TL2 Fantasy Tips

[tshiggins]

From what you initially posted, it appears that this will have a narrow focus for a campaign of limited duration, perhaps?

If you'd like to make references to some deeper lore for your players, though, maybe have them find an ingot of orichalcum marked as originating in Atlantis?

I gave that some useful magical properties in my Facets campaign -- basically, it enhances enchantments and when used to create a shape of a Platonic Solid with bound, equally-powerful powerstones on the points, all the powerstones count as one (and recharge as such).

You also said you wanted an Eastern European focus, which takes you sorta far from Atlantis, but if you put an old trading post at some version of Constanța for your setting, then you might easily justify it as taken in some Thracian raid and then stolen by some monster and lost in a dungeon, somewhere.

Throw in a group sponsored by some horribly powerful evil meddler (Baba Yaga or someone) who is after the same valuable ingot, and the dungeon-crawl the players expected has the potential to go unexpectedly sideways as someone shows up to steal the loot from them. :)

I know the views of the history, legends and mythology of that region differ from Western European perspectives of them, and they're considerably darker than even the original Grimm's Fairy Tales.

The foundation of The Witcher stories in that cultural milieu is what takes them so far into fantasy-horror, as I understand it.

There have been a couple of good fan efforts to convert creatures in The Witcher to GURPS, so maybe look for those. Toss in some references to a beneficent serpent fertility deity that kinda-sorta resembles the Glykon, too, as a source of clerical healing and helpful potions, maybe?

GURPS does not assume that the point of magic is to compete with warriors in combat, and it certainly doesn't try to match damage output of spells with that of weapons. If that's your only goal, you'll have to tailor the available spells to make sure that's what you're getting. Maybe an Explosive Fireball spell can only be prepared for one turn, and so on. Traditionally, it's said that magic in GURPS isn't as damage-oriented as it is in D&D, but that wizards need to use their spells creatively.

In basic GURPS, magic definitely enhances rather than replaces melee combat.
For instance, a mage with a properly-prepared staff (it has the "Staff" enchantment) can use "Shocking Touch" to hit every other second for an additional dice of electrical damage, in addition to the crushing damage done by the staff -- which is also an excellent defensive weapon.

Moreover, since the staff has a reach of two hexes, the mage can stand behind some fighter-tank and thump people from the second rank, and the "Shocking Touch" extends down the length of the weapon.

Give said mage a few seconds to prepare, and his first strike with the staff does an extra 3d6 or so, which ignores metal armor, plus the crushing damage, and leaves him in good shape defensively for whomever tries to step in over the collapsed body of the guy he just one-punched, because the target focused his defenses on the much more dangerous-looking fighter. :)

GURPS magic can be devastating, but you have to think about how best to use it, given the particular circumstances and the spells available.

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

Really, anything you want. The sky's the limit. If you're not good at dungeons, don't make 'em. Maybe an overland journey, maybe a stay-at-home social drama. Anything.

I am leaning towards more combat oriented dungeon-crawl, something you sit down and play for a few hours straight with a group of friends, four pizzas, and a few liters of soda.

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

GURPS does not assume that the point of magic is to compete with warriors in combat, and it certainly doesn't try to match damage output of spells with that of weapons. If that's your only goal, you'll have to tailor the available spells to make sure that's what you're getting. Maybe an Explosive Fireball spell can only be prepared for one turn, and so on. Traditionally, it's said that magic in GURPS isn't as damage-oriented as it is in D&D, but that wizards need to use their spells creatively.

The GM has full authority to limit the spells or colleges available. Don't want Explosive Fireballs and Lightning spells? Then nobody knows those spells, and the players can't get them. Or maybe none of the elemental colleges are part of the local magic tradition and are unavailable. Not every spell-casting tradition has Earth, Air, Fire, and Water as part of its system. Or maybe all spell-casting requires ceremonial magic, which would make Explosive Fireballs and Lighting possible but too slow to use in hand-to-hand combat.

Decide what you want magic to look like, then do that. It's meant to be tailored to your setting.

I'll take that into account. Currently, I am leaning into a concept that relies heavily on magical components, although I am not entirely sure how that will pan out. I think I want to run an adventure where wizardry is assumed to be more mystic compared to more scientific.

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

From what you initially posted, it appears that this will have a narrow focus for a campaign of limited duration, perhaps?

If you'd like to make references to some deeper lore for your players, though, maybe have them find an ingot of orichalcum marked as originating in Atlantis?

I gave that some useful magical properties in my Facets campaign -- basically, it enhances enchantments and when used to create a shape of a Platonic Solid with bound, equally-powerful powerstones on the points, all the powerstones count as one (and recharge as such).

