GURPS Orcslayer - Entry level GURPS

Ronnke · 02-10-2012, 04:34 AM

I recently bought GURPS Orcslayer from e23. It was a nostalgia purchase as I once had this book many moons ago.

Anyway, I started reading it and thought, damn, this is a really awesome adventure to introduce both new players and GM's to GURPS, even roleplaying in general. Every scene or encounter is explained in clear and almost step by step detail.

The GM is told everything.
* How to set the scene for the players,
* Exactly what rolls to make, when to make them, and then what happens on a success or failure,
* What the NPCs will do and how they will react to PC's and events,
* Setting up of maps and miniatures,
* What the objectives of the encounter are,
* Special things the GM should be aware of when playing it out,
* And then the rewards at the end of the encounter, be it loot, information, bonus character points, etc.

I mention this because there has been some discussion on entry level GURPS. This adventure could be run by a GM with only a basic understanding of what roleplaying is, but has never run or played a game. To top it off it's a pretty good story too.

Why hasn't this adventure been updated to 4e and given a seat next to Caravan to Ein Arris? It's 52 pages of orc slaying awesomeness.

Graham · 02-10-2012, 05:19 AM

I'd never got hold of this, so thanks for alerting me. :)

Just snagged it along with Conan.

Ain't word of mouth a wonderful thing?

I've been GMing GURPS for nearly 20 years and have also never read "Caravan to Ein Arris" because one of my players has promised to run it one day... <sigh>

Graham

robkelk · 02-10-2012, 09:05 AM

If I recall correctly, Orcslayer was published before GURPS First Edition – it has all of those rules because the Basic Set didn't yet exist.

So you'll have to do some rules conversions to use the adventure with GURPS Fourth Edition... but I'd think it would make an excellent Dungeon Fantasy adventure that doesn't take place in a dungeon.

Jovus · 02-10-2012, 09:23 AM

The conversion isn't difficult. You can even do it on the fly, if you like. But yes, it's a wonderful little book. I introduced my Yrth campaign with it.

Edited to add: Check out Harkwood, Tredroy (there's an adventure in the back), and Fantasy Adventures as well.

alduc · 02-10-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robkelk

but I'd think it would make an excellent Dungeon Fantasy adventure that doesn't take place in a dungeon.

I had the same idea a few weeks ago, when I started preparing a DF campaign set on Yrth. I don't think I'm going to use every encounters at once - it would get repetitive, I think - but one or two between dungeons should make a fun change of pace.

Ronnke · 02-10-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jovus

The conversion isn't difficult. You can even do it on the fly..

Agreed. To a GM with GURPS experience, conversion is a no brainer. It's things like changing an IQ roll to Per to see something. The difference between 1e and 4e GURPS is not monumental, and in the context of this adventure it's pretty trivial.

Orcslayer, would certainly work well as a DF supplement, but the way the book is written, I think lends itself to the level of GURPS lite. Box this adventure with GURPS lite, colourful illustrations, a few pre-generated player characters, some maps, dice, and cardboard miniatures. And, you have a game which could be grabbed off the shelf by a novice, and be playing a short time later.

Anthony · 02-10-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robkelk

If I recall correctly, Orcslayer was published before GURPS First Edition – it has all of those rules because the Basic Set didn't yet exist.

Orcslayer appears to actually be a Man to Man supplement.

Peter V. Dell'Orto · 02-10-2012, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

Orcslayer appears to actually be a Man to Man supplement.

It is a Man-to-Man supplement, and it preceded GURPS Basic Set, 1st edition.

Ronnke · 02-10-2012, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony

Orcslayer appears to actually be a Man to Man supplement.

Under the hood, Man to Man, is GURPS, which is surprisingly no longer available from e23.

Anthony · 02-10-2012, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnke

Under the hood, Man to Man, is GURPS, which is surprisingly no longer available from e23.

Huh. I have to wonder how a scanned product goes out of print.

02-10-2012, 04:34 AM	#1
Ronnke Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Australia	GURPS Orcslayer - Entry level GURPS I recently bought GURPS Orcslayer from e23. It was a nostalgia purchase as I once had this book many moons ago. Anyway, I started reading it and thought, damn, this is a really awesome adventure to introduce both new players and GM's to GURPS, even roleplaying in general. Every scene or encounter is explained in clear and almost step by step detail. The GM is told everything. * How to set the scene for the players, * Exactly what rolls to make, when to make them, and then what happens on a success or failure, * What the NPCs will do and how they will react to PC's and events, * Setting up of maps and miniatures, * What the objectives of the encounter are, * Special things the GM should be aware of when playing it out, * And then the rewards at the end of the encounter, be it loot, information, bonus character points, etc. I mention this because there has been some discussion on entry level GURPS. This adventure could be run by a GM with only a basic understanding of what roleplaying is, but has never run or played a game. To top it off it's a pretty good story too. Why hasn't this adventure been updated to 4e and given a seat next to Caravan to Ein Arris? It's 52 pages of orc slaying awesomeness. Last edited by Ronnke; 02-10-2012 at 04:41 AM.

02-10-2012, 05:19 AM	#2
Graham Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: North Yorkshire, UK	Re: GURPS Orcslayer - Entry level GURPS I'd never got hold of this, so thanks for alerting me. :) Just snagged it along with Conan. Ain't word of mouth a wonderful thing? I've been GMing GURPS for nearly 20 years and have also never read "Caravan to Ein Arris" because one of my players has promised to run it one day... <sigh> Graham __________________ Free GURPS tools for Fantasy Grounds at www.spyke.me.

02-10-2012, 09:05 AM	#3
robkelk Untitled Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: between keyboard and chair	Re: GURPS Orcslayer - Entry level GURPS If I recall correctly, *Orcslayer* was published before *GURPS* First Edition – it has all of those rules because the Basic Set didn't yet exist. So you'll have to do some rules conversions to use the adventure with *GURPS Fourth Edition... but I'd think it would make an excellent Dungeon Fantasy* adventure that doesn't take place in a dungeon. __________________ Rob Kelk “Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.” – Bernard Baruch, Deming (New Mexico) Headlight, 6 January 1950 No longer reading these forums regularly.

02-10-2012, 09:23 AM	#4
Jovus Join Date: Sep 2008	Re: GURPS Orcslayer - Entry level GURPS The conversion isn't difficult. You can even do it on the fly, if you like. But yes, it's a wonderful little book. I introduced my Yrth campaign with it. Edited to add: Check out Harkwood, Tredroy (there's an adventure in the back), and Fantasy Adventures as well.