(Unofficial) FAQ of the GURPS Fora

[vicky_molokh]

Q: What are the benchmark skill levels? Could someone expand what each skill level means?

A: A slightly expanded reply from Kromm.

[vicky_molokh]

Q: Under Basic rules, which unarmed skills / attacks suffer from off-hand penalties / need OHWT?

A:

Originally Posted by Kromm

Just to be clear: There is no "off" hand in unarmed combat in GURPS. The Basic Set failed to make this as clear as it could have, hinting at it in a few skill descriptions but not generalizing it. Martial Arts makes it far clearer. Claiming that there is an "off" hand for the purposes of unarmed combat is fine as a house rule, but definitely not what the entire body of rules published to date supports.

Originally Posted by Kromm

The Karate skill states "Roll against Karate to hit with a punch (at no -4 for the 'off' hand)." When using equipment of some sort, read the description carefully. If that gear is a glove (e.g., cestus, myrmex, or sap glove), or explicitly enhances punches (like brass knuckles or anything with the "Hilt punch" note), you're throwing punches and may ignore the off-hand penalty. Otherwise, the item deals a weapon blow – not a punch – and attacks and parries are considered armed. In effect, you can claim either the benefit of no off-hand penalty (because you're punching with Karate) or the benefit of no risk to your hand (because you're using a weapon, not your hand), but never both. The Karate damage bonus has nothing to do with where this line is drawn; that bonus applies "when you calculate damage with Karate attacks," which is simply any attack that rolls against Karate to hit.

[vicky_molokh]

Q: What are the more obscure effects of Enhanced Time Sense (ETS)?

Originally Posted by Kromm

The benefits of ETS, found by searching the Basic Set, Martial Arts, and Gun Fu:

• all the benefits of Combat Reflexes (+1 to active defenses and Fast-Draw, +2 to Fright Checks, immunity to freezing when surprised, and +6 to recover from lesser surprise)
• always act first in the combat sequence
• always draw first in a standoff with unready weapons
• always go first in a Wait situation/standoff with ready weapons, even unarmed vs. a gun
• dodge snipers' bullets fired from "surprise" if you can see a flash, hear a report, or have Danger sense
• ignore penalties to attack around fast-moving obstacles
• invoke the Bullet Time rule, if used
• parry bullets with the Parry Missile Weapons skill, or shoot them down effectively with the Area Defense perk
• request extra time on the real-world clock to make combat decisions, even if the GM has everybody else on a turn timer

(PM)

Originally Posted by Kromm

ETS has no effect on how much time is needed for actions. What it does is allow essentially zero-time responses (like parrying or drawing weapons) to occur close enough to the stimulus that provokes them that they're actually useful. Starting composition of a poem or a battle plan a fraction of a turn (second) sooner doesn't provide a useful benefit, because those things take longer than a turn to execute.

In other words, an action can take m milliseconds (or whatever) to initiate, and then n milliseconds to complete. The penalties for being rushed that ETS eliminates are for having t < m for initiation; examples include the penalties or outright prohibitions connected to dealing with fast-moving attacks. The penalties for haste on p. B346 are for having t < n for execution, and unrelated to anything ETS does.

Kromm quote on ETS:

Originally Posted by Kromm

"Being rushed" in the ETS description wasn't intended as "you're cutting corners on purpose to save time," because then why wouldn't every character with ETS do every task in 1/10 the usual time and ignore the penalties? It was intended as "you feel as though you're under pressure, and don't know how much time you have," which lets you ignore maybe a -1 or -2 for beading sweat and shaky hands. That's the difference.

Edit: The trait of being able to work faster is Altered Time Rate. And yeah, I'd be happy to allow task-specific limits on that. ETS is just Combat Reflexes, Level 2, and like Combat Reflexes, more of a coolness-under-fire trait for combat than anything else. Thus, it gives bonuses for staying cool (or elimnates penalties for not staying cool), but it doesn't really help you move any faster to complete tasks.