You also said you wanted an Eastern European focus, which takes you sorta far from Atlantis, but if you put an old trading post at some version of Constanța for your setting, then you might easily justify it as taken in some Thracian raid and then stolen by some monster and lost in a dungeon, somewhere.

I know the views of the history, legends and mythology of that region differ from Western European perspectives of them, and they're considerably darker than even the original Grimm's Fairy Tales.

The foundation of The Witcher stories in that cultural milieu is what takes them so far into fantasy-horror, as I understand it.

There have been a couple of good fan efforts to convert creatures in The Witcher to GURPS, so maybe look for those. Toss in some references to a beneficent serpent fertility deity that kinda-sorta resembles the Glykon, too, as a source of clerical healing and helpful potions, maybe?

The Witcher would be good, however I am aiming for a different feel to the game compared to The Witcher. Along with this, I don't think I will have items like healing potions, clerical abilities like prayer to gods/a god, and most likely have players start out with mundane backgrounds. Think DCC's backgrounds and backstories for peasant characters.

[whswhs]

If you want a sample, I still have the campaign notes from Jesus Magus, my campaign set in an alternate Roman Empire where Jesus was not the founder of a religion but a famous thaumaturge, and where Rome was in trouble because it had lost the favor of its gods through its devotion to mystery cults, sorcery, and philosophy. I came up with a variety of adventures for the player characters. Private message me with an e-mail and I'll send them.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

I don't think I would need most of the Fantasy-Tech items, as I am leaning into a more grounded approach - think A Song of Ice and Fire, rather than the generic fantasy setting or classic myths. I think something like Valheim would be a good fit for a description of this style of campaign that I am running.

I'm not familiar with Valheim, but looking into it a bit, it sounds like it's something like a Norse-themed Conan: Exiles. Are you intending to have a similar focus on survival, crafting, and building up your personal tech tree?

For something like that, I suspect the PC's shouldn't really have access to magic, outside of the occasional magic item (enchanted arms and armor, perhaps some utility wondrous objects, and maybe disposable scrolls for personal spellcasting), with that mostly being something rare NPC's have access to.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

The Witcher would be good, however I am aiming for a different feel to the game compared to The Witcher. Along with this, I don't think I will have items like healing potions, clerical abilities like prayer to gods/a god, and most likely have players start out with mundane backgrounds. Think DCC's backgrounds and backstories for peasant characters.

A witcher is definitely a powerful character, and the mages in that setting are similarly bad-ass.

I'd give a witcher a "fantasy special-ops" build of at least 400 points, and that's a lot to handle for players unfamiliar with the system.

However, the fan-authored write-ups of the creatures from the setting could help you get up to speed more quickly, since it includes some monsters that don't really appear in most Western European stories and would help you create the right vibe for your campaign without having to re-invent a bunch of wheels.

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I'm not familiar with Valheim, but looking into it a bit, it sounds like it's something like a Norse-themed Conan: Exiles. Are you intending to have a similar focus on survival, crafting, and building up your personal tech tree?

For something like that, I suspect the PC's shouldn't really have access to magic, outside of the occasional magic item (enchanted arms and armor, perhaps some utility wondrous objects, and maybe disposable scrolls for personal spellcasting), with that mostly being something rare NPC's have access to.

Yes and No. Less of a survival and crafting game, but rather a world akin to it that's actually inhabited with other people. Think Norse mythos combined with Eastern European societies and influences. It will be less Sword and Sorcery, although I think Conan could be an interesting influence to look into. Other influences I have already taken are Roguelikes from the 90's and 2000's.

[fritzbc]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

A witcher is definitely a powerful character, and the mages in that setting are similarly bad-ass.

I'd give a witcher a "fantasy special-ops" build of at least 400 points, and that's a lot to handle for players unfamiliar with the system.

However, the fan-authored write-ups of the creatures from the setting could help you get up to speed more quickly, since it includes some monsters that don't really appear in most Western European stories and would help you create the right vibe for your campaign without having to re-invent a bunch of wheels.

That would be nice. I assume I can just find the fan write-ups readily available online? I doubt they will be locked behind a paywall, right?

[ravenfish]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

That would be nice. I assume I can just find the fan write-ups readily available online? I doubt they will be locked behind a paywall, right?

Here's one fan's (free and unofficial) adaption of The Witcher to GURPS, including a collection of monster stats.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by fritzbc

That would be nice. I assume I can just find the fan write-ups readily available online? I doubt they will be locked behind a paywall, right?

They'd better not be something you have to pay for, or Evil Stevie would have to earn his nickname.

This is widely considered the best write-up:
https://gurps.fandom.com/wiki/GURPS_The_Witcher

Looks like the OneDrive links still work.