A GURPS Fantasy setting

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by (E)

Here is a question to consider what makes a fantasy setting work well in GURPS specifically?

In my opinion, GURPS works well for a fantasy setting that lets you both follow the expectations as well as put your own spin to various aspects of it.

For instance, GURPS doesn't pigeon-hole a setting to one kind of magic. GURPS can handle fantasy settings with the PCs having little to no magic (Princess Bride, original Beastmaster, Ladyhawke), subtle time-consuming Path/Book or RPM magic, or flash-bang Hogwart's magic. That you can craft a setting with both of the latter and have them not only work in conjunction and not step on each other's niches helps.

Likewise, GURPS doesn't say, "This is an Elf. Elves always have these traits, regardless of world setting." Instead, it lets you say, "This is this world's Elf, and that is that world's Elf. The two may meet, but they may not," with subtle differences between Elves. One Elf package may be 25 points, another 75. Contrast with, say, D&D where a Greyhawk Elf is the same as a Forgotten Realms Elf is the same as a Spelljammer Elf is the same as a Dragonstar Elf is the same as an Eberron Elf is the same as every other D&D setting's Elf, as far as the racial packages are concerned. GURPS let's you say, "A Norse Elf is not the same as a Dungeon Fantasy Elf, and neither is the same as a Potter-verse Elf."