Regarding the +5 to certain sensory tasks listed in Powers: Enhanced Senses, pertaining to Observation, Body Language, Connoisseur, Lip Reading, and Tracking:

Originally Posted by Kromm

My point [in that uFAQ quote] is mostly that *in general,* ETS isn't "+5 to everything because you always have all the time in the world." That's a *possible* trait, but one worth a few hundred points! However, "+5 to any task where time to perceive things is the limiting factor" is a lot narrower and fairer for the price.

Originally Posted by PK

Suitable tasks include Observation when analyzing a potential threat, Per-based Tactics to size up foes mid-fight, and Tracking rolls to follow a trail. Passive rolls, such as Sense rolls to notice something, are never affected, only those requiring active concentration. Deduction rolls also do not benefit as each roll represents the potential culmination of a long-term investigation; in fact, all deduction rolls for Per-based skills should be “floated” to IQ, as deductions require careful research and contemplation, not fast reaction time.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

Can we FAQ something about how Armour Divisors stack, how Hardened works against that stacking, how Cosmic fits on the scales, and whether AD higher than (10) is available?

Just in case, ADs from different sources are always multiplied. however, buying an armor divisor higher than 10 for Innate Attacks is houserule territory. I suppose an extra (in addition for the (10) cost) +50% on top for (100) will do.

Other useful notes on Hardened:

Originally Posted by Kromm

From p. B47:

Hardened: Each level of Hardened reduces the armor divisor of an attack by one step. These steps are, in order: "ignores DR," 100, 10, 5, 3, 2, and 1 (no divisor). +20% per level.

To paraphrase Armor Divisor, p. B102:

Armor Divisor . . . Modifier
(2) . . . +50%
(3) . . . +100%
(5) . . . +150%
(10) . . . +200%

Note how the modifiers are priced at +50% per canonical step. The next steps would logically be (100) for +250% and "ignores DR" for +300%.

Finally, to precis Cosmic, p. B103:

Irresistible attack. Your attack does negate the target's protection; e.g., an Innate Attack that ignores DR. +300%.

That's simply an explicit statement of the missing final step of Armor Divisor.

When Powers says, "DR with Cosmic subtracts from 'irresistible' attacks with Cosmic," it means exactly what it says. DR 100 with the +50% version of Cosmic counts as DR 100 vs. an attack with the +300% version of Cosmic. Against an attack with a (10) divisor, that Cosmic DR acts as DR 10, because the defensive +50% version of Cosmic isn't Hardened, and does nothing againt other armor divisors. Somebody with DR 100 (Hardened 1, +20%) gets DR 1 vs. an attack with the +300% version of Cosmic, because he shifts "ignores DR" to (100), while he gets DR 20 vs. an attack with a (10) divisor, because he shifts (10) to (5).

If you want an attack that not only ignores DR but also ignores Hardened, then add another +50% to your +300%.

Originally Posted by Kromm

Malediction and Sense-Based aren't meant to interact with Hardened at all. It's very specifically Cosmic that's affected, because Cosmic is really a high level of Armor Divisor. Malediction and Sense-Based aren't high levels of Armor Divisor -- they're something else. And yeah, when we get a FAQ Keeper, we can note this.

Q: How does Armor Divisor interact with Ablative DR?
A:

Originally Posted by Kromm

You have DR 96, HP 80. Repeated huge piercing attacks (pi++) lower DR as if ablative (footnote, p. B559), to a minimum DR 3. Against a homogenous target like concrete, huge piercing has a wounding modifier of ×1/2 once it penetrates DR (p. B380).

With 2d+2 pi++, you'll average 9 points of damage per second. You'll need 10 seconds to ablate DR 90, leaving DR 6. On the 11th second, you'll put 3 points past DR 6, which will inflict 1 HP, and also ablate down to DR 3. Then you'll be putting 6 points per second past the minimum DR 3, inflicting 3 HP per second, for the next 26-27 seconds. Total time: 37-38 seconds.

