Why I do not use 'Knowing Your Own Strength'

[AlexanderHowl]

I do not use 'Knowing Your Own Strength' rules because I like the way that standard GURPS ST possesses a linear relationship to Damage, a squared relationship to BL, and a cubic relationship to mass. Using a 10*(log10) scale for ST is just less intuitive for me, especially since I tend to associate log with natural log instead of log10. Who else uses standard GURPS ST and why?

[Phantasm]

I use the standard GURPS ST/Super ST in my own games for a few reasons. First among them I routinely have players who only have the Basic Set, so I don't want to confuse them too awful much. Another is that why KYOS works good for "lift skyscrapers/battleships/planets" level strength, I need my superstrength a bit more fine-grained.

[Anthony]

Most people don't use KYOS, it's after all a pyramid article. The big virtue of KYOS is that means quick contests of ST scale sensibly.

[Bengt]

I use standard GURPS ST because I wasn't aware of this article. :)

[GodBeastX]

I use knowing your own strength because in higher powered games, it becomes difficult for creatures with natural weapons to be a threat when they are outputting half the values of the PCs. Their thrust values are just too low.

[mlangsdorf]

I use Quadratic ST for lifting and set swing damage to thr+2.

For the games I've run, mostly dealing with mildly supernatural people but at one point dealing with 30' giants fighting 16' tall mecha, quadratic lifting ST produces sensible numbers that I find easy to reason with. Setting sw damage to thr+2 tones down weapon masters and makes using thrusting weapons a valid life choice, which pleases me. It also means you don't need extreme levels of DR to be fairly resistant to melee weapons: a ST 17 guy with an axe does 1d+6, not 3d+1, so DR 8 absorbs most of a typical hit.

[Rupert]

I don't use KYOS because the article didn't exist when my current campaign started, and most characters within it use TL5+ gear (so most attacks use guns and beam weapons), so ST's wierdnesses aren't that important anyway.

Were I to start a new campaign I'd strongly consider it, along with capping other attributes at 15-16 as well.

[vicky_molokh]

Aside from the fuss of adjusting the ST functions in GCB in terms of cost, weight lifted and damage provided, I have the impression that it demands more micromanagement (manual and separate assignment) of everything's HP, Striking and Lifting ST, and that it will play havoc with Bending Steel Bars.

Oh, and do I get it right that it seems to make BL more expensive for people who had ST10ish and 1-3 levels of Lifting ST?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Oh, and do I get it right that it seems to make BL more expensive for people who had ST10ish and 1-3 levels of Lifting ST?

Yes because lifting ST is more expensive. On the other hand, IME low ST and lifting ST is pretty abusive, so not a big loss.

[Tomsdad]

Also doesn't each level of Lifting ST now mean you can lift more weight than it previously did?

So more ability, more value, more cost?