Ultra-Lite's Skills in Standard GURPS

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by fewilcox

The point of this thread is to ask that very question.

None of the above, actually (and why would the second one even matter?). I just get tired of trying to explain GURPS' skill system to new players. It's the only part of the game that actually is as complicated as people complain the whole game is.

I also sometimes award skill ranks instead of CP but it's made exceedingly difficult when it could cost that particular character 1, 2, or 4 points. It'd be much easier if they all cost the same.

I try to encourage everyone to take bang skills but they're so expensive that I'm the only person who uses them regularly.

UL's skills seem like a much better system for our group if we can figure out how to make them work with the rest of standard GURPS.

As already mentioned, Ultralite skills are more or less the same as Bang skills and have similar costs. Just call the Bang skill what you'd call it in Ultralite. Basically a level in ultralite is roughly equivalent to 40 points in GURPS. So in ultralite, +4 costs 40 points while for a Bang skill +4 is 48 points.

The -6 default is pretty much the same as the standard GURPS untrained default (-4 to -6) Where the system breaks down is the enormous cost for basic training in an ultralite skill. A Bang skill at attribute-2 would cost 6 points, not 40.

If you want to encourage use of Bang/ultralite skills, just make sure one skill covers the bulk of a character's concept. Dungeon Fantasy has some good examples. Remember when calculating the cost of a Bang skill that it will generally replace Talents as well as skills. Most of the DF templates work well with Bang skills - the Knight is arguably more powerful using the Knight! skill than with standard skills and Talents. You might try working up alternate versions of your player characters using Bang skills, showing them how that can create effective characters with a shorter skill list. Alternately, reduce the cost of the Bang skill if your players find the current cost too much.

If you really want to simplify, reduce the number of skill levels available. E.g.,

Familiar [5] - Make all skill checks at Attribute -2.

Competent [20] - Make all skill checks at Attribute.

Professional [40] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+2

Expert [60] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+6

Master [80] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+8

Also allow defaults from skill rather than Attribute for related skills - this can help cut down on any need for secondary skills.

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by Infornific

Expert [60] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+6

Master [80] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+8

Sorry, that should be

Expert [60] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+4

Master [80] - Make all skill checks at Attribute+6

[BaHalus]

Just make the first skill level at atr+2-dif for 4 points, that will make every level to cost 4 and will not change the general mechanics.

In other words: make 4 points as the minimum for adventuring skills.