With 2d+2(2) pi++, you'll average 9 points of damage per second. But now DR is halved! You'll need five seconds to ablate DR 45, leaving DR 3. Then you'll be putting 8 points per second past half the minimum DR 3, inflicting 4 HP per second, for the next 20 seconds. Total time: 25 seconds.

The main advantage is that if you're boring dozens of these a day on a worksite – say, to pass cable – you're taking 2/3 as long to do it. That's a huge savings in labor. When you're trying to be sneaky . . . well, a rotary hammer isn't the tool for the job! But 2/3 as long to be noticed should be good for reducing whatever bonus the GM gives your opponents for a sustained racket.

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by entitivity

GURPS Campaigns says this of attempting a concentrate maneuver while grappled:

GURPS Magic says this of casting while being grappled:

I take the above to mean that if you are grappled, you cannot begin a concentrate manuever, but if you are already concentrating and someone grapples you, you can attempt to finish what you started. Is this correct?

Originally Posted by Kromm

That is correct. Starting a Concentrate maneuver isn't an option whilst grappled. You're allowed to complete one you've already started, though, by making a Will-3 roll.

(I hope no one minds that I added the uFAQ, but it seems like a reasonable addition.)

[DanHoward]

Just read the FAQ's. This one isn't right

3.5.3 Why is chain mail suddenly much better at stopping impaling attacks in Fourth Edition?

We felt that Third Edition mail's vulnerability to impaling weapons didn't pass a reality check. The weapons fine enough to pierce the rings of TL2-3 mail didn't come along until TL4, by which time the mail was fine enough to avoid most of the consequences.

There are plenty of TL2 and TL3 weapons that are as narrow as a TL4 stiletto but there are very very few instances of mail with links large enough to allow a stiletto to slip through a gap in the weave. These weapons were used to bust apart the link, the gaps in mail are not large enough to slip through.

The real reason why GURPS "chainmail" was vulnerable to impaling is because it was modelled on SCA butted mail, which is susceptible to impaling (and retains this vulnerability in LT 4e). Butted links can be pushed apart very easily because the join is not fastened. SCA mail is also the reason why GURPS chainmail is unrealistically heavy. Mail that was historically used in battle was not butted; it was riveted. Riveted mail is much better at resisting impaling damage and is generally much lighter than butted mail.

[vicky_molokh]

Q: Should Darkness Penalties somehow affect Defense Rolls?

A: Aside from RAW, you can use the optional rule that every -2 worth of Darkness Penalties also give a -1 Defense Penalty (basically, -2 to skill is -1 to defense). In that case, you should probably apply half the Darkness Penalty to Dodge for consistency.

[vicky_molokh]

Q: I'm wondering, what are the assumptions about the default traits of a character?

A: Kromm writes:
"The game assumes that a human not only has ST 10, DX 10, IQ 10, HT 10, HP 10, Will 10, Per 10, FP 10, Basic Speed 5.00, and Basic Move 5, but is someone who . . .

