant of the GURPS magic system. Not quite done yet but comming well of.

I've tried something akin to this myself, but I cannot remember if anything came out of it though. I've never had to use rules for Psi. Though I think I remember about another thread specifically dealing with this take on 40K Psi.

Corruption
Any ideas on what to do with corruption?

No idea. However, if you are going to treat Psi and the like as magic, you can just as well use the rules for "Black Magic" (found in GURPS: Magic).

Character Generation
I've made some homeworld templates that can be used in character generation to get the feel of the world

I've also done this. Templates for different types of worlds. It's a nice touch I think.

Tech Priests & tech
I've always loved the concept in W40K that tech priests was making sure that technological equipment didn't fail, by apeasing the tech spirits. I want to make tech priests a kind of ... well .. priests... With some kind of magic (lacking a better word at the moment) that allow them to do just that. But I'm not quite sure right now how I'll proceed with that.

IIRC, GURPS: Thaumatology has rules for Spirit-based magic. Might look that up.

[vicky_molokh]

Now to actual ideas:

Technical devices should be treated as characters - the more compex the device, the more complex the character. First, if a device is fiddly, and can reasonably display its opinion of the user in the course of 'normal' operation, the character should make a Reaction Roll, with appropriate modifiers (e.g. +1 for every 2 Margin Of Success on some techy skill roll). An important factor in such rolls is the random number of likes and dislikes on the device's part - if you played RT you should have 10 working examples.

The second is that Engineering and similar skills should be rather limited. Only Operation skills should be more-or-less freely available.

[Humabout]

For Psy, I'd suggest using (or picking up and using) Thaum: Magic Styles coupled with forcing Fright Checks on any critical failures (possibly even failures, depending on how nasty you want it to be) and possibly Tainted Mana from Thaumatology.

A nice middleground between Fear Checks on every failure and only on crits is to write up a table (or if I can find mine, I'll post it) based on the Psychic Phenomena table from DH and roll on that for any failure. Any criticla failure naturally invokes a Fright Check.

[mortenolsen]

Thanks for the replies.

I've been off line from the site for a while with too much lab work but I've managed to put a little together.

See the following posts

[mortenolsen]

Homeworld

Every character must choose a homeworld from the following or one from another source. All disadvantages (other than stats) counts as homeworld disadvantage (see p. 12).

Feral worlder [15]

Iron stomach: Resistant (+3) to poisons [5]
Primitive: New disadvantage – Primitive[-10] (-2 on all TL skills based on IQ)
Rite of passage: Rapid healing [5]
Wilderness Savvy: Outdoorsman 1 [10]
Max extra HP +20% [0]
+1 ST [10]
+1 HT [10]
Superstition: Choose -15 point from Delusions, Disciplines of faith, obsessions, phobia


Hive Worlder [10]

Accustomed to crowds: ...
Caves of steel: 5 cp in TL skills either IQ/E or IQ/A and Streetwise at IQ [2]
Hive bound: New disadvantage – Hivebound [-5] (-1 on IQ checks outside hive)
Wary: +2 on ini checks to avoid supprise [5]
-1 HP [-2]
Charisma 1 [5]


Imperial worlder [8]

Blessed Ignorance: -2 on all hidden lore skills [-5]
Hagiography: Area Knowledge – Imperium IQ [1]
Theology (Imperial Creed) IQ-2 [1]
History (Imperium) IQ-2 [1]
History (War)IQ-2 [1]
Liturgical Familiarity: Literacy – Low Gothic broken [1]
Speak – High Gothic accented [2]
Literacy – High Gothic broken [1]
Superior Origins: Will +1 [5]

Void Born [5]

Charmed
Ill Omened: Social Stigma – void born [-5]
Shipwise: Pilot (spacecraft – choose one) DX-1 [1]
Crewman (space) IQ [1]
Environmental Suit DX-1 [1]
Navigation Space IQ-1 [1]
Void Accustomed: Resistant (+8 to HT) (Space Sickness) [3], G-experience (Micro- or Zero- G) [1]
Will+2 [10]
ST-1 [-10]
HP +1 [2]

Mind Blank

Forge Worlder [10]

Fit for a purpose: use 10 pt on one or more levels of one talent (not psy) [10]
Stranger to the cult (new disadvantage) [-5]
Credo Omnissiah: Technical Knock (new advantage) [5]



Noble [10]
Status 2 [10]
Comfortable [10]
Enemies – choose one or more enemies for a total of -20 pt
Contact groups for a total of 10 pt [10]
Will -1 [-5]
Charisma +1 [5]




Schola Progenium [12]
6 pt from Theology (Imperial Creed), Philosophy, History, Savoy Faire (Ecclesiarchy), Savoy faire (Administratum)
4 pt from Karate, judo, Bow, Broad Sword, Staff,
2 pt from Guns, Beam Weapon

Intolerance (low lifes) [-5]
Sense of Duty (Emperor) [-5]
Will +2 [10]

[Kage2020]

As noted elsewhere, I kind of burned out on the 40k universe a while back so please take the comments with any suitable amounts of salt.

Originally Posted by mortenolsen

Starships

Does anyone have good ideas for using the 40K specific stuff - warp drive, lack of computers etc. with GURPS rules?

As noted previously, starships seem to be out of the box GURPS Spaceships with some modifications from the later books in the series. For some inspiration you can check out Heimdallr's thread over on Dark Reign here.

I would imagine that it's not too hard to add some Characters options over the "hardware" to evoke some of the good ideas in Rogue Trader.

Originally Posted by mortenolsen

Psy

I've emulated psy by using a variant of the GURPS magic system. Not quite done yet but comming well of.

Glad that's working for you. It never seemed to suit the flavour of the universe in my mind, thus I used a variant of Powers and added some "Reality Bites Back" and "Black Magic" variants from Thaumatology. The gist of this was that psykers ended up with a "safe threshold" (evocative of Threshold-limited magic) but could continue to draw beyond this level at the threat of disruptive effects, i.e. "warp taint." It seemed to work well enough, taking a stance of seduction over the punitive approach of the official 40k RPG. That is, rather than "Oooh, you rolled a 9 so suffer the consequences!" it was more, "Yes, you're at the reach of your natural abilities. Yet if you only draw from that well of power you'll be able to survive or help out your comrades. I mean, it's only this once..."

YMMV as to which is the more appealing approach. I personally feel the latter mimics the background the 40k universe more than "Roll for Psychic Phenomenon" but then, well, I would. ;)

Oh, and psyker powers were just Powers, of course. Standard power modifier that drew a number of "Energy Reservoir" (which was determined by pre-packaged Psyker Grade) dependent on the cost to the character. The advantage of the power tended to outweigh the limitations of usage when based against the infinite power source that they could draw from.

Originally Posted by mortenolsen

Corruption

Any ideas on what to do with corruption?

"Reality Bites Back," as above, worked for me. I just avoided the pseudo-karma system that confused the official systems' "Corruption" just isn't worth the bother. Put another way, just stick with the description that "corruption" is a function of contact with the warp and don't bother with the idea that "killing is socially bad, therefore not good, therefore corrupt."

It's actually amazing that a universe that is purportedly predicated upon shades of moral grey actually takes an absolute mechanism to model this (more out of confusion, though).

Originally Posted by mortenolsen

Tech Priests & tech

I've always loved the concept in W40K that tech priests was making sure that technological equipment didn't fail, by apeasing the tech spirits. I want to make tech priests a kind of ... well .. priests... With some kind of magic (lacking a better word at the moment) that allow them to do just that. But I'm not quite sure right now how I'll proceed with that.

This is simple to model as is. Powers with a Pact.

Originally Posted by mortenolsen

One thing I don't want to touch is Space Marines at this point.

Don't worry. They're easy to do as well. :D

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Kage2020

I just avoided the pseudo-karma system that confused the official systems' "Corruption" just isn't worth the bother. Put another way, just stick with the description that "corruption" is a function of contact with the warp and don't bother with the idea that "killing is socially bad, therefore not good, therefore corrupt."

It's actually amazing that a universe that is purportedly predicated upon shades of moral grey actually takes an absolute mechanism to model this (more out of confusion, though).

Huh? Drugs are a way to Slaanesh, conspiring to Tzeentch, and killing to Khorne. (I'm not sure if saying that maintaining bad hygience is the way to Nurgle.)