. . . is a member of the setting's dominant sapient race.
. . . has Status 0, and in fact has a Status rating at all.
. . . has a Wealth of Average, and starts with campaign starting money.
. . . has a TL, because his/her racial average IQ is high enough.
. . . has a culture, because his/her racial average IQ is high enough.
. . . has a language, because his/her racial average IQ is high enough.
. . . can articulate that language.
. . . has an Appearance of Average vis-à-vis other humans.
. . . has sex-differentiated positive Appearance, if he/she has positive Appearance.
. . . can have any mundane advantage or disadvantage, but can't have exotic or supernatural ones.
. . . is self-aware and creative.
. . . can learn and improve skills and attributes.
. . . has senses of vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
. . . can see color, depth, and motion in a 180° forward arc, including 30° of peripheral vision on each side.
. . . sees in the spectrum that starts after IR on the long-wave end and ends before UV on the short-wave end.
. . . has poor night vision but good light tolerance.
. . . hears in the frequency range 40 Hz to 20 kHz.
. . . has no intrinsic supernatural awareness, yet has the innate ability to resist supernatural attack even when unaware or unconscious.
. . . has a vertical, upright posture.
. . . isn't blob- or box-shaped, and so bases SM strictly on height.
. . . has a head -- with two ears, two eyes, one nose, and one mouth -- atop a vulnerable neck.
. . . has two arms that end in hands with fingers, two legs that end in feet with toes, and no other limbs.
. . . has a master hand and an "off" hand.
. . . has a bodily layout that allows catching, climbing, digging, dodging, dragging, hiking, jumping, lifting, running, striking, swimming, and wrestling.
. . . uses consistently the same ST and DX for all of these purposes.
. . . can deal thrust and swing damage based on ST.
. . . can lift weights based on Basic Lift calculated from ST.
. . . has a default Water Move of 1/5 Basic Move and a default Air Move of 0.
. . . has native conditions of a 21:78 O2/N2 atmosphere at 1 atm of pressure, a temperature of 35°F to 90°F, and 1 g of gravity.
. . . must breathe, but not so constantly that injury results instantly from pausing for a while.
. . . must eat and drink three times a day, but almost any organic matter will do except for a few things specifically described as "poison."
. . . must sleep approximately 8 hours a night.
. . . is vulnerable to acid, disease, heat and cold outside natural limits, poison, radiation, vacuum, etc.
. . . is living, not unliving, homogenous, or diffuse.
. . . bleeds when injured.
. . . suffers extra injury when hit in the skull, neck, or vitals.
. . . risks unconsciousness at 0 HP, death at -HP, certain death at -5×HP, and bodily destruction at -10×HP.
. . . heals naturally, but doesn't regenerate.
. . . benefits from drugs manufactured by human society.
. . . ages, and gets 32 years of optimal capability, between maturity at age 18 and possible decline due to aging at age 50.
. . . has FP in the first place, and so can use extra effort.
. . . gets one turn per second."

If any of those things isn't true, then you have to account for it in a racial template. Exceptions won't always cost points -- often, features will do the trick. However, you must still account for them; statements like "one of these things won't be true, so these others won't, either" don't cut it.

[vicky_molokh]

Q: What are the differences and nuances of Empathy, Body Language, Psychology and Detect Lies?

A: Kromm has it sorted out!

Originally Posted by Kromm

There's a whole mess of traits here, but no two are exactly alike. The important bits:

Empathy

What It Is: The near-psychic ability to spot impersonators, pod people, possessed individuals, and traitors instantly with an IQ roll. Fringe benefits include detecting that someone is lying in general by making an IQ roll, and +3 to Detect Lies, Fortune-Telling, and Psychology.

When It Works: When you meet the subject in person. You don't necessarily have to see him, but you must come within touching distance of him.

Limitations: Doesn't work on IQ 0-5 entities or on spirits. Doesn't work outside of personal meetings. Its lie-detection ability is vague, and only reveals whether any lying is going on, not the specific bits that are lies, much less the truth.

Illustrations: If anybody in The Matrix had Empathy, they'd have strung up Cypher as soon as he cut his deal. If any of Mystique's enemies had Empathy, her power would be kind of useless.

Detect Lies (untrained use at Per-6 • defaults to Body Language and Psychology at -4 • gives Body Language at -4 • Empathy gives +3)

What It Is: The studied, fairly realistic ability to tell when somebody is lying, primarily from voice stress and word choice. It resists each attempt to lie to you; your subject rolls IQ, Acting, or Fast-Talk. Victory reveals whether a particular statement was a lie – a trick that's beyond simple Empathy (although someone with Empathy could add +3 to the default of Per-6 to try this at Per-3).

When It Works: Whenever you can hear your subject speaking. You do not have to see or even be very near him! This works on dictators giving shouted speeches at rallies or on the radio, and even over the telephone.

Limitations: Does nothing until the subject speaks. Doesn't detect emotions, hidden features, motives, or truths – only lies. Can be defeated by someone with high Acting or Fast-Talk.

Illustrations: This is the classic detective ability in police drama, where the cops behind the one-way glass listen to the interview with the suspect, and one of them suddenly says, "He's lying!"

Body Language (no untrained use • defaults to Detect Lies and Psychology at -4 • gives Detect Lies at -4)

What It Is: The studied, fairly realistic ability to read physical "tells." Can spot impersonators and strong emotions (but nothing as weird as possession or pod people) like Empathy, and lying like Detect Lies, by observing someone. A fringe benefit is being able to spot physical tension: "He's going for a weapon!", "He flinched when you said 'England.' He may be a British agent.", etc.

When It Works: Whenever you can see your subject. You do not have to hear or even be very near him! This works on dictators gesticulating at rallies or on TV, and even via camera or other remote optics.

Limitations: Does nothing if you can't see your subject; hearing or even touching him isn't enough. Doesn't detect motives or hidden features – just lies and impersonation. Empathy gives no bonus.

Illustrations: This is a traditional bodyguard skill, used to spot fake guards and people going for guns. This is also the classic kung fu sifu ability in martial-arts flicks, where the ancient master can tell when his student is angry, not training properly, etc. merely by looking at how he moves.

Psychology (untrained use at IQ-6 • defaults to Sociology at -4 • gives Body Language and Detect Lies at -4 • Empathy gives +3)

What It Is: The studied, fairly realistic ability to predict the general behavior of an individual in a particular situation. This can be reversed to determine whether a particular behavior or deed (e.g., a murder) suits a given person. This is the only predictive ability on this list (although someone with Empathy could add +3 to the default of IQ-6 to try this at IQ-3).

When It Works: After a lengthy period of observation or a full-length interview, possibly supplemented by scientific tests, or after reviewing a file that includes roughly the same level of data on the subject or deed of interest.

Limitations: Does nothing in short order – if you can't observe, interview, or review a file, you can't make any guesses at all. Vague, giving broad answers ("He'll resort to violence.") but never specifics ("Only one man would put deadly poison in the city's water supply."). Worthless against lies and impersonations happening right now.

Illustrations: This is the realistic profiler's ability, often used somewhat cinematically in serial-killer movies like Se7en and Silence of the Lambs.

Somebody with neither Empathy nor points in these skills has no chance of spotting motivations or impersonation on merely meeting or seeing someone, as described for Empathy and Body Language; can tell when he's being lied to in speaking with default Detect Lies at Per-6; and can predict others' behaviors from their profiles with default Psychology at IQ-6.

Highlights: Empathy allows using an IQ roll to get a general feel about a person, and to broadly detect lies. Or it can add +3 to Detect Lies instead of getting an IQ roll. Do note that while your Detect Lies skill will likely be higher than your IQ, it is a resisted skill. So think which is more advantageous - a straight roll, or a higher but resisted one. You must pick one or the other:

Originally Posted by SE37

+3 to Body Language
or Detect Lies for having Empathy (or +1 for Sensitive), but not
if Empathy was used actively to detect the same lie; empaths
may make an active roll or claim this passive bonus, not both.

Also, the post is old, and the range limit is not confirmed anywhere in the books that I know of, and is in fact contrary to certain other statements (e.g. Remote allows one to use Empathy through phones without needing to be within any specific range; Emotion Sense acts as Empathy but only acts within 2 yards).

Also note that Detect Lies is at -3 when used on written text instead of spoken/signed.

[vicky_molokh]

Q: Bladed Hand/Blade-Hand/Nekode/Neko-de + Karate gives damage comparable to, or better than, a Broadsword! What gives?

A: The damage bonus from Karate to fist/hand weapons might be exaggerated. If this is how you feel, remove the damage bonus from swing damage of fist/hand weapons. The short version: Knock footnote [4] off the first line on the table for the bladed hand.

Source.